T. Romeyn Beck
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Theodric Romeyn Beck (April 11, 1791 – November 19, 1855), alternatively Theodoric Romeyn Beck or T. Romeyn Beck, was an American physician in Albany, New York, specializing in medical jurisprudence who authored the first significant American book on
forensic medicine Forensic medicine is a broad term used to describe a group of medical specialties which deal with the examination and diagnosis of individuals who have been injured by or who have died because of external or unnatural causes such as poisoning, assa ...
, ''Elements of Medical Jurisprudence'' in 1823.


Biography

Beck was born in Schenectady, New York, to the family of Caleb Beck of English descent. He graduated from Union College at the age of 16 and the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons with an M.D. at the age of 20 before going into practice in Albany in 1811. In 1813 he presented to the Albany Society of Arts a comprehensive paper on the mineral resources of the United States. In 1815 he was appointed professor of the institutes of medicine, and lecturer on medical jurisprudence in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Western New York, at Fairfield. Beck was also elected a member of the American Antiquarian Society in 1815. He served as the principal of the Albany Academy from 1817 to 1848, where he encouraged the future curator of the Smithsonian Institution,
Joseph Henry Joseph Henry (December 17, 1797– May 13, 1878) was an American scientist who served as the first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. He was the secretary for the National Institute for the Promotion of Science, a precursor of the Smith ...
, to enroll as a student and later serve as a professor of mathematics and natural philosophy in 1826. Also during this time, he was a professor of medical jurisprudence at Fairfield Medical College from 1826 until 1836, and professor of '' materia medica'' in that institution from 1836 till 1840, and at
Albany Medical College Albany Medical College (AMC) is a private medical school in Albany, New York. It was founded in 1839 by Alden March and James H. Armsby and is one of the oldest medical schools in the nation. The college is part of the Albany Medical Center, which ...
from 1840 until 1854. He was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1839. In 1823, while secretary of the Society for the Promotion of Useful Arts (SPUA), he founded the Albany Lyceum of Natural History, which focused on the preservation of mineral and botanical specimens collected in New York state surveys. The following year, SPUA and the Albany Lyceum of Natural History merged to form the Albany Institute;
Stephen Van Rensselaer III Stephen Van Rensselaer III (; November 1, 1764January 26, 1839) was an American landowner, businessman, militia officer, and politician. A graduate of Harvard College, at age 21, Van Rensselaer took control of Rensselaerswyck, his family's mano ...
was appointed its president and Beck was appointed its vice president. He was chosen president of the New York State Medical Society in 1829, and became a manager of the state lunatic asylum before becoming president of the Board of Managers in 1854. During his service, he collected statistics on deaf-mutes, which influenced the legislature to pass laws for the education of the mentally ill. In addition, from 1849 to 1853 he edited the ''American Journal of Insanity''. His principal work was ''Elements of Medical Jurisprudence''. His brother
John Brodhead Beck John Brodhead Beck (18 September 1794 Schenectady, New York – 9 April 1851 Rhinebeck, New York) was a New York physician who was an authority on miscarriage, abortion, infant physiology, and associated forensic issues. Biography He was the thi ...
, also a physician, contributed the material on
infanticide Infanticide (or infant homicide) is the intentional killing of infants or offspring. Infanticide was a widespread practice throughout human history that was mainly used to dispose of unwanted children, its main purpose is the prevention of reso ...
. The first edition was printed in 1823, a seventh edition was issued in London in 1842, with notes by Dunlap and Darwell, and a tenth in Albany in 1850. Beck also contributed to numerous scientific journals. Another of his brothers,
Lewis Caleb Beck Lewis Caleb Beck (4 October 1798 Schenectady – 20 April 1853 Albany, New York) was an American physician, botanist, chemist, and mineralogist. Biography He graduated from Union College in 1815 with a Master of Arts. He then studied medicine, ...
, wrote a noted book on the ''Mineralogy of New York'' (1842).


Selected works


''An inaugural dissertation on insanity'' (1811)

''On the utility of country medical institutions'' (1825)

''Statistics of the deaf and dumb in the State of New-York, the United States, and in various countries of Europe'' (1837)


Notes


References

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Further reading

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Beck, Theodric Romeyn 1791 births 1855 deaths 19th-century American physicians Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons alumni American forensic scientists Union College (New York) alumni Medical jurisprudence Members of the American Antiquarian Society Scientists from New York (state) The American Journal of Psychiatry editors