In July 1855, a Toronto coroner's inquest into the death of Job Broom resulted in the conviction of a medical student from Rolph's School for the crime of manslaughter. John Rolph, ex-rebel and Reformer statesman, was generally thought to be responsible for his student's transgressions and although the student had already garnered public disapproval for his criticism of the management of the Toronto General Hospital, the conviction seems really to have been a negative judgement of Rolph's politics and medicine. The sincerity of and motives for Rolph's political actions as well as his institutional involvement in medical education have been well studied. Beginning with the case of Job Broom and two other inquests, this essay explores his lesser known medical career, ideas, and practice. Previously unexamined primary source material, including Rolph's manuscript lecture notes, is considered. While this extended vision of his work better situates Rolph in the medico-intellectual milieu of the nineteenth century, it also demonstrates that, as for politics so in medicine, Rolph's motives remain obscure, complex, and even sinister.

ISSN 0823-2105

© 2012 Canadian Society for the History of Medicine/
    Société canadienne d'histoire de la médecine