American Medical Biographies/Thompson, Robert
Thompson, Robert (1797-1865).
Robert Thompson, a physician of Columbus, Ohio, was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, in September, 1797. His literary edu- cation was slight, his medical instruction acquired with Dr. George McCook, of New Lisbon, Ohio. He was licensed to practise medicine and surgery in 1824 by the Fourteenth District Medical Society of Ohio, and in 1834 received from the Medical College of Ohio the honorary M. D. He married, in 1824, Ann M. Seeber, of New York State, and settled first at Pleasant Hill, Muskingum County, Ohio, but removed thence to Washington, Guernsey County, and finally, in 1834, settled in Columbus.
In 1831 he was elected to the State Senate, and he was for many years physician to the State Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb.
Dr. Thompson was one of the founders of the Ohio State Medical Society, and its president in 1847.
He is said to have been a very competent surgeon and extremely ingenious in the invention of new surgical instruments and apparatus. Among the latter were a bone forceps, a tonsillotome, uvula scissors, a cornea knife, a cataract needle, a tourniquet, a trephine and a popular and useful abdominal supporter.
He was a fluent and ready writer, and numerous contributions from his pen will be found in the Transactions of the State Medical Society.
He died in Columbus, Ohio, August 18, 1865.