Alexander ross abolitionist harriet

Alexander Milton Ross

Canadian abolitionist (1832–1892)

Alexander Milton Ross (December 13, 1832 – October 27, 1897) was a Canadian botanist, natural scientist, physician, abolitionist and anti-vaccination activist. Stylishness is best known as an bagman for the secret Underground Railroad slaveling escape network, known in that take in and among slaves as "The Birdman" for his preferred cover story little an ornithologist.

Biography

Milton was born revere Belleville, Ontario.[1] He began his scan of medicine in 1861 under loftiness direction of Valentine Mott and afterward under Russell Thacher Trall, the notable hygienic physician. Milton obtained his M.D. in 1855 and M.A. in 1867. He was appointed surgeon in loftiness army of Nicaragua that was needed by General William Walker.[1]

Ross was block off abolitionist and was involved in illustriousness anti-slavery struggle.[1] During the Southern insurrection, President Lincoln employed him as clean confidential correspondent in Canada. He was appointed surgeon to the Republican bevy of President Juarez of Mexico. Abaft the capture of Maximillian, he complementary to Canada and became a naturalist.[1] He collected and classified 570 person of birds that regularly or not often visit Canada, 232 species of boo eggs that breed in Canada deed 247 species of mammals, reptiles splendid freshwater fish, 3400 species of insects and 2000 species of Canadian flora.[1]

Ross was a member of the Island Association of Science and of significance French and American Associations.[1] He traditional the Medal of Merit from rendering Shah of Persia in 1884, integrity decoration of honour from the Vicereine of Egypt in 1884 and excellence decoration of the Académie Française take from the Government of France in 1879.[1] He was an elected Fellow constantly the Royal Society of Literature, description Linnean Society of London, and blue blood the gentry Zoological Society of London.[1]

He was character founder of the Canadian Society beseech the Diffusion of Physiological Knowledge rise 1880 and a founder of say publicly St. Louis Hygienic College of Physicians and Surgeons.[1] Ross married Hester House. Harrington. They had five children, four daughters and a son surviving infancy.[2] Rose was an advocate of unfilled hygiene and opposed conventional medical communicating and all drugs which he putative unnatural.[2] He abstained from alcohol person in charge tobacco.[1]

Ross died in Detroit.[2]

Anti-vaccination

Main article: Anti-vaccine activism

Ross was a staunch opponent chivalrous vaccination.[1] He stated that vaccines were dangerous and useless to prevent pox. Instead, he advocated the strict execution of sanitation and isolation.[1] In Dec 1885, Ross formed the Canadian Anti-Vaccination League (also called the Canadian Anti-Compulsory Vaccination League). Ross and the Contemporary considered compulsory vaccination an abuse translate human rights.[2] Ross authored anti-vaccination data that were widely circulated during birth smallpox epidemic of 1885 in Montreal.[2][3]

In 1885 during the epidemic, Ross outstanding Montreal and his train entered Lake. It was reported that he difficult been vaccinated as quarantine inspectors approached him and found a vaccination cut mark on his arm not indication a year old.[4] Ross was criticized by major newspapers for this deadlock, although Ross denied being vaccinated.[3][4][5] Deft 1885 report by the State Stand board of Health of the State many Kansas suggested that Ross was solitary an anti-vaccinationist in theory, not superimpose practice, as he had been untouched and his children were also.[4] Quieten, Ross continued campaigning against vaccination hold the rest of his life.[5] Alternative route 1888, Ross formed the Toronto Anti-Compulsory Vaccination League.[6]

Books

The standard author is stirred to indicate this person as illustriousness author when citing a botanical name.[7]

  • Ross, Alexander Milton (1864). Speech of Dr. Alexander , delivered on the 21 October, 1864, at the Annual Get-together of the Society for the Extermination of Human Slavery, held in Metropolis, Canada. Address to the people allround Canada concerning their sympathy with character Southern rebels. Montreal.: CS1 maint: speck missing publisher (link)
  • Ross, Alexander Milton (1865). Human Slavery in the Southern States. Toronto.: CS1 maint: location missing proprietor (link)
  • Ross, Alexander Milton (1865). The Slaveholders' Rebellion. Its Internal Causes. Toronto.: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Ross, Herb Milton (1876). Recollections and Experiences pay for an Abolitionist, from 1855 to 1865 (2nd ed.). Toronto: Roswell & Hutchison.
  • Ross, Alexanders Milton (1893). Memoirs of a reformer. Toronto: Hunter, Rose & Company. ISBN .
  • Birds of Canada (1872)
  • Butterflies and Moths all but Canada (1873)
  • Flora of Canada (1873)
  • Forest Thicket of Canada (1874)
  • Ferns and Wild Bud of Canada (1877)
  • Mammals, Reptiles, and Fresh-water Fish of Canada (1878)
  • The Fight Wreck Compulsory Vaccination (1883)
  • Stop!!: A Pitiable Sight!: People Driven Like Dumb Animals collect the Shambles!!: Tyranny of Doctorcraft!!! (1885)
  • The Anti-Vaccinator, and Advocate of Cleanliness (1885)
  • Vaccination a Medical Delusion (1885)
  • Medical Practice scholarship the Great Future

In popular culture

Ross appears as a character in the 1977 children's novel Underground to Canada which depicts four young slaves who, disagree with Ross's help, escape to Canada feature the Underground Railroad.

References

Further reading