July 28, 2000

What do a tall ship, a navigational guide and the MGH have in common? All are connected to the Bowditch family of Salem, Mass.

The MGH tie to the Bowditch family began in 1823 when Nathaniel Bowditch (1773-1838), worked closely with the hospital during its early years, raising funds from the sale of insurance policies. He was a self-taught scholar, Harvard corporation member and renowned navigator who wrote The New Practical American Navigator, a 19th century maritime guide still used today.

Two of his six sons – Nathaniel Ingersoll Bowditch (1805-1861) and Henry Ingersoll Bowditch (1808-1892) – also served the MGH in various capacities. The younger Nathaniel served for several years as a trustee, as both chairman and vice president of the MGH Corporation, and wrote the first volume of the MGH’s history, which he published at his own expense. His brother, Henry, was a house officer at the MGH in 1832, serving under MGH co-founder James Jackson, MD. Henry Bowditch, MD, became a pioneer in the treatment of diseases of the chest and is credited with introducing an operation to relieve pressure in the pleural cavity, which is the area surrounding the heart.

The senior Nathaniel’s grandson, Henry Pickering Bowditch, MD, (1840-1911), also became a physician and studied cardiac physiology in Germany. After returning to America, he became first a professor and then dean at Harvard Medical School.

The Bowditch name is still a prominent one in maritime circles. In addition to the navigational guide, a 108-foot tall ship carries the Bowditch name. The Nathaniel Bowditch (pictured), named for the famous navigator, is based in Maine and recently visited Boston as part of the Sail Boston 2000 celebration.