American Medical Biographies/Brown, David Tilden
Brown, David Tilden (1822–1889)
David Tilden Brown, alienist and explorer, was bom in Boston, Massachusetts, in August, 1822, and in 1828 moved with his parents to New York City. He went to school in Poughkeepsie and at the Washington Institute. He studied medicine under Willard Parker (q.v.) and received an M. D. from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1844. When twenty-two he was senior medical officer of the City Asylum on Blackwell's Island. For one year hr was medical assistant at the Vermont Asylum and one year was at the Utica State Asylum, resigning to practise with his former preceptor, Willard Parker. His health failing, he gave up practise and became interested in the enterprise of opening a route across Central America for emigrants to California in 1849, his knowledge of the Spanish language proving helpful. "He explored several routes which have since become well-known and ultimately negotiated the first treaty which secured the right of transit across the Isthmus of Nicaragua. His efforts brought fortunes to others but not himself." (Henry M. Hurd).
From 1852 to 1877 he was in charge of Bloomingdale Asylum, succeeding Charles Henry Nichols (q.v.), who had followed him at Utica. Brown prepared the plan adopted for the Sheppard Asylum (now Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital) at Baltimore, visiting Europe at the request of the trustees of the institution.
After resigning from Bloomingdale, he went abroad to benefit his health and never again resumed hospital work. He died at his home in Batavia, Ill., September 4, 1889.