Benjamin Rush Field

Benjamin Rush Field was an American physician and writer born in Easton, Pennsylvania, in 1861, where he also died in 1935. The sources found for him consistently place him in Easton and identify him as Dr. Benjamin Rush Field.

He is best known today for Medical Thoughts of Shakespeare, a study that explores medical ideas and references in Shakespeare’s works. The 1885 edition describes him as a member of the Shakespeare Society of New York, which helps explain the blend of medical knowledge and literary enthusiasm that shaped his writing.

Some genealogical and historical sources also describe him as a prominent Easton citizen and say he served as mayor there, but the strongest clearly confirmed detail from the material retrieved here is his work as a physician-author with a lasting interest in Shakespeare. His surviving reputation seems to rest on that unusual combination more than on any single public office.