PARKE, Thomas, physician, born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, 6 August, 1749; died in Philadelphia, 9 January, 1835. He became a pupil of Robert Proud, the historian, studied medicine under Dr. Cadwalader Evans, and in 1770 received from the College of Philadelphia the degree of bachelor of medicine. In 1771 he visited Europe, where he attended clinical practice at Guy's and St. Thomas's hospitals, London, and a course of lectures at Edinburgh, returning to Philadelphia in 1773, where he engaged in practice, attaining to eminence in his profession. In 1777 he became a physician at the Pennsylvania hospital, which post he held for half a century. In 1787 he was one of the founders of the College of physicians of Philadelphia, and from 1818 until his death he was president of this body, and was the last survivor of its founders. He was a member of the American philosophical society as early as 1774, in 1795-'6 held the office of curator, and was a director of the Philadelphia library from 1778 until his death.