Alexander Milton Ross facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alexander Milton Ross
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| Born | December 13, 1832 |
| Died | October 27, 1897 (aged 64) |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Other names | The Birdman |
| Known for | Agent on the Underground Railroad |
| Scientific career | |
| Author abbrev. (botany) | A.M.Ross |
Alexander Milton Ross (born December 13, 1832 – died October 27, 1897) was a Canadian botanist (someone who studies plants) and naturalist (someone who studies nature). He was also a physician and an abolitionist, meaning he worked to end slavery. He is most famous for being an agent for the secret Underground Railroad. This was a network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom. In this network, he was known as "The Birdman." He used his interest in birds as a way to hide his real work.
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A Life of Adventure and Science
Alexander Milton Ross was born in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. He started studying medicine in 1851 and became a doctor in 1855. Later, he earned a master's degree in 1867.
Ross was strongly against slavery. During the American Civil War, he secretly worked for President Abraham Lincoln in Canada. He also served as a surgeon in the army of President Juarez in Mexico.
After these adventures, he returned to Canada and became a dedicated naturalist. He loved studying the natural world. He collected and identified many different species:
- 570 types of birds that visited Canada.
- 232 types of bird eggs found in Canada.
- 247 types of mammals, reptiles, and freshwater fish.
- 3,400 types of insects.
- 2,000 types of Canadian plants.
Ross was recognized for his scientific work. He was a member of important science groups in Britain, France, and America. He also received special awards from the Shah of Persia and the Khedive of Egypt. The Government of France also honored him. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and the Linnean Society of London, which are very respected groups.
He believed in natural health and avoided alcohol and tobacco. He also helped start groups that promoted healthy living. Ross married Hester E. Harrington, and they had five children. He passed away in Detroit.
His Views on Vaccination
Alexander Milton Ross was a strong opponent of vaccination. He believed that vaccines were not safe or helpful in preventing diseases like smallpox. Instead, he thought that good hygiene and keeping sick people separate were the best ways to stop illness.
In 1885, Ross started the Canadian Anti-Vaccination League. He and the League believed that making people get vaccinated was a violation of human rights. Ross wrote many pamphlets (small booklets) against vaccination. These were widely shared during a smallpox outbreak in Montreal in 1885.
There was a story that Ross himself had been vaccinated, even though he spoke against it. He denied this claim. Despite the criticism, he continued to campaign against vaccination for the rest of his life. In 1888, he formed another group, the Toronto Anti-Compulsory Vaccination League.
Books by Alexander Milton Ross
- Birds of Canada (1872)
- Butterflies and Moths of Canada (1873)
- Flora of Canada (1873)
- Forest Trees of Canada (1874)
- Ferns and Wild Flowers of Canada (1877)
- Mammals, Reptiles, and Fresh-water Fish of Canada (1878)
- The Fight Against Compulsory Vaccination (1883)
- Vaccination a Medical Delusion (1885)
- Medical Practice of the Great Future
In Popular Culture
Alexander Milton Ross appears as a character in the 1977 children's novel Underground to Canada. This book tells the story of four young enslaved people who escape to Canada with Ross's help on the Underground Railroad.
See also
In Spanish: Alexander Milton Ross para niños
