Itisasourceofhonestpridetohisdescendantthathisbill,whichwashonestlypaid,asitseemstohavebeenhonorablyearned,amountedtothehandsometotalofsevenpoundsandtwoshillings。
Letmeaddthatherepeatedlyprescribesplaster,oneofwhichwasveryprobablythe“Dr。Oliver“thatsoothedmyinfantgriefs,andforwhichIblushtosaythatmyveneratedancestorreceivedfromGoodmanHancockthepainfullyexiguoussumofnopounds,noshillings,andsixpence。
Ihaveillustratedthepracticeofthefirstcentury,fromthetwomanuscriptsIhaveexamined,asgivinganimpartialideaofitsevery-daymethods。TheGovernor,JohannesSecundus,itisfairtoremember,wasanamateurpractitioner,whilemyancestorwasaprofessedphysician。ComparingtheirmodesoftreatmentwiththemanyscientificfolliesstillprevailingintheOldWorld,andstillmorewiththeextraordinarytheologicalsuperstitionsofthecommunityinwhichtheylived,weshallfindreason,Ithink,toconsidertheartofhealingasinacomparativelycreditablestateduringthefirstcenturyofNewEngland。
InadditiontotheevidenceastomethodsoftreatmentfurnishedbythemanuscriptsIhavecited,Isubjointhefollowingdocument,towhichmyattentionwascalledbyDr。Shurtleff,ourpresentMayor。
Thisisaletterofwhichtheoriginalistobefoundinvol。lxix。
page10ofthe“Archives“preservedattheStateHouseinBoston。Itwillbeseenthatwhatthesurgeonwantedconsistedchieflyofopiates,stimulants,cathartics,plasters,andmaterialsforbandages。Thecomplexandvariedformulaehavegivenplacetosimplerandoftenmoreeffectiveformsofthesameremedies;butthelistandthemannerinwhichitismadeoutareproofsofthegoodsenseandschoolingofthesurgeon,who,itmaybenoted,wasinsuchhastethatheneglectedallhisstops。Hemightwellbeinahurry,asontheverydayuponwhichhewrote,agreatbodyofIndians——
supposedtobesixorsevenhundred——appearedbeforeHatfield;andtwenty-fiveresoluteyoungmenofHadley,fromwhichtownhewrote,crossedtheriveranddrovethemaway。
HADLYMay30:76
MrRAWSONSrWhatwehaverecdbyTho:HoueythepastmonthisnotthecheifestofourwantsasyouhaveloveforpoorwoundedIprayletusnotwantforthesefollowingmedicinesifyouhavenotaspeedyconveyanceofthemIpraysendonpurposetheyarethosethingsmentionedinmyformerletterbuttopreventfuturemistakesIhavewrotethemattlargeweehavegreatwantwiththegreatesthaltandspeedletusbesupplyed。
SrYrSertWILLLOCHS
EndorsedMr。LockesLetterRecdfromtheGovernor13Jane&acquaintedyeCouncilwithitbutcouldnotobtaineanythingtobesentinanswerthereto13June1676
Ihavegivensomeideaofthechiefremediesusedbyourearlierphysicians,whichwerebothGalenicandchemical;thatis,vegetableandmineral。They,ofcourse,employedtheusualperturbingmedicineswhichMontaignesaysarethechiefrelianceoftheircraft。
Therewere,doubtless,individualpractitionerswhoemployedspecialremedieswithexceptionalboldnessandperhapssuccess。Mr。Eliotisspokenof,inaletterofWilliamLeetetoWinthrop,Junior,asbeingunderMr。Greenland’smercurialadministrations。Thelatterwasprobablyenoughoneofthesespecialists。
Thereisanotherclassofremedieswhichappearstohavebeenemployedoccasionally,but,onthewhole,issolittleprominentastoimplyagooddealofcommonsenseamongthemedicalpractitioners,ascomparedwiththesuperstitionsprevailingaroundthem。IhavesaidthatIhavecaughtthegoodGovernor,nowandthen,prescribingtheelectuaryofmillipedes;butheisentirelyexcusedbythealmostincrediblefactthattheywereretainedinthemateriamedicasolateaswhenRees’sCyclopaediawaspublished,andwetherefindthedirectionsformerlygivenbytheCollegeofEdinburghfortheirpreparation。Onceortwicewehavefoundhimadmittingstillmoreobjectionablearticlesintohismateriamedica;indoingwhich,Iamsorrytosaythathecouldpleadgraveandlearnedauthority。Buttheseinstancesareveryrareexceptionsinamedicalpracticeofmanyyears,whichis,onthewhole,veryrespectable,consideringthetimeandcircumstances。
Someremediesofquestionablethoughnotodiouscharacterappearoccasionallytohavebeenemployedbytheearlypractitioners,buttheyweresuchasstillhadthesupportofthemedicalprofession。
GovernorJohnWinthrop,thefirst,sendsforEastIndianbezoar,withothercommoditiesheiswritingfor。GovernorEndicottsendshimonehehadofMr。Humfrey。Ihopeitwasgenuine,fortheycheatedinfamouslyinthematterofthisconcretion,whichoughttocomeoutofananimal’sstomach,buttherealhistoryofwhichresembleswhatissometimestoldofmodernsausages。
Thereisafamouslaw-caseofJamestheFirst’stime,inwhichagoldsmithsoldahundredpounds’worthofwhathecalledbezoar,whichwasprovedtobefalse,andthepurchasergotaverdictagainsthim。GovernorEndicottalsosendsWinthropaunicorn’shorn,whichwasthepropertyofacertainMrs。Beggarly,who,inspiteofhername,seemstohavebeenrichinmedicalknowledgeandpossessions。
ThefamousThomasBartholinuswroteatreatiseonthevirtuesofthisfabulous-soundingremedy,whichwaspublishedin1641,andrepublishedin1678。
The“antimonialcup,“adrinkingvesselmadeofthatmetal,which,likeourquassia-woodcups,mightbefilledandemptiedinsaeculasaeculorumwithoutexhaustingitsvirtues,ismentionedbyMatthewCradock,inalettertotheelderWinthrop,butinadoubtfulway,asitwasthought,hesays,tohaveshortenedthedaysofSirNathanielRiche;andWinthrophimself,asIthink,referstoitsuse,callingitsimply“thecup。“AnantimonialcupisincludedintheinventoryofSamuelSeabury,whodied1680,andisvaluedatfiveshillings。°
Thereisatreatiseentitled“TheUniversallRemedy,ortheVertuesoftheAntimoniallCup,ByJohnEvans,MinisterandPreacherofGod’sWord,London,1634,“inourownSociety’slibrary。
Oneotherspecialremedydeservesnotice,becauseofnativegrowth。
IdonotknowwhenCulver’sroot,LeptandraVirginicaofourNationalPharmacopoeia,becamenoted,butCottonMather,writingin1716toJohnWinthropofNewLondon,speaksofitasfamousforthecureofconsumptions,andwishestogetsomeofit,throughhismediation,forKatharine,hiseldestdaughter。Hegetsit,andgivesittothe“poordamsel,“whoislanguishing,ashesays,andwhodiesthenextmonth,——allthesooner,Ihavelittledoubt,forthisuncertainandviolentdrug,withwhichthemeddlesomepedanttormentedherinthatspiritofwell-meantbutrestlessquackery,whichcouldtouchnothingwithoutmakingmischief,notevenaquotation,andyetprovedatlengththemeansofbringingagreatblessingtoourcommunity,asweshallseebyandby;sodoesProvidenceuseourveryvanitiesandinfirmitiesforitswisepurposes。
Externally,IfindthepractitionersonwhomIhavechieflyreliedusedtheplastersofParacelsus,ofmelilot,diachylon,andprobablydiaphoenicon,allwellknowntotheoldpharmacopoeias,andsomeofthemtothemodernones,——tosaynothingof“myyellowsalve,“ofGovernorJohn,thesecond,forthecompositionofwhichwemustapplytohisrespecteddescendant。
TheauthorsIfindquotedareBarbette’sSurgery,CamerariusonGout,andWecherus,ofallwhomnoticesmaybefoundinthepagesofHallerandVanderlinden;also,Reed’sSurgery,andNicholasCulpeper’sPracticeofPhysicandAnatomy,thelastasbelongingtoSamuelSeabury,chirurgeon,beforementioned。NicholasCulpeperwasashrewdcharlatan,andasimpudentavarletaseverprescribedforacolic;butknewverywellwhathewasabout,andbadgerstheCollegewithgreatvigor。AcopyofSpigelius’sfamousAnatomy,intheBostonAthenaeum,hasthenamesofIncreaseandSamuelMatherwritteninit,andwasdoubtlessearlyoverhauledbytheyouthfulCotton,whoreferstothegreatanatomist’ssingulardeath,amonghiscuriousstoriesinthe“Magnalia,“andquoteshimamongnearlyahundredauthorswhomhecitesinhismanuscript“TheAngelofBethesda。“Dr。
JohnClark’s“booksandinstruments,withseveralchirurgerymaterialsinthecloset,“awerevaluedinhisinventoryatsixtypounds;Dr。MatthewFuller,whodiedin1678,leftalibraryvaluedattenpounds;andasurgeon’schestanddrugsvaluedatsixteenpounds。’
Hereweleavethefirstcenturyandallattemptsatanyfurtherdetailedaccountsofmedicineanditspractitioners。ItisnecessarytoshowinabriefglancewhathadbeengoingoninEuropeduringthelatterpartofthatcentury,thefirstquarterofwhichhadbeenmadeillustriousinthehistoryofmedicalsciencebythediscoveryofthecirculation。
CharlesBarbeyrac,aProtestantinhisreligion,wasapractitionerandteacherofmedicineatMontpellier。Hiscreedwasinthewayofhisobtainingoffice;buttheyoungmenfollowedhisinstructionswithenthusiasm。Religiousandscientificfreedombreedinandin,untilitbecomeshardtotellthefamilyofonefromthatoftheother。Barbeyracthrewoverboardtheoldcomplexmedicalfarragosofthepharmacopoeias,ashischurchhaddisburdeneditselfofthepopishceremonies。
AmongthestudentswhofollowedhisinstructionsweretwoEnglishmen:
oneofthem,JohnLocke,afterwardsauthorofan“EssayontheHumanUnderstanding,“threeyearsyoungerthanhisteacher;theother,ThomasSydenham,fiveyearsolder。BothreturnedtoEngland。Locke,whosemedicalknowledgeisbornewitnesstobySydenham,hadthegoodfortunetoformacorrectopiniononadiseasefromwhichtheEarlofShaftesburywassuffering,whichledtoanoperationthatsavedhislife。Lessfelicitouswashisexperiencewithacertainancillaculinariavirgo,——whichIamafraidwouldinthosedayshavebeentranslatedkitchen-wench,insteadofladyoftheculinarydepartment,——whoturnedhimoffaftershehadgottiredofhim,andcalledinanotherpractitioner。[LockeandSydenham,p。124。ByJohnBrown,M。D。Edinburgh,1866。]Thishelped,perhaps,tospoilapromisingdoctor,andmakeanimmortalmetaphysician。Atanyrate,Lockelaiddowntheprofessionalwigandcane,andtooktootherstudies。
ThenameofThomasSydenhamisasdistinguishedinthehistoryofmedicineasthatofJohnLockeinphilosophy。AsBarbeyracwasfoundinoppositiontotheestablishedreligion,asLocketooktherationalsideagainstorthodoxBishopStillingfleet,soSydenhamwentwithParliamentagainstCharles,andwasneveradmittedaFellowbytheCollegeofPhysicians,which,afterhewasdead,placedhisbustintheirhallbythesideofthatofHarvey。
WhatSydenhamdidformedicinewasbrieflythishestudiedthecourseofdiseasescarefully,andespeciallyasaffectedbytheparticularseason;topatientswithfeverhegaveairandcoolingdrinks,insteadofsmotheringandheatingthem,withtheideaofsweatingouttheirdisease;heorderedhorsebackexercisetoconsumptives;he,likehisteacher,usedfewandcomparativelysimpleremedies;hedidnotgiveanydrugatall,ifhethoughtnonewasneeded,butletwellenoughalone。Hewasasensibleman,inshort,whoappliedhiscommonsensetodiseaseswhichhehadstudiedwiththebestlightofsciencethathecouldobtain。
Theinfluenceofthereformheintroducedmusthavebeenmoreorlessfeltinthiscountry,butnotmuchbeforethebeginningoftheeighteenthcentury,ashisgreatworkwasnotpublisheduntil1675,andtheninLatin。Iverystronglysuspectthattherewasnotsomuchtoreforminthesimplepracticeofthephysiciansofthenewcommunity,astherewasinthatofthelearnedbig-wigsofthe“College,“whovaluedtheirremediestoomuchinproportiontotheircomplexity,andtheextravagantandfantasticingredientswhichwenttotheirmaking。
DuringthememorablecenturywhichbredandboretheRevolution,themedicalprofessiongavegreatnamestoourhistory。ButJohnBrooksbelongedtotheState,andJosephWarrenbelongstothecountryandmankind,andtospeakofthemwouldleadmebeyondmylimited——
subject。TherewouldbelittlepleasureindwellingonthenameofBenjaminChurch;andasforthemedicalpoliticians,likeElishaCookeintheearlypartofthecentury,orCharlesJarvis,thebaldeagleofBoston,initslateryears,whethertheirpracticewasheroicornot,theirpatientswere,forheisaboldmanwhotrustsonethatismakingspeechesandcoaxingvoters,tomeddlewiththeinternalpoliticsofhiscorporealrepublic。
Onegreateventstandsoutinthemedicalhistoryofthiseighteenthcentury;namely,theintroductionofthepracticeofinoculationforsmall-pox。SixepidemicsofthiscomplainthadvisitedBostoninthecourseofahundredyears。“Prayershadbeenaskedinthechurchesformorethanahundredsickinasingleday,andthismanytimes。
Aboutathousandpersonshaddiedinatwelvemonth,wearetold,and,aswemayinfer,chieflyfromthiscause。
In1721,thisdisease,afterarespiteofnineteenyears,againappearedasanepidemic。InthatyearitwasthatCottonMather,browsing,aswashiswont,onalltheprintedfodderthatcamewithinreachofhisever-grindingmandibles,cameuponanaccountofinoculationaspractisedinTurkey,containedinthe“PhilosophicalTransactions。“Hespokeofittoseveralphysicians,whopaidlittleheedtohisstory;fortheyknewhismedicalwhims,andhadprobablybeenbored,aswesaynow-a-days,manyofthem,withlisteningtohis“AngelofBethesda,“andsatiatedwithhisspeculationsontheNishmathChajim。
TheReverendMather,——Iuseamodeofexpressionheoftenemployedwhenspeakingofhishonoredbrethren,——theReverendMatherwasrightthistime,andtheirreverentdoctorswholaughedathimwerewrong。
Oneonlyoftheirnumberdisputeshisclaimtogivingthefirstimpulsetothepractice,inBoston。Thisiswhatthatpersonsays:
“TheSmall-PoxspreadinBoston,NewEngland,A。1721,andtheReverendDr。CottonMather,havinghadtheuseoftheseCommunicationsfromDr。WilliamDouglass“thatis,thewriterofthesewords;surreptitiously,withouttheknowledgeofhisInformer,thathemighthavethehonourofaNewfanglednotion,setsanUndauntedOperatortowork,andinthisCountryabout290wereinoculated。“