The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-10-27
OLD VIRGINIA DOCTOR.
ENTERTAINJyG PEN SKETCH or
THE USEFUL CHARACTER.
Dispensed His Own Drugs and Knew Them
Too-A Christian Alwsys-oniy one Ciass
Did not Love Him, the Children.

on Tie Old Virginia Doctor' py John
Herbert Claiborne. NJ. A., NJ. d.. of Pc
tersburg, Va. was read before the twen-
ty-sixth annual session OF the Medical So
ciety Of Virginia. held In Wytheviiie, Va,
In September last:
During the session of the Virginia Bar
Association at White Sulphur Springs,
In July. lssI. a member. an artist OF nish
repute. limned living picture OF the
Old Virginia Lawyer" The Old Virginia
lawyer had a compeer, who was also often
a companion-"The Old Virginia Doctor
and in the portrait gallery or Oid VIZ
ginia WORTHLESS his picture should nave
as prominent a place.
My hand is only skilled TO make char
coal sketch, but l shall draw II true TO
nature, and the subject Itself VIII supply
the grace to cover every defect OF faulty
execution.
Like the Old Virginia lawyer, the Old
Virginia doctor was gentleman born
more exceptionally so even than the Viz
ginia lawyer. one born In the humber
walks OF life could scarcely elevate him.
self TO the position and dignity OF the
Virginia doctor. Riches In those days
rarely descended on the noyus homo. and
without a liberal outlay. IL was impracti-
cable TO secure the classical education
necessary to commence the study of med
icine. and impossible TO pursue the cur
ricuum. which required years OF costly
following in Philadelphia-then the seat
OF medical learning in this country-or IN
Edinburg abroad. To these cities the
young matriculate IN the school Of heal
ing ever turned his eye in hope of pro-
curing a parchment (haec membrana),
in which he should be pronounced "Nlr
Probum ct In Arte Medendi Doctorem."
and which would confirm 10 him the Of
fee and right, without license OF law or
board TO pursue. 10 his honor and cmolu-
ment and to the good OF his fellows,
"Medicinae ct Chirurgeriae Artem.'
a young man without means. but OF
spirit. of pluck and parts. might. after
passing through the positions OF deputy
sheriff or collector. and then attaching
himself to the ONCE OF an old lawyer,
hope 20 make opportunity Of coming 10
the bar. and of proving, By address upon
the hustings his power 10 look down upon
the frowns OF fortune. and his ability and
right 10 hold d place "primus inter pares.
But not so with the young aspirant for
the degree OF doctor. He had 70 hold the
snews Of war. from the Inception or
his career; and he was Usually the scion
Of a house in which years Of entaied
wealth had given leisure, and leisure cut
ture. and culture pre-eminence. He was
the son Of gentleman. He was a gem
teman himself. and he never forgot H.
lie was Of kind and gracious dignity 70
his fellows, more kind and gracious 10 his
interiors. never knew any superlors. mag
nified his noble life; and II he ever let
himself down. II was only semi-occa-
sionally, with the "old boys" OF which
his compeer, the Old Virginia lawyer, was
generally one.
There were two Of him-the Old Virgin
la nj I.
doctor; but there was not the same Off
| ference, real or superstitious. between
| them as now exists between these same
representatives, OF the same profession.
The town was small and the country
| large; and the town doctor extended his
| practice far into the country, AID his
clientele often brought him into the cir
cult OF his country brother: and he recog-
| nized him as a brother. Had they not
both studied under the same masters
Had they not been apprentices perhaps
In the same surgery or shop? And had
they not read the same books? And
did they not both use and equally as
wei. the same Instruments The former
assumed no airs, and put on no pretence
or superior skill or greater wisdom than
his country comIade. They met one an
other on the same plane OF honest and
sturdy tight with disease and death.
and were both well and equally equipped
Tor contest with the common enemy, ana
carried with their armentar1a sound
sense and a sagacious Judgment that
shrank from no call. and failed in no
emergency; nor did they divide amongst
themselves the human members. ana as
sign 10 separate care the eve the nose
the mead the chest, the arm, the leg. the
nVer, tho scrOtum, and the unbilicus
whenever and wherever the Old virginia
doctor heard the cry OF human SUFFERING
calling for human help. he went fully
armed TO give help, and made no pulling
pant Tor delay until he could summon
a surgeon or an obstetricial, or an ecu
llst, or gynaecologist or a laparotonisf
or a lithotomist, or an orthopaedist or a
neurologist; but. swift as the mvtholo~-
lcal Mercury. whose device he bore upor
ms stan. and strong Of heart as Aiax
asklng nothing but light. he went 10 heal
anu 10 save He was no specialist.
DISPENSED HIS owN DRUGS.
And the Old Virginia doctor dispensed
his own drugs. He knew them when no
saw them' their physical character. their
appearance; and he was familiar win
ther combinations and their chemical
ihcoinpaubles, above all. he understoos
their action and their properties. pbvsio-
loSlcal and pathological. He was a man
81 resource. He had q store OF remedies
IN MS saddle-bags or gig-boN. and his
oldest apprentice at the shop saw thar
the supply was not exhausted. II was
ms especial Office TO see that vial ana
sdliipot and toX were always filled
lie nad no manufacturing chemist IN nre-
pare Tor MIN elegant and tasteful eliyirs
ana sugar-coated pills, and COMPRESSED
triturates, and dOsimetric granules ara
10 dictate To him their several uses ard
10 suggest their exhibition. He vas ~
author as well as the dispenser NJ bie
own prescriptions or IT, as IL sornetinoTg
happened, he sent prescription IA he
compounded by the town apothecarv ~
man himself always learned. al tbs,
time, In classic lore. the doctor urota
even the directions for administratior
In Latin, and LETT il to the pharmacies, -
translate only such portion as was neces-
sary Tor the proper serving OF the remedy
Ana II were as well TO approach me
sphinx IN hope Of an answer as IN ash
or such an apothecary the Ingredients ~
components OF the formula He beloneed
10 a guild. in the eyes OF which the doc
tor was only less than god; and the
Doctors faith In the skill and fealtv ~
MS druggist was mora than faith in
man. When the prescription was filled
and sent on its errand, there was no mis-
take In its contents or its composition
and there would be no mistake in its ac-
ton. The old doctor believed In phvsic
and the physical senses attested his faith
His medicine had always both smell and
taste, and each potion taken would guar
antee results. The patient always knew
that he had taken something and that
he l.