The morning times., 1897-01-03
EARLY AMERICAN PHYSICIANS.
knowledge Not as Thorough as at
Present.

ICSShts
1t may be we'll here to refer to the method
of obtaining a medical profession in those
days. There were but two schools OF medi- |
cine in the country-that one at Harvard
College, just established, and that at New
Haven, organized in 1884 But by reason
of the dangers and expenses Of travelling
they We're by no means well attended.
In general the medical education was
such as the student could pick up by scrv-
ing as an apprentice TO some noted practi-
toner, which combined the duties OF
student with many menial affairs He
ground the powders, mixed the pills. rode
with the doctor on his rounds, held the
basin when the patient was bled, helped TO
adjust the plasters, sew wounds and run
with vials OF medicine from one end OF
town to the other.
1t was white day when such young
man enjoyed the rare good fortune Of dis
secting a half-pGtrid arm SO great indeed,
was the difficulty of obtaining anatomical
subjects that the medical school at Harvard
College made single body do duty for a
whole year,
Under such circumstances the doctors
knowledge was practical and derived from
personal Xperiencerathert than from books.
The advantages of study were sparingly en-
joyed. Few physicians boasted of library
of fifty volumes.
His apprenticeship ended, the student re-
turned to his nativetown toaSsume the praC-
tice of medicine. At that period, with the
| the exception of the minister and the Judge,
the doctor wasth most mportantperSonage
in the community His genial face, his
engaging manners, the sincerity with which
| he inquired after the carpenters daughter
| and the interest he took in the family of the
| poorest laborer. made him the fayorite for
miles around. He knew the names and per
sonal history ofthe occupants of every house
| he passed.
| The farmers lads pulled off their hats
to him and the girls dropped cOurtesies as
| he passed. Sunshine and rain. daylight
and darkness were alike to him. He would
! ride ten miles in the darkest night over
the worst of roads in a pelting storm to
administer dose of calomel to an old wo-
man or attend a child in fit.
The drugs were slowed away on the
shelves of the village store, among heaps
of shoes, Rohan hats packages of seeds,
and flitches Of bacon. The physician was
| compelled to compound his own drugs,
| make his own tinctures and put up his own
| DrcScrl pIlOUS. Ills SduufeDdS was Gue
only drug store within forty miles. Each
| spring the blood must be purified. the
kidneys excited, and the damsel who faint
ed profusely bled
| Large doses of SIENNA and mamma andrhu-
barb and molasses taken daily. 1t is safe 10
say that more medicine was taken every
year by the wen than is now taken by the
sick in the same time. Water was denied
| the patient tormentcd with fever. In its
stead was given a small quantity Of clam
Juice Mercury was taken until the lips
turned blue and the gums fell away from
the teeth.
The writer has vivid recollection,
when about eight years old, in raging
fever, pleading for water. The nurse hand
1 ed the pitcher and the child satisfied her
l burning thirst. Her brother, overhearine
what was going on, rushed into the room,
exclaiming: "You will kill her, but it
was too late.