The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-01-07
EARLY AMERICAN DOCTORS.
Pecuiiar,tics of a Medical Education ape
Queer Methods of Practice.

Nuter OF Practice.
It may be well to refer to the metho,
OF obtaining a medical profession IL
the early days. There were but tw,
schools of medicine I'm the country
the one at Harvard College, just es
tablished. and that at New Haven, or
ganized in 1884 But by reason of th,
dangers and expense OF travelling the,
were by no means well attended.
In general, the medical education wa,
such as the student could pick up by
serving as an apprentice to some notee
practitioner which combined the dutie!
OF student with many menial affairs
lie 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 the walls of med
icine from one end OF town to the 9th.
er. 1t was white day when such o
young man enjoyed the rare good for
tune OF dissecting a half putrid arm
SO great, indeed, was the difficulty O
obtaining anatomical subjects that the
medical school at Harvard College
made a single body do duty for a who'll,
year.
Under such circumstances the doc.
tors knowledge was practical, and de,
rived from personal experience rather
than from books. The advantages o.
study were sparingly enjoyed. Few
physicians boasted of library of fifty
volumes.
His apprenticeship ended, the stu,
dent returned to his native town to as
sumo the practice of medicine. A.
that period. with the exception of tn,
minister and the Judge, the doctor wal
the most important parsonage in tn,
community. His genial face, his engag
ing manners, the sincerity with which
he inquired after the carpenters daugh
ter. and the interest he took in the
family OF the poorest laborer, made
him the favorite for miles around. He
knew the names and personal history
or the occupants of every house he
passed. The farmers lads pulled of
their hats to him, and the girls drop.
ped courtesies as he passed. Sunshine
and rain, daylight and darkness, were
alike to him. He would ride ten mile.
in the darkest night over the worst q
roads in pelting storm to administer
n dose of calomel to an old woman OF
The drugs were slowed away on the
shelves Of the village store, among
heaps of shoes, Rohan hats, packages
of seeds. and ilitches of bacon.
The physician was compelled to com
pound his own drugs, make his owl
tinctures, and put up his own prescrip
tions. His saddle bag was the only
drug store within forty miles. Eacl
spring the blood must be purified, the
kidneys excited, and the damsel who
tainted profusely bled. Large doses O
senna and mama, and rhubarb and mo
lasses must be taken daily. 1t is saf,
to say that more medicine was takeI
every year by the well than Is now tax
en- by the sick in the same time.
Water was denied the patient tor. |
nented with fever. In its stead was
given small quantity of clam juice |
Mercury was taken until the lips turn |
ed blue and the gums fell away from |
the teeth.
The writer has a vivid recollection |
when eight years old in a raging fever |
for water, the nurse handed |
he pitcher and the child satisfied hel |
thirst. Her brother, over.
1earlng what was going on, rushed in
o the room exclaiming: You will
Kill her" but 1t was too late.-Ameri
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