The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-05
tdTUR1L BONE SETTERS.
"reminiscences Of the sweet Family Who
Practiced the Art.

NARRAGANSETT. X. l., Dec. 3l-Ine
recent visit Of an English "bone-setter''
10 New York and the West has attracted
great deal Of attention. and recalls TO
public notice the Sweet family OF nat
ural bOne-setters." who have liyeG IN TINS
neighb0rhood for many years. For four
generations they have been setting bones
for their noighbOrs. Job Sweet, the irst
of the family 10 gain fame once set inc
hip-bOne OF MIS-. Aston Aaron Burr $
daughter. lie was summoned 10 New York
after a number OF physicians mad failed
TO give Mrs. Aston relief. lie was called
"Old Dr. Job Sweet though ne was not
doctor and had little general education
His son. Jonathan Sweet. OF sugar Loar
Hin. was a blacksmith. He inherited mis-
fathers gift. which by many was credited
To clairVOyance. william Sweet, the son
Of Jonathan. was also a. bOne-setter, ana
so was jog Sweet, the yOunge- his cOus-
in. There is also Or. sweet ot Hart
ford, no doubt OF the same FAMILY, VINO
has a reputation as a DOne-setter
There can be no doubt or the sincerity
OF those VINO nave borne witness 70 the
work or the Sweet family, however ac-
curste or inaccurate they may be.
ono Boston woman scmc years ago fell
the length OF a night OF stairs, diSiocdtlhS
and fractuung ner nip-loint. Two phy-
sicians We're called IN. and after two
hours consultation, tney put the patent
unuer the influence OF ether ana Tor nan
an nour studied ner injury. Tney decided
that her case was incuraDle. ana tnat
her leg WOud be SnOrteneu al least Two
or three incnes. After three weeks OF
suffering, she asked her family physi-
ciaN about consulting the sweets, and ne
replied that they We're quacks. Never
thelcss. she sent FOL the bone-Setter ana
within 4 minute he had set the JOINT
which ne then picked with sand bags so
IL, lof, ngf1-
was restored 10 its natural length ana
became perfectly well.
A man now living in Boston hurt MS
knee Joint when he was resident OF
Westerly, Il. l.. and in time the knee
stiffened and became mis-shapelL Inc
family doctor told MN the case WITS hope
less. Then he sent TO South Kingston Tor
one Of inc sweet family. The old man
came. dressed in homespun. and gave the
knee "A quick inspection. lie said II couId
dreadfully. Go ahead said the owner
Of the knee The bone-setter took the
thigh in one hand and the leg In the
| other. and with a sudden. powerful TWIST
threw the Joint into position. lie repeat
ed the operation several times.
Now get up ana walk, he sald 10 inc
natient. for If YOU don't. the lint water
won't come and your leg Will get stir
again" ,.. 49,,
| frightfmly. presumably the INT water
came. Tor MS leg was restored 10 us
| natural condition.
A story Is told or the service performed
| by one OF the Sweets OF Narragansett .oi
an officer OF the British navy during the
war OF 1872. This off1cer fell ana dlslo-
/ cafed mis- hip. Inc ships surgeon worked
over him with weights and pulleyS, nut
| prougnt MIN no relIeT. lie was suffering
| great pain, wnen ~ was proposed tna'
| old sweet. the Done-setter. De sent TOR
! PERMISSION was OBTAINED from the Amer
| team authorities, and Sweet was brought
| aboard ship. lie laid the patient on MS
| hack. and putting piece OF board against
| the outside of the hip-jcint. hit II sharply
| ana told the oncer 10 get up ana walk
| sweet said that the hip was not wholly
| unfolnfed but was ION edge ana TINS
| bad caused the patient the intense PAIR
| he suffered Or wheaton +. Hood,
| regular practitioner OF England and q
| member Of the Royal College OF Surgeons
| wrote n book on bone-setting twenty-si'
| wears ago. lie called the "bone-setters
! ouacks as all his felllow-pracutioner'
! have done. but ne admitted the success
| ~ their form or treatment lie CANNED
| his observations, however, 70 the correc
/ ton OF stiffness OF the joints. In TACT, NJ
| cla,med-and this may be true OF oone
. sa,tinr-that the "bore-sctter' did no
| reset broken bones or dislocated joints
'rhe services or such persons, he SAID
were sought when a fracture set oy
regular surgeon remained stin after thu