The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1902-06-18
OLD TIME REMEDIES.
CRUDE MEDICAL METHODS OF THE
EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.
The Rev. John wesley's "Collection
of Receipts" For the Treatment of
the Ills and Aches of Humanity.
bleeding n ConsumptIvc.


of Receipts" For the Treatment of
the Ills and Aches of Humanity.
Bleeding n ConsumptIvc.
Tn these days Of hygipnic reform and
methods" Of treating disease without
medicine at all il Is interesting TO read a
volume printed by Parry Hall, Chestnut
street, Philadelphia. in 1747 and compil-
ed hy John Wesley. 1t is curious mix
ture Of material remedies and religious
exhortation. There are few copies of
the book in existence, but one unearthed
recently was the occasion Of much nmuse-
ment at n convention OF physicians. The
book is substantially bound in leather,
and the few illustrations are as primitive
as the remedies.
The preface deals with the raison
d'etre of the work. incidentally recalling
how imam was sent from the hands OF
God perfect. needing no physic; but, re-
bclling against the sovereign of all, the
seeds Of pain and sickness were lodged
in the body and n thousand disorders,
increased by everything around us. The
sun and moon shed unwholcsome infu-
cnces from above: the earth exhales poi
sonous damps from below; the air itself
that surrounds us is replete with the
shafts of death; yea, the food we eat
daily saps the foundations Of life"
The preface further states: "As TO the
manner OF using the remedies here set
down, / should advise, as soon MS you
know your disorder (which is easy unless
in a case of complication Of disorders,
and then you would do well to apply TO a
physician who fears Cod: First. use the
medicines first advised for that disease;
the second il that is of none effect; the
third, and so on. To persevere in the
course is often more than half the cure.
Above all, add to the rest (for 1t is not
labor lost that old fashioned medicine,
prayer and faith in God"
postscript to the preface is addressed
10 the members of the Methodist Episco-
pal church and signed by Thomas Coke
and Francis Asbury. introducing the
work TO American brethren. 1t begins
"Fricnds and brethren, the great inter
est Of your souls will ever be near our
hearts, hut we cannot be unmindful Of
your bodies"
The work proper is entitled "a Collec-
tion of Receipts" and rccites in alphabet
ical order the disorders of that time
and their remedies. In the AS are n list
of panaccas against ague. To 'gO into
a cold bath just before n fit is added the
wholesome advice. Nothing tends more
to prolongue an ague than indulgence in
a lazy. indolcnt disposition" Another
remedy for ague is to "apply to the stom-
ach a large onion. split" Still another Isl:
Make six middling pills Of cobwebs
Take one before the cold fit. two little
before the next, the other three, II need
be, before the other fit"
Parenthetically are introduced some
gentle hints for tender persons" and
''the studious." "Tender persons should
constantly go to bed at 0 and rise at or
g. Studious people should frequently
bathe and frequently wash their feet"
Tar water is n standard remedy in the
great John Wesley's family medicine
book He gives the formula for making
il: Put gallon Of water (cold) on n
quart of Norway tar, stir them together
with n fiat stick for five minutes After
it has stood for three days pour the wa
fer of clear: bottle, cork. For st. An
thongs fire take wineglassful every
hour"
There is no mention made Of Hytime in