PPP Jun 84

**A Certain Quack Doctor**

This article is a reprint of an article that first appeared in Hartford, Connecticut June 22, 1784

### Reprint Details

* From the Connecticut Courant
* Reprinted in The Pennsylvania Packet Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
* 29 Jun 1784, Tuesday, Page 3
* By Moses Holmes June 1784
* Relevant To: Issac Johnson

### Old English

WHEREAS of late years there has been advanced for certainty by a certain Quack Doćtor, a foreigner, that a certain cure may be had for a confumption, where any of the fame family had before that time died with the fame difeafe; direćting to have the bodies of fush as had died to be dug up; and further faid, that out of the breft or vitals might be found a fprout or vine frefh and growing, which together with the remains of the vital being confumed in the fire, would be an effećtual cure to the fame family; and fuch direćtion to far gained credit, that in one inftance, the experiment was thoroughly made in Welmington, on the firft day of June instant, two bodies were dug up which belonged to the family of Mr. Ifaac Johnson of that place, they both died with the confumption, one had been buried one year and eleven months, the other one year, a third of the fame family then fick – on full examination of then fmall remains by two doćtors then prefent; viz. Doćtors Grant and Weft, not the least difcovery could be made; and to prevent mifresprefentations of the faćts, I being an eye witneff, that under the coffin was fundry fmall fprounts about one inch in length, then frefh, but most likely was the produce of forrel feeds which fell under the coffin when put into earth. And that the bodies of the dead may reft quiet in their graves without such interruption, I think the public ought to be aware of being led away by fuch an impofture.

                                                                                                                                    MOSES HOLMES

June 1784

### Modern

WHEREAS of late years there has been advanced for a certainty, by a certain Quack Doctor, a foreigner, that a certain cure may be had for a consumption, where any of the same family had to before that time died with the same disease; directing to have the bodies of such as had died to be dug up; and further said, that out of the breast or vitals might be found a sprout or vine fresh and growing, which together with the remains of the vital being consumed in the fire, would be an effectual cure to the same family; and such direction so far gained credit, that in one instance, the experiment was thoroughly made in Wilmington, on the first day of June instant, two bodies were dug up which belonged to the family of Mr. Issac Johnson of that place. They both died with the consumption, one had been buried one year and eleven months, the other one year. A third of the same family then sick – on full examination of the then small remains by two doctors then present: viz. Doctors Grant and West, not least discovery could be made and to prevent misrepresentation of the facts, I being an eyewitness, that under the coffin was sundry small sprouts about one inch in length, then fresh, but most likely was the produce of Sorrel seeds which fell under the coffin when put into the earth. And that the bodies of the dead may rest quiet in their graves without such interruption, I think the public ought to be aware of being led away by such an imposter.

                                                                                                                                    MOSES HOLMES

June 1784

### Citations

**APA:** Holmes, M. (1784, June 29). A Certain Quack Doctor. From the Connecticut Courant Reprinted in The Pennsylvania Packet, p. 3.

**MLA:** Holmes, Moses. “A Certain Quack Doctor.” From the Connecticut Courant Reprinted in The Pennsylvania Packet, 29 June 1784, p. 3.

**Chicago:** Holmes, Moses. "A Certain Quack Doctor." From the Connecticut Courant Reprinted in The Pennsylvania Packet, June 29, 1784.