medical essays-第61节
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y eight； in February； seventeen； in March thirteen。 With the advance of spring the mortality diminished； the sick and lame began to recover； and the colonists； saddened but not disheartened； applied themselves to the labors of the opening year。
One of the most pressing needs of the early colonists must have been that of physicians and surgeons。 In Mr。 Savage's remarkable Genealogical Dictionary of the first settlers who came over before 1692 and their descendants to the third generation； I find scattered through the four crowded volumes the names of one hundred and thirty… four medical practitioners。 Of these； twelve； and probably many more； practised surgery； three were barber…surgeons。 A little incident throws a glimmer from the dark lantern of memory upon William Direly； one of these practitioners with the razor and the lancet。 He was lost between Boston and Roxbury in a violent tempest of wind and snow； ten days afterwards a son was born to his widow； and with a touch of homely sentiment； I had almost said poetry； they called the little creature 〃Fathergone〃 Direly。 Six or seven； probably a larger number； were ministers as well as physicians； one of whom； I am sorry to say； took to drink and tumbled into the Connecticut River； and so ended。 One was not only doctor； but also schoolmaster and poet。 One practised medicine and kept a tavern。 One was a butcher； but calls himself a surgeon in his will； a union of callings which suggests an obvious pleasantry。 One female practitioner； employed by her own sex；Ann Moore；was the precursor of that intrepid sisterhood whose cause it has long been my pleasure and privilege to advocate on all fitting occasions。
Outside of this list I must place the name of Thomas Wilkinson； who was complained of； is 1676； for practising contrary to law。
Many names in the catalogue of these early physicians have been associated； in later periods； with the practice of the profession； among them； Boylston； Clark； Danforth； Homan； Jeffrey； Kittredge； Oliver； Peaslee； Randall； Shattuck； Thacher； Wellington； Williams； Woodward。 Touton was a Huguenot； Burchsted a German from Silesia； Lunerus a German or a Pole； 〃Pighogg Churrergeon；〃 I hope； for the honor of the profession； was only Peacock disguised under this alias； which would not； I fear； prove very attractive to patients。
What doctrines and practice were these colonists likely to bring； with them？
Two principal schools of medical practice prevailed in the Old World during the greater part of the seventeenth century。 The first held to the old methods of Galen： its theory was that the body； the microcosm； like the macrocosm； was made up of the four elements fire； air； water； earth； having respectively the qualities hot； dry； moist； cold。 The body was to be preserved in health by keeping each of these qualities in its natural proportion； heat； by the proper temperature； moisture； by the due amount of fluid； and so as to the rest。 Diseases which arose from excess of heat were to be attacked by cooling remedies； those from excess of cold； by heating ones； and so of the other derangements of balance。 This was truly the principle of contraries contrariis； which ill…informed persons have attempted to make out to be the general doctrine of medicine； whereas there is no general dogma other than this： disease is to be treated by anything that is proved to cure it。 The means the Galenist employed were chiefly diet and vegetable remedies； with the use of the lancet and other depleting agents。 He attributed the four fundamental qualities to different vegetables； in four different degrees； thus chicory was cold in the fourth degree； pepper was hot in the fourth； endive was cold and dry in the second； and bitter almonds were hot in the first and dry in the second degree。 When we say 〃cool as a cucumber；〃 we are talking Galenism。 The seeds of that vegetable ranked as one of 〃the four greater cold seeds〃 of this system。
Galenism prevailed mostly in the south of Europe and France。 The readers of Moliere will have no difficulty in recalling some of its favorite modes of treatment； and the abundant mirth he extracted from them。
These Galenists were what we should call 〃herb…doctors〃 to…day。 Their insignificant infusions lost credit after a time； their absurdly complicated mixtures excited contempt； and their nauseous prescriptions provoked loathing and disgust。 A simpler and bolder practice found welcome in Germany； depending chiefly on mineral remedies； mercury； antimony； sulphur； arsenic； and the use； sometimes the secret use； of opium。 Whatever we think of Paracelsus； the chief agent in the introduction of these remedies； and whatever limits we may assign to the use of these long…trusted mineral drugs； there can be no doubt that the chemical school； as it was called； did a great deal towards the expurgation of the old； overloaded； and repulsive pharmacopoeia。 We shall find evidence in the practice of our New… England physicians of the first century； that they often employed chemical remedies； and that； by the early part of the following century； their chief trust was in the few simple； potent drugs of Paracelsus。
We have seen that many of the practitioners of medicine； during the first century of New England； were clergymen。 This relation between medicine and theology has existed from a very early period； from the Egyptian priest to the Indian medicine…man； the alliance has been maintained in one form or another。 The partnership was very common among our British ancestors。 Mr。 Ward； the Vicar of Stratford…on… Avon； himself a notable example of the union of the two characters； writing about 1660； says；
〃The Saxons had their blood…letters； but under the Normans physicke； begunne in England； 300 years agoe itt was not a distinct profession by itself； but practised by men in orders； witness Nicholas de Ternham； the chief English physician and Bishop of Durham； Hugh of Evesham； a physician and cardinal； Grysant； physician and pope； John Chambers； Dr。 of Physick； was the first Bishop of Peterborough； Paul Bush； a bachelor of divinitie in Oxford； was a man well read in physick as well as divinitie； he was the first bishop of Bristol。〃
〃Again in King Richard the Second's time physicians and divines were not distinct professions； for one Tydeman； Bishop of Landaph and Worcester； was physician to King Richard the Second。〃
This alliance may have had its share in creating and keeping up the many superstitions which have figured so largely in the history of medicine。 It is curious to see that a medical work left in manuscript by the Rev。 Cotton Mather and hereafter to be referred to； is running over with follies and superstitious fancies； while his contemporary and fellow…townsman； William Douglass； relied on the same few simple remedies which； through Dr。 Edward Holyoke and Dr。 James Jackson； have come down to our own time； as the most important articles of the materia medica。
Let us now take a general glance at some of the conditions of the early settlers； and first； as to the healthfulness of the climate。 The mortality of the season that followed the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth has been sufficiently accounted for。 After this； the colonists seem to have found the new country agreeing very well with their English constitutions。 Its clear air is the subject of eulogy。 Its dainty springs of sweet water are praised not only by Higginson and Wood； but even the mischievous Morton says； that for its delicate waters Canaan came not near this country。〃 There is a tendency to dilate on these simple blessings； which reminds one a little of the Marchioness in Dickens's story； with her orange…peel…and…water beverage。 Still more does one feel the warmth of coloring；such as we expect from converts to a new faith； and settlers who want to entice others over to their clearings； when Winslow speaks； in 1621； of 〃abundance of roses； white； red； and damask； single； but very sweet indeed；〃 a most of all； however； when； in the same connection； he says； 〃Here are grapes white and red； and very sweet and strong also。〃 This of our wild grape； a little vegetable Indian； which scalps a civilized man's mouth； as his animal representative scalps his cranium。 But there is something quite charming in Winslow's picture of the luxury in which they are living。 Lobsters； oysters； eels； mussels； fish and fowl； delicious fruit； including the grapes aforesaid；if they only had 〃kine； horses； and sheep；〃 he makes no question but men would live as contented here as in any part of the world。 We cannot help admiring the way in which they took their trials； and made the most of their blessings。
〃And how Content they were；〃 says Cotton Mather； 〃when an Honest Man； as I have heard； inviting his Friends to a Dish of Clams； at the Table gave Thanks to Heaven； who had given them to suck the abundance of the Seas； and of the Treasures Aid in the Sands！〃
Strangely enough； as it would seem； except for this buoyant determination to make the best of everything； they hardly appear to recognize the difference of the climate from that which they had left。 After almost three years' experience； Winslow says； he can scarce distinguish New England from Old England； in resp
