IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

*/ .4\

c^j*

^^4^

J

^

<^

^

1.0

1.1

11.25

E lU ^^

S Its |2j0

Hluu

U 11.6

Hiotographic

Sciences

Corporalion

23 WBT MAIN STRUT

WIBSTU.N.Y. M5M

(716) 172-4303

0

4^

mg

CIHM/ICMH

Microfiche

Series.

CIHIVi/iCMH
Collection de
microfiches.

Canadian Institute for Historicai IMicroreproductions / Institut Canadian da microraproductions historiquas

Taehnioal and Bibliographic Notas/Notas tachniquas at bibliographiquas

Th
to

Tha Instltuta haa attamptad to obtain tha baat
original copy availabia' for filming. Faaturaa of thia
copy which may ba bibllogrophioally unlqua.
which may altar any of tha imagaa in tha
raproduction, or which may aignifioantly ehanga
tha uaual mathod of filming, ara ohaokad balow.

□ Colourad covara/
Couvartura da coulaur

r~1 Covara damagad/

□

D

n

Couvartura andommagAa

Covara raatorad and/or laminatad/
Couvartura raatauria at/ou pallieuMa

Covar titia miaaing/

La titra da couvartura manqua

Colourad mapa/

Cartaa giographiquaa an coulaur

□ Colourad ink (i.a, othar than blua or black)/
Encra da coulaur (i.a. autra qua blaua ou noira)

I I Colourad plataa and/or illuatrationa/

Planchaa at/ou illuatrationa an coulaur

Bound with othar matarial/
Rail* avac d'autraa documanta

Tight binding may cauaa ahadowa or diatortion
along intarior margin/

La r« liura aarrta paut cauaar da I'ombra ou da la
diatortion la long da la marga IntAriaura

Blank laavaa addad during raatoration may
appaar within tha taxt. Whanavar poaaibia, thasa
hava baan omittad from filming/
II aa paut qua cartainaa pagaa bianchaa ajouttea
lora d'una raatauration apparaiaaant dana la taxta,
mala, loraqua cala itait poaaibia. caa pagaa n'ont
paa «ti fiimAaa.

Additional commanta:/
Commantairaa aupplAmantairaa.-

L'Inatitut a microf ilma la maillaur axamplaira
qu'il lui a ixi poaaibia da aa procurer. Laa details
da cat axamplaira qui aont paut-Atra uniquaa du
point da vua bibliographiqua. qui pauvant modif iar
una imaga raproduita, ou qui pauvant axigar una
modification dana la mAthoda nor mala da filmaga
aont indiqute ci-daaaoua.

|~~| Colourad pagaa/

v/

D

Pagaa da coulaur

Pagaa damagad/
Pagaa andommagiaa

□ Pagaa raatorad and/or laminatad/
Pagaa raataurAaa at/ou palliculAaa

Th
po
of
fill

Or
bo
th(
aio
oti
fir
aio
or

Pagaa diacolourad. stalnad or foxed/
Pagaa dicolorAas, tachatiaa ou piquies

I I Pagaa datachad/

Pagaa ditachias

Showthrough/
Tranaparanca

Quality of prir

Qualit^ Intgala da I'impraaaion

Includaa aupplemantary matarii
Comprand du material auppl^mantalra

Only edition available/
Seule Mition diaponible

rTj Showthrough/

r^ Quality of print variaa/

n~| includaa aupplementary material/

I — I Only edition available/

Th(
ahi
Tir
wh

Ma
difl
anti
bag
rigr
raqi
mai

Pagaa wholly or partially obacured by errata
slipa, tisauaa, etc., have been refllmed to
ensure the best possible image/
Les pages totalement ou partiellement
obscurcies par un feuiliet d'errata. una pelure,
etc., ont M fiimies A nouveau da faqon A
obtenir la meilleure image possible.

This item is filmed at tha reduction ratio checked below/

Ce document eat fiimA au taux da reduction indiqu* ci-daaaoua.

10X 14X 18X 22X

26X

30X

V

12X

16X

aox

24X

28X

32X

Th« copy f llmMl Imt* has bMn raproduocd tiNinkt
to th* g«n«roslty of:

DouglM Library
QuMn't Un!v«rsity

L'wtmptalro fllm4 f ut roproduit grico i la
gAnAroaM da:

Douglas Library
Quaan't Univarsity

Tha imagaa appaaring hara ara tha baat quality
posalbia consMarlng tha condition and laglblllty
of tha original copy and In kaaping with tha
filming contract apaciflcatlona.

Original capias in printad papar covara ara fllmad
baglnning with tha front covar and anding on
tha laat paga with a printad or illustratad impraa*
slon, or tha back covar whan approprlata. All
othar original copies ara fllmad baglnning on tha
first paga with a printad or illustratad impraa*
slon, and anding on tha laat paga with a printad
or illustratad imprassion.

Tha last racordad frama on aach microfioha
shall contain tha symbol -^ (rnaaning "CON-
TINUED"), or tha symbol y (maaning "END"),
whichavar applias.

Laa Imagaa suhrantas ont At* raproduitas avac la
plua grand aoln, compta tanu da la condhion at
da ki nattatA da I'axamplaira film*, at an
eonformit* avac las conditions du contrat da
fllmaga.

Laa axamplairas origlnaux dont la couvartura an
paplar aat ImprlmAa sont fiimAs an commandant
par la pramlar plat at an tarminant soit par la
darnlAra paga qui comporta una amprainta
d'Impraaalon ou d'llluatration, soit par la sacond
plit. talon la oaa. Toua laa autras axamplairas
origlnaux sont filmte an comman9ant par la
pramlAra paga qui comporta una amprainta
d'Impraaalon ou d'illustratlon at an tarminant par
la darnlAra paga qui comporta una talla
amprainta.

Un daa symbolas suivants apparattra sur la
darnlAra Imaga da chaqua microficha, salon la
cat: la tymbola -^ signif la "A SUIVRE", la
tymbola ▼ signifia "FIN".

Maps, platas, charts, ate. may ba fllmad at
diffarant raduction ratios. Thosa too larga to ba
antiraly included In ona axposura ara fllmad
beginning in tha uppar laft hand comar. laft to
right and top to bottom, aa many framaa as
required. The following diagrams illustrate tha
method:

Let eartat, planches, tebleaux, etc., peuvent Atre
fllmAa A das taux da rAduction diff Arents.
Lertqua la document est trop grsnd pour Atre
raprodult an un seul clichA, il est f limA A partir
da Tangle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite,
at da haut an bes, en prenant la nombre
d'Imagat nAcessaire. Les diagrsmmes suivants
llluttrant la mAthode.

1

2

3

32X

1 2 3

4 6 6

■*t, ♦.

"It * ♦

4i 4

:i

»■

... V

Xti

*■

H-

^#

*'

V •• •

GUIDE TQtlTEAJ&T

Ir

A COttPLETE SYSTEM QW

ft'^ll^S!^

OH A n<AK ENTIRSIiPllSW :

WITH A DESCRIPTION Of THE VEGETABLES MADE
USE OF, AMO pfKKCTIpNS FOBt FkEPARIfifO ANp
ADMINISTERING THEM, TO CURE; DISEASE,

to WBIOB IB rMFUMS, ,
OF THE

LIFE AlfD MEDICAL DISCOVERIES

OF THE AUTHOR.

i

w

BOSTON:

Printed for the Author, and sold by hit General A|ent| at

the Office of the Boston InTcatigator.

J» Q. AoAm, Printer.

1835.

Ry^rr

• ^

« '^

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year
18S5, by Samuxl ThomsoN| in the Clerk's Office of
the District Court of Massachusetts.

r^i*KS ^fi^ • I ^•'^' ■"■■•■ UP I H'^.ta

.yi'^ rrt'SMfi.^ "TS

w

■$

't

4

JLDVBBVlIBBrairT.

The preparing the fcdloiring work for the press, has
been a task of much difficulty and labor, for to com-
prise in a short compass, and to convey a correct under-
standing of the subject, from such a mass of materials
as I have been enabled to collect, by thirty years prac-
tice, is a business of no small magnitude. The plan
that has been adoptied I thought the best to give a cor-
rect knowledge of my system of practice ; and am con-
fident that the descriptions and directions are sufficiently
explained to be understood by all those who tajie an
interest in this important subject. Much more might
have been written; but the main object has been to
confine it to the practice, and nothing more is stated of
the theory than- what was necessary to give a general
knowledge of the system. If any errors should be dis-
covered, it is hoped that they will be viewed with can-
dor; for in first publishing a work, such things are to be
expected ; but much care has been taken that there should
be no error, which would cause any mistake in the prac-
tice, or preparing the medicine.

10<JIQ01^

i

4 ■ IJgjHERTlSEMENT. ^

Many peraoiui are practising by my system, who are
in the habit of pretonding Aat they have made great im-
provements, and in some instances it is well known that
poisgAous drugs have heett mado use of under the name
of^y medicine, which has 'Counteracted its operation,
and thereby tended to destroy the confidence of the pub-
lic hi my system of practice; this has never been* author-
ized by. me. The public are therefore cautioned agunst
such conduct, and %U those who are well disposeor to-
wards my system, are desired to lend their aid in expos-
ing aU suQJIfPiphonest practices, in order that justice may
be do^ ThoM who possess this work, may, by exam-
ining it, be able to detect any improper deviations therq.-
from; and they ajre assured that any practice which is
not conformable to the directions given, and does not
agree with the principles herein laid down, is unauthor-
ised by me.

N. B. The work has undergone several revisions, aa
well as passed through several editions, since it was first
liublished; but as the copy-right has been now renewed,
(in 1835,) the number of the former editions is not re-
garded.

9BS7A0B;

'WRITTBN BT A VRIBWD.

There is no subject in wbjich th««reat fiSj^fly of maa-
kind have a dee{>er interest, than that of meoitiiiM; to
lessen the sum of human suffering by alleviating poui»
and removing' those diseases that all are subject to, is •
duty of the greatest importance of any undertaking thai
man can engage in. Health is the greatest blessing
that can be enjoyed in this life; and tu be dejjiiriTed of
it, takes away all our pleasures and comforts, and makes
every thing in this world appear a dreary waste. Thia
will readily be admitted by every one; but in what maiH
ner disorder can best be removed or prevented, is a sub*
ject that has engaged the attention of many wise mea^
who have existed m different ages, from the earliest
times to the present day, without, as we humbly con-
ceive, very much benefitting mankind by their labors.
Their inquiries, it would seem, have been directed to
the investigation of visionary theories, of the form and
curious construction of the body and members, up<m
mechanical principles; to the neglect of what is oiT the
greatest importance, a correct and useful practice by<a
direct application to the cause of disease. This ia|||U}
pursuing a shadow, and losing sight of the substaiobe;
for there are certain causes and effects in the works of
creation, that are beyond the comprehension of man, and
the general principles of animated nature are as correct-
ly knoMrn by the whole human family, as by the most
wise and learned.

In the different sges of the world, the medical faculty
have been very prolific in forming systems of the theory
and practice of medicine. One man builds up a system

6

PREPACB.

for another that comes after him, li> pull down, who
erects one of his own, which is followeo for a time, and
is then supplanted by another. They have gone on in
this way, almost every age producing a new system, to
the present time ; each one pronounces the other to be
wrongs they certainly cannot all be right, and the most
natural conclusion is, that they are all wrong; for no
good has resulted from all they have done, but on the
contrary, it has tended to produce much confusion and
doubt, in the minds of all who seek to gajn a correct
JuK>wledge of the subject. The best evidence of this,
.^ Ihe bad J||ccess that has attended the regular faculty
4n all theif^ptactice, for they, do npt pretend to a knowl-
edgli>«r • certain remedy for any ease of disease; and
it li readily admitted by the most distingaiahed men in
the profession, that there is no art or science, so little
ttpdei^tood and miserably conducted, as that of medi-
fine.'

Tbi^vay to become a fashionable doctor at the present
day,ri« to spend three or four years in what they call
reading physic, when they receive a degree and a di-
ploma from some medical society. This time is spent
m learning the Latin names of the different preparations
of medicine, according to the plan adopted by the fac**
ulty, as also of the different parts of the human body,
with the names, colors and symptoms of all kinds of
.disease, divided and subdivided into as many classes and
forms as language can be found to express; and suffi-
olent knowledge of the nature of medicine to know how
much poison can be given without causing immediate
^ejMth. With these qualifications and a little self-impor-
jtance, they commence their medical career, as ignorant
4if what is really useful in curing disease, as though they
JHkd been shut up in a cloister all the time. Their heads
V are filled with the theory, but all that is most important
in the removal of disorder, they have to learn by prac-
tice, which can never be learned in any other way.
Those patients who are so unfortunate as to come under
their care, become subjects for them to learn upon, and
have t6 suffer from their experiments. After pursuing
this course for many years, they begin to learn that their
practice has been wrong; and it is a fact well known.

PREFACE; 7

*

that all our old ksM most experienced physiciani, who
have become distinguished in the profession, make use
of but very little medicine, prescnning principally sim-
ples, with directions how they may cure themselves; the
greater part of their patients are such as have been run
down, and had their constitutions destroyed by the im-
proper treatment they have received from the young and
inexperienced part of the faculty.

This picture may be considered by some as highly
colored ; but if prejudice is laid aside, and viewed with
candor, It will be found not to be far from the truth.
There are, no doubt, many exceptions amoQg the prac-
tising physicians; but their manner of treeting disease
by bleeding and bliiteriiig, and administering mercury,
arsenic, nitre, antimony, opium, &c. is directly opposed
to nature, and cannpt be justi^ed by any principles
founded on natural causes and effects. Another serious
difficulty exists, which is, that the people are kept ig-
norant of every thing of importance in medicine, by
its being kept m a dead language, for which there can
be no good reason given. Dr. Buchan has made some
very good remarks on this subject to show the impro-
priety of such a practice, and gives it as his opinion,
that if physicians would write their prescriptions in the
language of our country, and lay medicine more open
to the people, much good would result from it. In the
new Pharmacopoeia, got up lately by the medical socie-
ties in this country, an entire new arrangement is made,
and new names adopted, which is to be revised every
ten years. This will completely keep the people in ig-
norance of the medicine they use, when prescribed by
the faculty.

There cannot be the least' doubt but there is medi-
cine enough grows in our country, to answer all the
purposes necessary in curing every disease incident to
the climate, if tl\e people had a knowledge of it; but
the doctors have so much influence in society, and man-
age their affairs with so much art, for their own profit
and praise, that the common people are kept back from
a knowledge of what is of the utmost importance for
them to know. If any man undertakes to pursue a
practice differing from what is sanctioned by the regular

I -

f PRBFACB.

faculty, lot him ■how ever to much tbgenuifj in his di»-
eoverief, or be evisMo succeMful in curing diieaM, ha
it hunted down Uk*a wild beast; and a hue and crjr
raised i^gunst him from one end of the country to the
other. There must- be some reason for all this, more
than an aim to the public good; for the people are
certainly capable of judging for themselves, whether
what is done for them, removes their complaint, or in-
creases it. It is not unreasonable, we think, to con-
clude, that it arises from a fear that the cfaft is in
danger.
Nothing could more fully exemplify the above opinion
> than the tteatment which Dr. Thomson has received

frooi Uie medical faculty, daring ttia whole of his prac-
tice. He has been {persecuted and pursued with all the
malice of demons, for.no other cause that can be im-
agined, than because of his extraordinary success in
curing disease, which has tended to enlighten the peo-
ple, and do away their blind confidence in the infallibil-
ity of doctors. This opposition has not been from the
people at large, for all who have been attended by him,
and those who have had a correct knowledge of his sys-
tem of practice, are not only well satisfied, but are tho-
roughly convinced of its superiority over the practice of
the doctors; and some of the faculty who have examined
the subject, allow the discovery to be oriffinal and inge-
nioiis, and that the principles upon whicn it is founded,
are correct. If the physicians generally had, instead of
trying to destroy him and his practice, inquired into and
made themselves acquainted with his improvements, and
treated him with that courtesy due to every ingenious
man, who devotes himself to the advancement of the arts
and sciences, they would have received much useful in-
formation on one of the most important branchep of the
medical art, that is, of the medicinal virtues of the vege-
tables of this country, with the best method of prepanng
and administering them to cure disease; but they seem
to consider every thing relating to the subject as a sort
of holy ground, on which no one has a right to tread,
but the regularly initiated.

Dr. Thomson began his practice as it were from ac-
cident, with no other view than an honest endeavor to

be

be uMful to his f«0ow creatures; and had nothins to
guide him but his own experience. He not having nad
an education, has received no advantages from reading
books, which 1^^ h>* mind unshackled by the visionary
theories and opinions of others; his whoie studies hava
beefi in the great book of nature, and his conclusions
have all been drawn from that unerring guide; by this
he was enabled to form correct opinions m the fitness of
things. His first inquiry was to know of what all animal
bodies w|re formed, and then to ascertain what caused
disease. After being satisfied on this head, the next
thing was to find what medicine was the best calculated
to remove disease and jrostofe health* Foir libis ho look*
ed into the vegotabla kingOMi, where he found a !«]{•
field for contemplation, and for the exercise of his iih
quiring inind. Here, by an invention of his own, that
of ascertaining the qualities and power of vegetables by
their taste, he was enabled at all times to find something
to answer the desired purpose; his apoUiecary's shop
was the woods and the fields.

In his practice, it has always beeft his first obyect to
learn the course pointed out by nature, and has followed
by administering those things best caleuli^ed to aid her
in restoring health. This is unquestionably the only cor*
rect course that can be pursued with any chance of sue*
cess, for all the good that can be expected by giving
medicine, is to assist nature to remove the disease. Tm
success with which his practice has been attended, has
astonished all who witnessed it, and has led the people
to wonder how a man without learning could perform
what could not be done by the learned doctors; this is
not strange, for people most generally form their opin-
ions by what is fashionable, without examining into the
nature of things. . A man can be great without the ad-
vantages of an education ; but learning can never make
a wise man of a fool; the practice of physic requires a
knowledge that cannot be got by reading books; it must
be obtained by actual observation and experience.

It is very common with the doctors, to call all those
who practise, and have not been regularly educated to
the profession, quacks, and empirics. The definition of

10

PRivxes.

the word quack, is an igttorant pretefllder; and thoae who
aire entiiled to this appellation, are beat known by the
knowledge they posMM in thehr profession, and the suc-
cess with which they pursue it; and there may be pro-
baA>ly more igiwrant pretenders found among those who
have received a diploma, than in any other class. An
empiric is one who is governed in his practice by his own
experimental knowledge; and Dr. Thomson can have^no
reasonable objection to be honored by this title, for ihere
is nothing valuable in the wh<4e range of tl^. medicd
science, but what has been derived from this source. In
ancient titoj^r the man who could discover any thing that

EroveA td""!^ usefal in eu^p 4M|^<m<>) was entitled to
flflK»id>le notice, ind ai^^lrd^l his ingenuity, with-
out,regarding whether he was learnisdl on&earned. In
this way, the facultjrhave obtained all their t^owledge
of vegetable medicine, and if they had confined theaw
•elves to this, it would have been much better for the
people, than to make use pf those poisonous minerals,
which have been th* production of the learned, and is
the only addition tiny have been able to make to the
Materia Mediea.

In the following work. Dr. Thomson has endeavored
to embody in a sSall compass, and to convey to the pub-
lie, in as plain and simple terms as he was capable, a
correct knowledge of his system of practice, with his
manner of treating disease, together with a description
of all the vegetable productions of our own country that
he has found to be useful in curing disorder, and the
best manner of preparing and administering them. It
will be found of the ^eatest importance to the people;
bein^ the result of thirty years constant practice, in at-
tending on all kinds of disease common in this country.
It offers to the public an opportunity to make themselves
sufficiently acquainted with the subject, to enable every
one who avails himself of it, to become his own physician,
with a trifling expense.

To introduce a new system of medical practice, and
to make an entire change of the public opinion, on so
important a subject, is an undertaking of too great mag-
nitude to be effected without much difficulty; let its
superiority over all others be ever so great; for who-

PBBTAOI.

U

ever undertake! il, must expect to have to contend
againit the interest of a large claw of the community,
and the prejudicee of tM whole. That Dr. Thomson
has been able to effect so much, is more surprising,
than that he has not done more, for |gf has laboiad
under raen^ difficulties, besides beinjg opposed by a pow*
erful combmation, whose interest it is to keep the peo|)|le
back from adopting his practice. He has been obliged
to satisfy the people of what is for their interest, as well
as for their ' peace and happiness, against their own in-
clinations; and has pursued his own plan with wonder-
ful perseverance, and with an honest and jij^termined
zeal, to do what he thoug||t^to be %is duty. He peeme
to have had in view moire til/f ublic good than hie ojfu,
interest, for his whole plan has been to give information
to. the people, as well as to relieve them from disease;
anid to put it in their power to cure themselves and fanh
ilies in all cases of sickness, without bein^ under the
necessity of employing a doctor. In pursumg this ob-
ject, he has spent the best part of his days, and has re-
ceived but very small compensation for all his labors;
Uie pecuniary benefit that he has realised for his practice
and rights sold, would be no temptation to any ono to un-
dergo the hundredth part of what he has suffered from
persecution.

Notwithstandinff all the difficulties Dr. Thomson has
met with, and all the opposition he has had to contend

aainst, his system is made use of by the people gener-
y, in many places, and it is fast spreading in all parte
of the United States. Wherever the people become ac-
quainted with it they universally adopt it, and consider
it of the greatest valu^ so much so, that there are hun-
dreds who would not be deprived of the information they
have received, for any sum of money whatever. In
several towns, large societies have been formed of those
who have purchased the rights, and who obligate them-
selves to assist each other in cases of sickness; where
this has been the case, great benefit has been derived
and the success of the practice has been complete.
This seems to be the best plan for introducins a correct
knowledge of the system and practice among the people^
Mid putting it in their power to derive the most advaa-

ijfV-

12

pRfepAet.

tage from its use; and if a few of tbosf: fUcn who havo
the iriott iBfltience in toclo^, would eiiunin.e into tho
eahject with impartialitjr, th^ i^oiild readily be contioo"
ed of ite iroiienor uselukiefia^ aad by taki»{|^ an interest-
iflHlMfusing a Hkowledge <^ the practice among the peo-
ple, they would confer a ^eat^r benefit on ttinkind,
tibatt by any charitable act they could perform.

There has be^n one creaf obstaole hh the way of »
ffeileral extension of h knowledge of the practice, for
the want of some means to c6nvey correct information
Ikow to prepare and administer the medicine, with the
best mannir of treatment^ in coring disease; and dso to
nretent m wh* ado|l this m§itm$( practico, froni^ being
MMed npon by fhostt W^ i>#lMiid to make use of it
lAirat a ptd/peit knowtedgO' ttf tiiei tfikbjlMM^ for thew
ar« quacks under this systeih as w«llas ollieitti Ihi*
is obviated by the following work, hi which, if is tUtfttght^
wffl be found sufteient expianitions' and dir^tifont let
enable any one who pays striet atfontion to th<iin, to
make use of the practice with sMfotf and ttUcM^i

.: . -^Ji- 'Wt?'"' • ••^•<'^)'-':

ho faftvv
into Ihv
sontine-
iotereat-
tb« peo-
linkiiid,

my of ft
tice, for
bfmalion
urith the
ddso to

iisii of it
ot theM
m Ihii

etiotifto

(b^iifr, to

Mi' '

1:'

■f

OF TBJC

UW, «e. OV HAKITW^ THOJIiOI.

's ^

.ifM

THERE ill njoMuiig, jMiapi. bm^ MtiiCiit Hia^k
to/write one'fii o^inn life; for in 4^u|fi( it We ire obllg|^d to
p«89pver again, as it were, maiiv icienefi Which we
i^pi^nt wish to have forgotten, and refato manj putioularii
whioh, though they inay seem very import^t to our-
selves, yet wojold^ be very uninterOiting to the reader.
It is not my untention to attempt to write a hiitcvy of my
life, nor would it be in my power to do it if I Am such i
wish; but as I have been the greater part »t' my life en^
^aged in one of the most important puriwiits, and which
IS of more consequence to the ereat Jkiiman family, than
an^' other that could be undert^^ V man; thi^ of d-
leviating human misery, by cixvi^ all cases of diseaio
by t^e most simple, safe, and certam method of practice,
I think ^he public will be jdierested to know something
of me, and the reason of my having taken upon myself
so important a calling, without being regularly educated
to the profession, whitfh is thought by the world to be in-
dispensably necessary^ but I sball take the liberty to
disagree a little wit^«Aem in thia particular ; for, although
learning may be rgreat advantage in acquiring a pro-
fession, yet th*<^ Alone will never make a great 'man,
where there V no neural gift.

By givii^ a short sketch of the early part of my exiitr
ence, and relating those accidental circumftancei thai
have occurred durmg my life, and which were prioci^
pally the cause of my. engaging m ths h^aliog art. i^
enable the public to judge more correctly, whetbdr I
2

14

^arratitte'of ike lAftt Sfc.

kave taken that course^ in jfulfiUin^ my^uty in this life,
which the God of nature hath pointed oil for me. la
doing this, I shall endeavor to ^ive a plain and simple
narrative of facts as they took place, and relate only
tho|e particulars of my life, with such of the cases that
have come under my care, as will best, convey to the
reader, the most correct information of my system of
pra^ice in carins disease.

I was bom February 9, 1769, in the town of Alstead,
county of Cheshire, and State of New Hampshire. My
fhther, Jdhn Thomson, was born in Northbridge, county
of Worcester, and State of Massachusetts; he was
twentydfiv^'^ars old when I was born. My mother's
nap^e^'was Hfuinah'Cobb; iHle ^If, bom in Medway,
Miss.^ and wais four years older thaimliny fiither. I had
pne sister older tiian myself, and three brothers and one
akiter younger, who are all living e^tcept my iweond
brotlwr, who died in his fourteenth year. My oldeit
sister^married Samuel Hills, and lives in Suny, Nisw
Hampshure, and my two brothers live in Jericho, Ver-
mont. M|[^ youngest sister married Waters Mather, and
lives in theiState of Ohio.

That counti^was a wilderness when I was born; inv
father had begah. there about a year before, at which
time there wasnoY»>use within three miles one way,
and about oUe the oth^v there were no roads, and they
had to ffo by marked treeik. The snow was very deep
when thev moved there, aiH^my mother had to travel
over a mile on anow shoes thrt^gh the woods to g^t to
their habitation. My parents wiire poor, having nothing
to begin the world with; but had to depend upon their
labour for support. My fhther had bought a piece of wild
land on credit, and had to pay for It by his labor in what
he could make off the land, which caused us great hard-
ships and deprivations for a long time;

AM soon as I be^an to form any correct ^leas of things,
my. mind was much irritated by the impressions made on
it by in^ parents, who, no doubt with very aood inten-
tions, mled mjr young head with all kinds oi hoh-gob&i
and Witeh-stories, which made a very deep impression
on my ttiind, and which were not entirely eradicated for
many y e(urs> I mention this as t caution to parents, not

Of S^mml Thmion,

15

deep

to tell their ohildieii anj thing but the truth; (ex youiur
chil^in nati]|iwy l^elieve whatey^r their parents tell
them, and wh«a they frijghten them with such stories,
fat the purpose of making them' behaye well^ it wUl
ihost generally hnye a yery bad' effect; for when they
arriye at years of discretion, and find, that all those sto-
ries ife falsehoods, they will naturally form yeiy un^a-
ywable opinions of their parents, whose duty it is to set
them better examples.

My father and mioUier were of;the Baptist persuasion,
and were yery strict, in their religious duties. They at-
tended meeting eyery Sabbath, and my father prayed
•night and mormng in his family. One daj^tiiiey went to
meeting, and left |^aiv|9iy aiitel at home mifi^ and
told us that if we irera wicked they should send tlta Ibear
or the knocker to carry us off. While they were absent
I was at play, when we heard a hard knocking on the
initside or the house, which frightened us yenr much, and
when they came* home I told tfiem what had happened;
but instead of letting us know what it was, they told us
it was the knocker they had told us of, and that or the
bear would always come, if we were wicked, and did not
mind and do as they told us. It was seyeral years after
that my reason taught me that this knocker, as they call-
ed it, was a wood-pecker that came on the end of the
house. Parents ought to be dareful to impress on the
minds of young children, correct ideas of things, and
not mislead thmr understandings by telling them false-
lioods; for it will be of the greatest importance as re-
spects their future conduct and pursuits in life.

When I was between three a&d four years old, my
father took me out with him to work. The first business
I inras set to do was to driye the cows to pasture, and
watch the geese j with other small chores, which occu-
pation kept me all day in the fields. I was yery curious
to know the names of all the herbs which I saw grow-
ing, and what they were good for; and, to satisfy my
curiosiity was constantly mwing inquiries of the persona
I happened to be with, for that purpose. All the infor-
mation I thus obtained, or by my own obseryatipn, 1 care-
fully laid up in mv memory, and never forgot, lliere
was an old lady by the Qame of Benton lived oei^ V9|

in

liB

j^fmm'^mi^:^^.

who vaed to attend our ftn^y wfiim fh^ire was any aick>
nem. At that time theire waino tuch thitig as a Doct0r
knpum aniQiic us, thet'e bdc bein^ any witmn ten miles.
T%e whole oHier practice was With roots and herbs, ap-
plied to the patient, or giv^ in hot drinks, to productB
sweating; which always answered the purpose. When
one thing did not produce the desired effect, die Vould
try something else, till t!hey were relieved. By her
attention to the family, and the benefits they received
from her skill, we became very much attached to her;
and when she used to eo out to collect roots and herbs,
she would take me with her, and ifearh me their names,
with wjl^atf'^yr^were j^^ for; and I used to be very
cuii^i^lh my inquineis; and & tai^^ everything that
1 fiywnd. The in^nnation I thus obtained at this early
age, was afterwards nf great use to me.

Sometime in the summibr, after t was four years old,
being out in the fields in search Of the cows, I discii>v-
ered a plant which had a singular branch and pods, that
I had never before seen, and I had the curiosity to pick
some of the pods and chew them; the taste and opera-
tion produced was so remarkable, that I never forgot it.
I afterwards used to induce other boys to chew it, merely
by way of sport, to see them vomit. I tried this herb
in this way for nearly twenty years, without knowing
any thine of its medical virtues. This plant is what I
have called the Emetic Herb, and is the moat important
article I make use of in n^ practice. It is very common
in most parts of this country, and may be prepared and
used in almost any manner. It is a certain counter poi-
son, having never been known to fail to counteract the
effects of the most deadly poison, even when taken
in large quantities for self-destruction. There is no
danger to be apprehended from its use, as it is per-
fectly harmless in its operation, even when a large
quantity is taken; it operates' as an emetic, cleanses
the stomach fi'om all improper aliment, promotes an in-
ternal heat, which is ihimediately felt at the extremi-
ties, and produces perspiration. The exclusive right
of using. this plant for medical purposes is secured to
me by patent, and my right to the oiscovery has never
been disputed; though ue Doctors havb done every

Of Bwmtl ThimuM*

VI

herb

IS ' per-
large

leanses
an in-

xtremi-
right

ured to
never
every

tluQg they could to destroy the credit of it, by false
ftatements, rejpresenting it to be a deadly poison, and
at the same tune they knew to the contrary, for Jhey
have made use of it Uiemselves for several years, and
have tried to defraud me of the discovery. I feel per-
fectly convinced from near fort;^ years experience of
its medical properties, that the diiscoverv is of incalcu-
lable importance, and if properl;^ understood by the
Seople will be more useful in curing the diseases ind-
ent to this climate, than the drugs and medicines sold
by all the apothecaries in the country.

At five years of age my father put mo to hard work,
and was very strict, using the greatest severky towards
me. I used to sufier very much from pains In By hips
nnd back, bemg lame from my birth, and the hard work
made me so stin, that in the morning it was with diffi-
culty I could walk. My father's severity towards me
made me very unhappy; for I was constantly in fear
■lest he should call and 1 should not hear hidi, in which
case, he used to punish me very severely. I continued
in this situation till I was eight years old, when my
brothers began to be some help, which took pfut of the
burthen off from me. We suffered great hardships and
lived very poorly; but we always had something to eat,
and were contented, for we knew of nothing better; a
dish of bean-porridge and some potatoes, were our con-
stant fare, and this was better than many others had.
The greatest part of this winter we had to live in the
bam. In July my faUier had got a part of the roof of
a new house covered, and we moved into it; which was
more comfortable than the barn. About this time my
mother was taken sick, and was carried to Mrs. Benton^
for her to take care of, where she remained for several
weeks, during which time, by using such means as this
old lady prescribed/ she recovered. At this time I had
never been to school, or had any chance whatever to
learn to read. My father kept me constantly at work,
all week days, and on Sunday I had to go a con^
siderable distance on foot to meeting, and ue rest of
the dapr.was kept on my feet in hearing .him read the
catechunn, creed and prayers, so that ihad- little time
to rest on that day.
2*

ik

Mxrrathe of Ae Ufe, ifc.

The winter I was eight yean old, I was rerj^aick
witfi the canker-rash; bat was attended by the widow
Beiilon, who cured me by making use of such medicine
as our country afforded, and I was in a short time able
to be about. After I had got well, my mind was more
attentive to the use of roots and herbs as medicine, than
ever. I had at that time a veiry good knowledge of the
principal roots and herbs to be found in that part of the
country, with their names and medical uses; and the
neighbors were in the habit of getting me to go with
them to show them such roots and herbs as the doctors
ordered to be made use of in sickness, for syrups, &c.
and bywi^ of sport they used to call me doctor. While
in l^olleld at Work I used c»ften fo'^d the herb, which
I tilled when four years old, and gave it to those who
worked with me, to see them spit and often vbmit ; but
I never observed any bad effect produced by it, ^ich
simple experiments eventually led me to observe the valhe
of it in disease.

When I was about ten years old, there was a school
a little more than a mile from my father's, where I had
^he opportunity of attending for one month. The
weather was cold and the going bad, which caused me
to make very slow progress in my learning; but the
chance we considered a great privilege, for the country
Was new and people poor, and the opportunity for
children to get learning very smaJ. I took a great dis-
like to working on a farm, and never could be recon-
ciled to it; for nothing could strike me with greater
dread than to hear the name of a plough, or any other
thing used on a fktm mentioned. This I have always
attributed to the hardships I underwent, and the severity
which my father used constantly to exercise towards
me fi^om the time I was five to ten years old. At that
time, r used to think that if ever I had any land I would
not plough it ; and if my father's treatment of me was
the effect of his religion, I never wished to have any.
This was when he was under the strongest influence of
the baptist persuasion, and used to be very zealous in
hiiB religious duties, praying night and morning, and
sblbetimes three times a day. He was a man of violent

Of Smmel Tkmtm.

19

recon-

waA quick tennper, and wh«n in hit fits of paiMon, my
mother used frequently to remind him of certain parte
of hie prayer; eueh aa this, which I never ij^got:
*' Maj we live soberly, righteously, and godly, m the
present evil world." She was a woman much respected
m the town where we lived.

About, the time I was fourteen years old, my fhther
left the baptist persuasion and embraced that of uni-
versal salvation; By jgrace are ye saved, through faith
not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. If he ever ex-
perienced a change of heurt for the better, it was at
this time; his love to God and man was great, and
I had great reason to rejoice, for he was like another
man in his house. 'He contiiiiled to enljoy the same
belief, with much comfort to the tnne of his death,
which took place in August, 1830, aged 76. My
mother remained many years in the rail belief of
the salvation of all men, and continued so till her-
death. •

Sometime during the year that I was sixteen years
old, I heard my parents say, that as my mind was so
much taken up with roots and herbs, they thought it
best to send me to live with a Doctor Fuller, of West-
moreland, who was called <a root doctor. This pleased
me very much, and in some measure raised my ambi-
tion; but I was soon after disappointed in my hopes,
for they said I had not learning enough, and they did
not know how to spare ine from my work, which de-
pressed my spirits, and was' very discouraging to me. I
now gave up all hopes of going to any other business,
and tried to reconcile myself to spend my days in work-
ing on a farm, which made me very unhappy. I had
litUe learning, and was awkward and ignorant of the
world, as my father had never given me any chance to
go into company, to learn how to behavCj which caused
me great uneasmess.

In the year 1*796, when I was in my nineteenth year,
my father purchased a piece of land on Onion river, in
the state of Vermont, and on the 12th day of October,
he started from Alstead, and took me with him, to go
to work on the land and clear up some of it to build' a
house on, as it was all covered with wood. In about

40

AomiliM of ihfi Uft, Sfc.

four ^ays after, pur arrival, we y^te exiabled to clear a
amallc spot and to Iraild up a can^ to live in; we b^id to
do juir own cooking ,and washing; our fare wa« poor,
•nd%e had to work very hard; but we got alone toierar
bly well till the 3d of December, when I had Uie nub-
fortune ^o cut my ancle very badly, which accident pre-
vented me from doiiu; any labor for a long time, and
almost deprived me of life. The wound was a very bad
4»ie, as it split the joint and laid the bone entirely bare,
ao as to lose the juices of my ancle joint to such a de-
gree as to reduce my strength very much. My father
sent for a Doctor Cole, of Jericho, who ordered sweet
apple-4ree JMrk to be boiled, and the wound to be washr
ed miUin it, which caused great pain, and made it much
WQlM, so that in eight days nty strenoth was ahnost ex-
hausted; the flesh on my leg and thigK was mostly gone,
and my life was despaired of; the doctor said he could
do no more for me ; my father was greatly alarmed about
me, and said that if Dr. Kitteridce, of Walpole, could
be sent for, he thought he might help me; but I told
him it would be in vain to send for him, for I could
not live so long as it would take to go after hun,
without some immediate assistance. He said he did not
know what to do; I told him that there was one thing I
had thought of which I wished to have tried, if it could
be obtained, that I thought would help me. He anxious-
ly inquired what it was, and I told him if he could find
some comfrey root, I would try a plaster made of that
and turpentine. He immediately went to an old place
that was settled before the war, and had the good luck
to find some; a plaster was prepared by my direc-
tions and implied to my ancle, tne side opi>osite to the
wound, and had the desired efiect; the juices stopped
running in about six hours, and I was very much
relieved; though the pain continued to be very severe
and the inflammation was great; the juices settled
between the skii^ and bone, and caused a suppura-
tion, which broke in about three weeks; during which
time I did not have three nights sleep, nor did I eat any
thing. This accidental remedy was found ^rou||h
ne^ssity, and was fho "^ " '' **^ -t- «•
vention held forth her

i:

first time the
hand to me.

mother of u»-
The success

<y

which ittended thii experiment, uid the nattind tarn
of my mind to those things, I tiifaik was a principal
cause of my continuing to practise the healing ut, to
this time.

^ Our stock of provisions being now exhausted, and my
Wound someiHlat better, my father was very anxious to
return to Abtead. He asked me if I thought I could
bear the journey, if he should place me on a bed laid
in k ried. I answered that I was willing to try. He
immediately went to work and fixed a sled, and put
me in it on a straw bed; and on tiie first day of Janu-
ary, 1789, we began our jonmev. There was very
little snow, and the road rouch, which caused the sled
to jolt veiy much, and my sufferingii wer^ |preat. It was
very dotibtfiil with my fiithar, and likewise with me,
whether I should 'live to perform the joumej^; but we
proceeded on, however, without any thing important
happening, except wearing out the runners of our sled,
ana having to make new ones, and accomplished twenty
miles the first «day. At a place where we stopped aU
night, there was a woman whose situation appeared to
me so much worse than my own, that I ielt much en-
couraged. She had been sick with a fever, and the
doctor had given so much poisonous medicine, to break
the fever, as he called it, she was left in a most misera-
ble situation. Her side and shoulder were in a putrid
state, and in full as bad a condition as my ancle. My
father in dressing my wound had drawn a string through
between the heel-cord and bone, and another between
that and the skin; so that two-thirds of the way round
my ancle was hollow.

. At a place where we stopped on the third night, a
circumstance had occurred which, from its novelty, I
think worth mentioning. A young woman who lived
in the family had discovered a strong inclination to sleep
mofe than what is common; lind had expressed a wish
that they would let her sleep enough once. She went
to bed on Sunday night, and did not wake again till
Tuesday morning, having slept thirty-six hours. On
awdcing, she had no idea of having slept more than one
night; but began to make prej^aration for washing, as
'Was lite custom on Mondays, till she was informed that

32

of Ou UJt, isc.

thev had wMh«d the day before. Her hedih wu good
and ihe n^ver after that required more ileep than other
peraoM.;,|...,j _.,

When we ffot on to the high land there waa conaiderft'
ble snow, and we got along much more comfortably. I
had to be carried in on the bed and laid by the fire,
every night during the journey. The people gener-
ally, where we stopped, treated me with Idndneaa, and
ahowed much pitv for me in ray distressed situation;
but they all ihoucht that I should not Uve |o get through
the journey. T^e doctors had advised, to have my leg
cut off, as the onl^ means of saving my life, and all those
who saw pjB dunng our journey, expressed the same
opinion; and I. think, it would have been done had I
^iven my consent; but I positively refused to asree to
it, so the plan was given up. I preferred to take mv
chance witn my leg on, to having it taken off; which
resolution I have never repented of, to this dav.

On arriving in Walpole, my fether proceeded imme-
^ately to the house of the famous Dr. Ekteridge, t»
have him dress my wound, and get his opinion of my
situation; he not being at home, and it being nearly
dark, we concluded to put up for the. night, and I waa
carried in on my bed and laid by the fire. The doctor
soon came home, and on entering the room where I
was, cried out in a very rough manner, Who have you
here? His wife answered, a sick man. The devil, re-
plied he, I want no sick man here. I was much terri-
fied by his coarse manner of speaking, and thousht if
he was so rough in his conversation, what will he be
when he comes to dress my wound; but I was happily
disappointed, for he tpok off the dressing with great
care, and handled ine very tenderly. On seeing the
strings that were in the wound, he exclaimed. What the
devil are these halters here for? My father told him
they were put in to keep the sore open. He said he
thought the sore open enough now, for it is all rotten.
Beins anxious to, knpw his opinion of me, my father
asked him what he thought of my situation. . What do
I think? said he, why I think he will die; and then
looking very pleasantly at me, said, though! think
young man, you will get well first. In the morning he

la good

Budeirtr
ibly. I
he fire,

gener-
NM, waA
tuation;
through

my leg
bU those
le same
e had I

See to
e mv
; which

I iaune!-
idge, to
Dof my
nearly
I was
doctor
where I
ive you
evil, re-
h terri-

DUffht if

1 he be
hi^ppUy
great
ling the
Irhttt the
old him
said he
1 rotten,
y father
That do
nd then
I think
oing he

JbiMMil mjr ancle iliin, tnd gave «e eopie ailfe to we
in fimife; and ny ivher Mked him fer hia bill, which
wu, I thfaik, Ibr oior keeping and his attendiAtf me,
ttbout fifty cents. A great contrast between this and
what is charged at the present time by oar regular phy->
sicians; for they will hardly look at a person without
making them pay two or three doDars. I hare been
more pirticular m describing this interview with Dr.
Kittendge, on account of bis extraordinary skill hi
surgery, and the great name he acquired, and justly
deserved, among the people throughout the country.
His qrstem of practice wai peculiarly his own, and ell
the medicines ne used were prepared bv kaaself, firom
the roots and herbs of our own^ ciouflay. Hr^as a
very eccentric character, and uncouth in his manners]:
tntt he poasesied a good heart, and a benevolent dis-
position. He was governed in his practice by that
great plan which is dictated by nature; and the un*
cmmnoh success he met with n evidence enough to
satisfy any reasonable mind, of the superiority of it
over what is the practice of tjniiA ii^o become doctors
by reading only, with their poisons and their instruments
of torture.

We left Walpole, and arrived lU our home about noon,
and my mother, brothers and oisters, were much re«
joiced to see me, though grieved at my distressed situ»>
tion; and never was any one more in need of the ten-
der care of fiiends than I was at this time. My mother
proved to me the old saying, that a fiiend in need is a
friend indeed. My case was considered doubtfol foi^
some time. I was fircmi the first of December to the
first of March unable to walk; but by good nursing and
constant care, I was enabled in the sprins to attend to
tiie business fit home, so that my father left me in charge
of the farm, and went with my brother to Onion river,
again to work on his land.

On the 9th of February, 1T90, 1 was twenty-one years
of age, and my fiUfaer gave me a deed of one half of
his farm ui Aldtead, coniii^kfaig of one hundred and
fWeiity-five acres; and I' carried it on ft>r three years,
nnd he had the liberty to ti&e such stock as he pleased.
He then inade prB{ittrition)i and removedi td Oluon river,

$4

Mtrrdm of the Lye, ^c.

and left mv mother and siater in my care. Soon after I
took a bad cold, which threw me iiHo a alow fever. In
the month of March we all had the meazLes, and my
mother had what the doctors called the black kind, and
was so bad that her life was despaired of. The disease
turned in and seiUted on her lungs, and she never recov-
ered her health. Several doctors attended her without
doing her any good. Her cough was very severe and
her mouth was sore, and she was greatly distressed. I
attended upon her under the direction of the doctors,
and took the cough, and had much the same symptoms.
She continued to grow worse daily; the doctors gave
her over, ,^d gave her disease the name of galloping
consumption, #|ti[ch I tl^pught was a very appropriate
name; fot they are the Hders, and their whip is mer-
cury, opium and vitriol, and they galloped hereout of the
world in about nine weeks. She died on the l(|th day
of May, 1790.

I was at this time very low with the same disordef
that my mother died with, and the doctor often impor-
tuned me to take some of his medicine; but I declined
it, thinking I had rather die a natural death. He tried
to frighten me by telling me it was the last chance of
getting help, and he thought he could cure me ; but I
told -him I had observed the effect his medicine had on
my mother, for she constantly grew worse under the ope-
ration of it, and I had no desire to risk it on myself. I
have always been of the opinion, that if I had followed
his advice, I should have been galloped out of the world
the same as my mother was; and I have never repented
of my refusal to this day.

After my mother died, I undertook to doctor myself,
and made some syrups of such things as I had the
knowledge of, which relieved my cough; and with the
warm weatjlier, I so far recovered my health, as to he able
to work some time in June. Berne without women's
help, I was obl^ed to hire such as I could get, which
proved a disadvantage to my interest, and I thought it
would be best to 4nd, some peripn who wojold take an
interest in saving iny property. .On the 7th day of
July, 1790, 1 was married to Susan, Allen. We were
both young, and^ great huddiipt to encounter, but we

Of Sttmntl Thmtm

^^^

got along yfiy wel|» ao4 hoth ei^yei good hiOAlth unti^
our fint c}iila was , bioni, whidi WM on the ^luth dajr
of July fiiUowiog. My vrife waa taMa ill on Saturday,
and aent ibr help; ihe lingered along till Sunday night,
when she became very had; her aiiuation waa danger-
oua, and «he waa in hand coiuiantly the whole night,
untU sunriae the next mominc, wlten ahe was delirered;
but her aenaea were gone. I))aring the whole ni^ it
was one continued struggle of fiHrcing nature, wldQh
produced ao great an iiyunr to the nenroua ayaten, aa to
cauae strong^ convulaion nta in ah^ut an hour after her
delivery, 'jnie witneaaing of thia horrid scene <^ hur
man butch^, was mie great cause of my Bfyiog attenr
tion to midwifery, anij my practioa )mmi ,fince haen very
successful in. it.

Her fita continued and grew worse; there were six.
doctora attended her that day,, and a aeventh waa sent
for; but ahe arew worse under their care; for one would
give her medU»ne, and another aaid ^lat he did wrong;
another would bleed her, and U>e otiier would say he
had done wrong ; and so on through the whole. I heard
one of them say that his experience in this case was
worth fifly dolkurs. I found that they were trying their
practice by experunenta; apd wiaii so dissatisfi^ wiUi
their conduct, that at night I told them mhfd I thooght;
and that I had heard them accusing each other of doing
wrong; but I was convinced that they had all told the
truth, for they had all done wrong. They all gave her
over to die, and I dismissed them, having seen enough
of their conduct to convince me that they were doii)g
more hurt dian good.

After they were gone, I sent for Dr. Watts and Dr.
Fuller, idvo were called root doctors. They attended
her through the night, and in the morning about the
sune hour that they beaan, the fits lefl her. She had
in the whole, eighteen of the most shocking convulaion
fits that had been ever seen by any one preaent. The
spasms were so violent that it jarred the whole house.
After the fits had left her, ahe was entirely senseless,
and was raving diatracted for three days;, and then be-
came perfectly stupid, aad lay in tibat situation for three
4aya; she then laughed ^c^ ^laySraad than ari^ three
3

96

jmmm of Ae JUfe, Sfc.

days; after irbich ihe seemed to awi&e Idee a ]»erfloti
firom sleep, and had no knowledge of what had passed,
or that she had been sick, or had a child. These two v
doctors continued to attend her, and used all the means
in their power to strengthen the nervous system. She
gained very slowlv, and it was a long time before she
got aboot; but she never got entirely over it. Hiis"
sickness put me back in my business very much, and the
estpense was above two hundred dollnrs.

In about a month after my wife had recovered jfrom
her MCkness, she was attacked with the ^oltc, which
required all my attention, and that of the two doctors
who attended her before; but all our exertions ap-
peared to be ill vain, for the disease had its regular
course for several days, and then left her. These at^-
tacks continued once a month, or oftener, and it was so
much trouble to go for the doctor so often, as I had to
durinir these turns, that I let a younf man who studied
with Dr. Watts, have a house on my fonn, so as to have
him hiandy; but I soon found that by having a doctor
so near, there was plenty of business for him; for there
was not a month in the year but what 1 had some*
body sick in my family. If a child was attacked with
any trifling complaint, the doctor was sent for, and they
were sure to have a long sickness; so he paid his rent
and keeping very easy. This doctor lived on my farm
seven years, during which time I had a very ^ood
knowledge of all the medicine he mstde use of, and his
manner of curing diseases, which has been of great use
to me, in findine out the use, or rather the abuse and
imposition of a family doctor, as the family is of no use
to the doctor, unless they are sick, and it is for his profit,
if not sick, to make them so. During the first of his
practice, he used chiefly roots and herbs, and his suc-
cess was very great in curiiig canker and old complaints;
but he afterwards got into the fashionable mode of treat*
ii^ his patients, by giving them apothecary's drugs;
which made him more popular with the faculty, and less
usefiil to his fellow creatures.

My mind Was bent on learning the medical propeiv
ties of such vegetables as I met with, and was constant-
ly in the habit of tasting every thing of the kind I saw;

Of Samuel I^ommii.

9T

and having a retentive memory, I have alwayt rteoUaot-
ed the taf^e and use of all that were ever ahown me
hy others, and likewise of all that I discovered myself.
This practice of tasting of herba and roots has been of
great advantage to me, as I have always been able to
ascertain what is useful for Any particular disease, by
that means. I was often told that I should poison my-
self by tasting every thing I saw; but I thoiu^ I ougnt
to have as much knowle<%e as a beast, for they possess
an instinct to discover what ia noo^for food, and what is
necessary for medicine. I had but very lUtle knowledge
of disease at this time; but had a great inclination to
learn whatever 1 had ua opportunity; and i;Dy own expe-
rience, which is the best s<uiool, had ofUui called my at-
tention to the subject, v^r ^^
The herb which I had discovered when four yaaii
old, I had often met with; but it had never occurred to
me that it was of any value as medicine, untU kibout this
time, when mowing in the field with a number of men,
one day, I cut a sprig of it, and. gave to the man next
to me, who ate it; when we had got to the end of thu
piece, which was about six rods, he said that he believ-
ed what I had given him would kill him, for he never
felt 80 in his life. I looked at him and saw that he was
in a most profusci perspiration, being as wet all over as
he could be; he trembled very much, and there was no
more color in him than a corpse. I told him to go to
the spring and drink some water; he attempted to go,
and got as far as the wall, but was unable to get over it,
and laid down on the ground and vomited several times.
He said he thought he threw off his stomach two quarts.
I then helped him into the house, and in about two hours
he ate a very hewrty dinner, and in the afternoon was
able to do a good half day's labor. He afterwards told
me that he never had «ay thing do him so much good in
his life; his appetite was remarkably good, and he felt
better than he had for a long time. This circumstance
gave me the first idea of the medical virtues of this valu-
able plant, which I have since found by fortv years ex-
perience, in which time I have made use of it in every
disease I have met with, to great advantage, that it is a
discovery of the greatest importance* «

28

JWrrnfire «/ Un Life; fye.

fn MArtfr, iT94, my aedond danghCcf^ irt» born; and
my wife had no medical ttawtanee excfe^ whiit I eonld
dd fiyr her, #ith the adVk^ of the doctor who Hired on
my ftrm. After thi» ahe was never again afflicted with
the dholie. In the cowM 6f this year the Intfe «f my
fatherV half of the farm exi»it«d, and w6 made a di-
tiaion of the stock. My half wwr five yearlhigs and
half a edit; this, with half Khe Hum, ccMdlaining about
one hundred and twCnty-^ve adrea, was alt the property
I poaaeMCd, and I waamoatly clear of debt. Soon after,
I purehaded of my father the other half of the farm, for
which I gave aix hundred and thirty<«ix doUara, payable
in atock, one half in two veara, and the other m four.
In order to meet these payments, I pnrehased calves
and colts; but it proved hard for me j as they brought,
iMdieii ^payments bee&ine due, but little more than the
6rit cost, after havinc to keep them two years; I offered
them to my father ^r what the hay they ate the last

rear would have sdd for, but he would not agree to it.
settled with him, however; and paid him according to
Contract. Ijifterwards pinrebised of a neigh'bor a unall
piece of land, which inc<Hnmoded me by keeping the sun
from my house part of the forenoon; for which I agreed
to pay him seventy-three dollars uid thirty<4hree cents,
in three years, with interest. This turned out a trou-
blesome afihir for me, for when I came to pay the inter-
est the second year, the note was more than when first
S'yen, having been altered; and I refused to pay any
ing. When the note became due, I would pay no
more than what it was given for, and it was sued and my
cattle and horses were attached. It went through a
course of law, and cost us both a great deal of expense
and trouble; but I finally beat him; he lost his note and
I recovered damage for his taking my c«ttle and horses.
This was the first time I had nmy thing to do with the
law, and in the whble it cost me about one hundred dol-
lars; but it was a good lesson, and has been worth to me
the Oxpense.

When my second dau^ter was about two years old
she was taken sick, and had what is called the canker-
rash. Dr. BUse, who lived on my farm, was sent for, and
he said she hgd that disorder as bad as any one he ever

Of Simml 3%<NiiMii.

39

; ini
could
(red on
d with
of my
a di-
gs Mid

MW. He Uied hi* vtmoit dull to prevent patrefitotion,
wbieh be feared would take place; but after usioff
every exertioift an bii power, witbout doing her any gooo,
he said he could do no more, die must die. She was
senseless,, and the canker was to be seen in her movlh,
nose, and ears, and one of her ejres was covei;ed witli j^
and closed; the other began to swell and turn puj^le
«l8o..e4 1 askedthedfetor u becoiUdinot keep the,cj|j»-
k<Br out of this ojro; but he said it would be Of no uipe,
for she could not live. I told him that if he could do
no more,! would try what I oould do myself I fimnd
tbat if the canker lumld not be stopped ^ounediatO|y, abe
would be blind with both vfea. She was so diitressed
f(Nr breath that she would spring straight up on end in
struggluig to breathe. I sat myself in a chair, ,fiid h^
her in my lap, ai4 put a blanket roimd us both; then
my wife held a hoi spider or shovel between my ieet,.a|i4
I poured on vinagar to faiso: a steam, and kept it as hot
as I Ibund ,shi» could ba>ar, channog ^bem as soon as they
be^iame coldf aiid by ^Jowiag Inii plan for about twiinir
numitep, she became comfortiyble voA breathed easy. \
kept a dotii we| with coU water on her eyes, ehanging
it often, aa it grew warm. I followed this Ulan, steam-
ing her every two hours, for about a week, when she
begaa to gain. Her eyes came open, and the one thiU
was the i^orst, was completely covered with canker, apd
was as white as paper. I used a wash of rosemary, to
take off the canker; and when the scale came off, the
siffht came out with it; and it entirely peridied. The
other eye was saved, to the astonishment of all who saw
her, particularly the doctor, who used frequently to call
to see how she did. He said she was saved entirely by
the plan I had pursued, and the great care and attention
paid to her. She entirely recovered from the diseasa,
with the exception of the loss of one eye, and has en-
joyed good health to this time. This was the first of my
finding out the plan of steaming and using cold water.
After this I found by, experience that by piUtiag a hot
stone into a thing of hot water, leaving it partly out of
the water, and then pouring vinegar on the stone, .was
an improvement. Care sho«ild be taken not to raiae the
heat too fast; and I used to put a cloth wet with cold
3*

m

Mfli»Miteof ihtBfe, 8fc.

Wit^ on the stofAiieh,' nt the rame fim* giving het inedi-
eine to raise the heat ihMdb; and -when tiiey had bieen
stvamed id shis mtonek' eo long as I thoii|^ they could
beHr it, then rtth thek all oVer with a ek>th wet wMi
np^\ vim^pcvy of cOM wKteir, change their blothea and
bed^dotheiil, and thehM then! ffd tolled.

A'lAi<Mlii]ll^^e«Mr«'thkiAi^ my oldest

sm'Wtd bdrn, ahd'Wtlii^V^ry weakly in coneequence et'
hii'^h^r^ hailing p^etiiiMie to hie birth, what i# called
a tme^ mirths' ^rtf, #hich ei^tiMtif gave me a
p^ gooff kn<ywl^d|^e t>f tfi^ practice df the doctors in
pr($loti|(<pg a disease^ ibr I nerercotrfd rMioneile thi§tK
to th^ i^a, that a doctor conld be of ^ use, #'the
ftvet nnist have its CoUMe, and nature htn to perfonn
th« ctilr^, at th0 Same tfaode the doctor gets hia pay'ttad
th#^r«dk of it. If the patielit*^ consliltttion is so strong
M to enabte th^tii to'S^g}^ againsi 1^ operoti^ii Of
tti« inedicfake tod the dSsom^,tfae3ririn recover; but if
n6(, thCy run down ki Whtit the ddictoln caH a gaUbpins
ctMisttmption. Thci dbcitor |frO«^d^d in this way^#ith
taiy wife, until I Wai satisfied of his plan, when I ioter-
IbrM and ^smisscd hitn. As soon as she left off tahiAg
his niedtcine, she begtmjrradually to gkin her healthy
and isottii got abouti '"*"'^ '^k'-^-"'^f*^^'>'^-'ff ■■'■■>'■* **>*» ^fi

When this son >rii %bb^ liit we%1» oM, he limits it^
Vkcked with the croup, or rattles. He was taken a little
before sunset with a hoarseness, was very much chig-
god ^ith phleem, and breathed with so much difficirfty,
tnM he could be he^rd aU over the house. I sent
for (he doctor, and hie attended him till about ten o'clock
at night without doing him any good, and then went
away, saying that he would not five till morning. Aiter
he was gone, I was again obliged to call on the mother
of intention, and try what I could do myself. I search-
ed the house for Si>nie rattlesnake's Oil, and wa«^ so
fbrtunate as to finid about three or four drops, which 1
inuMdiately gave him, and it loosened the phlegin, and
he 0oon began to breathe easy; by dose attention
i^r^gh the night, the child was quite comfortable in the
i^iH9m. ^e doctor came in the next dajr taoA ex-
l^fljffHqT great astonishment on finding the child aKte;
fn^ WW anxious to know by what means he had bee»re»

Of aamml Tkmtm.

91

■■'AU

Ifoved from so diespcifat* H iila«lioB. On my ihfenning
him, ke seemed well {rfeand with Uie inferraatmi ; and
obaerved that he was wilKng to allow, that the greatest
knowledge tliat doctors erer ohtained was either by ac-
cident or throiiigh neoeseily. So the discovery of a eare
for this despen^e disease by necessity, was of erMt nse
bodi to me and the doctor; notwithstanding, however,
the io^rmation he gained of me, instead of giving me
credit for it, he charged me for his uselese visit.

. I was in the habit at this time of gathering and pre-
serving in the proper season, all kinds of medicd herbs
and roots that I was acquainted with, in order to be able
at all times to prevent as well as to cure disease; for I
found by experience, that one ounce of preventicm was
better than a pound of cure, (hily the sunple article of
majrweed, when a person has taken a bad cold, by talcing
a atron|( cup of the tea when cou^ to bed, will prevent
more disease in one i^lil, witn one cent's expense, than
would tfe cured by tie doctor in one montn, and one
hundred dotlars expense in their charges, apothecaries'
drugs, and nurses.

I had nbt the most distant idea at this time of ever
engaging in the practice of medUcine, more than to as-
sist my own family; and little ikA I think what those
severe trialii imd sufferings I emerienced in the cases
that have been mentioned, and iniich i was drove to by
necessity, were to bring about. It seemed as a judg-
ment upon me, that either myself or family, or scnne one
living with me, were sick most of the time the doctor
lived on my farm, which was about seven years. Since
I have had more experience, and become better acquaint-
ed with the subject, I am satisfied in my o^vn mind of
the cause. Whenever any of the family took a cold, the
doctor was sent for, who would always either bleed or
give physic. Taking away the blood reduces the heat,
and gives power to &e cold they had taken, which in-
creases the disorder, and the coldness of the stomach
causes canker; the physic drives all the determining

powers from the surface inwardly, and scatters the
canker through the stomach and bowels, which holds
the GoM inside, and drives the heat on the outside.
The consequence is, that penq^iration ceases^ because

m

Jfmrrtitmof At Idfti Sfc.

internal heat ia the aola canae <tf thie importaofc eyacuar
tion; and a settled fever tnkeaplace, whioh will eeotiBue
aa long as the c(4d keeps the upper hand. My expe*
rience has taught ma that by giving hot medicine, the
internal heat was increased, anid by applying the steam
externally, the natural perspiration was restored; and by
giving medicine to clear the stomach and bowels flmn
canker, till the cold is driven out and the heat returns,
which is the turn of the fever, they will recover the di-
gestive powers, so that food will keep the heat where it
naturally belongs, whidi is the fuel that c<Hitinues the
fire or hie of man. < .

After the doctor, who lived on my ferm, moved away,
I had very little sickness in my family. On the birth
of mv second son, which was about two years firom
the birth of the first son, we had no occasion for a
doctor; tty wife did weUi; wd the child was much more
healthy than the others bad be<^ ; and I have never
emplepred a doctor wnee; for I had found firom sad
experience, that they made much more sickness than
thev cured. Whenever any of my femily were sie|(, I
had no difficulty in restoring them to health by such
means as were within, my own knowledge. Ap fast as
mv children arrived at yean of discretion, I inirtruct-
M them how to relieve themselves, and they have all
enjoyed good health ever since. If parents would adopt
the same plan, and depend more upon themselves, and
less upon the doctors, they would avoid much sickness
in their families, as well as save the expense nttending
the employment of one of the regular j^ysicians, when-
ever any trifling sickness occurs, whose extravagant,
charges is a grievous and heavy burthen upon the peor
pie. I shall endeavor to instruct them all m my power,
by giving a plain and clear view of the experience I
have had, that they may benefit by it. If they do not,
the«feult will not be mine, for I shall have done my duty.
I am certain of the fact, that there is medicine enough
in the country, within the reach of every one, to cure
all the disease incident to it, if timely and properly ad-
ministered.

At the birth of our third son, my wife was i^ain givea
over by the midwife. Soon after the child was bom»

Of Sammel Thomatm.

givea
born,.

8h« wai^tdcen with a^ue fit« tnd cramp in the itoniach;
she was in great pain, and we were much alarmed at
her situation. I proposed giving her some medicines,
but the midwife was much opposed to it; she said she
wished to have a doctor, and the sooner the better. I
immediately sent for one, and tried to persuade h«r to
give something which I tiiought would roheve my wife
until the doctor could come; but she objected to it,
saying that her case was a very difficult one, and would
not allow to be trifled with; she said she was sensible
of ^he dangerous situation my wife was in, for not one
out of twenty lived through it, and probably she woirid
not be alive in twenty-four hours from that time. We
were thus kept in suspense until the man returned and
the doctor could not be found,' and there was no other
within six miles. I then came to the determination of
hearing to no one's' advice, any longer, but to pursue my
own plan. I told my wife, that as the midwife said she
could not live more than twenty-four hours, her life
could not be cut short more^than that time, therefore
there would be no hazard in trymg what I could do to
relieve her. I gave her somi^ warm medicine to raise
the inward heat, and then appUed.the steam, which was
very much opposed by the imdwife; but I -lersisted in it
according to the best of my judgment, and relieved her
in about one hour, after she had laid in that situation
above four hours, without any thing being done. The
midwife expressed a great deal of astonishment at the
success I had met with, and said that I had saved her
life, for she was certain that without the means I had
used, she could not have lived. She continued to do .
well, and soon recovered. This makes the fiflth time I
had applied to the mother of invention for assistance, and '
iti all of them was completely successful.

These things began to be taken some notice of about
this time, and caused much conversation in the neigh-
borhood. My assistance was called for by some of the
neighbors, and I attended several cases with good .suc-
cess. I had previous to thin time, paid some attention
to the farrier business, and had been useful in that line.
This, however, gave occanon for the ignorant and cred-
ulous to ridicule me and laugh at those whom I attend-

^ AWroiive of tlu Itfe, Sfc,

ed; but th^ae things had littl« weight with i^e* for I
had no other object in view but to be eerviceable to
my fellow creatures, and I was toe- firmly fixed in my
determination to pursue that oourse, which I consid*
ered was pointed out as my duty, by the experience
and many hard trials I had suffiired, to be deterred by
the foolish remarks of the eavioos or mfdicious part of
society.

The last sickness of my wife, I think took place in
the year 1799, and about two years after she had another
son nnd did well, making five sons that she had in luo-
cession; she afterwards had another daughter, which
was the last, making eight children in the whole thU
she was the mother of; five sons and three daughters.
I mention these particulars, in order that the reader may
the better understand many things that took . place in
my family, which will give sqme idea of the experience
and trouble I had to encounter in bringing up so large
a family, especially with 'the many <tnals I had to go
through in the various ci^s of sickness and troubles,
which are naturally attendant on all faL<>iUes, and of
which I had a very large^ share. The knowledge and
experience, however, which I gained by these trying
scenes, 1 ha>-e reason to be satisfied with, as it has prov-
ed to be a blessing, not only to me, but many hundreds
who have been relieved firom sickness and distress through
my means; and I hope and trust that it will eventually
be the cause of throwing off the veil of ignorance from
the eyes of the good people of this country, and do away
the blind confi&nce they are so much in the habit of
placing in those who cidl themselves physicians, who
fare sumptuously every day; living in splendor and
magnificence, supported by the impositions they prac-
tise upon a deluded and credulous people ; for they have
much more regard for their own interest than they
have for the health and happiness of those who are
so unfortunate as to have any thing to do with them.
If this was the worst sid^ of the picture, it might be
borne with more patience; bul their practice is altogeth-
er experimental, to try the effect of their poisons upon
the constitutions of their patients, and if they happen
to give more than nature can bear, th^ either die or

Of Stmml Thornton.

M

prac-
y have
they
Ko are
them.
;ht be
ogcth-
upon
appen
die or

become miiefable inTklkIt the reit «yf their livei, and
their fnends console thenwelves with the idea that it-
is th« will of God, «nd it is their duty to submit; the
doctor gets well paid for his services, and that is an end
of the tragedy. It may be thought by some that this is
a highly colored picture, and that I am uncharitable
to apply it to all who practise as physicians; but the
truth of the statements, as respects what are called reg-
ular physicians, or those who get diplomas from the
medical society, will not be doubted by any who are
acquainted with the subject, pmd will throw aside preju^
dvoe and reflect seriously upon it— those "^om the coat
fits I am willing should wear it. There are, however,
many physicians within my knowledge, who do not fol-
low the fashionable 'mode of practice of the day, but
are governed by their^own judgments, and make use of
the vegetable medicine of oi}r own country, with the
mode of treatment most consistent with nature; and
what is the conduct of those' who have undertaken to
dictate to the people how and4iy whom ihBy shall be at-
tended when sick, towards them?' Why, means that
woald disgrace the lowest dreg; of socie^, that savages
would not be guilhr of^ are resorted to for the purpose of
injuring them, and destroying their credit with the public.
I have had a pretty large share of this kind of treatment
from the facuhy, the particulars of which, and the suf-
ferings I have undergone, will Ue given in detail in the
course of this darrative:

Sometime in the month of November, 1803, my chil-
dren had the measles, and some of them had them very
bcul. The want of knowing how to treat them gave me
a great deal of trouble, much more than it would at the
present time, for experience has taught me that they
are very easy to manage. One of the children took the
disease and gave it to the rest, and I think we had four
dovm with them at' the same time. My third son had
the disorder very bad; they would not come out, but
turned in, and he became stupid. The canker was
much in the throat and mouth, and the rosemary would
have no effect. Putrid symptoms made their appear-
ance, and i was under the necessity of inventing some-
thing for that, and for the canker. I used the steam of

86

J^an^iw of Ike Uft, 9fe.

.

rincgar Xo guard aciiMt putrefootian, and gold thread,
or yellow root, with red oidi aeonui pounded and eteep-
ed together, for the canker. These had the denred
effect; and \xj dose attention he soon got hotter. The
•econd eon wae then taken down pretty muoh in the
same manner, and I pursued the same mode of treat-
ment, with similar success; but the disease had so af-
fected his lungs, that I feared it would leave him in a
consumption, as was the case with my mother. He
could not speak loud for three weeks. I could.get noth-
ing that would hdlp him f<Nr some time, till at last 1 gave
him several portions of the emetic herb, which relieved
him and he soon got well. During this sickness we su^
fered much from fiitigue and want of sleep; for neiUier
my wife nor myself hul bur clothes V>ff for twelve nijglUs.
This was a good fortniffht's school to me, in which I
learned the nature o{ th^ measles; and found it to be
canker and putiefectum. This experience enabled me
to relieve many others in this disease, and likewise in
the canker-rash; in thesiB,two disorders, and the small
pox, I found a looking<^Ia(M, in which we may see the
nature of every other oniease. I had tiie snuul pox in
the year 1798, and examined its f^mptonis with all the
skill I was capable of, to ascertain the nature of the dis-
ease; and found that it was the hi^est stage of canker
and putrefaction that the human qrstem was capable of
receiving; the measles the next, and the canker-rash the
third; and other disorders partake more <Mr less of the
same, which I am satisfied is a key to the whole; for by
knowing how to cure this, is a general rule to know how
to cure all other cases; as the same means that will put
out a large fire will put out a candle.

Soon after my fiuaiily had got well of the measles, I
was sent for to see a woman by the name of Redding,
in the neighborhood. She had been for many years
afflicted with the cholic, and could get no relief firom
the doctors. I attended her and found the diiorder was
caused by canker, and puisued the plan that my former
ea^rience had taught me, which relraved her from the
pan, and so for removed the cause that she never had-
another attack of the disease. In this case the cure
was 10 flimpty and easily performed, that it became a

t

Pf JoMMcl Ihctmott. 4tl

«ob]ect pt t'tikmMf for when ahe wm Mli«d «bo«t M,
she was aahamed td my th«t \ oared her. The populir
practice of the pliyaiciMit had so nileh mflueiioe en the
minds of the people, that they thought nothinc oouM be
right hnt what was done bf Ihen. I attended in this
ftmily for several years, and always answered the de-
sired pmrposet but iny practice was so siin|ito, ibnt it
was not wwfthy of notice, and being dissatisfted with
the treatment I received, I refbsed to-do any thing moie
for them. After this they employed the more fanMon-
able practitioners, who were ready enough to make tlie
most of a job, and they had sicknesi and expense enougfh
to satisfy them, ibr one of the sons' was soon nUer thkMn
sick and was given over by the doctor, Who left him to
die*, but after he left off giving him medicine he salt well
of himself, and the doctor ndt only had the credit of it,
but ibr this job and one other similar, his eharff«s
amounted to over one hundred dollars. Tins Matisfted
me of the foolishness of the people, whose prefudioes
ere alnlays in fhvor of any tlnng that is fhshionaUe, or
that is' done by those who profMs great learning; nnd
prefer 'kmg sickness and great expense, if done in this
way, to A tiimide nnd naturaf relii^f, witii a trifling ex-
pense." ■■■•» ■

Soon after this, I was called on to attend a Mra.
Wetherbee, ni the netgbboihood, who had 'the same
disorder. She had been aflliM^ with the chdie for
several years, having periodicnnhims' of it about once a
month; hiid been under the care of a number -of doc-
tors, who had used all their skill without aflbrding heV
any relief, excepting a temporary one by ttupif^ing her
with opium and giving physic, which kej^ her alone till
nature could wear it off, when she irould get a little
better ibr a few days, and then bdve Another turn. A^
ter hearing of my curing Mn. Redding, th^y sent for
me; I gave her mv medicine to remove the csdtiker, ani)
steamed her, which gave relief in one hour. She had ii
veiv large faauly to attend to, having thirteen <^h?ldren,
nnd before she had recovered her strength she exposed
herself and had another turn; I attended again and
relieved her in the same manner as before; but' she
coidd not' wait till she gained her strength, and exposed
4

as

Mmtiii»4 ofthMfotiSfc.

h

f

hei^elf again >fu»1»«for4, UM^fCojId aii4 hwd aiko^h^r turn.

Her husband said,! cniy veliev^d h«r for,t)l»e time, but

•did not jremove lUlio • cauae, and being dif^ajtisfied with

,i(«M i, hi«d> done, her '»ent : for. a. doctor to i^niove, tthe

OfiUfKB ; iKAQ civried ber (Ihrqugb 9.. connse <^ ,phji|ic, and

rednoed Wr 10 low, ti»at ah^ bngei<)d oleng for i^igbt

iw#«h8, )H»ing unable to doi.anytbingi the>.wM^ !tiP>^*

{^lexitbfn 4^ided,,tbfit;;fibe b«d t|i« cMietnnptAon, »nd

.)g«v^.h4lliover to,die.r ^Aftorithe doctcurB|hA4>Mt ber in

.tjb4W>«i(uati4Hl an ineurltble, she appUfidiagMntome; bpt

J deolinedt doing a^ tbingi;for hert 9»,l,i(new beroase

w«uA'<mneb >nior$ > dt^cttU thitnat/wii^ [before ^ np^lied

lip.!jtbe^d9!CtQr,^and,'iffX.should fail 4a Q\iring.her, the

bliune 9ir<^d: all be laid to: nie , or if fibe got ^\ I tphpuld

|[et no ccediit by it<) £>« whteh reaaooj I.i^lt very nnwill-

mg to .do < aay Ibing ihx her. Al^er ; fimahing my £bre-

.noon'jBv work, im going home to dinner, >I found her at

my.hiiHisei, waiting n>r;me, and. ahe.insisted so much upon

niy underteking to cure ber, and neemed to have so

.much fiathinmy beii^ able to doit, tbatl at;49^^ tpld

hf^r. if^he would come ;^ my house nnd st«y,wi(h,my

.Yrif% who was sick nt the^liiqei J would do.th^ ^st I

.cctuld to.cure h^. She leadilyiC0Aienl;edvVid 9^id but

three days with us; during which time I pursued my

u^Mfil iptoii: ;Qf treatment, g»ving her ithingntto .remove

this, cwifier, and : steaming' • to : produc^et a naturid perspi'

ri^ticin;, «.t ,the end ol^^fthree Jaya ishe 'Wei^ fhome,

taking ^ynii^ her sometilMicuier with dir^ctioAB what to

jdoifor h9(«9)|; and in a Ktiort timo entirely rftooiverfd her

h«iakh. U le«9 ^n a year after, she hftd another child,

which <wfWi^ooaohiBi(m of her having ^Idrwti qr the

tQ^oti^ and. #h«^^V9r after enjoy^ as good, henlth ns itny

Wio^an iujthe n^ghborhood; but i&is cure wa» don9» in

jpp uniash^onableAw^, thatthey were haid^ wilUng to

^i^knpwledg^ itj lah^ m^y would not apply to me fbr re-

lirf, when anyof thw femilywere siok,itiJl„they;hi»d

tf4il04ingettingitin,any other way. t ,

In about a y»ar after thcKahoKe . ca«9, tone , flf this
iamilyt^ a^oung men about sixteen year* .old, tWfts at-
taffked with a fever; ithe doctor was sent fo«, who^tM-
lowed the fashiom^ble , course of practice, and ireduced
ihivi with mercury and other poisonfl, so that he linger'*

Of Skimta TVmmoii.;

9»

fU^alhaif i<x three wrfour tnoirtfaflj. ooiutantly f^wtnac
worse, tiU'tke decil»F t^aA> k was « rheumatic iever, and
afterwvrdi'thaChe wasin adeeline. . H<li had takes go
mttch mereurf that i|ihed> aettled is hw back aad kapa^
4nd 'WBlB ao-stiff'that he could) aot brings hm kandaknlraT
tiian his kneea. • By thia tine^' die dbct<Hr had giwem him
over aa inourablej and' he iwaa' eonaideMd as fit #ifagect
for me to uadertake witiii> ' They a^pMed to me,vBBd* I
agteed to take hiaw home to* my bouaei, and; i do tike- heat
I could to" ctt#e him. < It > wm a^ difficult' tasky for I httd
ki the fo8li<place;to bnng him baekto' tfaeamiie aitnaiioB
he was in 'when he badtiie'&ver, and to* destroy tke e§^
fects of the poboB, and M||iilatis the Bjatem by steaming;
to produce a natural perspira^tt'; by pursaiaig tikis'planr,
and giving such tilings aa I oouldi get to*? restore the
digestive powen^ in 'two months he wb» completely m*
stwed to keahh; for which I reeeived^ but>:five dollnrac|
and this < was more gnidgulgfy paid than If^hey had- given
ft doctor fifty, without croii^; aay;good*atiaU.>

In tke spring of the yeir 1B06; llwas< sent for to go
to Woodsteoky in Vermonty t6 attiend a yw«mi vroraan^
who wa» considered in a decline^ and Uie doctors could
not help herr I found her very low, not being able to
set up' but very little. I stiiid' and attended! her about a
week, and Umb left her, with meidteine» and directions
iHliat to do, and returned home^ In about a month, I
went again to see her^ and fottnd her much better, so
that she was able to ride to her father's, which was above
twenty miles. All this time! 1 had) not formed an' idea
that I possessed any knowledge of disorder or of medi-
cincf more than whsit I had learned by accident; and': att
the cosea I had attended were firom necessity;) but the
success I had met with, and the extraordinfury cures I
had performed, made finch talky and weretheaidtof for
fif^ iriiles around. .. !^'t<'(iV!'/'> 'i.-ii 'to- '5>.;«fi"»'H! Mm^ f*(\i

i begsoi tb be sent fiM- by the people oi this' part of
the country so muchy i that I found it impossible la at*<
tend to my fartti and family as I ought; for the cases I
hdd attended^ I had received very little Or nothing, nol
enough to ccmipensate me for my time; and I found it
to be my duty to give up practice altogetfier, or to make
a business ef it.; I oonsuked with my w^ and asked

T'

49 ^anftm^i iifAe LtfefSfc. ,

^ advice of ray {neniA»y what, was best for mia to do^
they idl agre«dy that' as it seemed to be the natural turn
of my mind) if I thoii^t myself capable of such an
important undertdcingy il woiikl be best to let my own
judgment goy^n me, and to do as I thought best. I
matuBoly weired the matter in my mind^ and viewed
it as the grendtest trust that any. 4ne could engage in. I
considered my wtatt of learning and my ignorance of
raadkiad) whush almost discouraged: me from the kindeiV'
taking; yet >I had a strong inclinatioB for tiie practice, of
which it4««eemed impossible to> ^vest; my, mind; and I
' had always had a very strong avermon to workiiig on a
farm,: as eveiy thing of the kind appeared to j(n^ to b^
a burthen; the reason of which I could not account for,
as I' had carried;on tiiie business to good advantage, and
had aa good a ftam as any in the neighborhood.' 1
fmally concluded to make useof that gift wmch I thought
nature^ fit theGnod <^ nature, had implanted in me; and
if I possessed such a gift, I had na need of learning, for
no (me dui learn that gift. I thought of what SI. Paul
says in Im epistle to the Corinthians, ocmceming the dif*
ferent gifts by the same spirit; one had the gifti of pro-
|»heey; another, the gift of healiiig; another,, Ith^ work-
mg of miracles. I am satisfied in my own mind, that
every man is made ttnd capacitated for mate particular
pursuit in lifis, in which, if he engages, he will be more
useful than he would if he happens to be so unfortunate
as to follow a calling or profession, that was not conge-
nial to his disposition. This is a very important con-
sideration for parents, not to make their sons learn trades
or professions, iHiich are contrary to their inclinations and
the natural turn of their minds; for it is certain if they
do, they never can be useful or happy in f<rilowing them.
I am convinced myself that I pcHssess a gift in heahng
the sick, because of the extraordinary success I have
met with^ and the protection and support I have been
afforded j againrt the attacks of all my enemies. Wheth^
I should have been more useful had it been my lot to
have had an education, and learned the profession in the
fashionable way, is in^ssible for me to say with certain-'
ty; probably I riiould have been deemed more honora-
ble in the world; but honor obtained by learnings withn

.Of $0mid Ikammk^

41i

ou^ ajiBturalgift, or eap««lk]r) can nevAf!, iumy MUM0|^,
niakiB amu vevy usefitlto lu»f«UwRr crtMliirat. . Jl wiaji,
my rea<l«ra ta umfenitaiid me, thai I 4Q<lif4 meMto qqii«
vey the adeai, tbaC leamng ia not aeoeiMry Mid MteaUil
ia olrtainiiig a pro^r kiiowle4|« of any prjofewiioii ^Rt
art; hut th«li«oiiig totjtjoUege wm maka A,^iaainaBjQC«<
fool, ia .what I aw ire«d^ to deny ; ov/tbai a man oawMfti
be usaful and even great in a jprotetpionr o' in tl|« iM]
and sciences, without, a olasewal leduQatkui, h' wiMtl £>
think no one vSl have the havdiboed to . ntlesipt to, wmh i
pcHTt, as it is contrary tereas9n4nd«oaunp9 mbm. Wfti
have many emmptea of someoCtbiB greateiipbiiiNi^pheKiJit
physicians,, and divines tba world ar«r -. kiiair» wbo w^rtr >
enliEely4el^«aught; and who, hare denf niof» hnnpis. an4H
been greater ornaments to j|o<;inty|tbeAianulU«noCtAOia,,.
who, have nothing to reeonunend Ithambut bnving, l|heiii«
head# cf ammed with learnings without . mhp e mQ«|gK j ^ ,
apply ittoany greal!ovus6^piiipose, ... J ,,.,., ,,,^i.
Among the practising phywciiiQii^ libnv^ thuml) Wti
I h«lieve.it to be a w«UlEn«ivn;f»Pt9'^b«l jk»o»njwb«N|K«<f
really great in the professiori^jind Jhi^vetlind tbf mOlt'l^^...
p^rience, condemn .«4> much !aa> I d«t thia Ashi^nnlHe
mode of, practice of |hp .present ddy,. and um very W$ri
medical poisons, confining ithfimselves in their treitm«nit;t
of patients to simple* prmcipaUy, and thff una of siMhti
tb}ng9. 1 as wiU prometn. digemen and nid iMUurn anq^
many of them disappnoye* pl^bleeding allogathf r.. T^on«,^
of this de8cripi9oiiiy,witb whom I «»v& nad ai^ nppor^M
tuniQrto converse) h»v« tvAwted mf with ftU diKe Mlaiw.i
tion and Qiititityj.bavei heard oi« with pleaaur#i,iand^
been j^nc^ lonllow mo or^t , for my exparienpe, ai^dy
thedifKsoverAes J have made in curing oiseaae. Th^
opp^sitii^ and abuse tbfU. I have met wUhf haw beei^
umlormly from ithose.to w|w>m I tbink I «|ta with pro^f,.
V^^jtt givfi -thenaom of quacks, pr ignpront pret^nderti,'
as. fdtiheir merit consistspin their aelf-importai^Qa pupA,
arrpgant.behaMiouc^towaBdf aUtbope who have nQ<t blNl*
the.adynntages ofileapaingvan4 a {degree at qoljeg^p
Thin classr composiB « laf^- pTPpovtion of the roeflioi^^i
faculty ,throuti^out> our country >} th/eybave lenrn«d juit ,
enought to ki^ow how/to deceive t the p6qp)fi|, and keep.,
them in igwKaacoiM.by .Qfiiv^ering their douigiun^er m„

4* ' ■ ' »

4d

JVofi^iHw* #/ ihe L^e, ^c.

,'

ulikfi«il»i!i lUtigiiage to th<eir pttietAB. •• There eanbe mo*
good reason given vrhf «}1 the technieal tenni in medical
works aire kept in m dead language, except it be to de^
ceive md keep tilte world ignorant of their doings^ that
they nlay the better ' itnpose npon the crednHty of the
piedpleribrif'they were to be mritten in oUr own lati-
|^i|fe, &rttf body m^ould junderstaiid them ^ and judge for
mMiselVeir; and their potsonoue druss would be tiffown
into the ft^e befere theii* patients would take them. The
itMlteitmeiill thftt I htnre received from Ihem, has been
nMstly Where I have exposed their ignorance, by curing
those they had given ot^r to die; in Which cases th^
hate shown their malice f>y circulating ad) kinds of falsei
and ridiisuloaK reports of me and my practice, in order
to desti^ymrf credit with the people; and I am sorry to
say that T have fbund many too ready to join with them,^'
eVent'«mdiig those who have been relieved by me iVom-
pfin and sickness; Such ingrMitade I can account for >
id uo other Wat; 'than by the readiness with which the
people follow imileter ie fhshionable, without reflecting-
idiether k be* right or wrong.

After 1 had come to the deteraiinatioa to make a
bttsihese of the medical practice, I found it necessary to
fix upoin'some'system or plan for my ftiture government
in the treatment of disease; for what I had done had
beeti as it Were from accident, and the necessity arismg'
out of ' the particular ccwes that came under my care,
without lUiy fixed plan; in which I had been governed
by my jui^gment aud the advanteges I had received from
letp^rience. i deemed it necessary, not only as my own
> guide, but that whatever discoveries 1 should mwe in
my practice, they might be so adapted to my plan that
my whole system might be easily taugin to othbrs, vud
preserved for the benefit of- the world. I had no other
a^sistauce thMri my own observations^ and the natural i
reflections of my own mind, unaided by learning or the(
opinions of others. I took nature for my guide^ -and-
experience as my instructor; and after serioosly con**';
Tsidering every part of the subject, I came to certaiti
^conclusions concerning disease, and the whole animal**
economy, which more than forty years experience has
perfectly satisfted me is the only correct theory. My '

Of 8mmd Tkmtom.

43

practice has invariabty been confonnable to' the general
priBciples upon which my STstem ia ibimded, and in no
instance have I had reason to doubt the correctness of
its aj^ieation to cure aU caaea of disease when properly
attenaedto; for that all disease is ihe effect of one general
cause, and may be removed by one general remedy, is
die foundatbn upon which I have erected my tabric, and
which I shaB endeavor to explain in aa clear and concise
a maimer aa I am capable, with a hope that it may be
underrtood by my readers, and that they may be eon|^
vinced of its correctness; >ii

I found, after maturely considering the subject, that
all animal bodies are formed of the four elements, earth,
air, fire, and water. Earth and water constitute the
solids, and air and fire^ or heat, are the cause of life
and motion. That cold, or lessening the power of heat,
is the cause of all disease; that to restore heat to its
natund state, was the only way by which health ccmld
be produced; and that, after restorin|f the natural heat,
by clearing thesystem <^ aU obstraotions and causing a
natural perspiration, the stomach would d^est the food
taken into it, by which means the whole body is nour-
ished and invigorated, and heat or nature is enabled to
hold its supremacy; that the constitutions of all mankind
being essentially the same, and diflering only in the dif-
ferent temperament of the same raaterids or which they
are composed; it appeared clearly to my mind, that all
dueaae proceeded nrom one general cause, and might be
cured by one general remedy; that a state of perfect
health arises from a due balance or temperature'of the
four elMnents; but if it is by any means destroyed, the
body is more or less disordered. And when this is the
case, there is always an actual diminution or absence of
the element of fire, or heat; and in proportion to this
diminution or absence, the body is affected by its oimo-
site, u^ich is eold. And I found that til disorders wnich
the human fomily were afflicted with, however various
the sjrmptoms, and diff^ent the names by which they are
called, arise directly from obstructed perspiration, which
is always caused by cold, or want of heat; for if there is
a natural heat, it is impossible but that there must be a
natural perspiration. *t

44

MmmU94 tf/'<ft« Life, dfc.

Vi

Havinff fi«ed tipon ^ese ||eiie<iA principles, m Ihe
only solia foumdafcion upon whieh a conpeot and true mo
deratanding of tke snfcgeet can b« foundied, njr hext buiiw
neM was to ascertain wbal kinds ofmediciBe and treats
teenl would best answer the purpose si.confonnity to tfain
uii^iversal plan of curing disease; for it must^ I tbink, b»
cci^tainand self-evident to everjr one^ thi^ whatever :witti
ittCMese the internal heat, remove all pbstruclions <Mf ther
system, restore the diges^ve powers of the stomachy and
poduce a natural perspiration, is universally appticaUe!
m all cases of disease, and therefore may be considered
as H. general remedy.

The first and most important consideration waa to &id;
a medicine that would establish a natural iMernd heat,,
so :as to give nature its proper c< nmand^ My emetic
herb,) (Nt>t 1,) I found would ofiectuall^ cleanse; the
stomacn,^. and would very effectually aid m^ raising thai
hei^rand promoting perspiration; bat would not hold it
long enoi^ to.^ffe^ the desiied object,. so Iwit that the
coldiWould return again and assume its power. It was
]ik» ■■ a fire nmde j»f shavings ; a tMrong heat Sok & riM>rt
time. Slid then ^ll^go out, Aftei mnch experience- and;
trying every thupg. within tnyknjlwledge; to eun this,
importaat point, I fixed upon the m^sdicine whi<^ I have
called Nq. !2, in^my pfttent, for.that purpose; and after
using it ibr many yearsy I ma peHectly convinced that it
is the best thing that can be made use of to h<^d the heat
in the stomach until the system can be cleared of ob^
striictions, so as to produce a naturid digestion of the
food, which will nourish the body, estidbtish penqpindaon
and restore the health of the patient. I foundit to be
perfectly sftfe io all cases, and never knew any;bade&
fects from administering U. . nnit v^av »

My next grand object was to get som<^hing that
would deaf the stomach.- and bowels from canker^
which are' moee 9^ less- afibc^ed by it in all cases of
disease to whidi the humail' family are ^ subject. Can*
ker and pubtefactidh are caused .by ef4d, or want of
heat-; for whenever' any part of the body is so affected
by cold as to overpower the natural heat, putrefaction
commenpes, and tf not. checked by medicine,, or if the
natural constitution is not strong enough to overcome ita

Of Samuel Tfwman,

40

progMM, it will eommunioate to the blood, when death
will end the contest' between heat and cold, by deciding
in favor of the latter. I hare made use of a great many
articles, which are useful in removing canker; but my
preparation called No. 9, is the best for that purpose,
thAt has come to my knowledge; though many other
things may be made use of to gmMl effect, all of which I
shall give particular a description in my general direc-
turns hereafter.

' Having endeavored to convey to my readers^ in a brief
manner, a>co#rect idea of the general principles upon
which I formed my system of practice, I shall now give
some account of the success I met with in the various
cases thai came under my care, and the diffieulties and
opposition that I have had to encounter, in maintaining
it till this time, against all ray enemies.

My general plan of treatment has been in tAl cases
of disease, to cleanse the stomach by giving No. 1,
and produce as great an internal heat as I could, by
^ivmg No. 2y and when necessary, made use of steam-
ing, in which I have alwajrs foiMBd great benefit, es-
pecially in fevers; after .this, I gave No. 3, to clear
off the canker; and in all cases where patients had
not previously become so far reduced as to have nothing
to build upon, I have been successful in restoring them
to health. I found that fever was a disturbed state of
the heat, or more properly, that it was caused by the
efibrts which nature makes to throw off disease, and
therefore oueht to be aided in its cause, and treated as
a friend; and not as an enemy, as is the practice of the
physicians. In all cases of disease, I have found that
theie is more or less fever, according to the state of the
system; but that all fevers proceed fr<mi the same cause,
mffering oidy in die symjpltoms; and maybe managed
and brought to a crisis with much less trouble than is
generally considered inracticable, by increasing the in-
ternal heat, till the ccld is driven out, which is the cause
of it. Tims keeping the fountain above the stream, and
^very thing ^ill take ita natural course.

During the year 1805, a very alarming disease pre-
vailed in Alstead and Walpole, which was considered the

H NamOm of ^ lAfe, 9sc.

yellbw fbver, aad Svas fatal to many who were sttacked
by it. I was called on, and altieiKled widi' Tery great
success, not losing one patient that I attended; at the
sainei«time, nearly one half of those who had regalsr

S'lysicians, diedi - This disease ^ prevailed for about
itjr days^ dining ' which time, I was- not' at heoae but
e^ht nightii- I wasi obliged t» be nurse as well as
doctor, 'and do •eteiy thiitg myitelf^ for the people had
no knowledge of my mode of practice, and t ooidd not

f dep^ndi upon what' any person did,' exobpt what was
under my own immediate' inspection, i pursued the
sftme generfldt i^an that | had before ' adopted; bnt the
experience I hind from this practice, 'suggested to me
tnany improvdmeats, which- 1 had not before thought of^
as respects the manner of treatment of patients tot efihot
tiie objects I aimed> at in curing the disease, which was
to produce a natuirai perspiration. I found great benefit
in steCaming in the nuumtBr thtit I had discorered and
pir^ctised wkh my little ^Utuffhter; but 1 fomd by ex*
jrttfience, that by putting a not utone into- a slider or
iron basiii, and then wetting the top of the stone with
vinegar, was an important imlprovement ; and with this
Mmple m^hodj with a little medidiM of my own pre-
paring, answered <t much better p«nr)M)8e, tboi all the
irieeding and poisonous physic of the doctors. While
I was attending those who were sicfc^ nnd they found
that niy mode of treatment relieved thenv from their*

,._^ distress, they Were very ready to flatter and give great
credit for' my practice; but after I had w6m myself out
in their service, they began to think that it was not done
in 8 fashionable way ; and the doctors made use of every
means in their power to ridicule me and mypractioe,
for ' the purpose of maintaining tlveir own credit With
the people; This kind of treatment was^a new thing
to me^ as I did not iat that time so- weU understand the
oraft, tts i have 'Since, fiiom herd earned experience.
The word quackery^ when: used by the dbctior against
tne, was a very important charm to prejudice the people
against my practice; bdt I would ask all the candid
and reflectmg part <i^ ^e people, the following ques-
tidni, and! wilHeave them^toUieir eontciences- to give^
an answer; which is the greatest quack, the one who*

wOf Sfiimel JhtmKm.J',

41

relieves them from their sickness by the most simple and
safe means, without any pretensions to infallibility or
skill, more than what nature and experience has taught
him, or ^e one who, instead of curing the 4i8ease, in^
creases .it by adminiatering poisonous medicines, which
only tend 4o furolong the distresa of the patient, till either
the stMngth >of his natural constitution, or detUh relieves
ihim? . ' :

I wad eaUed upon to att«ndaman by the name of
Fairbanks; who 'lived in Walpoie; he wfis taken iirith
bleeding at the lungs.,, I foundJtiimin.a very badconr
4lition ; the family judged tlwt he< had ioat neiar^ ,auc
quarts of blood in twenty-four hours, tije. was iii desp«ir
and had taken leiave of his faouly, j9s they considered
there was no hope of his Uymg. Thfi doctor was wi^
him when I first entered the house; but he fled at my
approach. Both .his legs were corded by the .doctor, w4
the first thing I did was to strip off the cords 0rom ,hw
legs; and then gave medicine -to get as ^cei|t an internal
lieat AS I poflsibfy could produce; g<^ htfn to sweat pro-
fusely; then gave ^lum medicine to cAear 'the tanker; and
itf four days he was ,90 well as to be able to go^ out and
attend t(^ bis businesa. ' '

Sometime in )QQtol>er, 1B05, 1. intended a Mrs. Grood-
ell| of Walpole; «he. had been confined and had .^taken
cold. The.modt noted doctors in the toxnm bad attended
her through w^ot they called ;a fever, .and she was then
pronounced by them to be in a deoUne. ■ Afte;r three
months practice upon her, t^ey had got^her into so des-
perate a ntUjBtwn, that they gave h^ over, andsa^ that
her case was .«o putrid and ulcerated that it was ;i|tterly
incurable. She had in addition to the rest of her diffi«>
eulties, o- cancer on her baek. In this desperate sitvar
tion, it was thought by her fiiends that she was a prc^r
subject for me to undertake with. I, with agteat deal
«^ reluctance, undertook with her ather earnest, solicita-
tion and that of her husband; but met with much greater
success than I expected^ la four rweeks jshe was able
to be about ike house and do some work.

la .the some jeni, I wa8..8ent for to ittteod a woman
who had been in .a idropsiccd way for a npmiber of
years. The disease had of late gaiaed with rapid

m

JV*«irfl*iM of the l«/e, Sfc.

progress. H«r husband had previously conversed with
me Upon the sufoject, and said that he had applied to Dr.
SparhaWk, and others, and they had agreed to make
a trial of mercury. I told him the.t it wowd n^t answer
the purpose'; he said he was afraid of it himseUT; but the
doctors said there was no other possible way. The
doctor tried his merourial treatm«Dt for several daya^
which very nearly proved fatal; for I was sent for 'in
great hfi8t<«, with a request that I would attend as soon
as possible, as they expected she would not live through
the day. I founa her situation very distressing; she
said it appeared ta her that she was full of scalding wa^
ter. SIM began to turn purple iA spots, and it waa ex-
pected that mortification had taken plaoe. In' the first
place, I gave her about a gill of checkerberry and hem-
K>ck, distuled, which allayed the heat immediatdy. This
toiwered the purpose, till I. could clear her it<Hnach,
and by the greatest exertions, and close attention through
the day, I was enabled to relieve her.. I attended her
for about a week, and she was so-ftur recovered as to en>>
joy comfortable heftlth for twelve years.

Notwithstandmjt this desperate case- wa« curiBd ^ to the
astoniishment of dl who witnessed it-, the doctors had so
much influence over the people, aadmiide so many false
stMements about it; -that i'^ot no credit for the cure.
This woman's brother had said that- her husband wanted
to kilt her, or he would not have sent for ine. Such kind
of ii^riAitude wab discouYaging to me^ buC it did not
prevent the (Votn persevering in my duty. ^

A short time after' the above case happened, that
woman's brother, who made the speech about me,- was
taken very sick, with what was cdled ^he yellow fover,
and sent for me. I attended him and asked him if he
wanted to die. He said no; why do you ask that? I
told hiid, that I should suppose from the speech he made
about my being sent for to his' sister, that he did, or he
wbuld nbt have sent for me, if he believed' his: owtt
words. He said he thougltt difierently^noW. I attended
him through the! day with my new practice. To sweat*
him, I took hemlof^k bouj;h», and put a hot stone in the
middle of a large bunch of them, wrapping the wliole
in a cloth, and poured on hot water till I raisisd a lively

Of SavMul Thomton,

49

«team, and then put one at his feet and another near his
body. I gave him medicine to raise the inward heat,
and for the canker; after attending him through the day,
I went home; and on calling to see him the next morn-
ing, found his fever had turned, and he was quite com-
fortable, so that he was soon about his business.

I was about this time sent tor to see a child in Surry,
a neighboring town, which was taken very sick, and
was entirely stupid. I told the father of the child that
it had the canker, and made use of my common mode
of practicie for that difficulty^ Being sent for to go to
Walpole, to see two young men who had been taken the
day before with the prevailing fever, I left the child^
with directions how to proceed with it. I then started
for Walpole, and found the two young men violently
attacked with the fever. They had a brother who had
been attended by the doctor for above four weeks for
the same disease, and was th«n just able to sit up. It
was thought by edl, the two chat were attacked last,
were as violently tdcen as the other was^ and they ex-
pressed a strong wish, that they might be cured without
so long a run as their brother had. I was as anxious
as they were to have a short job, and exerted all my
powers to relieve them, which I was enabled to do that
night, and left them in the morning quite comfortable,
so that they were soon able to attend to their work.
The brother who had the doctor, was unable to do any
thing for -several months. The doctor was paid a heavy
bill for his visits; but my cure was done so quick, that
it was thought not to be worthy of their notice, and I
never received a cent from them for my trouble. On
returning to the child that I had left the day before, I
found that the doctor had been there and told them
that I did not know what wasihe matter with the child;
and had persua^d th«n to give him the care of it. He
filled it with mercury and run it down; after faavinff
given as mneh mercury inside as nature could move, aira
the bowels grew silent, he then rubbed mercurial oint-
ment on the bowels as long as it had any effect; after
wiiieh he agreed that the child had the canker very
ba^y; but he still persisted in the same course tfll tM
child WMted away and died, in about two mouths aftoF it
5

50

JV*atTaltve of the lAfe, ifc.

was first taken sick. After the child was dead, its pa-
rents were willing to allow that I understood the disorder
best. The doctor got twenty-five dollars for killing the
child by inches, and I got nothing.

lo the spring of 1805, a Mrs. Richardson was brought
to my house. She was brought in her bed from West-
ford, Vermont, about 130 miles, and was attended by a
son and daughter, the one 21, and the other 18 years of
age. The mother had lain in her bed most part of. the
time for ten years. All the doctors in that part of the
country had been applied to without any advantage;
and they had spent nearly all their property. I under-
took with her more from a charitable feeling for the
young man and woman, than froia any expectation of a
cure. Their conduct towards their helpless mother,
was the greatest example of affection of children to a
parent that I ever witnessed. The young man stated
to fne that his mother had been a year together with-
out openinff her eyes; that when she could open them,
they thought her almost well. She was perfectly help-
less, not being able to do the least, thing; not even to
brush off a fly, any more than a^ infant. She had laid
so long that her knee joints had become stiff.

I began with her by cleansing her stomach, and pro-
moting perspiration; after which, I used tc try to give
her some exercise. The first trial I mode was to put
her bed iato a wheelbarrow and lay her on it: when I
would run her out, till she appeared to be weary;
sometimes I would make a misstep and fall, pretending
that I had hurt me; .in order to try to get her to move
herself by lightening her. Afler exercising her in
this way for a few days, I put her in a wagon, sitting
on a bed, and drove her about in that mannef; and
when her joints became more limber, I sat her on the
<*eat of the wagoii^ She insisted that she should fall off,
for she said she could ndt use her feet; but the driver
would sometimes drive on ground that was sideling,
and rather than turn over, she would start her foot
unexpectedly. After exei'cising her in this way some
time, I put her on a horse behind her son; she at
first insisted that she should fall off; but when I told
her she was at liberty to fall, if she chose, she would

Of Smimel Thommm.

61

not, choosing rather to exert herself to hold on. When
she had rode a few times in this way, I put her on the
horse alone, and afler a few trials she would ride yery
well, so that in the course of two months she would
ride four miles out and back every day. She used to
be tired after riding, and would lay down and not move
for six hours. I continued to give her medicine to keep
up perspiration, and restore the digestive powers, and
to strengthen the nervous system. I attended her in
this way for three months, and then went with her and
her son and daughter to Manchester; she rode upwards
of thirty miles in a day, and stood the journey very we!l.
I never received any pay for all. my trouble and expense
of keeping them for three months, except what the two
young people did more than take care of their mother;
but I accomplished what I undertook, and relieved these
two unfortunate orphans from their burthen; which was
more satisfaction to me than to have received a large
sum of money, without doing any good. I saw this
woman three years afler at the wedding of her son,
and she was quite comfortable,, and has enjoyed a tolera^
ble degree of health to this time, (1822, the date of the
first edition,) being able to wait on herself.

On my return from Manchester, I stopped at Walpole,
and it being on the Sabbath, I attended meeting. In
the afternoon during service, a young woman was taken
in a fit and carried out of the meeting-house. I went
out to see her, and found that she had been subject to
fits for some time. She was much bloated', and very
large, weighing about three hundred. A few days after,
her friends brought her to my house, and were very
urgent that I should undertake to help her; but I told
them I was satisfiied that it would be a very difficult un-
dertaking, and I did not feel willing to engage in it;
but they were so urgent, I agreed to do what I could
for her. Every time she took medicine, when I first
began with her, she would have a strong convulsion
fit; but I soon got her to sweat freely, and her fits were
at an end. By persevering in my usual plan of treat-
ment, I got a natural perspiration, and her other evacu-
ations became regular; she was considerably reduced
in sizjB, and I have never heard of her having any fits

5a

J^mraUveof tU Ltfe, ife.

since. Tbe cause of her fits wtts taking sudden cold,
and all persj^ation and the greater part of other eraciiH
i^ions ceased, leaving the water in her body.

In the fall of 1805, 1 was sent for to go to Ricb-
mond, to see the family of Elder Bowles, who were aU
sick with the dysentery; and Mrs. Bowles had a cancer
on her breast. I relieved them of their disorders by my
usual mode of practice; and gave the woman medicine
for the cancer> which relieved her. I had occasion to
visit her again, and the tumor was about the size of an
o^g> hot by foUowing my prescriptions, it was dissolved
without causing any pain, and she has been well for
twelve years. I then practised in difierent pi^s of
Royalston and Warwick, and my practising in these
places, was the way that my mode of sweating for the

Xtted fev< r, cam.e to be known and practised by the
. ^'sici^ns in Petersham. I had discovered the benefit
of steaming by trying it upon my daughter two years
before, and had been constantly practising it ever since;
but the doctors, though they condemned me and my
practice, were billing to introduce it and take the credit
to themselves as an important discovery.

Afiier returning home^ I was sent for to attend a
woman in the neighborhood, who had been under the
care of a celebrated doctor, for a cancer in her breast.
He had tortured her with his caustics, till her breast
was burnt through to the bone; and by its corrosive. na-
ture, had caused the cords to draw up into knots; he
had likewise burnt her leg to the cords. She had been
under his ca^ eleven weeks; until she was much wast-
ed away, and her strength nearly gone.. In this situa-
tion the doctor was willing to get her off his hands, ant?
wished me to take charge of her. After some hesita-
tion, I consented, and attended her three weeks, in which
time I healed up her sorea, and cleared her of the humor
so effectually, that she has ever since enjoyed good
health.

While attending upon this case, another woman was
brought to me fi-om Hillsborough, who had a cancer
on the back of her neck. I dissolved the tumor, and
cured her by applying my cancer balsam, and the eom-^

.../-

Of Samuel Thomaon.

53

n cold,
eracOi-

Ricl^-

irere all

cancer

i by mj

ledicine

ision to

e of an

issolved

veell for

purts of

in these

for the

by the

benefit

0 years
!r since ;
and my

ie credit

ittend a
ider the
- breast,
r breast
)sive.na-
nota; he
>ad been
sh wast-
is situa-
nds, and
> hesita>
in which
le humor
ed good

nan was

1 cancer
nor, and
he Gom-^

mon course of medicine, in three weeks, without any
pain; and she has ever since enjoyed good^iealth.

About this time I was called on to attend a woman in
the town where I lived. She was an old maid, and had
lately been married to a widower, who was very fond of
her. She had been much disordered for many years,
and was very spleeny; she had been under the care of
several doctors without receiving any benefit. I visited
her «everal times and gave general satisfaction; so much
so that she allowed that I had done her more good than
all the others that had attended her. A short time after
I had done visiting her, the old man came out one
morning to my house at sunrise, and I beinc about six
miles ^om home, he came with all speed wnere I was,
and said he wished me to come to hia house as soon as
possible, for his wife was very sick. I tcrfd him to re-
turn, and I would be there as soon as he could. I aooa
after set out, and we both arrived there about tile same
time; and I was very much astonished to find his wife
about her work. I was asked mto another room by the
old man and his wife, and he said she had something to
say to me. She then said that, *' if I could not attend
her without giving her love powder, she did not widb me
to attend her at all." I was very much astonished at
her speech, and asked what she meant. She said that
ever since she had taken my medfbine she had felt so
curiously, that she did not know what to make of it.
The old man affirmed to the same, and he thought that
I had given her love powder, and did not know what the
event might be.

This foolish whim of the old man and his wife, caused
a great bluster, and was food for those idle minds, who
seem to take delicht in slandering their neighbors; and
was made a great nandle of by the doctors, who spread
all kinds of ridiculous stories about me during my ab-
sence in the summer of 1806. In the autumn, when I
had returned home, I found that^ a certain doctor of
Alstead, had circulated some very foolish and slander^
ous reports about me and the old woman, and had given
to them so much importance, that man^ people believed
them. I found that I could prove his assertions, and
sued him for defamation; supposing that by appealing
6*

V"

54

JVarrative of the lAfe, S^c.

to th« laws of my country I could' g^t redress; but i
was disapp<Mkrted in my expectations, for I was persuad'
ed to Je^M^e the case to a reference, and he had raised
such a strong prejudice in the qnindsof the people again«t
me, that they were more ready to fitvor a man whom
they considered great and learned, because he had been
to college, than to do justice to me ; so they gave the
case against me, and I had to pay the cost. After this,
I refused to attend those people who ^^ had assisted in
injuring me, and gave them up to their ftushionable doc-
tor. A curse seemed to follow them and his practice ;
for the spotted fever [Hrevailed in this {dace soon after,
and the doctor took charge of those who had sided with
him against me, and if he had been a butcher and used
the knife^ there would not h^ve been more destruction
among them. Two men who sworO falsely in his favor,
and b^ ivfaoaci. means he got his cause, were among his
first victims; and of the whole that he attended, dbout
nine tendui died. He lost upvrards of sixty patients in
the town of Alstead in a short time,

I attended the funeral of a young man, one of his
patients, who was sick but twenty^four hours, and but
twelve under the operation of his medicine. He was a»
black as a blackberry, and swelled so as to be difficult to
screw down the lid of the coffin; when I went into the
room where the corpse was, the doctor followed me, and
gave directions to have the coffin secured so as to pre-
vent the corpse from bemg seen ; and then began to insult
me, to attract the attention of the people. He said to
me, I understand, sir, that you have a patent to cure
such disorders as that, poioting to the corpse. I said. no,
and at the same time intimirted what I thought of him.
He put on an air of great importance, and said to me,
what can you know chout medicine ? You have no learns
inff ; you cannot parse one sentence in grammar. I
toul him I never knew that grammar was made use of as
medicine ; but if a portion of grammar is so much like
the operation of ratsbane, as appears on this corpse, I
should never wish to know the use of it. This unex-
pected application of the meaning of what he said, dis-
pleased the medical gentleman very much ; and finding
that many of the people present had the same opinion

Of Smaml Tkim$om,

56

that I Iiad, it irritated him so much, that he thrtatMiad
to horsewhip me; but I told him that he might do what
he pleased to me, . provided he did oot poison me with
hk grammar. He did not attempt to carry his threat
into execution, so I have escaped nis whip and his poi>
s<m; but the, people were justly punished for their Ui*
gratitude and iolly, in preferring death and misery, be-
cause it was done more fashionably, to a mode of prao-
tice by which they might relieve themselves in a smiple
and saJfe manner.

I have been more particular in relating these circum*
stances, in order to show my reasons for refUsing to
practise so near home; for I had been in constant prac-
tice 5m<' z them for four or five years, and had been
very s ^fV 1, not having lost one patient during the

whole tiic My house had been constantly filled with
patients from all parts of the country, fiur which I had
received very little pay; myself and fiuaily were woni
put with nursing and attending upon them; io that I
was compelled in a measure to leave home, to firee my-
self and family from so heavy a burthen. Besides, I
felt it more a duty to assist the people in those parts
where I had been treated with more friendship, and had
received more assistance through my troubles, than what
I had experienced from those whom I had reason to con-
sider as under the greatest obligations to me.

In the spring of the year 1806, 1 came to a determi-
nation to go to New York, for the purpose of ascertain-
ing the nature of the yellow fever, having- been im-
pressed with the idea, that this disease was similar to
that which had been prevalent in difibrent parts of the
country, only differing in causes which were local. I
made arrangements with a man to take charge of my
farm, and on the 36th of June started for Boston, where
I took passage tor New York, and sailed on the third of
July. In passins through the Sound, I was very sensi-
bly affected by the cold chills I experienced in conse-
quence of the sea air; havuig never been on the salt
water before, this was new to me; although the weather
was very hot on the land, I suffered with the cold. We
arrived at New York in eiffht days; and the weather
was extremely hot when I landed; this sudden change

M

JVamrftpe tf Ikt Ikft^ igc.

produced a powerful eSbct on my feelings; the cause
of which I was satisfied in my own mind, was in con-
sequence of the cold I had ex; *)rienced en the water,
having reduced the natural heat of the body; thus, com-
ing into a very warm atmosphere, the external and in-
ternal heat were upon nearly an equal scale, and when
there is an exact balance, so as to stop the determining
powers to the surface, mortification immediately takes
place, and death follows. This is the cause why the
fever is so fatal to those who go firom the northward into
a warm climate.

On my arrival, I looked round to find a place to board,
and took up my lodgings with a Mr. Kavanagh, an
Irishman, and a Roman Catholic. Afler spending some
time in viewing the city, I applied to the Mayor of the
oity, and to the Board of Health, to ascertain whether I
could have an opportunity to try the effect of my med-
icine and Systran of practice on tike prevailing fever.
They told me that I could; but that I could get no pay
fer it by law. I went to see Dr. Miller, who was then
President of the board of health, and had some conver-
sation with him upon the subject. He told me the same
as the Mayor had, and inquired cf me in what manner
I expected to give relief; \ told him my plan wai9 to
cause perspiration. He said if I could cause them to
sweat, he thought there was a good chance to effect a
cure.

Afler spending several days in New Yoric, I went
to West Chester Creek to procure some medicine. I
thought that I was going to have the yellow fever, for
I felt all the symptoms, as I thought, of that disease ;
my strength was nearly gone, my eyes were yellow,
and a noise in my head; my tongue was black, and
what passed my bowels was like tar. I was arojng
strangers, and had little money; I went to the house of
a Quaker womau, and asked her to let me stay with her
that day; she gave her consent. Had but little medi-
cine with me, and could find nothing that I could relish
but salt and vinegar; I used about half a pint of salt,
and double that quantity of vinegar, which gave me,
relief, and I gained so much strength, that the next day
I was able to return to the city of New York. On my

Of Samuel Thonuon*'^

51

arrival there, I was so weak that it was with the greatest
difficulty I could walk to my boarding house, which was
about forty i 'ds from the place where we landed. I iin-
mediately toojc Nos. 3 and 3, steeped, and No. 4; in a
short time, I began to have an appetite ; the first food
that I took was a piece of smoked salmon, and some
ripe peach sauce. I soon recovered my strength and
was able to be about. This satisfied me that I had
formed a correct idea of this fatal disease; that it was
the consequence of losing the inward heat of the body,
qnd bringing it to a balance with the surrounding air;
and the only method by which a cure can be efiected,
is by giving such medicine as will increase the fever or
inward heat to such a degree as to get the determining
power to the surface, by wluch means perspiration will
take place, and which is called the turn of the fever; if
this is not accomplished either by medicine, or by
nature being sufiicient to overcome the disease, morti-
fication will be as certain a consequence as it would be
if a person was strangled. The reason why they lose
their strength in so shoit a time, is because it depends
wholly upon the power of inward heat; and as much as
the^ lose of that, so much they lose of their strength and
activity.

I had a good opportunity to prove these facts, and to
satisfy, myself, by attending upon a Mr. M'Gowan, who
had the yellow fever. He was the teacher of the
Roman Catholic school, and an acquaintance of Mr.
Kavanagh, with whom I boarded, and who recommend-
ed him to my care. He was attacked about noon, was
very cold, and had no pain; his eyes were half closed,
and appeared like a person half way between sleeping
and waking ; he lost so much strength that in two hours
he was unable to walk across the room without stagger-
ing. I began with him by giving Nos. 2 and 3, to raise
the inward heat and clear the stomach, and in an hour
after getting him warm, he was in very extreme pain,
so much so that his friends were alarmed about him;
but I told them that it was a favorable symptom. After
being in this situation about an hour, perspiration began
and he grew easy ; the next day he was out about his
business. The effect in these cases is exactly similar

58

JVorraltve of Ihe lAfe^ i^c.

to a peraon being recovered after having been drown^
ed. The cold having overpowered the inward beat,
all sensation or feeling ceases, and of course there is
no pain; but as soon as the heat begins to increase, so
as to contend with the cold, sensation returnis, and ^he
pain will be very great till the victory is gained by heat
having expelled the cold from the body, when a natural
perspiration commences, and nature is restored to her
empire.

I will here make a few remarks upon the food taken
into the stomach, which is of the utmost importance to
the preservation of health. While I was in New Yerk,
I took particular notice of their manner of living; and
observed that they subsisted principally upon fresh
provisions, more particularly the poorer class of people ;
who are in the habit in warm weather of going t6 mar-
ket at a late hour of the day, and purchasing fresh meat
that is almost in a putrid state, having frequently been
killed the iaight previous, and being badly cooked, by
takii^ it into the stomach, will produce certain disease ;
and I am convinced that this is one of the greatest
causes that those fatal epidemics prevail in tne hot
season, in our large seaports. Mutton and lamb is often
drove a great distance from the country, and having been
heated and fatigued, then are cooled suddenly, which
causes the fat to turn to water; and often when killed,
are in almost a putrid state, and the meat is soft and
flabby. Such meat as this, when brought into the mar-
ket on a hot day, will turn green under the kidneys in
two or three hours, and taken into the stomach will pu-
trify before it digests, and will communicate the same to
the stomach, and the whole body will be so affected by
it, as to cause disorders of the worst kind. If people
would get into the practice of eating salt provisions in
hot weather, and fresh in cold, it would be a very great
preventive of disease. One ounce of putrid flesh in the
stomach is worse than the effect produced by a whole
carcass on the air by its efHuvia. Much more might be
said upon this important subject; but I shall defer it for
the present, and shall treat more upon it in another part
of the work. It is a subject that has been too much ne-
glected by our health officers in this country. .;^. m.^;.

Of Savtml TkmMtn.

59

While in the city of New York, I attended an Irish-
man by the name of Doyle, who had the fever-and-asue.
This disease gives a complete view of my theory of neat
and cold; for it is about an equal balance between the
two, heat keeping a little the upper hand. He had been
afflicted with this distressing disorder about four months;
he had the fits most of the.tmie ev^ry day and was very
bad. I began by giving him such medicine as I usually
gave to increase the inward heat of the body, which sub-
dued the cold, and gave heat the victory over it; and by
strictly attending him in this way four days, he was com-
pletely cured. Being shoH of money, I asked him for
some compensation for my trouble; but he refused, and
never paid me a cent; observing that he must have been
getting well before, for n^ one ever heard of such a dis-
order being cured in four days.

A gentleman whom I had formed an acquaintance
with, by the name of James^tiuackenbush, who had the
care of the state prison warehouse, finding how I had
been treated, invited me to go to his house and live with
•him, which I thankfully accepted. I was treated with
much kindness by him, for Which he has my most sincere
thanks.

On the 16th of September I started for home; and
•took passage on board a packet for Boston, wher.e I ar-
rived in five days; and on the 26th reached my home,
after an absence of three months, and found my family
well. I was often called on to practise in the neigh-
borhood; but declined most part of the applications, in
consequence of the treatment I had received fi'om them,
which has been before related. In November^ I went
to Plum Island to collect medicine; on mv way I called
on Joseph H?le, Esq., of Pepperell, and engaged him
to come down with his wagon in about three weeks,
to bring back what medicine I should collect. I went
by the way of Newburyport; and after being on the
Island three or four days, collected such roots as I
wanted and returned to that place. While there, being
in a store in conversation with some persons, there came
in a man firom Salisbury mills, by the name of Osgood,
who stated that he was very unwell, and that his wife
lay at the point of death, with the lung fever; that she

60

yarralwe of the lAfe, 8fc.

had been attended by Dr. French, who had j^iven her
over. One of the gentlemen standing by, told him that
I was a doctor, ana used the medicine of our own coun-
try. He asked me if I would go home with bim, and
see his wife. As I was waiting for Mr. Hale, and had
nothing to do, I told him I would, and we immediately
started in the chaise for his home, which was about six
miles. On our arrival, he introduced me to his wife as
a doctor who made use of the medicine of our countiy;
and asked her if she was willing that I shoilld undertake
to cure her.^ She said if I thought that I could help her
she had no objection. I gave my opinion that I could,
and undertook, though vrith some reluctance, as I was in
a strange place, and no one that I knew. I proceeded
with her in my usual method of practice, and in about
fourteen hours her fever turned, and the next day she
was comfortable, and soon got about.

This cure cauned considerable talk. among the people
in the neighborhood, who thought very favorably of me
and my practice; but it soon came to the ears of Dr.
French, who was very much enru;ed to think one of his
patients, that he had given over, imould be cured by one
whom he called a quack; and attempted to counteract
the public impression in my favor, by circulating a re-
port that the woman Was getting better, and sat up the
greatest part of the day before 1 saw her; but this was
denied by the woman's husband, and known by many to
be fdse.

While I remained in this place, waiting for Mr. Hale
to come down with his wagon to carry nome my med-
icine, I was called on to attend several cases, m all of
winch I was very successful; most of them were such
as had been given over by the doctwrs. One of them
was the c^e of a young man, who had cut three of his
fingers very badly, so as to lay open the joints. Dr.
French had attended him three weeks, and they had

Sot so bad that he advised him to have them cut off, as
le onl]^ alternative. The young man api^ied to me
for advice. I told him if I was in his situation, I
should not be willing to have them cut off till I had
made «orae further triid to cure them without. He
requested me to undertake to cure him, to which I

Of Samuel ThonuoH,

-/.

61

consented and besan by clearing the wound of mercury,
by washing it with weak lye; I then put on some droj^,
«nd did it up with a bandase, which was kept wet with
cold water. While I was dressing the wound, a yeunc
man, who was studying with Dr. French, came in and
made a great Aiss, telling the younc man that %, was
going to spoil bis hand. I told him that I was account-
able for what I was doing, and that if he had any advipe
to offer I was ready to hear him; but he seemed to have
nothing to offer except to find fault, and went off, after
saying that Dr. French's bill must be paid very soon. 1
continued to dress his hand, and in ten uays he was
well enou^ to attend to his work, being employed in a
nail factory. Soon after, I saw him there at woilr and
asked him how his fingers did; he said thev were por>
fectly cured; he wished to know what my bill was for
attending him. I ctsked him what Dr. FreL\ch h$4
charged, and he said he had sent his bill tb hla motpr,
Amounting to seventeen dollars; I iold him I iho'Jght
that enough for us both, and I should charge mm
nothing. His mother was a poor widow depenqm^ on
her labor and that of her son for a living. I remained
in this place about two weeks, and the people vere very
urgent that I should stay longer; but Mr. H^e having
arrived, I left them with a promise that I ^ould visit
them again in the spring. We arrived 8^ Pepperell,
where I remained several days with Mr. H^Ie, who was
an ingenious blacksmith and a chemist/ having been
much engaged in the preparation of mi oral medicine.
He had an inquiring turn of mind, and was very en-
thusiastic in ms undertakings; althcugh he prepared
medicines from minerals, he acknow^dged that he was
afiraid to use them on account of his knowing their
poisonous qualities I convinced him of the superiority
of my system of practice, and ins^cted him in the use
of my medicine, so that he engq^jed in it and soon l^id
as much practice as he could sttend to; being so well;
satisfied of its general application to the cure of all casea
of disease, that he looked no more for it in his mineri^
preparations.

In the winter of. 1807, 1 went with my wife to Jeri-
cho, Vermont, to visit my father and fiiends who lived

6!2

Narrative of the lAfe, Sfc.

there. While there I was called on to see a number
who were sick, among whom was a young man that had
been taken in what is called cramp convulsion fits.
He was first taken on Sunday morning, and continued
in fits most of the time till Tuesday ; he was attended
during this time by the best doctors that could be pro-
cured, without doing him any good. They could not
get their medicine to have any effect upon him; he con-
tinued in convulsions most of the time ; every part of him
was as stiff as a wooden image ; after trying every thing
they could they gave him over. His father came after
me, and just as we entered the room where the young
man was, he was taken in a fit. His feet and hands
were drawn in towards his body, his jaws were set, his
Vead drawn back, and every part of him as completely
^Ked as a statue. The first difficulty was to get him to
tu^ anv thing; his jaws were set as tight together as a
I tbok a solution of Nos. 1, 2 and 6, as strong as
it coVld be made, and putting my finger into the corner
of his mouth, making a space between his cheek and
teeth, j^oured some df it down; and as soon as it touched
the fflaniis at the roots of his tongue, his jaws came open,
and ne swallowed some of the medicine; which had such
an effect Upon the stomach, that all the spasms immedi-
ately ceased. I left him some medicine with directions,
and he entii^ely recovered his health; I saw him three
years after, 'wd he tdld me that he had not had a fit
since the one abbve described, t was convinced fVom
this circumstance, that the cause of all cramps or spasms
of this kind, is stiated in the stomach, and that all appli-
cations for relief in such cases should be made there; as
it will be of no sernce to work on the effect as long as
the cause remains.

Before returning libme, I was called on by Captain
Lyman, of Jericho, tl» advise with me concerning his
son, who had a fever mxe on his thigh, with which he
had been afflicted for s^ven years. He had been at-
tended by an the doctors in that part of the country to
no advantage. They had decided that the only thing
which could be done to help him, was to lay open ' his
thigh and scrape the bone. I told him that I did not
see how they could do that without cutting the great

Of Samuel Thonuon.

63

artery, which lay close to the bone, where they would
have to cut He said he was satisfied that it would not
do, and was very urgent that I should undertake with
him. I told him that it was impossible for me to stay
at that tvfae; but if his son would go home with me, I
would undertake to cure him; to which he consented,
and the young. man returned with me; which was in the
month of March. I began with him by giving medicine
to correct and streiigthen the system ; bathed the wound
with mv rheumatic drops, or No. 6, sometimes bathing
with cold water to strengthen, it, and after proceeding in
this manner for about a month, ha was well enough to
do some work ; he remained with me till August, when
he wiu9 entirely cured, so that he was able to return to
his father's on foot, a distance of one hundred miles.

In the fall of this year, the dysenteiy, or camp dis-
temper, as it was called, was very prevalent in the ab|Ove
named town of Jerichp; and was so mor^l, that «U, but
two who had the disease and were, attended by the doc-
tors, died, having lost above twenty iii a short time. The
inhabitants were much alarmed, and held a consultation,
to advise what to do; and being informed by the young
man above mentioned, that I was at home, they sent an
express for me, and I immediately made arrangements to
comply with their request. In twenty-four hours I start-
ed, and arrived there on the third day after, and found
them waiting with great anxiety for me, having refused
to take any thing from the doctors. I had an interview
with the Selectmen of the town, who had taken upon
themselves the care of the sick; they informed me that
there were about thirty then sick, and wished me to un-
dertake the care of them. I agreed to take charge of
them on condition that I could have two men to assist me ;
this was complied with, and I commenced my practice
upon thirty in the course of three days. The disorder
wbs the most distressing of any that I had ever witnessed.
One man had been speechlel^s for six hours, and was sup-
posed to be dying; but on my giving him some medicine
to warm him, he seemed to revive like an insect that was
warmed by the sun after having laid in a torpid state
through the winter. I had but little medicine with me,
and had to use such as I could procure at this place. I

I

64

Mnmiive of Ifte Iri/tf, Sfe.

¥

(bund the oaase of the disease to be coldness and canker^
the digestive powers being lost, the stomach became Clog-
ged, so that it would not bold the heat. I made use of
red pepper steeped in a tea of sumac leaves, sweetened,
and sometimes the bark and berries, to raise the heat and
clear off the canker, which had the desired effect. After
taking this tea, those who were strong enough, I placed
over a steam, as long as they could bear it, and then put
them in bed. Those who were too weak to stand, I con-
trived to have sit over steam; and this repeated as oc-
casion required. To restore the digestive powers, I made
use of cherry stones, having procured a large quantity
of them, that had been laid up and the worms had eaten
off all the outiide, leaving the stones clean. I pounded
them fine, then made a tea of black bhrch bark, and
after cleaning them, by putting them into this hot tea,
and separating the meats from the stone part, made a
8yru|> by puttuig from two to three ounces of sugar to
one quart of the liquor; this waft given freely, and an-
swered a good purpose. I continued to attend upon my
patients, aided by those appointed to assist me, and in
eight days I had completely subdued the disease. They
all recovered except two, who were dyinar when I first
saw them. I gave the same medicine to the nurses and
those exposed to the disease, as to them that were sick,
which prevented their having the disorder. The same
thing will prevent disease that will cure it.

Alter finishing my practice at this place, I was sent
for and went to the town of Georgia, about thirty mites
distance, where I practised with general sucdess for one
week, and then returned to Jericho. Those patients
whom I had attended, were comfortable, and soon entire-
ly recovered. The doctors were not very well pleased
with my success, because I informed the people now to>
cure themselves, and they have had no need of their a»-s
sistance in that disorder since. They circulated reports
for twenty miles round, that I killed all that I attended;
but the people were all perfectly satisfied with my prac-
tice, and were willing to give me all credit for my skill,
so their malice towards me was of no avail.

About this time b^ing in the town of Bridgewater, Vt.
I wa» called on to see a young man about eighteen yeara

Of Samutl Thomaon.

65

of ace, who had lost the use of his arm bj a strain; it
had been in a perishing condition for six months. The
flesh appeared to be dead, and he carried it in a sling;
his health was bad. Being unable to stop to do anything
for him at this time, he was sent to my house. I oegan
with him in my usual manner, by giving him warm med>
icine, and bathed his arm with the oil of spearmint; in
about ten days, he was well enough to use his am. and
do some work; in about two months he was eiriirely
cured and returned home. .

In the spring of the year 1807, I went to Salisbury,
according to my promise when there the fall before.
On my way there, I stopped at Pelham; the man at
whpse house I staid, insisted on my going to see his
father-in-li^w, who had the rheumatism very bad, having
been confined two months. I attended him three dayit,
when he was able to walk some, by the assistance of a
cane; he soon got about and was comfortable. While
at this place I was sent for to a younk woman, sick of a
consumption; she had been a loiqg tmie attended 1»y a
doctor, who seemed very willing for my advice; I car-
ried her through a course of niy medicine, and the
doctor staid to see the operation of it ; he seemed well
pleased with my system of practice, and gave me much
credit, saying that I was the first person ne ever knew
that could m^e his medicine do as he said it would. I
was sent for to attend several cases of cdhsumption and
other complaints at this time, in all of which I ir«t with
success, and gave general satisfaction to the ipe iM

After stopping at Pelham three weeks, in which time
I had as much practice as I could attend to, I went to
Salisbury Mills, where I was very cordially v» * Icomed by
all those who had been attended by me *\: a season be-
fore. I was called on to practise in <his place and
Newburyport, and' my success was so great that it caus-
ed much alarm among the doctors, and a class of the
people who were their friends, who did all they could to
injure me, and destroy my credit with the people. A
considerable part of the patients, who were put under
my care, were such as the doctors had given over, and
those being cured by me, had a tendency to open the
6*

*"(m ■•»*» ^'myf*e -

^

^drrmvee of (he lafe, H^e.

•>ey«8 of the people, and give them a correct understancF'
ing of the nature of their practice, and convince them
that a simple and speedy cure was more for their interesir
and comfort, than long sickness, pain, and distress; blB-
sides having to pay exorbitant doctors' bills, for useles*
visits and poisonoiKi drugs, which have no other effect
than to prolong disease, and desti'oy the natvral consti'
tution of the patient. .

Among those doctors who seemed so much enraged
against me, for no other reason that I could learn, than
because I had cured people whom they had given over,
and instructed them to assist themselves when sick,
without having to apply to them; there was none that
made themselves so cooi^iciious as Dr. French. I had
considerable practice in his neighborhood, and wa9
tery successtul in every case; this seemed to excite
Ilis malice agfunst me to the greatest pitch; he made
use of every meaqs in his power, and took every op-
portunHy to insuk and abuse me both to my face and
behind my batik. A few of the inhabitants who wer3
his friencb, joined with him, and became his instru-
ments to injure m«^ but a large proportion of the peo-
ple were friendly to me, and took great interest in my
safety and success. The doctor and his adherents
spread all kinds of ridiculous reports concerning me
and my practijpe, giving me the name of the old wiz-
3»rd; and thiUt my cures were done under the power
of witchcraft. This foolish whim was too ridiculous
for me to undertake to contradict, and I therefore rather
favored it merely for sport ; many remarkable circum-
stances took place tending to strengthen this belief, and
some of the silly and weaR-mindecTpeople really believ-
ed that t possessed supernatural powers. This will
not aj^ear so strange, when we take into view, that
the people generally were ignorant of my system of"
practice, and when they found that I could cure those
diseases that the doctors, in whom they had been m the
hiibit of putting all their confidence, pronounced as in-
curable; and that I could turn a fever in two days,
which Would often take them as many months, they"
were led to believe that there was something supernat-
ural in it.

Of Samuel Thomvm.

67

A man who was one of the friends of Dr. French, and
who had been verv inimical to me, doing all in his
power to injure and ridicule me, sent word one day by a
child, that his calf was sick, and -he wanted me to come
and give it a green powder and a sweat. Knowing that
his object was to insult, I returned for answer, that he
must send for Dr. French, and if he could not cure it, I
would come, for (iiat was the way that i had to practise
here. It so happened that the cuf died soon after, and
his youngest child was taken suddenly and very dan-

Serously sick. Not long after, he found another calf
ead in the field, and about the same time his oldest son
was taken sick. These things happening in such an ex-
traordinary manner, caused him to reflect on his conduct
towards me, and his conscience jcondemned him, for try-
ing to injure me without cause. He had the folly to be-
lieve, or the wickedness to pretend to beHeve, that it was
the effect of witchcraft; and wishing to make his peace
with me, sent me word, that if I would let his family
alone, he would never dp or say any tiling more to my
injury. This I readily assented to; and his children
soon after getting well, thouffh there was nothing very
extraordinary in it, as it mignt all be easily accounted
for by natural causes; yet it afforded much conversa-
tion among the gossips, «ad idle busy-bodies in the
neighborhood; and was made use of by my enemies
to prejudice the people against me. Being in company
with a young woman who belonged to a family that were
my enemies, she, to insult me, ssked me to tell her for-
tune. I consented, and knowing her character not to
be the most virtuous, and to amuse myself at her ex-
pense, told what had taken place between her- and a
certain young man the night before. She seemed struck
with astonishment; and said that she was convinced that
I was a wizp:ard, for it was impossible that I could have
known it without the devil had told me. She did not
wish mc to tell her any more.

I practised in this place and vicinity a fow months and
returned home to attend to my farm for the rest of the
season. While at home I was sent for, and attended in
different parts of the country, and was very successful in
my mode of practice, particularly in places where the

II'

68

jy^ltTf^ve o/ the JUfty (Sfc.

dysentery and fevers were most prevalent; never failing
in any iostance of giving relief, and completely putting a
check to those alarming epidemics, which caused so much
terror in many places in the interior of the country.

In the year of 1808. I went again to Salisbury, and on
my way there, stoppea at Pelham, and attended and gave
relief m several cases , of diseasei. On my arrival at
Salisbury Milb, where 1 made it my home, I was imme-
diately called on to practise in that place and the adja-
cent towns. Many cape to me from different parts,
whose cases were desperate, having been given over by
the doctors, such as humors, dropsies, mortifications,
fellons, consumptions, &c. Fevers were so quickly
cured, and with so little trouble, that many were un-
willifig to believe they had the disease. My success was
so great, that the people generally were satisfied of the
superiority of my mode of practice over all others.
This created considerable alarm with the doctors, and
those who sided with them. Dr. French seemed to be
much enraged, iind having failed to destroy my credit
with the people by false reports, and ridiculous state-
ments of witchcraft, shifted his course of proceeding,
and attempted to . frighten me by threats, which onty
tended to show the malice he bore me ; for no other
reason, that I could conceive of„ as I had never spoken
to him, than because of my success in relieving those
he had given over to die. He would frequently cause
me to be sent for in sreat haste to attend spme one in
his neighborhood, who was stated to be very sick; but
I saw through these tricks, and avoided all their snares.
It seemed to be his determination, if he failed in de-
stroying my practice, to destroy me. Being in company
one day at Salisbury village, with Mr. Jeremiah Eaton,
of Exeter, whose wife was under my care for a dropsi-
cal complaint, I was sent for four times to visit a young
man at the house of Dr. French; the last time, a man
came on horseback in the greatest haste, and insisted
that I should go and see him. I asked why Dr. French
did not attend him; he answered that he had rather
have me. Being convinced, from the appearance of
things, that it was an attempt to put some trick upon
me, I refused to go, and the man returned. In a short

Of Snvtmtl TVmMOti.

69

was imme-

ne, a man

time after, Dr French came into the TiHage, and Mr.
Eaton, who was present when the/ came after me, adted
him what ailed the joung man at hit house; he said
nothing, but that he was as well as any body. This re-
vealed the whole secret. Mr. Eaton then asked him
why he caused me to be sent for so tfiany times, under a
false pretence. He, said to see if I dared to come into
his neighborhood; that he did not care how much I
practised on that side of the river; but if I cume on his,
he would blow my brains out; that I wa» a murderer,
and he could prove it. Mr. Eaton observed that it was
a heavy accusation to make against a man, and that he
ought to be made to prove his words, or to iufibrihe con-
sequence; that his wife was under mv care, and if I
was a murderer, he oit^ht to see to it. Dr. French again
repeated the words, with many threats against me, and
showed the spite and malice of a savage.

Mr. Eaton and others of my friends considered my lift
in danger; and catne immediately to me aod related
what had been said by the dbctor; and advised me to
be on my guard. I had to pass his house eveiy day to
visit m^ patients; but did not consider myself safe in
going m the niffht, nor m the day time without some
one with me. I contmued in this manner for several
days, and finding his malice towards me to be as great
as ever, and stm continuins his threats ; with the ad-
vice of my fiiends, I was induced to have resort to the
law for protection. I went to Newburyport and enter-
ed a complaint against him before a magistrate, who
granted a warrant, and he was brought before him for
a trial. My case was made out by fliUv proving his
words; he asked for an adjournment for three hours to
make his defence, which was granted. He then brought
forward evidence in support of his character, and prov-
ed by them that he had always been a man of his
word. The Justice told him that he thought he proved
too much, and to hid disadvantage, for it had been Ajily
proved that he had made the threats alleged against
him, and to prove that he was a man of his word,
went to satisfy the courif that the complaint was well

grounded. He wa? laid under two hundred dollars
ends to keep the peace and appear at the next oourt

70

J^arrt^veof tiu Zrt/e, fyc.

of common pleas. He appeared at the next court, wa?
ordered to pay all the QQsts, and was discharged from
his bail. This was an end of our controversy for that
time; but his malice continued against me long aft^r;
seeking every means to destroy me and prevent my prac-
tising, that he could devise; but proceeded with more
caution, which caused me a great deal of trouble and
n'uch suffering, as wiU be hereafter related.

I continued to practise in this plac^, and had as many
patients as I could posNbly attend upon, notwithstano-
ing the opposition I constantly met with from the doctors
and their friends; for with all their arts. and falsehoods
they were not able to prevent those laboring under com-
plaints, which they had fpund could not be removed by
the fashionable mode of treatment, from applying to ^e
for relief; none of whom but what were either cured or
received great relief by the practice. Some of the most
ej^raordinary cases I shall give tf particular account of
for the information of the reader.

Mr, Jabez Truje, the minister of Salisbury, was afflict-
ed with what the doctors called nettle-rash, or what is
commonly called St. Anthony^s fire. He stated to me
that it was caused by fighting fire, about twenty-five
j^ears before, and that he had been subject to a breaking
out ever since; which at certain times was very painful
and troubleeome, as it felt like the stine of bees, and
would swell all over his body. He had applied to all
the doctors in those parts for their advice, but got no
assistance from them. I told him that he had heated
himself to such a degree by violent exercise, and being
exposed to the fire, that there was nearly a balance ber-
tween the outward and inward heat, and then cooling
too sudden, the inward heat had fallen as much below
the natural itute as it had been above it before, and the
only way to effect a cure was to bring him into the
saine state as he was in when fighting the fire. He
wished me to undertake his case. I carried him through
a course of my medicine, and made use of every means
in my power to ra{se the inward heat, pursuing my plan
with all zeal for two days; when he became alarmed,*
and said he felt as though he should die, for he felt the
same as he did when he was fighting the fire. I then

Of Samuel Thomson.

71

kept him in that, situation as much as possible; andV
went down gradually so as to hold a natural proportion
of heat. My plan succeeded so completely, that he was
perfectly curea and has enjoyed good health ever since.
I attended upon his wife at the same time, who had been
long in' a consumption, and had been given over. She
was perfectly cured; and they are now (in 1822) living
in good health and are ready to testify to the truth of
these ptatements.

Previously to my difficulty with Dr. Frent"-h, as has
been before mentioned, Mrs: Eaton and anoth r woman
by the name of Lifibrd, came to me at Salisbury Mills
from Exeter. Their coniplaint was dropsy; and were
both desperate cases, having been given over by the
ddctor who had attended them. Mrs. Eaton was swell-
ed to such a degree, that she could not see her knees
as she sat in a chair, and her limbs in proportion. I
ielt unwilling to undertake with them, as I considered
there would be but little chance of a cure; and declin-
ed , doing any thing for them, ^d sent them away,
stating that there was no plade that they could get
boarded. They went away as I supposed to go home;
but they soon returned, and said they had found a place
where they could stay, and a young woman had agreed
to nurse them. I undertook with them very reluctant-
ly; but could n6i well avoid it. I gave them some
medicine, bHA it operated favorably on both, especially
on Mrs.' Lifibrd; then gave strict orders to the nurse,
to attend them attentively through the night, and keep
up a perspiration; but she almost totally neglected her
duty, spendijQ^ her time with the young people. On
visiting them m the morning, I was very much hiirt to
find my directions neglected. Mrs. Lifibrd was quite
poorly; and stated to me that the nurse had neglected
her, and that she had got her feet out of bed; her per-
spiration had ceased) and other symptoms appeared un-
favorable. .

I attended upon her through the day and did all I could
to relieve her, but could not raise a perspiration again.
She continued till the next night about midnight and
died. My hopes of doing her any good were small; but
•thinlc that if she had not been neglected by the nurse.

n

Narrative of the lAfe^ Sfc,

there might have been aome small chance for her, as the
first operation of the medicine was so favorable. Her
bowels were in a very bad state, and had been almost in
a mortified condition for three weeks, and what passed
her was by force, and very black.

This caused sreat triumph among my enemies, and
Dr. French tried to have a jury on the body; but he
could not prevail ; for the circumstances were well known
to many, and all that knew any thing about it, cleared
me firom dl blame. The nurse said that I did all I could,
and if there was any blame it ought to fall on her and
not on me. So they failed in their attempt to make me
out a murderer; but this case was laid up to be brought
against me at another time. This shows what may be
done by the foUy of people, and the malice and wicked-
ness of designing ,men, who care more for their own in-
terested ends, uian for the health and happiness of a
whole community. The fashionable educated doctor
fosY lose one half his patients without being blamed; but
if I lose one out of several hundred of the most desper-
ate cases, most of which were given over as incur8Jl>le,
it is called murder.

Mrs. Eaton remained under mpr care about three weeks,
in which time she was reduced m size eight ii^ches; she
tiien returned home to Exeter. I had several cases of
dropsy and consumption fi-bm the same town, about this
time, who were all relieved; all of them were very
solicitous for me to go to Exeter and practise. 'As soon
as I could get the patients under my care in a situa-
tion to leave them, I left Salisbury Mills, and went to
Exeter, and commenced practising in my usud way,
and was applied to from all parts. I had not so many
to attend as I had in some places; but they were dU
of the most desperate nature, such as had been given
over by the doctors, in all of which I met with great
success. Many of the cases had been attended by Dr.
Shephard; he had attended with me upon ,his patients
at Salisbury; was a very plain, candid sort of a man,
and treated me with much civility. I well remember
his first speech to me, which was in the following words: '
<<Well, what are you doin^ here, are you killing or
curing the people?" I replied, you moMi judge about

.1-.

i

Of SavMul Thomaon.

.V.

that for yourself. "Well," faid he, "I will watch
you, not for foar of your doiii|f harm, b|p|it for my own
information; I wish you well, and will do you all the
good I can." I always found ^ candid and friendly,
without any hypocrisy. He oacc called on me to visit
with him one of his odtien/is in the town: where he
lived, who had the rnevrndiiam in his back and hips.
The doctor had attend^ him about two months, and
said he had kiUe^ the pain, but his back W^ stiff, so
that he could not b>iilff his hands below Iris knees. I
att«3ll|iiid him ^oy^ forty-eight hours, and then went
with him to «ee lae doctor, which wais half a mile; the
doctor appetfired'to ^ much pleased to see him so well,
and have the j^se of his limbs; for he could stoop and
use thepi a^ well as he ever could. He said that he
was as glad'for the young J|Mi's iake as though he had
cured hufli himself. Ha^ra^Hiently came to see Mrs.
Eatou, T^hom I was att«iraK for the dropsy; and ex-
preflf*^ much astonishmeil^^ the effect tne medicine
I g^e had in KeUeving he^ of a disease which he had
considered incuc|ble. At one time when conversing
v^th heji^i:ipon Mliiir situation, and findiuig her so" much
better, navins been rej^uc'ed in size above fifteen inches,
he expressed himself with some warmth ou; the occa-
sion, sayiuff, that it was what he had never seen or
heard of being done before, and what he Had consider-
ed impossible to be done with medicine. Addressing
himself to me with much earnestness, inquired how it
W1U9 that I did, it. I replied, you know doctor that the
heat had gone out of the body, and the water had filled
it up; and all I had to do was to build fire enough in
the body to boil away the water. He burst into a laugh,
and said that it was a system very short.

While practising in Exeter, I had many desperate
cases from the diffetent parts of the country, and from
Portsmouth. One from the latter place I shall mention,
being different firom what I had before witnesefed. A
woman applied to me who had the venereal, in conse-
quence, as she stated, of having had a bad husband;
which I believed to be true. She had been attended
by the doctors in Portsmouth for nearly a year, who
had filled her with mercury, for the purpose of curing
7

i#'

JVorrerftt* p/ the Life, fjfc.

the disorder till the remedy, had becoine liuch worse
than thie disease. Hei^|case' Was alard)|ng, and very •
difficult; she was broiiglit on a bed, beinff i^iable to sjt
up; and seemed to be dfi^ mass bif putremction. I pro-
ceedied with her in my usfay way of treating all cases
where the sybtem is greaRy diaordered, by giving medi-
cine to promote perspiratioiy steaming to throw' out t^ie
mercury, a^ restore the digi^tive powers; and in three
we^ks sh©?^eturned hoflie e)itirely cured. Another
woman came to me ffom the sahift pj^t^e, w)io had been
sick five yeats, which haV) beein iii\;ons«quence , qiyiav-
injg had the sMne disedsp, and the do^^tors lia^ fUiSrJier
wtth mercury to kitt' the disorder^ as. tft^ c»lle<i it, thett
left her to Jijager but a mis(arable ej^ Wheiji she

stated her casp to me, I felt very unwilUnk to under-
take with her,' appEC'lending thiit it would be' very un-
certain whether a cu^ co^^ be effected, h&vihc been
of 80 long standing ;%ut^u^i^isted upon it 'fe^ strong-
ly, theit I cou^d not put Mrw. After attiendiiiff u^^
her threb weeks, ltowever,^enr liiealtK iivas restore(^,J^d
^he rbiiihie^ hbmb well; and in less than a year «^$i\
she had two cHiMren aVone birth. S^|Lhad i^ ^^^a
child for eigt^ y6arp befeye. , ^f ^ is v^ea^y

cUrerf ' iiij the l|r8t| stages of ' it^,■ |^y , a conimon course of
medicine, being nothing more Uiap a IVjgh stage of can-
ker'seated in the gland^ of cehaui -parts of the body,
and if hot cured, cpirnxfunicates to tli(^ ^anda of tl^e
throat and other parts; by giving m^rQUjry, the whole
system is con^>l6tely disordered, and althoiight tlie dis-
ease may disappear, it is not cured; andf there is mojte
difficulty ui getting the mercury out of the body of one
in this situation, than to cure a dozen of the disetksewlio
have not taken this dangerous poison.
'' While in Exeter, I had a case of a yoiuig man, soi^ of
Col. Nathaniel Gilman, who was in a decline. He ^^
about fourteen years old, and had been troiibled ijvith
b|eed|ng at the nose. They liad rnade use of s^ch'poW-
erful astringents, with corrosive sublimate spumed ^b j^s
Aose, that the blood vessels ia that part -seemed to Jt>e.
fdirupk up, ^od hid flesh much wasted away; I carried
him through a course of medicine, and gave an equal

;/.

*v.

Of SdmUl Vunm^' i^

course t6 ' tTO hdad; tlieh rai06d it iiVturd nerapiratto^
restored tiit dl^estiv^ powers, and regulateoihe sysfcdn,
so B!a to suppbn (he b^dy with, iooii insteajdl of medicine.
In a bhbri tmie he rec6vered his, health so t^at he com-
manded a conipany of militiil at the alarm %t^brtsmouth,
dWhg thb Ikte wW, ;^'

My 'dticc^ss while at this place, and ^e many extras
ordinary cures I performed, gained me||;reat credit
ajoiioiig the people; but the iqiiedical fdiiieulty became
mt^^Talarmedy and made use of* every artifice to preju-
dic^^iem aigainst me. The fooli^di stories ahout witch-
craft, whicn had been made a handle of ait Salisbury,
were repeated here, with a, thousand othei^ ridiculous
statements for the purpose of injuring me; but 1 treat-
ed them with cdntemfit, agi^aot i|||^thy my n^ti^s'e, except

in some mstiuices, to
of the ighordnt, who
«ubh lionsenapi. I #il
pillpos^ Vr mdWing upd

elf with the credulity

enougK^to belieye

irQuib^ance for the

at grounds ' t^ey jEbunded

one ci

their belief of t^ possj^ing 8upema.tiirfil powers, and
which j^usedjjfch tarn aitiong the peopl^ at the tiine
il^appraied. aPB. Eaton, where 1 boarded, had a five
dollar bill stolen out of her pocket book.^ S!he made
in({uiry of all th6 fkmily,, wlio denied having any knowl-
Id^e of it. A |;irl that lived in the family denied it so
strongly, that I thought she discovered guilt, and led
me to belicyb that she had taken the money. I pre-
tended that 1 could certainly discover who stole the
mbhey, which was believed by many ; and told Mrs,
Eaton, in presence of all the family, that if 1 did not tell
who took it by the next day at twelve o'clock, I would
pay the amount lost myself. In the evening I had them
all called into the room, and took the Bible and read
from the law of Moses the penalty for stealing; then
took the purse and. put it into the place, and shut the
hook and gave it to Mrs. Eaton, with strict injunction
to put it under her pillow and let no one touch it; and
that the person who stole the money could have no peace
nor rest till he or she confessed his or her guilt. They
then all retired to bed. As soon as it was daylight in the
morning the girl came down stairs crying, and went to the
bed where Mrs, Eaton lay, and confessed that she took

I

'6 yhrraiwe of Okt Life, Sfe.

the money, Mvin^ that die had not slept ai^ during the
night, as I had said would be the case. jU will be unne-
cessiaiy to inform th^ reader, that |his wohderral discoy-
ery was brought about by the effect of a guilty conscience
on a creduIoil| and weak mind. *

While I 1^ at £xeter, a woman brought her son to
me. who had a feyer sore, so called, on his hip; he
had been ittLthis situation so long, without any assist-
ance, thtt^ Jm legs had perished, and he was so much
wasted awajji' by the continual discharge of the sore, and
his nature had becom^ so far spent, that I felt pMnctly
satisfied that a cure was impracticable, and decii|ied
und^ertaking with him. This honest declaration on my '*•
part very much affronted the boy's mother, and she
turned against njfe ailiu.did me all the hurt she could.

and I

because I would not
impossible for any oimm|c
" " iblll

her sop to a fashionab
him out of spite to me.
tor several weeks, till the
• fifty dollars; the lad continu'
died. This woman seemed satisfied
son die, after speeding fifty dollars, be

to do what 1 knew was

Elish. She went with
if said he would cur^
dtntinued %ith ihe #c-
nse airiftunted to a^ut
to gi^ worse till he
hafpg^llir
e it was done

in a fac^ionabie manner; but my refusing to undertake
to cure him, was sufficient reason for her to circulate
all kinds of false and ridiculous reports about ihe.
However stranse this ratfy appear, it is no more strange
than true, for this is but one out of many hundred simi-
lar cases, where I have received injury, when I was en-
titled to credit, by being honest and smcere in my en-
deavor to do what I coi\ceived my duty towards my fel-
low creatures.

About this time, amons; the rest of my troubles, I met
with a new difficulty with an apprentice that I had
taken, by the name'of William Little; whom I had taken
from a state of poverty and sickness, cured him, and
supported hitti for two years, until he had gained knowl-
edge enough of my medicine and system of practice
to be useful to me, he then proved dishoiaest. While
I was absent from home, he collected all the money he
could, and sold all my medicine, and then went off. On
my return, I found my debts collected, and my medicinet

m\

Of Samuel thoiMon.

'#*

*

m

gone, 90 thlii Ljfas obliged to go back immediately, to
'collect moire berore I cowd attend to "nj practice. Thig
waa the first tim6 1 haA inet wifh difficulty by employing
agents; but sincy then I have had experienci^ enough to.
satisfy me of the difficulty of trusting to gj^er peoplej
having found but very few of (hose f have been under
the necessity' oif employing, vho have proved trusty and
honest. I have suflrered much pecuniary loiM|i|i this way,
besides in siome instances^ those t have assiiij%<ra and given
instruption to, so as to be useful in the practice, have,
becoaiii^ my enemies, and been mad# instruments to Ae*

lj|8troy me.

A son of Mr. John Underwood, of Portsmouth, was
brought to me while at Exeter, who h^d wliat is called
a scalt head. He had be|n afi|i^<|ted with it for nine
years. The doctors had^e^ Applied to, to no pur-
pose; and when he brou^^^m ii^ ipe, i^reed to givie
ft generous po^e if I wouKp^ur^ him. I took charge'
of mm, and nter pursuinj^niy usual plan of treiUment

. three weeks, he ||turned jiome perfectly cured, and hiM
not since had itw appei^rance of the disease. This
man had the miippness, iii order to get clear of paying
any thing for cunn^ his Qon, to turn against me and my
practice, although he had a.cknowIedged that I had saved
l^^life, and had recommended me to many others, whom
I had relieved; yet to get clear of paying a trilling sum
according to his agreement, he did all he could to injure
me, and through his influence, many were kept from be-
ing cured. He was taken sick, and notwithstanding he
had said so much against my medicine, he applied to
some who had the right of using jt, and was relieved
thereby. . • » - r

Some time towai-ds the close of ttie Bummev, while t
was at Exeter, I was sent for to go to Portsmouth to see
a young man by the najne of Lfeoell, who was in a very
dangerous situation, supposed by his frjends to be in a
dying state, having been given oyer by Drs. Cutler and
Pieirpont, at ten o'clock that morning. 1 arrived about
two in the afternoon. He had been attended by the
two doctors above named for upwards of a month, to'
cure the venereal; they had filled him with mercury,
so that he had swelled all over with the noison. The
7*

'#*

JVarrcrfive 0/ the Life, 8fc.

BNer

doctors pronounced it to be the dropay. flb legs had
been scarified to let off the water; the dHoider and the
mercury had gained the power, aod nature had submit'
ted. I at once pronounced it to be a desperate case»
and told tba French Consul, who had the care of bioi,
that I could give no encouragement that I could do him
any good; hut be was very solicitous for me to do some-
thing for hui. I told him the only chance was to rais6
perspiratio^ and that twenty-four hours would deter-
mine his case ; for he would either be better in that
time, or be dead. Tlie idea of perspiration caused, him
to urge me to try; and he said if I could effect it^ he
would give me one hundred dollars; the doctors had #
tried for a month, and could not succeed. I gave him
some medicine, *tbei|. put on the clothes by degrees,,
until he was shielde^ifroro die air, and he sweat freely
in about an hour. TJSie tm ii^tors were present, and
seemed astonished at rtiy 8iH|MBs; (hey walked the room^
talked low, then went outf^ I staid ¥ri|)h him till mix
o'clock, and the symploras 'kerned to, be favorable; "he
sweat profusely, and spit mucl^ bloody I told the nurse
to keep him in the same situation till^yretaratd; went
out and was gone about an hour, apd ^Nbe back again
with Mr. Underwood. When we came into the room„
found that the doctors had tak«n him out of bed and fuX
him in a chair, and opened the window against him. ^
told them that their conduct would cause his death, and
I would do no more for him; but should give him up a»
their patient.

It appeared to me that they were aJIraid I cdiould cure
him, and thus prove the superiority of my practice over
theirs; for they had tried a month to get a perspiration,,
without success, and I had done it in one hour. The
man fainted before I left the room. I went home with
Mr. Underwood and staid that night, and left them t&
pursue their own' coarse; the man died before morn-
ing. Instead of getting the hundred dollars, as waa
asreed, I never cot a cent for all my trouble of coming
fifteen miles, and returning back again on foot; and be-*
sides this loss, afterward, — ^when I came to be perse-
cuted by the faculty, — the above two doctors gave their
depositions against me, in which I was informed thejr

*<
.'^.

#

Of Samml T%om»am.

19

legs had

and tbe
1 submit-'
Bte case» n
e of bim,
d do bim

do some'
I to raise
lid deter-
er iQ that
lused bim
set iti be
)ctors had #

gave him^
f degrees^
reat freely
egent, and
d the room,^
kim till ^six
rorable; be

swore thai i kilted this man, notwithstanding they had
given him over to die the morning before I saw him,
and they had taken him out of my hands, as above
stated. On bein^ informed that they were trying to
support a compiamt against me, I got the depositions of
Mr. Underwood apd others, who were kaiNving to the
facts, to contradict these false statements. On finding
that I was determined to oppose them, and prove what
they had sworn to be all.faise, they thought proper to
drop the matter; but I was informed they had sworn
that my medicine was of a poison9us nature, and if it
did not cause the jMtient to vomit soon after being taken,
they would certamly die. It is unnecessary for me to
contradict this, for its incorrectness and absurdity is too
well known to all who have any knowledge of the medi-
cine I use.

I was frequently in Portsmouth to visit those who had
been sent to me to be attended upon at Exeter. Some-
time in September in 1808, when there, I was called on
to visit Mr. Richard Rice, who was sack with the yellow
fever, as it was oalled. The reason for his sending for
me, was in consequence of having heard the reports of
the doctors, that I sweat my patients to f' >ath. He con-
ceived an idea that if he could sweat, he should be bet-
ter; but they would not allow him to be kept warm, tak-
ing the clothes off of him, and keeping the windows and
doors open; no fire was permitted in ue room, whUe he
was shivering with the cold. The plan w^ to kill the
fever, and tp eflfect this with m6re certainty, the doctor
had bled him, and told his sister that he had given him
as much ratsbane as he dared to give, and if that did not.
answer he did not know what would.

I began to. give him medicine a little before night,
and in one hour perspiration took place. He was so
weak that he was unable to help himself.. In the morn-
ing the doctor proposed to bleed him; but he was dis-
missed. I was with him till the symptoms were favora-
ble, and then left him in the care of three persons whom
I could confide in. After I was gone. Dr. Brackett
came into the room where the patient was, in a great
rage, saying that they were killing him; for the mortifi-
cation wouM soon take place, in consequence of keeping

j>rar¥mt£of mt/fe^'iic.

him so Wanfei. He Wil^ lusk«d by One of those present,
in Whid^Ca^e mortification wtis most likely to take place,
wheti the biddd was cbld tihd thick, or warm and thin.
He ilUspected some quibble, and would not give an an-
swer; and ii^' Avas imniaterial which wajr he answered^
{6t in either itt£(e he hdd ^o groniddf: to support an argii-;
meht upon, hut what might be easily refuted. After he
had failed i|i the inti^Herence with those who had the
care of the patient, he went to his wife and other rela-
tions, arid tried to frighteri them; but he did libt succeed;'
for they were well satisfied with what was doing. '.'

The patient was much out by spells, sometimes iriif* ^
agining himself to be a lump of ice ; but my directions '
were pursued by the person 1 left in charge of him dui*-'
ing the night, keeping lip a perspira,tion, ni the momiiig
he was much relieved, and had his "right, mind. He had
no pain except in the low'er part of the bowels; to re-
lieve which he was very anxious that I shpuld give him
some physic. I opposed this, being confident that it
would not do in suth putrid cases. He was so urgent,
however, I gave him some, which operated very soon;
and the consequence Wias, that it reinforced his disorder,
and threw him' into the greatest distress. He asked for
more Jihysic, but I told him that I would not give him
any more, for I was satisfied of the inipropriety of giVf
ing it in such cases, and I have rieVer given any since..
It checked the perspiridtibn, and dfew the determining
powers fVom the surface inward; sd thM 1 had to go
through the same process again of raising j^erspiration,)
and vomiting, which \<ras much more diffibult than at
firdt, and it was with the greatest attention that I was
able to keep off the mortification fbr twelve hours that
he was kept back by taking this small dose of physic. I
kept up the perspiration through Friday and Saturday,
and on Sunday morning when I called to see hiiii, he
was up and dressed. On asking how he did, be said as
strong as you are, and took me under his arm and car^'
I'ied me across the room. On Monday he was down ofit
the wharf attending to his business.

This cure caused considerable talk in the town, and
because it was done so quick, the doctors said that there
was but little ailed him, and He would have got well

Of Stmml TlboHMon.

91

himself if he had taken the physic and been left alone;
but those who saw it were convinced to the contrary;
others doubted, and said among themselves, how can a
man, who has no learning, ana never studied physic,
know how to ctare disease. Mr. Rice, however, gave
me credit for the cure, and was very gratefiil for it, and
I made his house my home, when in Portsmouth, and
was treated with much respect. lie introduced me to
his uncle, Alexander Rice, Esq., a man of respectabili-
ty, and high standing in that place; who at first could
not believe that so valuable a discovery could be madd
by a man without an education. I conversed with him
upon the subject, and explained the principles upon
Which my system was founded; how every thing acted
under the nature and operation of the four elements,
and by one acting upon another caused all motion;
how the element of fire, by rarifying water and air,
keeps the whole creation in motion; now the tempera-
ment of the body , by adding or diminishing heat and
cold, would promote either life or death. After hearing
my explanation, he became s^isfied of its correctness,
and confessed that my natural gift was of more value
than learning. He then made Known to me his in-
firmities, and wished me io take the care of bis family,
and give him and his wife such information as would
enable them to attend upon themselves and family in
case of sickness. I readily agreed to this, and soon
after carried some of the family through with tne medi-
cine, and gave them all the information in my power, of
the principle, and the medicine with which it was done.
Mrs. Rice undertook the management of the business;
she was a kind and affectionate woman, possessing a
sound judgment without fear. After she had gained the
information, she wished me to attend to carrying her
through a course of the medicine, for a bad humor,' call-
ed the salt rheum, which she had been long afflicted with ;
she was attended a few times, which efi'ected a complete
cure.

Major Rice had been for many years subject to turns
of the gout; and had been in some instances confined
by it for six months at a time, and for six weeks uot able
to sit up, ^uch of the time not able to lift his hand

m

11

as

JVV»h^«W"o/ ifc<J .Bt/c, %c.

to his head. H^ had been coAatantly tthderthe cact^ of
the most skilful doet6r^, who \(rould bleed, and blister,
and physic hiM, till his stf ength wad exhauirted ; aft^r
attending him in this way through the winter, they isttid
he must wait till warm weather, before he cbuld get
about. When the tfrarm weather caiiie, he would ci-awl
out to the suhiiy si^e of the house, and in this way he
gradually gained his strength. After this \.e was afflict-
ed with a violent burUing in the stoit^ach, which was al-
most as troublesome as t^e gout, ^^w^'^'i^'

After he had the right of my mecReitie, he had frequtint
turns of the gout ; but no attack of this disease has con-
tinued more than twenty-four hoUrs, before he was com-
pletely relieved; and he has been but little troubled with
the burning of the stomach since, [in 1822.] He has
told me since, that if he could have been as sure of re-
lief, when he was first subject to the disease, as he is
now certain of it in twenty-four hours, he would have
been willing to give all he was Worth, This family has
been so much benefitted by the use of the medicine,
that no su'm of money would be any temptation to tbem
to be deprived of it. This man has never been lacking
to prove his gratitude to me; in the time of my troubles
his iEussistance was of the greatest importance to me, and
I shall ever feel gra.teful to him and his family for their
goodiless. ■ ■ ' ";:;*'^ i->^>^Sf r. :: ^ .v.

Soon after I went to Portsiridiith, I wHi -«ient fov to ^o
to Deerfield, Where the dysentery prevailed, and had
become very alarming. A young man by the name of
i'ulsom, came after me, and said that the doctor had loBt
every patient he had attended; that seven had died, and
many were sick; that his father and two brothers were
given over by the doctor that morning to die. ^''^

The young man seemed so anxious, and was so mudfi
frightened, that I concluded to go with him; the dis-
tance was twenty-eight miles. We started a littlfe be-
fore night, and arrived there about ten o'clock. I found
the fathes and ^he two sons as bad as they could be and
be alive; they were stupid and cold. I told the mother
that it was very uncertain vhether I could help them.
She begged of me to save her husband's lif^if possible.
I told hei that I could not tell whether they were dying,

Of Samwl 'J'homoiH,

89

5 Ctff* of

I blister,
d; after
hey Brtid
buld get
lid ctawl
I wfty he
a8 aflSiCt-
li was a!-

l frequent
! has con-
was com-
ibled with
He has
xxre of re-
, as he is
ould have
family has
medicine,
n to tberti
m lacking
ly troubles
to me, and
y for their

tfovto go
and had
e name of
or had lost
I died, and
thers were

n

as so much
the dis-
alittW be-
I found
uld be and
the mother
help thfem.
if possible,
vere dying,

or whether it was the deadly efiict of .opium. I gave
them all medicine. The two children died in ftDOUt
three hours; but Mr. Fulson(i soon grew better bv takin|(
my medicine. I Itad not only the »i|s|ic .to atteno to, ana
do every thing myself ; but the oppogiiion of all the
neighborhood; there was eight of , the family Riok, and
if I went out of the house, some person would open the
doors and windows, which would cause a rela^te *, wtiile
perspiration continued, they were easy, but ai mooii at
they, gyevr cold, the pain would return and be very vio-
lent. Ill the morning I was preparing to eomeaway;
but the father urged me so hard to stay, promiiinff that
I should be treated in a better manner than I had Been,
that I consented and remained with them about ten
days. I caught the disorder myself and wa« very bad;
on taking the medicine, the operation was so violent,
that the neighj^ors were much frightened, and letlt the
house, and were afraid to come nigh ui, leaving um to
die altogether. L soon got better and was able to carry
Mr. Fulsom through for the jfirst time; which relieved
him, and he sopn got, better. In the mqan time a imaU
child wa^ brought home side, that had been oarried
away to prevent it from taking the disorder. Itwaaio'
far gone, that the medicine would have no effect upoiiit^
and it soon died. AH that were not in a dying lituation
before they took the medicine, were relieved ana got weH«
I attended some that, had the disorder in other familiei, all
of whom got well; ^fteen in the whole recovered and
three died, ^wo years after, the death of theie^ three
children was brought against me on a charge of miirdeRi
All that I ever received for my trouble in these caieii
wa^ fii^een dollars; there was no credit given me (bt
curing the fifleen out, of eighteen, when the doctor had
lost, all th^ he attended; and although he had given
oyer three to, die, I cured one of them twelve houra
al''t;ei;. When I lei^ this phce the doctor adopted my
niO<ie of piiactice as far as he knew it, partioularly in'
sweating, and. abovit one half lived. NotwithitiAding
all this, Uie doctor, as I was info*'mod, made oath Uiat
the three children died in consequence of taking my
medicine; and the good minister of the parish, I wan
also infpjrm^ii, te^tilied^o the same thing; though 1 am

84

JVotToftve of ifcc Xrt/e, ifc.

confident that neither of them knew any' thing about mc
or my medi<»ine. A judgment seemed to follow this
clergyman, for a jAort time after he had lei}t his aid in
promoting the pibtecution against me, a circumstance
took place in his foiuily, which, if it had not been done
by a fashionable doctor, might have beeA called murder.
His wife was at times troubled with a pain in her face,
something like a cramp; a certain doctoi' said that he
could help her by cutting. He used the knife and other
instruments of torture for four hours, which stopped her
speech, and let loose the juices that filled the flesh firom
her breast, so that the blood and water crowded out of
her ears in striving for breath. She remained in this
distressed situation about seven days and died. This in-
formation I had from two respectable men, who were
present at the time of her sufferings and death.

I continued to practise in Portsmouth and vicinity
during this autumn, and while there, was sent for to go
to Salisbury, to see a child that had been attended by a
woman for several days, who I had given information to,
but they said the perspiration would not holdi; and they
Wished for further information. On seeing the child, I
at once found that they had kept about an equal balance
between the outward and inward iheat; when they gave
medicine to raise the inward heat and start the deter-
mining power to the surface, they at the same time kept
the out^fard heat so high as to counteract it. After ex-
plaining to them the difficulty, I raised the child up and
poured on to it a pint of cold vinegar, and it immedi-
ately revived. Applied no more outward heat, but only
to shield it from the air; and gave the warmest medi-
cine hiward, on the operation of which, the child grew
cold and very much distressed. As soon as the inward
heat had gained the full power, and drove the cold out,
the circulation became free, and the child was relieved
from pain and fell asleep; the next day the heat was as
much higher than what was natural, as it had been low-
er the day before ; anu when heat had gaii^ed the victo-
ry over cold, the child gained its strength and was soon
about, perfectly recovered.

' I had not practised in Salisbury before, since I went
io Exeter, which was in June, and my returning there

:0f Samuel Humuon.

85

«eemed to give Dr. French great offence. He had been
<to see the child mentioned above, and tried to discour-
age the people from using my medicine; and threaten-
ed them that he would have them indicted by the grand
jury, if they made use of any withotttt his consent; his
threats, however, had very little effect, for the people
were well satibfied of the superiority of my practice over
his. About Uais time the bonds for his good behavior
were out; I did not appear against him, and when the
case was called, the court discharged him and his bail,
on his paying the cost. The action was brought on a
complaint in behalf of the Commonwealth; but I had
caused another action of damage to be brought againpt
him, which was carried to the Supreme Court, and
tried at Ipswich the spring following. I employed two
lawyers to manage my case, and brought forward two
witnesses to prove my declaration, who swore that the
defendant made the assertion, that I was guilty of mur-
der and he could prove it. His lawyer admitted the
fact, but pleaded jusjiification on the part of his client,
and brought witnesses on the stand to prove that what
he had said was true. The young woman who nursed
Mrs. Xiifford, and by whose neglect she took cold, swore
to some of the most ridiculous occurrences concerning
the death of that woman, that could be uttered, which
were perfectly contradictory to every thing she had be-
fore confessed to be the truth. Another young woman,
the daughter of a doctor at Deerfield, made a state-
ment, to make it appear that I was the cause of the
death of the three children, who died as has been be-
fore related. I had no knowledge of ever seeing this
woman, and have since ascertained that she was not at
the house but once during the sickness, and then did
not go into the room where the sick were; and her ex-
aggerated account must have been made up of what she
had heard others say.

These things were a complete surprise to me, not
thinking it possible that people could be induced to make
such exaggerated statements under the solemnity of an
oath. I could have brought forwaid abundance of tes-
timony to have contradicted the whole evidence against
me if there was time, but not expecting that the cause
8

86

^arraiiive of ike lAfe, Sfc.

would have taken the course it did, was unprepared.
There appeared to be a complete combination of the
professional craft against me, of both the doctors and
lawyers, and a determination that I should lose the
cause, let the evidence be what it might. My law-
yers gave up the case without making a plea ; and
the judge gave a very partial charge to the jury, repre-
senting me in the worst point of view that he possibly
could, saying that the evidence was sufficient to prove-
the facts against me, ' and that if I had been tried for
my life, he could not say whether it would hang me or
send me to the state prison for life. The jury <^ course
gave their verdict against ^ne, and I had to pay the cost
of the court.

The counsel for Dr. French asked the judge whether
a warrant ought not to be issued against me, and be
compelled to recognize to appear at the neart court, to
which he answered in the affirmative. This so fright-
ened my friends, that they were much alarmed for ray
safety, and advised me to go out of the way of my ene-
mies, for they seemed to be determined to dentroy me.
I went to Andover to the house of a friend, whose wife
I had cured of a car.cer, where I was very cordially re-
ceived, and staid that ni^t. The next day I went to
Salisbury Mills, and made arrangements to pay the coet
of my unfortunate lawsuit.

In tibe fall of the year 1808, 1 was sent for to go to
Beverly, to see the wife of a Mr. Appleton, who was
the daughter of l^lder Williams, the Baptist Minister in
that town, and was very low in a consumption. She
had formerly been afft'c.ed with the salt rheum on her
hands, and had apnlied to a doctor for advice; he had
adviaeid her to make use of a sugar of lead wash, which
drove the disease to her lungs, and she had been in tibat
utuation for a long time, and very little hopes were en-
tertained of her ever being any better. 1 carried her
throiiq^h a course of the medicine, with very good suc-
cesa» I remained in Beverly about a week; aoA while
therC) becune acquainted with Mr. WilliamSj and a|io
Mr. William Raymond, to whom I afterwards gave in>-
forraation of my practice and he assisted me to attend
<m sy patients; Then returned to Portnnouth, where

Of Samuel Thtm$m,' 8T

*
I was constantly called on to pxActise, and had all the
most desperate cases put under my care, in all of which
I met with very great success.

After staying here about two weeks, I returned to
Beverly, to see Mrs. Appleton and ot^er patients there,
and found them all doing well; was called on to attend
many desperate cases; in all of which I efiTected a
cure, except one, who was dying before I was called on.
While practising in Beverly, was called on by a Mr.
Lovett, to attend his son, who was sick, as they 8uppo»^
ed with a bad cold; some thought it a typhus fever. I
was very much engaged in attending upon the sick at the
time, and could not go with him; he came after me
three times before I could go. On seeing him, found
that he complained of a stiff neck, and appeared to be
V9rj stupid, and had no pain. His aunt, who took care
of him, said that he would certainly die, for he had the
same symptoms as his mother, who died a short time
before. I gave some medicine which relieved him; the
next day carried hira through a course of the medicine,
and he appeared to be doing well. Being called on to
go Salem, I left him in the care of Mr. Raymond, with
particular directions to keep in the house and not expose
himself This was on Wednesday, and I heard nothing
from him, and knew not but what he was doing well, till
the Sunday afternoon following, when I was informed
that he was worse. I immediately inquired of Mr. Ray-
mond, and learned from him that he had got so much
better, he had been down on the side of the water, and
returned on Friday night; that the weather was very
cold, being in the month of December; that he had been
chilled with the cold, and soon after his return had been
taken very ill; he staid with him on Saturday night, and
that he was raving distracted all night; that he had not
given any medicine, thinking he was too dangerously
sick for him to undertake with.

I told the young man's father, that it was very doubt-
ful whether I could do any thing that would help him;
but that I would try, and do all I could. I found that
the patient was so far gone that the medicine would
have no effect, and in two hours told him that I could

f

JVarmim of the Life, Sfc.

not help hii son, and advised him to call some other ad-
vice; tnis was said in presence of £lder Williams, and
Mr. Raymond. Mr. Lovett made answer that if I could
ndt help his son,, he knew of none who could ; and was
verv desirous for ipe to stay with him all night, which
I did, and stood bv his bed the whole time. He was-
much deranged m his- mind till morning, when he came
to himself, and was quite sensible. I then again request'
ed the father to send for some other doctor, as I was
sensible that I could do nothing for him that would be of
any benefit. He immediately sent for two doctors, and'
as soon as they arrived, I left him in their care. The
two doctors attended him till the next night about ten
o'clock, when he died. I have been more particular in
giving the history of this case, because two years after
it was brought as a charge against me for murdering this
young man. The father and friends expressed no dissat-
isfaction at the time, in regard to my conduct, except
they thought I ought not to have neglected the patient
so long; but it was a well known fact, that I attended as
soon as I knew of his being worse, and that the whole
cause of his second attack was owing to his going out
and exposing himself, and could not be imputed as ai^
fault of mine. >»•

In the latter part of December, 1808, I was sent for to-
attend Elder Bolles, the Baptist minister of Salem. I
was introduced to- him by Elder Williams, and found him
in bed, wad very weak and low, in the last stage of a con-
sumption; all hopes of a recovery were at an end; his
doctors left him as incurable. He asked my opinion of
his case; I told him that I could not tell whether there
was a possibiKty^of a cure or not tiH aAer using the medi-
cine ; being doubtful whetherthere was mortification or not.
He was a man very much respected and beloved by his peo-
ple, and the public anxiety was very great about him. Ho
expressed a strong desire that I should undertake with him ;:
but I declined ^oing any thing until he coneulted his dea-
cons and other members of his church, who were his par-
ticular friends, and their advice taken; which being done,:
they offered no objection, but wished him to act his own
mind, and whatever the result diould be, they would be

Of Stmud Thmm».

her ad-

na, wmJ
1 could

uid wa»
;, which
He was
he came
request-
as I was
aid be of
ors, and'
re. The
ibout ten
icular in
lars after
ering this
no dissat*
t, except
te patient
ttended as
ihe whole
g;oing out
ed as ai^

sent forto-
Salem. I
found him-
B of a con-
1 end; his
opinion of
her there

the medi-
tionornot.
byhispco-
him. Ho
i with him;
id his dea-
re his par-
eing done^
ct his own

would be

%

satisfied. He replied that he waa coBvinoed that ha
could not live in his present situation more than a week,
and therefinre his life could not be shortened more than
that time; and it was his wish that I should undertake
to cure him. His strength was so far jBxhausted that it
was with the greatest exertions and diflk^ulty that they
could ^et him to sit up about three minutes in a day, to
have his bed made.

I gave his friends as correct an account of his disorder
and the operation of the medicine as I could; and that
I did not wish to do any thing m^ich might cause reflec-
tion hereafter; but they promised that, let the result be
what it might, they should be iutisfied, and would not
think hard of me. On these conditions I undertook,
and told them that twenty-four hours time would decide
whether he lived or died. I began 'to give the medicine
in the morning, which had a very calm and easy opera-
tion. The emetic herb operated very kindly, and threw
off his stomach a large quantity of cold jelly, like the
white of an egg; the perspiratioii moved gently on, and
was free; the internal heat produced by the medicine
lixed the determining power to the surface, and threw
out the putrefaction to such a degree that the smell was
very offensive. Mr. Bolles had a brother present who
was a doctor; he observed that he did not know wheUier
the medicine made the putrefaction, or whether it made
visible what was secreted in the body; but he was soon
convinced on that head,, for when the medicine had
cleansed him, all this putrid smell ceased. While the
medicine was in the greatest operation, the perspiration
brought out the putrefaction- to such a degree, that the
nurse in making his bed was so affected with it, that she
fainted and fell on the floor. I attended on him for
about three weeks, in which time he was able to set up :
two or three hours in a day; his food nourished his
body, and his strength gained very fast, considering the
season of the year being unfavorable. I gave him my
best advice and left directions how to proceed, and re- •
turned home to my family to spend the rest of the win-
ter with them. I returned in the spring to see Mr.^
BoUes, and found him so far recovered as to be able to
ride out and in good spirits. He soon gained his health,
8*

1^

JVarrvfive of tkt Lift, tfc.

and is now well and ready to give testimeny of the facte
as I have related them. [1836.]

In the season of 1809, I sufiered much. In the first
part of the summer, I attended many patients of old com-
plaints; in particular, one case that I shall mention of a
young woman in Kittery in a consumption. She had
been confined to her house four months; her flesh was
exhausted and she had a violent stricture of the lungs,
which she said seemed as though there was a string
that drawed her lungs to her back; this caused a dry,
hacking cough, which was very distressing. I could give
her friends no encouragement of a cure ; but the younv
woman and her friends were so urgent, that I undertook
with her. Her courage was very great, and she took
the medicines and followed all my directions with great
perseveruice. She said she wished that it might either
kill or cure, for she did not desire to live in the situar
tion she was then in. I left her medicine and directions,
and o^casionaily visited her. My plan of treatment was
followed with much attention and £eal for six months,
before I could raise an inward heat that would hold
more than six hours. She then had what was called a
settled fever; and I gave her medicine to get as great
an internal heat as I possibly could; this caused much
alarm among her friends, as they thought she would
certainly die. I told them that the heat holdinff, which
was the cause of the fever, was the first favorable «smp^
torn that I had seen in her favor. She soon sained her
healthy to the ^uitonishnient of all her friends and ac-
quaintances. She continued to enjoy good health till
the next seasota, when she bad another turn of the fever.
I attended heir in my usual way, and raised the heat till
it completely overpowered the cold, when she was entire-
ly cured, and has ever since enjoyed good health. [18S2.]

Durinff this summer, a woman applied to me from a
neighbormg town, who had the dropsy, and brought
with her a little girl, who had the rickets very bad, so
that she was grown much out of shape. I carried them
both through a course of the medicine, attended them
for three or four weeks, and then gave the woman infor-
mation how to relieve herself and the girl, occasionally
visiting them. They both recovered of their complaints.

Of 8tmml Thoiaacn,'

21

and have enjoyed perfect health since. This woman
paid me the most liberally of any that I had attended,
and haa on all occasions manifested her gratitude for the
assistance I afforded her. - Another woman from the
same town applied to me, who had a cancer on her
breast. She had been under the care of several doctors,
who had by their course of practice made her worse. I
undertook with her, and by giving medicine to check the
canker and promote perspiration, effectually relieved her
from the disease. Many other desperate cases, such as
consumptions J dropsies, cancers, &c. most of which had
been given oyer by the doctors, were attended by me
about this time, which it will be unnecessary for me to
particularize; all of them were either completely cured
or essentially relieved and made comfortable by the sys-
tem of practice. One case I shall, however, state, bemg
rather of an extraordinary nature, to show the absurdity
of the fashionable manner of treating disease by the doo
tors of the present day.

A young lady applied to me who had been much
troubled with bleedmg at th% stomach. She stated to
me that she had been bled by the doctors forty-two
times in two years; and that they had bled her seven
times in six weeks. So much blood had been taken
from her, that the blood vessels had contracted in such
manner that they would hold very little blood; and the
heat being thereby so much diminished, the water filled
the flesh, and what little blood there was rushed to her
face, while all the extreinities were cold. This produced
a deceptive appearance of health, and caused those who
judged by outward appearances, to doubt whether there
was any disease ; so that she had not only to bear her
own infirmities, but the reproache of her acquaintances.
I kindled heat enough in the body to throw off the use-
less water, which gave the blood room to circulate
through the whole system, incitcad of circulating as it
had done before, only in the large blood vessels, and
they being much extended by not having heat enough
to give it motion, leads the doctors into the erroneous
idea, that there is too much blood, and resort to the
practice of bleeding, which reduces the strength of the ^
patient, and increases the disease. There is no such

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

1.0

1^ Itt 12.2

1.1

lU

U

14.0

11.25

Itaographic

Sdeoces

Corporalion

■<' 4*^

4*^

\

<^

23 WIST MAIN STMIT

WnSTn,N.Y. I45M

(716)S72-4S03

^^ ^\ ^r\\

Mif 90 • p«rson lMiiipg499 niidi blood, no more thin
tbeiro ui of iMiritg loo vmch. bono, or too much nmaolo,
orfinews; n«t«Hreciootrivoi<fitttbin|ingbt. Tboblood
OMf bo too duelE, so M nfl* to ovoulolo, «nd io liohlo lo
b« dioeaaoi, liko oU olhorpwMiQf tbobody; but bow
tikini pUffc of it awMF con bonofit tbo nmr or tend in.
my mag to ,|ioiqoiw tbo; dieonw, »> wbal I coijdd nevoi
rei^ioMe witb ooniniQttiseneo. Aftier i bod oonied thie
woifi«n tbrougb a M^^ operolion <^ tbo niedicUie,. and
go|t tbo boot to btddfOQ .a« to;|^Ni4iiee a niiliural porepi-
ro^n^ Aa at once <»bibkeA« tniOt|»iBture of ber; eitup
a|tion|. innl|<\od of araeamg ta bo fo ^flesby and well as
abe bnd denoriibo mlt owi^ondbecoaMqiiUoeinooiqiledj;;
but 00 ■Qon n#>^9 digoilivo poww« wore restored, ootbot
food ooiild nonrwb bit bod^, idio gainod ber strOBigtb and
flpub^- and in a aliOTt tkm wan confdetejy restored to
hooWi, . ■.-»,

inWM abont^ tbia tine ^dledtOiaHondawoinan wbo
was very severely attacked with tbo apotted Ibvev. Tbo^
^plappearanoo of itwasa poiniabor bee), wbieb wnhi
moTOQ^ op to ber bipa and baeb, &o«i thence to ber
stomaob. and bead; so that in fifteen minvtea ber wgbt
waa gone,, and in less than half an hour she was senaop
10ia> and; cold. About ibis time I saw her and examined'
well tbe eanse of ^ {disease} I wiw well satisfied that
it waa>tbe e^Cbot of; o^Id baviiu| overpowered the inward
h#aj^ By oonSning.4ior!#romitbo;«iK, giving her Nos. 1
andtSV^uM ^keeping beri in.* moderator steam, she in a
short time oame to ber 100000$ and tbe symptoms were
esaotl^ uniilar to a drovnod feraon coming to, after
hiring Wk suspended by boiog under wotor. As- soon
as tbo pon^iritfion becainf) free^ all pain ceased^ and An
was quito comi^rtable; in tiRonty*^r hoiurs the diseaoo
waSv.coMm>letely removed, and sbe wan able to attend to
hoijiork.

{lie fame dajr I had another caoe of a child which
tha doetor had given/ over. When I came to. this child
it WW senseless, and I expected in « mortified state. I
gave it the hottest medicine I could get, with the emeuc;
it j^v about six houra silent, before the medicine had
kindled heat enough to cause motion in the stomach and
bowels, when it began to revive, and what came from it

0/

WM Miok wd putrid; the boweb juit escaped moi
tiott. The obild wte sooa well. Theee two caies were
both cured ki twrnty-fouv houni time;- . '^ • :

When the epottea fiiTer Ant ftppeared i|i Portamoiith,
the doctore htd five caeee and all of them died. I had
five case« nmilar, aU of which lived. Beeauie mj par
iients did not die, the dootora said they did not have the
fever. In thia thejT had nracb the advantage of me; for
there could' be no doubt of theirs all having it, as death
was, in most of the eases under their care,^ on their side,
and decided the question. I have had a great number
of cases of the B|K»tted fe^jr under mj care, and in all
of them used the remains of heat as a firiend, by kindling
iit so as to produce heat enough in the bodv to overpower
and drive out the told; >aid have never fimed of success,
where there was any chance ef a cure.

Some time this season I was sent for to attend Captain
Triokey, who was verv sick. I examined him and was
confident that I ooulo not heln him, and took n^ hat
in order to leavo the house. His family insisted on my
stopping and ddng aomethinc for him) but I told them
that I thought he was in a dving state, and medicine
would do no md. I told his son that, in all proba-
bility, he wduld not btf idive over twenty-four hours, and
that he had better co for swne^ other help, for I could
do him no good. I told the wife that I mavAA give no
medicine myself but as they had some in the house
that they knew tlia nature of^ she might give some of it
to her husband, which ^e did. Two doctors were sent
for; the first one that arrived bled him, and he soon
bre^hed very diort, and grew worse; the other doctor
came, and said thit his ureathing short was in conse-
quence of the medicine I hud given him; but by this
he did not gain ore^t, for all the family knew to the
contrary; end the woman soon after told me of his
speech. The patient continued till the next day d||ut
ten o'clock , ano died. Soon as he was dead^ the doefaMn
and their fi'lends spared no pains to spread the report in
every direotioUt '^a'. I had killed this man with my screw
auger, a Cant name given to my emetic herb, in conse-
quence of one of my patients, when under the operation
of it, saying th«t it twisted in him like a screw auger.

ISiM WM T—Mj^ Mioed upon by the, ^iieion» aud Sifid*
use of fi»r Ui« purpoie oC tryiag io dMtioy the repiili^
tion of this medicine b«r ridibuli. TImjt ukewkM Mve
simiUur namee to mvm:u other articlea (m my medidiae,
for the same purpose : and represented them aa the oanaa
by which I cabled thorn. Tttey had likewiio jivea me
several names and titles, by way ^ reproack; Mioh ••
tiie sweating, and steaming doctor; the Indian doctor;
the old wiziuurd; and scMaetimes the quaok. Suok
Kind <^ mana|(ement had a great-effect on the minda of
many weak nunded people; they were M aftaid of rldi-
Gule» that those whom I had cured were unwUUng to
ojwn' it, for fear of being laughed at for emj^oying
me. .. ■ ■ i^'M ».*«;»*• It

The circumstance of the death of the aboiie nention-
ed Capt. Trickey, was seized upon bv the dootora tad
tfaior mends, and the most folae and aosurd pesreaeiita-
tioBs made b^ them through the coimti^, with'tne iBten*
tioa of atoppms my practice, by getting me kdicted for
murder, or to drive me off; but mv firieadi made mil a
correct statement of the fads, and had them publiahad,
which put a stop to their career for that tine. I cm*
tinned my practice, and had a great number of the moil
desperate oases, in most of which I was auoceisAil.
The extraordinary cures I had perftHrmed, had the ten-
dency/tp nnke raaiw people beUeve, that I could cure
every one who had ufein them, let Iheir diseaae be aver
ee had; and wher;« I bad attended on those, who were
given over as incurable, and they ^ed; whether I gave
wem any medicine or not, the report was iimnediately
circulated that they were killed by me, at the same time
the regular doctors wou^diose their patients every day,
without there being any notice taken of k. When tkMr
patients died) if eppcerances were ever so much aaidnst
thear practice, it was said to be the will of Uie Lord, and
sulpatted to withoirt a munnur ; but if one kwpeaed to
. die that I had any thing to do with, k was readily report-
ed bv those interested in destroying my credit wkh the
people, that I killed them.

I could mention a great number ef cases of the cures
that I performed, if I thou|ht it necessary; but my in-
tenMon is to give the partiovlam of auon only as wUI

to

Of SumMl Tkomnn.

96

hftve the greatest tendency to convey to the reader the
most correct information of my mode of practice, with-
out repeating any that were treated in a aimilar manner,
to tiiose already given. I shall now proceed to give the
paftiicttlars of Otoe of the most important chrcumstances
of my life, in as correct and impartial a manner as I am
capable of doing from memory ; in order to show wliat I
have suflRsred from the persecutions of some of the medi**
cal faculty, for no other reason, as I conceive, than that
they feared my practice would open the eyes of tiie
pecmle, and lessen their importance with Aem; by giving
such information as woula enable them to cure tfiem-
selves of disease, without tiie aid of a doctor; and fiooi
many others, who were governed altogether by the pro*
judices tiiey had formed against me by the frwte repovts
that had been circulated abdut my practice, without hav^
ing any other knowledge of me. Many of tiie latter,
however, have since been convinced of their error, have
a veiy frivorable opinion of my systenu and are among
my best friends. ^%?fr^

After praetisiBg ir those parts throiu^ the season, of
1809, I went home to Surry, where I remained a few
weelui, and returned back to Salisbury. On my way
thetO) I made {several stops in different {daces where I
had before practised, to see my friends and to give infor>
mation to those who made use of my medicme and prac-
tice. On my arrival at Salisbury, ray friends informed
me that Dr. French had been very busily employed in
my absence, and that he and a Deacon Pedier, who
was one of the grand jury, had been to Salens to the
court, and on: their return had said that there had been
a bSl of indietm«it found against me for wttAd murder.
Tliey advised bm to go off, and keep out of the wny;
but I told then I iriiould never do that; for if they '

found a bUl affainst me, the government must prove ditt
charges, or-1 mast be honoraA^ acquitted. Abiat
ten o'clock at night Dr. Fnmch came to the place wh«r«
I stopped, with « constable, and made me a prisoner in
behalf of the ccnmnonweahh. I asked the constable to
read the warrant, which he did; by this I found that
Dr. French was the only complainant, and the justice
who granted tha~warrant, ordered me before him to be

96

AfHTolive of Ikt li,ft^ Sfc.

examined the next morning. I was then taken by the
constable to Dr. French's house, and keepers were
iriaced o?er me to prevent me from escaping. While at
his house and a prisoner, Dr. French took the oppor-
tunity to abuse and insult me in the most shame All man-
ner that can be conceived of^ without any provocation
on my part. He c<mtinued his abuse to me till between
two and thre<B o'clock, when he took his horse and set
out for Salem to get the indictment. After he was gone,
I fbund on inquiry of the constable^ that after he had
been before the grand jury and caused me to be indict-
ed, he came home before the bill was made out, and
finling that I was at Salisbury, fearing I mij^t be gone,
and he should miss the chance of gratifying his malioioui
revenge against me, he went to a brother doctor^ who
was a justice of the peace, before whom he made oath,
that he had probable ground to suspect) and did suspeot}
diat I had with malice aforethought, murdered sundry
persons in the course of the year past, whose names
were unknown to the complainant; upon which a war-
rant was issued against me, and I was arrested as before
stated, in order, to detain and keep me in custody, till the
indictment could.be obtained.

In the morning I was brought before the said iustice,
and he not being ready to proceed in my examuiation,
the court was aqjoumed till one o'clock; when I was
again brought before him, and he said he cquld not try
me until the complainant was present, and a^ourned
the court again till near night. The . constable took
me to his house in the mean time, and put me in a
back room and left me alone, all of them leaving the
house. When tiiev. came back, some of them asked me
why I did not make my escape, which I might very
ettily have done out of a back window; but I told them
tiMl 1 stood in no fear of the consequence, having done
n^dthihg idiereby I ought to be punished; that 1 was
tflken up as a malefactor, and was determined to be con-
victed as such, olr honorably acquitted. Just before
night. Dr. French arrived with a Sheriff, and ordered
me to be delivered up bv the constable to the Sheriff;
and after Dr. French had again vented his speen upon
me by the most savage abuse that language could ex-

0/ Samuel Tfumuim.

W

prtM, Mi^iiig that X -was a murderer, and that I had
imirdared flffy, and he could pe^ve it; that I should be
either hung or sent to the State prison for life, and he
would do lul in his power to have me convicted, t was
then put in irons by the sheriff, and conveyed to the
jail in Newburyport, and confined in a dungeon, with n
man who had been convicted of an assault on a girl
six years of age^ and sentenced to sditary confinement
for one year. He seemed to be glad of company; and
remuided me of the old saying, that misery loves com-
pany. I was not allowed a chair or a table, and nothing
but a miserable straw bunk on the floor, with one poor
blanket which had never been waehed. I was put into
thia prison on the 10th day of November, 1809; the
waather was very cold, and no fire, and not even the
light of the sun, or a candle; and to complete the whole,
the filth ran from the upper rooms into our cell, and was
so offensive that I was almost stifled with the smell. I
tried to rest myself as well as I could, but got no sleep
that night, for 1 fek something crawling oVer me, wiki^n
caused an itching, and not Knowing what the cause
was, inq^red of my fellow sufferer; he said that it wan
the lieC) and that there wae enough of them to shingle a
meeting-house.

In the morning there was just light enough sh<me
through the iron grates, to lAkow the horror of my i^ua-
timi. My spirits and the justness of my cause pre-
vented me from making any lamentation, and I bore
my ittfibrings without complaint. At bredkfiurt time I
waa called on through the grates to take oar miseraMe
breakfast; it consisted of an old tin pot of musty coflbe,
without sweetening or milk, and was so bad as to be
mwholesome; witS a tin pan containing a hard piece
of Indian bread, and the nape of a fish, which waf Ja
hard I eould not eat it This had to serve us tiH ttive
Velook in the afternoon, when we haA aboot tn •jjMl
Aura, which was aJl we had tin the nesct morning. Tha
»ext day Mr. O^^ood came firom Salisbury to ae« Bie,
aad on witnessing my misertd^ situation, h« was io
liuohafibcted,^^ he could scarcely speak. Hebrongit
na fone provi^ons, which I iras very glad to reeetva:
and whaii l detferfted to hmt my miseraMe bdgings, ana
9

JViirraHM 0/ ilu Hfe, Sfc.

the horrid place I wu in, he wept like » child. He
uked liberty of the j|ilor to flimiih me with a bed,
which was granted, and brought me one, and other
things to muce me more comfortable. The next day I
wrote letters to my iamily, to Dr. Fuller, and to Judge
Rice, Btatittg to them my eituation.

Hie bed which wae brousht me, I put on the old one,
and allowed my fellow sun'erer a part of it, for which
he was very thankAil. I had provisions enough brought
me by my firiends for us both, and I gave him what I
did not want) the crusts and scraps that were left, his
poor wife would come and beg, to carry to her starving
children, who were dependent on her. Her situation
and that of her husbahd were so much worse than mine,
that it made me feel more reconciled to my fate; and I
gave her all I. could spare, besides making his condition
much motre comfortable, fi>r which they expressed a great
deal of gratitude.

In a few days after my confinement. Judge Rice
came to see me, tad brought with him a lawyer. On
consulting upon the case, they advised me to petition
to the Judges of the Supreme Court to hold a special
court to try my cause, as there would be no court held
by law, at which it could be tried, till the next fall,
and Kd there could be no bail for an indictment for
qiunter, I should have to lay in prison nearly a year,
whether there was any thing asainst me or not. This
was the policy of my enemies, thinking that they could
keep me in prison a year, and in all probability I
should not live that time, and their ends would be rally
answered.

I sent on a petition agreeably to the advi<ie of my
friends, and Judge Rice undertook to attend to the
business and do every thing to get the prayer of the pe-
tition granted, l^p roUowed the business up with great
seal, and did «venr thing that could be done to effect
the object. I think he told me that he or the lawyer,
Bfr. Bartlett, ha4 rode from Newbuiypdrt to Boston
fifteen times in the course of Ihree weeks, on the busi-
ness. At length Judge Parsons agreed to hold a
special court at Salem, on the 10th day of December,
to try the cause, which was one month from the day 1

Of Samul Thmiuon. ' $$

committed. My fKendi were very attentat .and
xealous in my cause, and every preparation waa madf
for the trial.

During this time the weather waa very cold, and I
suffered greatly from that cause, and likewise, fi'om tht
badness of the air in our miserable cell, ko^that I bad
not much life or ambition; Many of my fUenda eaiM
to see me, and some of them were permitted to COHM
into the cell; but the air was so bad and the smell io
offensive, that they could not stay long. M^ (H^nd,
Dr. Shephard, came to see me, and was admitted into
our dungeon. He staid a short time, but said it waa ao
offensive he must leave me; that he would not stay in
the place a week for all Newbuiy^rt. (hi Thanki|if-
ing day we were taken out or our cell and put m a
room in the upper story, with the other prisonera, and
took supper together; they consisted of murderers, rob-
bers, thieves, and poor debtors. All of us triad to
enjoy our supper and be in as good spirits aa our con-
dition would permit. The most of their coroplainta
were of the filthiness and bad condition of the prison,
in which we all agreed. Before it was dark I and my
companion were waited upon to our filthy den again.
There was nothing in the room to sit upon higher thin
the thickness of our bed; and when I wrote any th.?i§,
I bad to lay on my belly, in which situation I wrote t^ ?
Medical Circular, and several other pieces, which wore
afterwards printed.

After I had been in prison about two weeks, my son-
in-law came to see me. I had before my imprisonment
sent for him to come to Portsmouth on some businaia,
and on hearing of my being in prison, he immediatoly
came to Newburyport to see me. He seemed much
more troubled about my situation than I was myself.
I felt perfectly consciousof my innocence and waa sat-
isfied that I had done nothing to merit such cruel treat-
ment; therefore my mind was free frooi reproach; for
I had pursued the course of duty, which I conceived
was allotted me by my Maker, and done everything in
my power to benefit my fellow-creatures. These re-
flections supported me in my troubles and persecutions,
and I was perfectly resigned to my fate.

leo

JVWrM<ioe of tlu L{fe, Sfe.

About thki time, a lawyer came into the pritoii ud
read to me the indictment, which waa in the comummi
form) that I, with malice aforethought, not having th*
fear of God before my evee, but moved by the inetigap
tion of the devil, did kiU and murder the said Lovatt,
with lobelia, a deadly poison, &e. ; but feeUna ao par-
leetly innocent of the chargea, which the biu idlegad
against me, it had very little effect upon my feelings;
knowing them to be false, and that they had been
iHTought against me by my enemies, without any provo*
cation on my part.

In the morning of the day that was appointed for me
to be removed to Salem for trial, I was taken out of my
loathsome ceB by the jailor, who gave me water to
wash myself with, and I was permitted to take my break-
fast b^ a fire, which was the first time I had seen any
for thirty days, and could not bear to sit near it in con-
sequence of its eausing me to feel faint. As soon as I
had eaten my breakfast, the iron shackles were brought
and put on my hands, which I was obliged to wear tiU I
got to Salem. The weather was very cold, and the
g<Hng bad; we slopped but once on the way, the di»>
tance being about twenty-six miles. On our arrival, I
was delivered over to the care (^ the keeper of the prison
in Salem, and was confined in a room in the second
story, which was more comfortable than the one I had
left. I was soon informed that Judge Parsons was sick,
and had put off my trial for ten days; so I had to re-
concile myself to the idea of being confined ten days
more without fire. However I was not without friends;
Elder Belles and Capt. Russell came to see me the first
n^^ht, and Mrs. Russell sent her servant twice every day
with warm coffee, and other things for my comfort, for
which I have always been grateful; and Mrs, Perkins,
whom I had cured ,pf a dropsy, sent for my clothes to
wash against the dAy of my trial.

Many of my firiendi9 came to Salem to attend my trial;
some as witnesses, and others to afford me any assistance
in their power. A few days before my trial, Judge
Rice and Mr. Bartlett, whom I had (Employed as my
lawyer, held a consultation with me, as to the arrange-
ments necessary to be made; when it was decided thai

Of Samml Jhmmm.

101

it woaM. be beit to have other couneel; and Mr. Story
was agreed upon, who engaged in my cause. I had
also engaged Afr. Bannister, of Newburyport, to assist
in the trial; but he was of no benefit to me, and after-
wards sued me for fifty dollars, at fifty miles distance,
to put me to great expense. In order to be prepared
for the trial, my counsel held a consuhation together,
and examined the principal witnesses in the defence.
Mr. BoUes, Judge Kice, and several others gave great
satisfaction as to the value and usefiilness ofthe medi>
cine, and the varietv of cures that had been perform-
ed with it within their knowledge. Dr. Fuller, of Mil-
ford, N. H. was present and made many statements
in my favor, as to the value of the medicine, and
advised to have Dr. Cutler, of Hamilton, summoned,
which was done. . JEvejry thing was done by my firienda
that was in their power, to assist me and give me a
chance for a fair trial, for which I shall always feel very
grateful.

On the, 20th day of December, 1809, the Supreme
Court convened to hear my trial, at which Judge Parsons

S resided, with Judges Sewall and Parker, assistant
udges. The case was called about ten o'clock in the
morning, and the chief justice ordered me td be brought
from the prison and arraigned at the bar for trial. I
was waited on by two constables, one on my right and
the other on my left, in which situation I was brought
from the jail to the court-house and placed in the
bar. The court-house was so crowded with the peo-
ple, that it was with much difficulty w^ could ^et in.
After I was placed in the criminal seat, a chair ^as
handed me and I sat down to wait for fiirther orders.
Here I was the object for this great concourse of people
to look at; some with pity, others with scorn. In a
few minutes I was directed to rise and hold up my right
hand, to hear the indictment read, which the grand jury
had upon their oaths presented agiunst me. It was in
common. form, stating that I had with malice afore-'
thought, murdered Ezra Lovett, with lobelia, a deadly
poison. I was then directed by the court to plet^ to the
indictment, guilty, or not guilty; I plead not guilty, and
9*

loe

JVarralMV of Ike Lift, ife.

the usual foriM, in mioh cams, were paeied througb, t6#
jury called and aworn, and the trial comnienced.

The Solicitor Greneral arose, and opened the case on
the part of the Commonwealth, ana ' made many hard
statements against me, which he said he was ahout io
prove; he stated that I had at sundry times killed my
patients with the same poison. The nrst witness called
to the stand, on the part of the government, was Mr.
Lovett, the father of the young man that I was accused
of killing. 'He made a tolerable fair statement of the
affair in general, particularly of coming sAer me several
times before I could attend; though I think he exagger-'
ated man? things against me^ and told over several ncti*
tious and ridiculous names, which people had given my
medicine, by way "of ridicule, such as buU-dos, ram-cat,
screw-auger, and belly-my-grizzle ; all of which had a
tendency to prejudice the court and jury against me ;
and I also thought thi^ he omitted to tell many things in
my fovor, that must have been within his knowledge;
but there was nothing in his evidence that in the least .
criminated me, or supported the charges in the indict-
ment.

The next witness called, was Dr. Howe, to prove that
I -had administered the poison alleged in the indict-
ment. He stated that 1 gave the poison to the said
Lovett, and produced a sample of it, which he said was
the root of lobelia. The Judge adced him if he was

rsitive that it was lobelia; he said he was, and that
ctfled it cofiee. The sample was handed round for
the court to examine, and they all appeared to be afraid
of it, and after they had all satisfied their curiosity.
Judge Rice took it in his hand and ate it, which very
much surprised them. The Sjolicitor General asked
him if he meant to poison himself in presence of the
court. He said it vrould not hurt him to eat a peck
of U, which seemed to strike the court with astonish-
ment. Dr. Howe was then called at my request for
cross-examination, and Mr. Story asked him to de-
scribe lobelia, how it looked when growing, as he had
sworn to it by the taste and smell. This seemed to put
him to a stand, and after being speechless for several
minutes, he said he bad not seen any so long, he should

Of Smnml Vummm.

100

not know it if be ihoukl m« it at thia time. This no com-
pletely contradicted and did away all that he had before
stated, that he went off the itand quite cast down.

Dr. Cutler watf called on to inform the court what the
medicine was that Dr. Howe had declared so positively
to be lobelia, and after examining it, he said that it ap-
peared to him to be marsh-rosemary, which was the fact.
So far, all they had proved against me was, that I had
given the young man some marsh-rosemary, which Dr.
Cutler had declared to be a good medicine.

Some younff women were brought forward as wit-
nesses, whom I had no knowlfdge orerer seeing before.
'They made some of the most absurd and ridiculous
statements about the medicine, that they said I gave the
^oung faian, that were probably ever made in a court of
justice before ; some of which were too indecent to be
here repeated. On^ot'^them said that I crowded my
puke down his throat, and he cried murder till he died.
This was well known to be a falsehood, and that the
story was wholly made up by my enemies, as well as
what had been before stated by those women, for the
purpose of trying to make out something against me. I
nad two unimpeachable witnesses in court, ready to
swear that I never saw the young man for more than
fourteen hours before he dteo, during all which time he
was in the care of Dr. Howe ; but by not having an op-
portunity to make iny defence, in consequence of the
government not mailnff out their case against me, could
not brinff them forward.

John Lemon was the next witness brought forward on
the part of the Commonwealth, and was directed to state
what he knew about the prisoner at the bar. He stated
that he had been out of health for two years, being much
troubled with a pain in his breast, and was so bad that
he was unable to work; that he could get no help from
the doctors; that he Ipplied to me and I had cured him
jn one week; and that Was all he knew about the pris-
oner at the bar. By this time Judge Parsons appeared
to be out of patience, and said he wondered what they
had for a grand jury, to find a bill on such evidence.
The Solicitor Greneral said he had more evidence which
he wished to bring forward.

r

104

A*atTff(tve of the lAfe, tfc.

Dr. French was called, and as he had been the most
busy actor in the whole business of getting me indicted,
and had beon the pruicipal cause, by his own evidence,
as I was informed^ of the grand jury finding a bill against
me, it was expepted that his evidence now would be su^
ficient to condemn me at once; bui it turned out like the
rest, to amount to nothinff. He was asked if he knew
the prisoner at the bar; lie said he did. He was then
directed to state what he knew about him. He said the

Erisoner had practised in the piirt of the country where
e lived, with good success; and lus medicine was harm-
less, "beiiu; gathered by tj{ie children for the use of the
families. The Judge was about to charge the jury, when
the Solicitor General arose and said, that if it was not
proved to be murder, it might be found for manslahghter.
The Judge said, you have nothing against the man, and
again repeated that he wondered what they had for a
grand jury.

In his charge to the jury, the Judge stated that the
prisoner had broken no law, common or statute, and
quoted Hale, who says, any person may administer medi-
cine with an intention to do good; and if it has the con-
trary effect from his e:{(pectation, and kills the patient, it
is not murder, nor even manslaughter. If doctors must
risk the lives of their patients, who would practise? He
quoted another clause of law from Blackstone, who says,
where no malicQ is, no action lies.* :

* Ab the learned Jndge could find no law, common «r statute, to
poniah the accused, he directed or advised those prt^sent to. stop
this qaackrry, as he called it, and for this purpose, to petition the
Legislature to make a Imw that should make it penal for all who
should practise without license from some medinal college ; to de-
bar thorn of Saw to collect their debts ; and if this sbonld not an-
swer, to mnke it penal by fine and imprisonment.

This hint, thun given by the Jodfre, was seized npnn first in
Massacha><ftt8; from thence it has spread kn nearly all the Slates
in the Union. Froin this source may be traced all those uncon-
•titutional laws which have been enacted in relation to this sub-
ject, and all tho<>e vexatious suits which I have had to attend in
many of the Slates^, from Massachusetts to South Carolina, more
or less aim' s( every year since. But I have been able to break
them down by my patent being from higher authority, which
Judge Pfr!«on8 o< n!d not prevent, or perhaps he never thought of.
He hajijftver made his own report, and handed it to the reporter.

0/ Samuel Tkonuan "^

The ch ^^* '^

the 8ubj5^ olSo^-^ consulted with my frip„^

P»*a^e ft; Uid Se?fcS H'^^^^^^red fifty 8«W h. **/!

Wed to pJJve on*^"**^ *»•**« fair cbi2^e«nit *'**."'*'

. Pr"»% tT^5hlJr«« thought to be a Lnrf hi ""^'"^

th^: trouble'heli^CrmT ^ ^^"^-^ Td' J^^
cution was ug.J^ „ ■**® »« and my friends / ^

county of ySt r f "***' *"*' *<> briL th« «oV ^ P'"*^^'

106

^arraiwe of the lAfe, 8fc.

The next day I went to Salisbury, and stopped with
Mr. Osgood, where I was first arrested. Mrs. Osgood
and a young, woman who had been employed by me as
a nurse, assisted to clean my clothes', and clear me of
some troublesome companions I had brought with me
from the prison; and when I had paid a visit to all my
old friends, who were very glad to see me, I went to
Portsmouth, to recover my health, which was very much
impaired, by being confined forty days in those filthy
and cold prisons, in the coldest part of a remarkably
cold winter. My friends attended upon 'me, and carried
me through a regular course of medicine ; but the first
operation of it had little effect, in consequence of my
blood being so much chilled, and it was a long time be-
fore I could raise a perspiration that would hold. I am
confident that I shculd ilot have lived through the win>
ter in prison, and believe that this was their plan; for
which reason they managed to hava me indicted for mur-
der; knowing in that case there cdlild be ap bail taken,
and there would be no court at« which I could be tried,
for nearly a year, I should have to^di^ in prison during
that time, and that I should prob<l^ly die there ; ort in
any case, they would get rid* of me for one year at least,
whether there was any thing^ prove<£bAgainst me or noi;
and in that time, the doctors and thw ^pes would be
enabled to run down the credit of my medicine, and put
my practice into disrepute among the people; but I
have been able, by good fortune, arid the kind assistance
of my friends, to defeat all their plans. Most of those
that have been instrumental in trying to destroy me and
my practice, have had some judgment befdl; uem as a
reward for their unjust persecutions fuid tnalicious con-
duct towards me. I was credibly informed that Dea-
con t*ecker, one of the grand jury that found a bill
against me, went with Dr. French, to hunt up evidence
to come before himself, in order to have nie indicted.
A short time after I was put in prison, he had a stroke
of the palsy, and has remained ever since,jri822,] one .
half of his body and limbs useless. Dr. French, one
year j^e^ I was acquitted, was brought to the same
barylHwhich I was placed,, and convicted for rob-
binij^HjIave yard of a dead body, which it wlus re-

Of Samuel Ihonuon.

t
107

ported he sold for lixt;^ dollars. He lost all bis credit,
and was obliged to quit his country. *

In the month of January of 1810, 1 returned home
to my family, and staid till I had in some measure re- «
covered my loss of health by imprisonment. In March
I returned to Portsmouth, and after taking the advice
of my friends, made arrangements for prosecuting Dr.
French. The prosecution was commenced, and he
was summoned oefore the court of common pleas, in
the County of York. Judge Rice undertook the prin-
cipal management of the business, and became my bail.
Tne action was called and carried to the Supreme
Court by demurer, which was to set at Alfred, in Oc-
tober. I attended with my witnesses, and expected to
have gone to trial; and after waiting several days to
know what the defence was going to be, the counsel for
the defeiidant made their plea of justification. I found
that their plan was to prove that I had murdered sundry
persons whom I had attended, and by that means to
make it out that any one had a right to call me a mur-
derer; and that for this purpose. Dr. French had been
to every place where I had practised, collecting eyei^
case of tne death of any that I had attended in thb
part of the country, and had made out eight cases, all
of which have been before mentioned in this narrative,
most of whom had been given over by the doctors, as

East cure, and the otheirs known to be desperate cases.
le had obtained the depositions of all that were preju^
diced against me, and had collected a mass of evidence
to support his defence. After finding what their plan
was, it was thous ht necessary for me to go to all the
places where theyliad been, and get evidence to contra-
dict these highly colored and exaggerated statements,
and I was uiraer the necessity of requesting a delay of
the trial for one week, which was granted. I procejsded
immediately, and took the depositions of those who were
knowing to the facts; but round that these welb -^
sufficient, and went again to Deerfield, and summoned Uro

* 1 do not pr»t»nd that theie things Tollowed on account or their
CNstment to me| but I only atat* them u mattera of fiioM^forao it
li«pp«n«d.

108

Narrative of the l^e, Sfc,

men to appear at court, and give their verbal teatimony.
When 1 had got ready to come to trial, the defendant
was not ready, and got it put off to the ne]rt term,
> which would be holden at Ydrk the next year. In the
spring, before the setting' of the court, I went to the
clerk°s office to find what the deposition! were that were
filed against me; and thet whole appeared U> be a aeries
of exaggerated statements, made by those who were gov-
erned by their prejudices, without having but very little,
if any, knowledge of the facts, more than what they
obtained by hearsay. This caused me to redouble my
diliffence to get witnesses to appear on the stand to eon-
tradict their testimony, on each case they had alleged
against me.

On the day appointed for the trial, every thing was
prepared on my part to have a fhir hearing. Judgt Par-
sons was on the bench, tmd seemed, as I thouffht, to be
determined to have the case go against me; tor be ap-
peared to know every thing that was to be hi the deftnce
beforehand. I made out my case by proving the words
uttered by the defendant, which were in my dtolwation.
They then proceeded in the defence, to make out the
eiffnt cases of murder, which were alleged against me.
The first was the case of a man by the name of Hub-
bard, of Eliot, who had been dead above twoyean, the
aulars of which I have before stated. The witness
ht to support this case, told a very lamentable and
r i^olored story; and I brought oh the stand a very
respectable witness, who completely oontradioted die
whole statement.

Tlie next cases brought up, were the three children

of Mr. Fulsom, of DeerfieM, the partioulari of which

have been before related. A number of depoiitions

were read, which the defendant had obtained of those

th«|. had been my enemies, and who knew nothing of

^||»\jBatter, more than hearsay reporta among thtm-

flb^. They gave a very highly colored aooomit cf ,

^^ tjpiingnt of the children; so much so, that it wcilkl '

auMDW by their stories, that I had taken them in health,

a»l M roiuted them to death; never saying t word

abodHj^ fifteen that I cured, some of which nad bfen

giveVHpr ' by the. doctors. To rebut the evidence

Of Samuel TJioiuson,

169

itimoiiy.
efendlint
Rt t«rm,
In the
kt to the
hat were
I A tenet
fere gov-
wy little,
htt they
mble my
id to eon-
1 alleged

hing WAt
iidgePar-
[ht, to be
Br be ep-
e deftnoe
the wordt
filtration,
out the
aintt me.
of Hub-
eart, the
. witnett
;able and
id a very
lioted the

ehildren
>f which
kpotitiont
of thote
thing of
them-
ef
lit wotttd
health,
t worn
^tdbfen
ividtnee

that was produced to prove that I had killed those
children, I brought on to the stand, two respectable wit-
nesses, who were knowing to all the circumstances, be-
ing present at the time of my attending the family.
They gave a correct and particular account of all the*
circumstances as they took place; of the situation of
the family when I lirst saw them, and the violence of
the disor-der; how the doctors had lost all their patients
that had been attacked with the disorder before 1 came ;
with the ' number that I cured by my mode of practice ;
and that the doctors afterwards adopted my plan, and
saved the lives of a number by it. The Judge inter-
rupted them and read some of the depositions over again ;
but these witnesses stated that they were not true, and
went on to give some of the particulars of the opposi-
tion I met with in my practice from those very persons,
whose depositions had been read, when the Judge seem-
ed put out, and attempted to stop them, saying they had
said enough. They said that having sworn to tell the
whole truth, they felt it their duty to do it.

They next brought on the case of a woman who had
died at Beverly, that i had attended, and with it the
case of Bzra Lovett, whom I had been tried for mur'-
dering. I was very glad to havp this case brought up
again, as I wished to have an opportunity to prove all
the facts relating to it, which I had been prevented from
doing on my trial, jn consequence of being acquitted
without making any defence. The evidence brougi|t
forward to support this case, were the depositions of
those who had testified against me on my trial at Saleih;
they were pretty near the same as then given. After
those depositions .were read, J. called on to the stand
Elder Williams and Mr. Raymond, who gave all the par-
ticulars of my attending upon the young man, as has
been before related, M'hich completely contradicted all
the depositions they had read in the case. The jfedge
interrupted these witnesses, and read the deposilpin "of
the girl, who stated that I crowded my pukes down th»
patient's throat, and he cried murder till he died. They
both positively testified, that there was not a word of it
true; for when he died, and for twelve hours before,
he wa3 under the care of Dr. Howe, during which
10

no

Narrative of the lAfif Sfc.

l\^

time I did not see him. As to the woman in Beverfy,
whom they tried to make out that I murdered, it .was
proved by these witnesses, that she was in a dying con-
dition when I first saw her, and that I so stated it ai my
opinion at the time, and that my medicine would not help
her.

The next case was that of Mrs. Lifibrd, who died at
Salisbury, the particulars of which have been before
given. The evidence brought to prove this case of
murder, was the deposition of the woman who nursed
her, and by whose neglect the patient took cold, ailer
the medicine had a very favorable operation, and ap-
pearances were much in her favor; inconsequence of
which she had a relapse, and I could not produce any
effect' upon her by the medicine afterwards. Thin
womair confessed at the time, that she was the only one
to blame, and that no fault ought to be attached to me ;
but she afterwards was influenced by Dr. French to turn
against me, and made threats that she would swear to
any thing to injure me. After her deposition was read,
I brought witnesses on the stand, who completely con-
tradicted every thing contained in it; but the Judge read
her deposition to the jury, and directed them to pay
attention to that in preference to the witnesses on the
stand.

The eighth and last case was that of the son of
Thomas Neal, of Portsmouth, who was very violently
fttacked, and was attended by Dr. Cutter. I was call-
ed on at night to attend him, and thought there was a
possibility of helping him; but the man with whom he
lived, would not consent that I shouM do any thing for
him, and I went away, after telling them that he would
be either worse or better before morning, and if he
was worse he would die. I was called to visit him in
the morning, and was informed that he was worse, and
thatlhis master had consented to have me attend upon
'hJB||l|Pl told his lather it was undoubtedly too late; but
^ insisted upon it so much, I attended, and told them
the chance was very small for doing him any good, as I
considered it a desperate case. Alter being very hardly
urged by his friends, I gave him some medicine, but it
' htid no effect, and about sun-down he died. The luutor

Of Samuel Thomson.

in

who attended him was brought forward to prov^ that I
murdered the patient. If I recollect rigbt«y, he swore
that the patient had the dropsy in the brain, and that
the disorder had turned, and he was in a fair way to re-^
cover; but I came and gave him my poison pukes, and
killed him. I brought ibrward evidence who swore to
the facts as I have above , related them, and that the
doctor would give no encouragement of helping the pa-
tient. The father of the young man gave his evidence,
and stated that the son was in a dying situation when I
gave him medicine ; but the Judge interrupted him, and
asked if he was a doctor, to which he answered no. He
then said the doctor has stated that his disorder had
turned, and he was getting better; are you going to
contradict the doctor? and thus managed to do away his
testimony.

I have thus given a brief sketch of the evidence in
the eight cases,- which were attempted to be proved as
murder, in order to make out justification on the part
of the defendant, with my defence to the same, in as
correct a manner as I am able from memory; and am
confident that every circumstance as I have related it,
can be substantially proved by living witnesses. After
the eviaence was gone through, the lawyers on both
sides made their pleas, making the case on my part as

good and as bad as they conld. The Judge then gave
is charge to the jury, which was considered, by those
who heard it, to be the most prejudiced and partial one
that had ever been heard before. He made use of every
means to raise the passions of the jury, and turn them
against me ; stating that the defendant was completely
justified in calling me a murderer; for if I was not guilty
of wilful murder, it was barbarous ignorant murder; and
he even abused my laVvyers for taking up for me, say-
ing that they ought to be paid in screw-augers and bull-
dogs. The people that were present were very much
disgusted at his conduct, and they expressed themselves
very freely upon the subject. It was said by some, that
our courts, instead of being courts of justice, had be-
come courts of prejudice. One man said that he hoped
Judge Par? ons would never have another opportunity to
sit on a cause; which prediction turned out true, for he

112

^arraiive of the Life, 8fc,

soon after had a Ntroke of tho palsy, and as I am inform'
ed, died before the next court met. The jury brought
in their vcrdiuf of justification on the part of the defend-
ant, and throwcd the whole cost on me, which amounted"
to about two thousand dollars. '

When I ibund how the case was going to turn, I went to
Portsmouth, and soon after made arrangements to pay
the costs. Judge Rico was my bail, and undertook to pay
ali the- bills that I had not paid at the time. On my set-
tlement with him, lowed him six hundred dollars for
moaey that he had advanced on my account; for which
I had no way to secure him, but by giving him a mort-
gage of niy furm; which I did, and it was put on record,
arid never known to any of my friends till I had paid it
up. lie charged nothing for all his time and trouble,
through the whole of my persecutions and trials, for
which, and for his kindness and friendship on all occa-
sions, I shall ever consider myself under the greatest
obligations.

Some time in tho spring of the year previous to this
trial ,at York, a young nmn canio to me at Portsmouth,
by the name of Alfrisu Carpenter, from the town where
my family lived, Ho was recommended to me by his;
neighbors, as being lame and j.oor, and wanted" my as-
&istance. I took him out of pity, and instructed him in
ray mode- of practice, under ihe expectation that it would
be a benefit to h'*), and thereby he would be able to as-
sist me in attending the sick.

About the first of Juno, 1811, I received a letter from
Eastport, where I had been the fall before and shown
some of my mode of practice. Some of the people in
that place were so well satisfied with it, that seven men
had subscribed their names to the letter, requesting, me
to come there and practise in the fevers, which prevail-
ed in those parts^ I led the care of my business at
Portsmouth with Mr. Carpenter, -iny apprentice, and
immediately took pnasnge tor Eastport, where I arrived
about the middle of Juno. I was very gladly received
by those who had wrote to itie, and by those with whom
I had become acquainted when there before. I agreed
to practise under tho protection of those who had sent
for me, until 1 had convinced them of its utility^ to

Of Samuel Tlionuon.

lis

^1

inforiB-
brought
defend-
nouiited'

■ went to
I to pay
•k to pay

my set-
lUavs for
or which

a mort-
n record,
\ paid it

trouble,
rials, for

all occa-

greatest

IS to this
rtsmowtb,
vn where
ne by his
;d my as-
d him in
it would
lie to as-

lice,

which they consented, and promised me all the aMJfit-
anco ;n their power. I was soon called on to practiio,
and had all the most desperate cases that could be found,
in all of which I met with very great success. The
first cases I attended in presence of the committee,
were five desperate cases of consumption. These pa-
tients were all relieved in three weeks, and were all liv-
ing this present year, (1831. )• While attending these
people, I was called upon to attend a young man on
board a vessel, who had his foot, bruised to pieces by a
block falling from mast-head, weighing thirteen pounds.
It being done five days before I saw him, it was mortic-
ed, ana the whole body in convulsions. I took off three
toes and set the fourth, and cured him in five weeks
with the usual practice. While attending him, I had to
pass a doctor's shop. A scythe was thrown at me, point
first, about the distance of two rods. , It passed between
my feet without doing any injury. In consequence of
this assault, I sent word to all the doctors who had op-
posed me, that f4)r the politeness with which they had
treated me, I would compensate them by taking off the
burden of being called up at night, and thus breaking
their rest, and would give them the chance of loying in
bed until noon, without being disturbed by their patients.

I was called on the night following to attend a wonuui
in child-bed. I attended according to my promise, on«1
let them rest; and if I had remained there, they might
have rested until the present time, as I attended to ull
branches in practice.

There was, I think, at that time, five practising doc-
tors on the Island, among whom my success in curing
the sick caused great alarm;/ and I soon experioncetl
the same determined opposition. from them, with all the
arts and plans to destroy me and my practice, that I hod
experienced from the same class of men in other places.
In order to show some of their conduct towards me, I
shall relate the particulars of some of the cases I attend-
ed ; but most of the numerous cases which I had under
my care, were so nearly similar to those that have been
already given, and my mode of treating them being
about the same, that it wiir be unnecessary to repeat
them.

10*

tl4

A'art'fl/trc of the Life, ^'C.

1 v.as sent for to visit a Mrs. Lovctt, who was tho
daughter uf Mr. Delisdcrnier, at whose house I uttond-
ed her. ' She had the dropsy, and had been under tho
care of one of the doctors, t\\\ he had giyon her over
as incurable. X went to see her in company with the
doctor; but wo cuuld not agree as to tho cause and
remedy. I asked iiim several questions concerning tho
power of the elements, and th6 'effect of heat on tho
human system. He answered that the elements ha'd
nothing to do with the case. After giving him my idOos»
on the subject, which all appeared to be new to him, I
told him that the contending powers in this case were be-
tween the fire and water; and if I could get hent enough
in the body to make the water volatile, if cculd not stay
in the body. He said that any thing warm would not
answer for her. I then asked him how he thought tho
hottest medicine would do. He said it wonld produce
immediate death. I then told him that if I aid any
thing tor her, 1 should administer the Ivoftest medicine i
could give. Finding there would be a lisadvantago oii
my part in doing any thing for her, as the doctor and I
could not agree, I left the house. 1 was followed by the
father and mother and the doctor, who all insisted on
my returniug; but I told them that nutwithstandhig th«i
doctor had given her over, if 1 was to attend her and
she shouhl die, they would say that I killed her. Tlii y
promised that^ let the consequences be what they might,
no blame should be alleged against me. Upon which I
agreed that I would stop, on condition that two of my
friends should be present as witnesses to what was said,
and^ see the first process of the medicine, which was
agreed to, and they were sent for, and heard tho state- ,
ments of the doctor and family:* A Capt. Mitchell, from
New York, was also present, and heard the conversation
between me and the doctor; and being pleased with tho
principles that I laid down, which excited his curiosity
so much that he expressed a wish to be present and see
the operation of the medicine, and staid accordi'.igly.

The doctor pretended to be going away till at>cr t
had given the first medicine, and appeared to bo very
busy going out and coming in, and had much conversa-
tion with Mrs. Lovett, the husband's mother, Mho was

Of Samttcl

Tliomsan.

115

the nurse. After the finrt medicine had done, which
operated very favorably, I gave directions what ]to do,
and particularly to keep tnc patient in perspiration
during the night, and left medicine for that purpose; we
then went home. In* the morning I called to see her,
and to my surprise found her sitting with the mndow
up, and exposed to the air as much as possible; on
examination, I found that no medicine had been used.
On inquiry, I found that the doctor had been in fre-
quently to see h'?r; and on asking why they had not
followed my directions, the nurse appeared very cross,
and said she would not take any of my medicine. I
told them that they had not killed her, but I did not
thank them for their good will any more than if they
had done it. I was about leaving the house, as I found
my directions would not be attended to by the nurse,
but Capt. Mitchell was very urgent for me to continue.
I told him that if he would attend upon her nnd see the
medicine given and every thing done according to my
directions, I would continue, to which he agreed, m
left the patient in his care, and he attended her faithful-
ly through the day; at night I visited her, and found the
swellini? began to abate. He continued his care of her,
and in three days she was able to go up and down stairs,
and in. one week she was well. By the influence of
the doctor, the wofnan and the husband all turned agiiinst
mo, at\d I never received any thing' for my trouble, but
their abuse and slander. The woman's father and Capt.
Mitchell, however, gave me all credit for the cure, and
they both purchased a right.

About a year .after, at a private assembly of women,
this31rs. Lovett, the mother-in-law of the sick woman,
gave an account of the whole transaction, and stated
that there was a private interview between her and the
doctor, and it was agreed to go contrary to my direc-
tions, and the doctor said she would die in the course
of the night; and that he .should take me up for murder,
and that she must be an evidence. This appeared to
be almost intredible, that they should be so void of all
human feelings, as to be willing to have the woman die,
in order to have the opportunity to take me up for mur-
der; but two women who were present when she told

116

Narrative of the lA/e, fyc.

the story, gave their depoaHions proving the facts as
above stated.

I continued my practice on the Island, at Lubec, and
on the main, paying my most particular attention to those
who sent for me, and wantea information. I practised
under their inspection about five weeks, and then told
them that I hud done enough Ult a trial, to prove the
use of the medicine, and should do no more till I knew
whether a society could be formed. They expressed
their entire satislaction, and wished to have a society
formed; a meeting was called HKft that purpose, and six-
teen signed the articles at the first meeting. After this,
a meeting was held every week, at which a lecture was
given for the purpose of giving information, and for the
admission of members ; and eight each week were added
during the summer. In the fall, I went back to Ports-
mouth to attend to my business there, and see to the
society which had been formed in that place.

After staying in Portsmouth a few weeks to give in-
fomnation to the people, and procuring a stock of mcdi-
cme, I made arrangements to return to Eastport; and
some^time in the month, of October, I set sail for that
place, taking with me my apprentice and Stephen Sewell.
On my arrival, I introduced Mr. Carpenter as my ap-
prentice, and got^lr. Sewell into a school as an assi^^t-
unt; in which he hud fifteen dollars a month, and all his
leisure time he attended to gain information of the prac-
tice. I took a small shop, and put into it a good assort-
ment of medicine, and attended to practice till I had got
Mr. Carpenter introduced among the people.

While practising here, I frequently heard of the abuse
and «candal towards me and my practice, from Mrs.
Lovett, the old woman before ttientioned, as the nurse of
her son's wife, whom I cured of the dropsy. This old
woman was a singular character, and was called a witch
by the people ; J have no faith in these kind of things,
yet her conduct, and certain circumstances that took
place, were very extraordinary, and puzzled and aston-
ished me more than any thing I had ever met with,
and wiiich I have never been able to account for to
this day. Mr. Carpenter was attending a man j where
this woman oden visited, who had the consumption, and

Of Ammitl Tliomion.

lit

his child, which was sick and tmd fits. He came to me
and said that, tlio medicine he gave iwould not hove its
usual efTect; tluU the emetic, instead of cruising them
to vomit, would make them cliokc niid uhnost stotnglc.
I attended thorn myself, "cindton giving the medipine, it
would operate on the man, and not oh the child' it one
time, and the next tUhne on the child and not on him.
Sometimes the child would lajr in tits, fur o wholer night,
and nothing would have afly ejtibct upor it; in the movn-
ing it would come out' of' them and appear to he quite
bright and lively. I had^.ever kno^ the medicine to
fail of ]>roducing some cllctt before, wiierc the patient
was not so fur gone as not to have life enough left to
build upon. I can give no reason for this strange cir-
cumstance, i||itiHfactory to myself, or which would be
thought rpasonuble by the readers. The old woman,
before mentioned, was frequently ig, and Out of the house
where the man and child were, imd seemed to be very
much interested about tmm; wbe« she was gone the ^
child- would frequently go into violept fits, and when |t
steamed it, it was said the old woman would be in great
distress. It caused much cnn^^dh^ation rmong the neigh-
bors; they believed it to bo the p<yer of witchcnift;
and that the old woman had a contrOT over the destinies
of the man and child, and wi\b determined to destroy
them, in^dcr to get her revengi? on me. I have nei be-
lief in tli^se thingii; bvt must confess that her strange

#

conduct, and the extraordinary circumstances attending
the whole affair, baffled me more than any thing I ha*
ever met with before. I was unable to do any thing for
these two patients, except sometimes by a temporary re-
li^. They contiuued to flM|? worse, and finding it not
rpny poM^T to do them lUp^good, I left them, and they
both soon after died.

"Whether the extraordinary circumatancd^^attending '
the two cases above stniod, were caused by 4'^tratagem
of the doctors, in which the old woman was made their
agent, to injure me by causing in some way or other
pqisonous medicines to be administered to them in order
to prevent my^ medicine from having any salutary effect,
is what I do not feel disposed to assert as a fact; but the
many cases in which I have been certain that such things

118

J^arralive of the Life, Sfc.

. have been doiie by tnir facility^ and their •enmity and
uniform opposition jjio my practice, both at this place and
elsewhere^* as WjbU as the confession ma(Se by the old
woman, would tend strQngly to confirm such a belief.
I cou%mentioii a great. luidiber of facts in addition to
what rhave,, said in regard to ttiis affair, if lecessary,
which appeared very cxtcaordinafy to me and all who
witnes^d them; but I think that enough has been said
on the subject, and shall leave it to the public to decide
between us. There were livCt^d^tors at Eaatport when
I went there, wha |iad a pteasily of business; but my
success was so great, and the people became so well
satisfied of tUe superiority of my system of practice over
theirs, that they were soon relieved from most of their
labours; and in a short time after, three of them had to
leave the place for wau^ of employment.

I made arrangements to go back to Port^outh to
spen4 the winter, adil to leave Mr. Carpenter with the
care df my businesMMIMcl pracfltfb at Eastport, under the

"^llptection of John Burgin, E^q. a man who has been
particularly friendly to me on all occasions. I told him
if he would be faithful ii^jmy business and in selling med-
icine, that he shield Tiiave half the profits after the
money was collects; and in December I took passage
for Portsmouth. We had a long and tedious passage of
eighteen days; the ves^l took fire and cur ^jfes were
exposed; but we were fortunate enough to epctinguish
it without much damage. I stopped in Portsnibuth and
poetised some time, then went to see my family, where
I remained the rest' of the winter, in which time f was
employed in collecting and preparing medicine. I re-
turned to Portsmouth in tlie spring of 1812, and after
making the necessary arrangp^ents, I set saij|,ibr Eagp
port, where I arrived about the first ofMay. *I madeii
settlement with Mr. Burgin, and paid nim sixty-three dol-
lars for tUfe board of Mr. Carpenter, and for shop rent.
Then fiirnished the shop with a complete stock of med-
icine, to which I added cordials and spirits, the whole
of which amounted to about twelve hundred dollars.
There was a great call for medicine this spring, and also
foy practice.

•e.

Of Samuel lliomson.

119

Afler arranging my Ibui^ess, I conchided to return
to PortsmoutJI; a short time before J^cufi^ ^^7) ^ ^^'
Whitney came to me lor assistimce, md pulchased a .
right. About the same time, a J^r. McFadden Applied
also for assistance, wb^''hld the>«Nwi^nption.%|^ left
th^m both under the Qoxe of Mr. O^peP^l^and imme-
diately sailed for Po^tAnouth, where I arrived in^afety.
Soon after my atriv^rtKere, I (oxmA there was ^ng to
be a war with Great Britain: in consequence of which,
I returned immediately back to £a|^^rt to settle my
afTairs m that place. In a short 'W^ afle? my arrival
there, the declaration of war camion, and I made the
best arrangeio^nts of my bjj^sinesS^I could, leaving Mr.
Carpenter wmi directions, if there should any thing
happen in consequence of the war, so as to be necessary
for him |o leave the Island, t# come to Portsmouth.
Before leaving the place, I called oikbim for some money,
and all he could pay me was sixt^foiif dollars, vhich
was but one dollar more than I had paid for his board , :
and shep rent. The people were in such confusion Jf
was impossible to ^et a settlement with any one. I left
Mr. Whitney and Mr. McFadd^ in his care, and left
the Island about the middle of Jui^, and arrived in
Portsmouth in forty-eight hours, wheie I remained the
greater imrt of the summer; during which time I had
constant^Mpictice, and formed s5me regulations for the
society, wKich was established there, for the purpoVe of
greater facility in communicating information of my
systeqi of practice to the people who wished my assist-
ance.* In the fall of this year I published my pamphlet
of diredtions, as many were urgent that I should not
leave the place destitute* ^10^ knowledge of my prac-
ttl|| and medicine. Mais^ ^persons who had been the
most urgent for me to give them information, now be-
came the most backward, and complained t^t the re-
strictions were too hard with refard to their giving
the* information to others; some of whom had never
done the least thing to support the practice or me.
When any of them were sick they were ready enough
to call on me for assistance ; and if I relieved them
quick, they thought it worth nothing, and they run
out against my practice, sa^'ing I deserved no pay.

%

#

120

J\rarralive of the Life, Sfc.

This sort ©f^^treatment I Havd met with from a cer-
tain cJasS'*or''pjpople in all places where I have practis-
ed. I i^as treated with much attention when they
were jn clanger from sickness; but when I had cured
them^Jf. was tiiqughf no ihcrre of. This kind of in-
gratitude i^hgyire experienced a pretty large share of
during my practice.

In Hie month of October, having got my business ar-
ranged, and a stock of medicine prepared, I returned to
Eastport. On my arrival there I went to my shop, and
found that Mr. Cudrpenter had gone home, and Mr. Mc-
Fadden and a Mr^-ljarvey, left very sick, and only a
boy to take care oftfeem and the shop. Mr. McFadden
was very low with a consumption, and unaBle to lay down.
I found there was no regulation of the business in the
shop, and the property I had, chiefly go^e. I was
obliged to, pay every attention to the sick men that had
bee% left in tli^B lAanner without assistance ; I attended
Mr. Harvey, and got him wfell efiough to go home in a
few days; and Mr. McFadden was so put to it for. breath
and was so distressed, that I had it be with him night
and day for six week* and three days, when Mr. Car-
penter returned, .^revfeus tothis, I found that Mr. Mc-
Fadden had -put mB farm into the hands of Mr. Carpen-
ter as security for his attending him in his sickness; and
as he had no relation^* the remainder to go i§' him and
me. , On inquiry into the business I found A|it he had
taken a deed in liis own name and that all the bills and
accounts for his practice aod medicine in my ^sence
wore in* his own name. I asked him for a setllement
and he refused; I then. asked him what he meant by his
conduct; he said he owed me nothing, and bid me ^pfi"*
ance, saying if I chose I mig^ttake the step§ of ttfisjM^.
I could not. conceive what he meant by treating me^n
this nianj|e}', till after making further inquiry,' I found
that he had formed "a connection in a family; that he
had been advised to take the course he did, and as I had
no receipt for the projiferty, or any written agreement to
support my claim, he could do with me as he pleased,
and keep every thing for his own benefit. The night
after he returned, and before I had any knowledge of
his intentions, he had robbed the shop of all the ac-

%

a cer-
practis-
sn they
,d cured
d of in-
share of

iness ar-
urned to *
hop, and
Mr. Me-
ld only a
fcFadden
lay down.
!8S in the
5. I was
tthat had
I attended
home in a
for. breath
him night
Mr. Car-
tMr. Mc-
. Carpen-
ness; and
f^hini and
it he had
bills and
ahsence
letWement
int by his
me dpfi-

ing me^n

,' I found

; that he

i as I had

cement to

pleasefd,

'ho night

Iwledge of

|l the ac-

0/ Samnel Thomnn.

n\

*fi.

ebttitlf, notefj. billt, and m other demms, to that I *
knew no morrabout the bupliiess tli|n | iirani[0r.

I firequentlv tried to get a setflement with Civ||anter:
but he aaid he had none td mii:e ipth me. Sic^ Me-
Fadden died shortly afl^ar, and Cai'penlei;^caine forward
and claimed all hii property, saying t^at it was all will-
ed to him. I asked him why it shi^ijfitd be willed||» bim,
when I had borne the expense and done the principal
part of the labor in taking care of him in his sickness.
He said I must look to him for my ^, I told him that
it was very lingular that my apprentice had become my'
mai(ter in one year; he denied thi^ be was my appn'en-
tioe, an4 •ai<l' that he was a nartner; but I had said in
order to encourage him to be taithful and do well by me,
ha should have half the profits o||he practice, and that
I had no idea of his having the whole of my property,
because I made him this promise.^ "^^^^ could say - 1
found would have no effect, for the more I tried to rea-
son with him, the qnore obstinate and impudent he was.
He even went so far as to say that the shop and all that
was in it was his, and that I had nothing to do with it;
he called a witness and forbid a^. having any concern in
the shop. I found there was no otfa||r wiyr for me, but
to turn him out and get rid of him in the^est manner I '
could; ta effect which I applied to the owner of the shop
and ^ot 1 writing to prove my ^cTaim to the possession,
and mimiaiately took measures to get rid of him. He
made all the opposition, and gave me all the trouble he
could^i he wont into the shop while I was absent, and
began to throw the property out into the«treet; but I
soon put a stop to his career, and secured the property
firttpithiB reach. He still held all my books and accounts,
iliich put my business into such confusion that I was un-
able to collect any of the demands that we|re due; and
the only remedy I had was to advertise him as mf ap-
prentice, and forbid all persons having any dealings with
him on my account, or settling with him. My loss by
the dishonest conduot of this man was veiy considerable,
besides the injury to my' feelings from his base uigrati-
tude to me; for I had taken him from a state of poverty
and distress; supported him for a long time when he was

of very little benefit tome; and had instructed him in my
II

Itt

JVarraffve of (^ Uf%, tfc.

'^.

■jBtem of practice, and given him all the information ia
my power; had introduced him into practice, and fiven
him every encouragement to. enable h\m not only to
assist me in supporting my system of practice, but to
benefit himself; and atter all this, for him to turn against
me and treat me in the manner he did, WM a deeper
wound to my feelings than the loss of my property.

After having got clear of Carpenter^ I hired a young
man whom I had cured and given information to, and
put him into the shop, and agreed to pay his board for
4Wie year, and then returned to Portsmouth. As Car-
penter had bid me defiance, and threatened to sell my
rights, and give information to any one who would' buy
of him; and likewise I found that there was another
plot got up to destroy me ; a petition had been sent on
to the Legislature, to h^ve a law passed against quacke-
ry, in which I was^ named; and tnere can be no doubt
but that the whole object ol* it was to stop my prac-
tice; I was at a stand, and put to much perplexity to'
know what course it was best to steer. I found I had
enemies on every hand, and was in danger of falling by
some one of them. £^ry thing seemed to conspire
against me; but I had some friends who have never for-
swen me; m|| coiirage remained good, and my spirits
were never depressed; and it appeared to me that the
more troubles I had to encounter, the more firnrfy I was
fixed in my determination to persevere unto the last.

When I had maturely considered the subject in all
its bearings, and exercised sny best abilities in devising
some plan by which I could extricate myiilf froiA the
dangers which threatened me on every hand ; and to
prevent those rights, which twenty years labor, with
much suflToring and great expense had given me a juH
claim to, from being wrestea from me; I finally came
to the- conclusion that there was only one plan for mt
to pursue with any chance of success ; and that was
to go oil to Washington, and obtain a patent for my
discoveries; and put myself and medicine under the
protection of the laws of my country, which would not'
only secure to me the exclusive right to my system and
medicine, but would put me above the reach of the laws
of any state.

*0»t.

Of Samuel Thomson,

12S

After coming to the conclusion to go on to the seat
of government and appl^ for a patent, made all necessa-
ry preparation for the journey, and started from Port»*
mouth on the 7th of February, and arrived at Washing-
ton on the 23d. The next day after my arrival, I wait-
ed*on Capt. Nicholas Gilman, of Exeter, showed him my
credentials, and asked his advice, what I must do to ob-
tain my object. He said that he thought it could not be
made explicit enough to combine the system and prac-
tice, without being too long; he however advised me td
carry my petition to the patent office; which was>thea
under the control of Mr. , Monroe, Secretary of State.
I went to the patent office, and found^ that Dr. Thornton
was the Clerk, and presented him* my petition. He
asked me many questions, and then said I must call
again ; I called again the next day, and he said the peti-
tion was not right; that I. must specify the medicine,
and what disorder it must be used in ; he said that those
medicines in general terms to cure every thing, was
quackery ; that I mxtat particularly designate the medi-
cine, and state how it must be used; and m what disease.
I then waited on Martin Chittenden, late governor of
Vermont, who was at Washington, and asked his as-
sistance ; he was from the same town where my father
lived, and readily consented. We made out the specifi-
cations in as correct a manner as we could, and the
next day I carried them to the patent office, and gave
them to Dr. Thomtof; he complained much about its
being too short a system, and put me off once more. I
applied again and asked him for my patent; but he
said I had not got the botanic names for the articles,
and referred me to Dr. Mitchell, of New York, who
was in the House of Representatives. 1 applied to him,
and requested him to give, the botanic names to the
articles mentioned in my petition. He wrote them, and
I carried them to Dr. Thornton ; but he was unable to
read some of the names, one in particular; he said I
must go, again to Dr. Mitchell, and get him to give it
in some other words, and not tell hiiiil that he could not
read it. I went, and the doctor wrote the same word
€gain, am} then wrote, or ''Snap-dragon;" which I
dnried #D(. 'Thoriitoli, and reqi|ested him to put. in

%

134

JVWrofife of <JU Li/c, 9ft.

t

the patent my names, and record it for bbnielf, nap-
dragon, or any other name he chose. ^He then tiUked
about sending me to Philadelphia, to Dr. Barton, lo get
his names. # t

I found he was determined to give me all the Iroublt
he could, and if pojMible to defeat my getting a patent,
and I intimated that I should go with my complaint to
Mr. Monroe, upon which he seemed a little more dis-
posed to grant my request, and said he would do without
Pr. Barton's names. He then went to work to make
Ihit the patent, and when he came to the article of
mjrrrh, he found much fault about that, and said it wa»
good for nothing. I told him that I paid for the patent,
and if it was sood for nothing it was my loss. After
much trouble, f got it made out according to my request,
and the medicine to be used in fevers, colics, dysen-
teries and rheumatisms; he then asked me if I wanted
any additions, and I told him to add, "the three first
numbers may be used in any other case to promote per-
spiration, or as an emetic," which he did. I then nad
to go to the treasury office and pay my money and bring
him duplicate receipts. After all this trouble, I at length
succeeded in obtaining my patent according to my
request, which was completed and delivered to me on
the third day of March, 1813.

The next day after I had completed my business,
was the day of inauguration of the President of the
United States; and I nad the cmriosity to stay and see
the ceremonies on that occasion. After the ceremo-
nies were over I went to the stage office and found
that the seats were all engaged for a fortnight; and was
obliged to stay till the 13th before I could git a passage.
I then took passage in the stage and came on to Phila-
delphia, where I remained several days for the purpose
of seeing Drs. Rush and Barton, to confer with tnerik'^
upon the subject of introducing* my sister. ^ of jpractioe
to the world. I spei^ considerable time with Dr. Bar-
ton; but Dr. Riuh wm so much engaged, ihat 4' was
I" unable to have \»t little conversation more thwi atawiff '
%^ business. He treated me with much politenessl^ and
Mil that whatever Dr. Bcrton fgreed to, he wpuld giVt
nt, so tiial^y busines^ii^ clite|y i§^ the «|l^

♦

Hiis coi

Of Samml 7%om»on.

195

tar gentleman. I asked him many questions concerning
my system and patent, and requested his advice of the
best niode of introducing it. He advised me to make
friends of some celebrated doctors, and let them try the

aedicine, and give the public such recommendation of it
f they. should deem correct. I told him that I feared
that it I should <|o so, they Would take the discovery to
themselves, and deprive me of. all credit or .benefit nom
my labors, and asked him if he thought that would not
be the case. He said it miffht with some, but he thought
there were some of the profession honorable enough not
to do it. I asked him if he would make a trial of it him-
self, and give it such credit as he . should find it to de-
serve. He said that if I would trust it in his hands, he
should be pleased, and would do justice to me and the
cause. I accordingly left some of the medicine with
him, with directions how to use it; but before I received
any return from him, he died; and Dr. Rush also, died
some time previous ; by which means I was deprived of
the influence of these two men, which I was confident
would otherwise have been exerted in my favor.'

During my interviews with Dr. Barton, we had .much
conversation upon the subject of the medical skill, and
he being quite sociable and pleasant, I expressed myself
very freely upon the. fashionable mode of practice, used
by the physicians of the present day. He acknowledged
there was no art or science so uncultivated as that of
medicine. I stated to^im pretty fully my opinion of
the absurdity of bleediill^to cure disease; and pointed
out its inconsistency, inasmuch as the same method was
made use of to cure a sick man as to kill a well beast.
He laughed and said it wi&s strange logic enough.

While in the city of Philadelphia, I exammed into
their mode of treating the yellow fever; and found to
nay astonishment that the treatment prescribed by Dr.
Rush was to bleed twice a day for ten days. It appear-
ed to me very extraordinary to bleed twenty times to
cure the most fatal disease ever known; ana am confi-
dent that the same manner of treatment would kin one
half of those in health. This absurd practice being
fi>Uowed by the more igno^pant class of the focidty,

. -*

4-,

m

J^thrrative of the Life, i^e.

ly becauM it hu been recommended in some particular
caies by a great man, haa, I have not the least doubt,
destroyed more lives than has ever been killed bypowder
and ball in this country in the same time. Those I
1^ . met in the streets^ who had escaped the fatal effect of

IIP* bleeding, mercury, and other poisons, carried death in

their countenance; and on conversing with them, they
said they had never been well since tney had the fever;
that they took so much , mercury and opium, they were
afraid that the^ were in a dedine.

After remaining in Philldelphm about two weeks, I
went in the stage to New Tdrk, where I obtained a pas-
sage in a coaster, and arrived in Portsmouth on the dth
day of April. Immediately after my arrival at Ports-
mouth, . I gave public notice in the newspapers, of my
having obtained a patent, and forbid all persons tres-
passing upon it under the penalty of the law m such
cases provided; and prepared and published a handbill,
in which I ^ave a description of the nature of disease
en the constitution of man; and also the conditions of
disposing of the right of using my system of practice;
ana taking a number of the handbills with me, sat out
for Eastport, where I arrived about the first of May.
On my arrival^ the handbills were circulated among the
|»eople, which caused considerable stir among them, par-
ticularly with the doctors, who seemed surprised that 1
had obtained a patent. I again called on Mr. Carpenter
for a settlement; but could obtiuK none, for his friends
tdvised against it, telling him flit he could still pursue
the practice in spite of my patent, by calling the medicine
Vy different names. I furnished my shop with a stock of
medicine, and made an agreement with Mr. Mowe, the
young man whom I had employed since Carpenter was dis-
iussed, to continue the practice for me, and take charge
of my businefs at this place. My expenses for his wages,
board and shop rent, were about one dollar per day; and
the amount or the practice and sale of medicine, was
about one hundred dollars per month.

While at Eastport, I met with a loss, which I will
■MBtion, to show the hard fortune I had to contend with.
Wiphing to send one hundred dollars to my fi-iend Judge

Of Samuel Utomtim,

Iff

Rice, in part payment for what I owed him, took two'
fifty dollar bills, and went to the. post-office and gave thtm
to the post master, with a letter directed to Alexander
Rice, Esq. Portsmouth, requesting him to secure them
in the letter in a proper manner, and send it on. The
letter was never received in Portsmouth, and no traces
of it could be found. I had strons suspicions that the
post master at Eastport destroyed the letter and kept
the money. I made arrangements to inquire further
into his conduct, but shortly after he fell from a preci-
pice and was killed, whic& put a stop to pursuing the
subject any further; so it turned out a total loss to me.

After settling my business in Eastport, I returned to
Portsmouth, where I stopped but a short time; and tak-
ing Mr. • Sewell with me, went to Portland, to introduce
my practice in that place. On our arrival, I advertised
my patent in the newspapers, and had handbills printed
and circulated among the people, giving the conditiMii
on which I should practise, and the manner of selling
family rights, to -those who wished the use of my prac-
tice and medicine; and that I should attend to no case
except' such as wished to purchase the rishts, to ffive
them information, and prove the utility of the medicme.'
I gave the information to Mr. Fickett, where we board-
ed, and a right of using the medicine for himself and
family; and gave information to several of his workmen.
Soon after making myself known, I had a great number
of desperate cases put under my charge, all of which
were cured, or essentially relieved. My success in the
cases I attended, most of which were such as had been
given over by the doctors, caused great alarm among
those professiocal gentlemen who are styled regular phy-
sicians ; and I experienced the same opposition from tnem
that I had met with in other places. I was followed by
them, or their spies, and all kinds of false and ridiculous
reports were circulated among the people to frighten and
prejudice them against me and my medicine.

Soon after coming to this place, I waii called on by
Capt. John Alden, to attend his wife, who was in a very
alarming situation. Shq was in a state of pregnancy,
and had the dropsy, and was then, as she supposed,
several weeks over herlime. She had been iii the same

.t

1S8

JNhmUite of the lAftt Sfe.

situation ooce before, and was delivered by force, and
came very near losinff her life ; the doctorv gave it ai
their opinion, that if she should ever be so again, she
would certainly die. I told him that I did not attend
on any except those who wished to purchase the right,
in which cases I would give them the information. I
explained to him the principles upon whi^h my nyitem
was founded, and he purchased a right; after which, I
attended upon his wife, and found her very low ; she
had not lam in bed for diree weeks, being so put to it
for breath when she lay down, was obliged to jt,et im-
mediately up again. I carried her through a course of
the medicine three times in five days, durmg which she
was reduced in size about eight inches; her travail then
came on natural, and in about two hours she was deliv-
ered of a daughter, and they both did well. She was
able to come down stairs in one week, and in twoi^eeka
was well enough to be about the house. This cure so
altfrmed the doctors, that they ci.culated a story at a
distance, where the facts were not known, (hat I was
so ignorant of this woman's situation, that I killed her
immediately ; but the woman and her husband gave me
all credit for the cure, and appeared very gfatetul (o me
for it.

During the summer, a son of Capt. Aldeil was vio-
lently seized with thcj spotted fever; he was taken very
suddenly, when at the pump after water, fell and .was
brought into the house senseless. I attended him, and
his jaws being set, administered a strong solution of
. Nos. 1, 2, and 6, by putting my finger between his cheek
and teeth, and pouring in the medicine ; squeezing it
round to the back of his teeth, and as soon as it reached
the roots of liis tongue,, his jaws came open; I then
poured down more of the medicine, and soon after
swallowing it, his senses came to him, and he spoke;
he appeared like a person waking out of a sleep. As
soon as the warm effect of the medicine was over, he
relapsed, and life seemed to go down with the heat. I.
found that I could not restore him till I could rarify or
lighten the air; I laid him across the laps of three per-
sons, shielding him from external air with a blanket, and
put under him a pan with a hot atone in it about half im-

Of Satmd Tbomwm.

vf*;.

119

mened in hot water; while over this steam, agaip g«:re
the medicine, whieh raised a perspiration; and as ^
heat raised inside, life |;ained in proportion; and when
the perspiration had gained, so as to be equal to a
state of health, the natural vigor of life and action was
restored, *

I was called on to attend a woman who had a relax,
and in a few visits restored her to health. One night
about midnight I was sent for to visit this woman in con-
sequence of their being alarmed about her, the cause of
which I could never learn; for on my arrival she was as
well as usual. I returned immediately home and' was
soon after taken in a violent manner with the same dis-
ease ; and was so bad as not to be able to do any thing
for myself. Mr. SeweQ attended upon me, and did ul
he coulil, which had <no effect. I was persuaded that I
should not live three days unless I coula get some relief.
I had no pain and every thing I took passed through me
in two minutes; nothing jieemed to warm me. 1 sent
and obtained some butternut bark, boiled it, and took
some as strong as it could be made ; as soon as it began
to operate, I follom^ed it with brandy and loaf sugar burnt
togethiM^ tm it became a syrup; this soon put me in pain;
I then foUat'f'ed nnr general rule of treatment, and was
soon relieved. *

While at Portland, I was sent for to see a Mr. Mason,
who was very sick, and it was expected that he would
not live through the -night. He had been attended by
the doctors of the town, for a sore on his nose, which
was much inflamed ; they had given him so much salt-
petre to kill the Jlieat that they almost killed him. I
had the hardest trial to save his life of any one I ever
attended; and was- obliged to carry him through a
course of medicine two or three times a week for three
months, besides visiting him every day. The doctors
said he would certamly die, and if he did, they meant
to take me up for murder; and every means were re-
sorted to, by discouraging him and other ways, to pre-
vent his getting well; and when he got so as to be about,
and it was decided that he was going to recover under
the operation of the medicine, one who pretended -to be
his friend gave him a bottle of pepper vinegar. I had

lil 31^ JVbfTflrfiM •/ ike Ufe, Sfe.

iikade a free use of this article in hia case, and he took
iome of what waa given him b^ thia friend, and he soon
- grew worse. The man who save him the pepper vine-
gar often inquired how he did, and when tola that he
was worse, he would say that I should kiU hiln. I could
not ascertain the reason of this patient bding lifibcted in
the m&nner he was, till Mr. Sewell took some of the
same, and was immediately taken in the same* manner
aa the sick man. He took medicine and got over it,
and, in a short time after, took some more, and was at-
tacked in a similar manner. I then began to mistrust
that there was somethhig in the pepper vmegar, and on
examining it, waa satisfied that it bad been poisoned to
destroy the patient, in ordef to take advantage of me. I
was obliged to carry them bofli thvough a course of the
medicine, and they aflerwarda had Ho such turittr

This patient, tifler about three months' close mention,
gained so as to enjoy a comfortable state of health. The
undertaking was very tediolls on my part ; I should be
hardly willing to go through the same process again, for
any sum whatever. The destructive effects of ullt-petre
is the worst of any poison I ever undertook to clear the
system of. The only method I have found succiisful, is
to give No. I and No. 2, and throw allo^ it. out of the
stomach that can possibly be done; and by steaming
keep the heat of the body above it; all other poisons can
be eradicated by the common course of medicine. I
was called on to attend the sick from all quarters; but
few of them were able to purchase the information, and
many who had it have never paid any thing. The peo-
ple generally were well satisfied w«th its utility; my
friends were very zealous in introducing it among the
people ; but my opponents were not slack in doing every
thing in their power to pi'ejudice the public against me
and the medicine. The doctors seemed much troubled
at the success of the practice, many having been tured
who were given over by them. One woman, who had
been unable to walk for about nine months, after having'
been confined, and the doctors could not help her, was
attended by Mr. Sewell, and in a short time restored to
a comfort&ble state of health, which ^ave them great o^
fence; and some of them published m the newspapers,

i

(y SMMHUnMHM. . •

*>

Murt of B|f tritl for tnnti»r, in 6rder to prejudice the pub-
uo agmiiMl m^. I prepacad an eiftwer, but they lied lb
much influence with' the .prihters, thjtt I was unlble to
get it ipierted; they had the meannesa to ciiculate the
report that 1 aoknowladged the fact, because I did not
answer their atatement. Thus have the faculty, by euoh
unprincipled conduct, managed to keep tlto people blind* '^

•to the benfflt they might receive from^the use of the
medicin^ for the purpose of keeping up their own ofiaflit
and making them tributary to themselves, Without tmgfurd'
t9 the public good.

. This season I went to Eastport, and collected lome
money to ^pay my friend Rice; and thinking to mi^ke •
some profil, liid it out in fish, and sent it to, Portland,
consifllif lA* Xfi my firiead Fickett. When I went there
myserfr aokl the fishto him. . I afterwards mad^^settle-.

• mdntliwIMl nim, and to6k his noteVor one hundred aud
aixty-thfee dollars, which he ng^ed to pay Judge Rice; '
as he ^aa going to ^oiton ip a short time, andmjhe' would
call on |li^ at Portsmouth for tlat purpose. I then went
homer to pfe my family, and in about mx. months alter,
returno(|^|p« Portsmouth, and on QallinFon Judge Rice,
found tMfQjisurprisI that Mr. Fick<ltt nad not paid the
money, iKqyjie had failed, and -there was no chance for
me to get aa|r thing of him. {^o I was again disappoint"^
ed in my expectations of paying this demand, and it ap-
peared to ma that all my hard earnings .would be sacri-
ficed to pay the expenslifOf persecutions; but my friend
Rice was veiy indulgent; and instead of complaining,
did all he could to encourage me apd keep up my spirits.
In the fall of the^year 1813, I started from Portland
to go to Eastport, and took Mr. Sewell wi>th me, in order
to try to get a settlement with Mr. Carpenter, as he
kitt*fr all the particulars of the agreement between KHs.
After' suffering many hardships, and being at great ex-
pense, iigliBonsequence of having^to go P^i^ ^f ^^^ ^^
by water, and part by* land, owing tQthe war that then
existed, we arrived there on the 12th day of November..
On my jirrival, I mado inquiry oonceVning my affair with
Caifei^ar, and ascertained what proof I could obtain to
support an il}tio#|tga|bst him for the pr^erty he had
wronged me oulof) and afleii^iaking an unsuccessful

f

4k . ^ f ■

■m

f

; # * . ^ ' . *- ^ . *, #

.itten^to 9^ mj aoeouiit %o(ak» out oT hi» h»ndt,
f fii^ugin Sf actioB qi^^fiitiiiill ibr liM propevt^ left In hu
Jkwseiiliola; this bimg the oaljr W^y >n^l^icl^ I could
' bisag him to in aceoiint. A(Wr mucn timepod ez^nse,
I at Ubt obtained a judgment <Ǥain8t him, got out an ex-
eeti^il, which was tevie^^n the land he had lii|)U8tly ,
got a deed of/ and it wii tilp|Jhr apfMraised to jneV
aft^>avteg t^ get a writ of ^i^c^eot td ge#(r. little
oi||^ll[y^«i|lBes8toit of U, who claimed it undir a pivleii&ded
IGkie^Si^ Carpenti^ to prevent it froa|^eiBjS attached,
I at last got the farm, which had cost in/tetting it more
iban it was worth; 4o I had to put ufi with the loss of all
%inykearningi%ai£j|stpart for two years, with the loss of
medicine «old byCarpeiater, all of whioH amounted tol
not leoyhan fifteen hundlred dollars. ' «**<'^ *

I repnied to Portlapd, Whore I rtmained |^ aittend |o^
mjr practice and the soci^y that Ihad been formed tiere,
'foi^ considerable time } a^d after settling and aivangiog
my bulin^lrs as well as f c^ulpli left Afr. Sewell itt^f^iarge
of iy| my affairs there, and in January, 18H> t^ti^n^ed to
Fonmnoiith, wh|y|^ place I made the principi^,^d|{k)t of
my. medicines; na\^g previous tojgpy ret^hwig from
the Eastward, nwde ilrraneements wtth my agepitlftoftup-
dIv them, and all others wno had purchase^tKi^ rights,
with such medicine as thf y might want, b^their apply-
ing to me for them. I had laid in a large stock, the
vtdue of which I estimated to be about one thousand
dollars. I went to Boston and ITalem to procure some
articles that could not be obtained elsewhere, in order
complete my stock;^ when absent, the great fire took
plaee at Portsmouth, and all my stoG)|. of medicine was
consumed. T^ was a very serious loss to me, not only
in a pecuniary pibint of view, but it disarranged all my

EnSj^and put it out of my power to supply those wl!i<£»I
3W depended upon me for all such articlesL aii were
st important in the Mractice. The season wib so far
advanced that it wat impossible to obtain a new recruit
«f most of the art^les; and I was obliged to collect a
part of what had been smtt to dififerent places, in order
to be able to supply, Jun the bei| m,ai|ner I cod4> Jhch
demands for ijledictne, as I shoiAl lM»'%alldll on for. In
doing this, I" was |Mit to gireat trouble aid expense, and

f
*

,di

♦*»

s..

t

0/#Nmf

I TloNMOm^

$

■%

18$

ll ofd» to miJce myte^ wbole, was ttuder the n«ces«ty
of raifliog t^e price of the mediciQe fifty per cent. ; tftip
caused much griunblipg and complakrt from theinembers
ef the fiipcietiea in ^hffereot places, and wfp taken advaifc^
tage of by my enemies to injure me all they could.

I sent ia^the estimate of my loss, by the cctpwmittee,
who had the charge of the money cotUij^buted by th#
people in different parts, for the relief of the safierers by
the firo, and afterwards called on them, tnth an ei^cta-
tioil of receiving my share; but thej^ said my loss wM of
such a nature uat they could not giye mf any thipig, as
I should* be aUe to collect aaotherr supply the ne^t sjBar
son, and I never received a c0iit jfrom them. In additioi)^^
to my loss by the fire, and otE^r difficultiei I had to. en-'
cows^er, imd, while I was at J^ortsmouth using all my ex-
eraoQ$ to replenish my stoc^ of medicine, s»id assist
Iboie who were suffering fVo^ disease and needed the
benefit of my .practice, I received information from Port-
land, |hat the doctors had obti^med one of my hooks of
direetioi^ which was publllhid expressly for {he informa-
tion (HT^^ose' who purchased the rigl^ of using mi lys-
tsm i^: practice, and had some koolffbidge of it by ver-
bal and other imrtruction, had {H^ted an edition of it,
nA advertised them for sale At 37 f-2 cents j| copy.
They itateid in their advertisements, that *' this invalip-
hie work, which had heretofore been selling for twenty
dollars, may now be had for thirty-seven and a haU*
cents;" and sent them to all places where my societies
had been formed, and my practice had been introduced,
for the purpose of putting me down, and preventing th|i
use of my medicine; but after all this pitiful attempt w>
do me the great uiiury which they so foodly anticipated,
they gained nothing by it, except it w|i%he contempt of
all the honest part of society, who were knowing to the
eircpnstances.- To put a stop to these practices, and
prevent^he public from being imposed upon, I cai||pd
a notice to be published in the 'Pbrtsmoutb and Portland
pi^pers, cautioning the people against buying these books,
or makifag use of the medicine, and trespassing on my
patent^ under the peaflty of ue law in such csjps pro-
vidfikl: and also lonered a reward of fifty dollars to any
one who would «ve information qf any, doctor, wKo

♦

f

♦*

A

ill

t

W

■~, *

s

'*i

ldlbuld'tr«8piu9> <ii iSy patent, and f<en''d«Jiar8 for*mnf
#ne who shoul4 be foii|ul guilty of selling the books.
This pui a «top to tifie sale of the books, and prevented
them from doing me any injury by this trick; for those
concerned in this disgraceful manoeuvre, if/efe compelled
to ttpkno^ledge that my agents could sell more books at
twenty dol}ars, than they could at thirty-seven and ^ half
cents. ..\

I^^»iMitinued in Portsmouth, after the loss I met with
firoli the fire, informing the people in that placiB imd
i^ciOify, until I collected another assortment of medi^
eine, "during which time fifty members were added- to
^e society there. I appointed Mr. John Locke as my
agent in Portimouth, and the soeiety acceded of him asi
such, to take the management of the practice, ];ftfid4«||ip»
ply thent ^^th medicine ; I agreed to. kllow hitn twenty-
nve per c<i!nt. on, the -sale of rights, and in etghtben
montm He added about -forty members to the sodMy.
He conduced himself wkh the greatest propriety ^n the
performan^ of all the dutils msigned him, an&iicrthis',
as w^as in all other concerns, which I hiid Witl^ him,
has given me thPiii|^hest satisfaction. I m^ntioi th^
tribute of praise to hi#>fidelity, the raoijIr^adiP^, M^hfis
one tff the very few whom I have put oonfidencis m, that
I%ave found honest enough to do justice to ffke aid* the
people.- It has generally been the case, with those I
nave appointed as agents, that as soon as they have been
sufficiently instructed to attend to^he practice with suc-
cess, and give satisfaction to the |>eopie, that they have
i|||de it a matter of speculation; and have, by all 'the
means that they could llevise, attempted to get the lead
of the practice s^ their own hands, tttid deprive me of
the credit and plpts of my own discovery; and when I
haver found out Iheir deaigns, and put a stop to th^
career|*by depriving them of their agency, they Bkw
uiiibrmly turned against me and done everything in
their power to injure mf^and destroy the credit' of the
medicme. * This kii^d of conduct ms been a vfry seri-
ous evil, and has cadlbd me much trouble and expense,
besidesidestroying the confidenct of the people •iht^e

* A further notice will be tc^en of this ag^i^t^n another place.

#*

Of Samuel Thomson.

196

benaficial eflTecti of the medicine and practice, and keep-
ing back the information necessary for its being properlj
understood by them. This, however, has not been the
case with all that I have entrusted with the care of my
busineas a» agents, for some of them have been uniform-
ly hooest anafaithful, both to me and to those to whom
they have given the information.

while Mr. 'Locke was acting as my agent at Porte-
moulh, he gave ofibnce, by his faithful uid upright con-
duct, to some members of the society, who wanted to
reap all the advantages and profits without any labor at
expense. They made complaint to me of his conduct,
and wished him turned out; but on asking th^m for their
ct^arges against him, they said he speculated on the medi-
cine, and sold it one third higher than I did. I told
them that I had been obliged to raise the price, in con^
•equence of mv lois by the fire, and that he was not to
blaine for it. Theyj however, persisted in their com-
plaints, and after finding that they could not make me
turn against him, they turned against me. After mak-
ing further inquiries into the subject, I satisfied myself
of their reason" for wishing Mr. Locke turned out of the
agency. A man by the name of Holman, whom I had
four years previous cured of a consumption, as has been
before related, and to whom I had given the information,
and authorized to form a society at Hopkinton, where
he had practised three years without making me any
returns, nad returned to Portsmouth, and practised with
Mr. Locke, As an assistant. This man formed a plan to
have Mr. Locke turned out, in order to get his place
himself, and had managed so as to gain over to his side
a number of the society, who joined with him in effect-
ing this objecti They made use of all kinds of intrigue
to get the control of the practice out of my hands, by
offering to buy the right for the county, and many other
ways; but I understood their designs, and refused idl
their offers.

At the next annual meeting of the society, Holman
was chosen their affent without my consent, and I re-
fiised to authorize him to give information; for he had
deceived me before, by saying, on his return to Ports-
mouth, that he could not ffi^m a society at Hopkinton,

»«t

136

JV*arra<tv« of iK% JAfi^ ^e.

'Which I had found out to be Mm; and inuiy other
t;hings in his conduct had oauied me to be, much div^
satisfied with all he did, that I declined hBvin|| anything
further to do with him. He periiited in praotieing) and
in eighteen months, by his treaoherouf conduct, run
down the credit of the medicine and praotiee, and broke
up the society, after it had, the eishteen monthi previa
ous, got under good way by Mr. Looke'i agency, and
was in a very prosperous condition. I had good reason
to believe that Holman was employed by my enemies to
break me up in this place, and deitroy the credit of the
medicine; for when I wils absent, I aicertained that he
gave salt-petre and other poisons, under the pretence
that by giving it the night befbre it would prepare the
stomach for my medicine to be taken in the morning.
This was like preparing over night |o build a fire in the
morning, by filling the fire-place with mow and ice. Af-
ter preparing the stomach in this way, the medicine
would have no beneficial effect!; and he would then
place the patient over a steam, which caused them to
faint. In this way he proved to the members of the so-
ciety that my mode of practice was bad, and thus used
his uifluence to destroy the credit of my medicine in
their minds, and make them believe that I had deceived
them. His practice turned out very unsucoemiAtl, and
he lost many of his patients. He had lost more in six
months, than I had lost in six years, which I imputed en-
tirely to his bad conduct.

After my return, finding how things were situated in
regard to the practice, that all the credit I had gained
by seven years labor, had been destroyed in eighteen
months, led me to make a particular inquiry into the
cause. On visiting his patients I found some of the pills
made of salt-petre, and also some opium pills, which he
had been in the habit of administering iecretlr<to his

{>a|ients under the name of my medicine ; and after col-
ecting an assortment of his poison, I called a meeting
of the society, and proved to them that he had made
use of these poisons under the pretence of giving my
medicine; and also that he had confessed to have. given
tobacco, when called on to administer my medicine ; all
of which satisfied the society so well Of the baseness of

*

Of Samuel Thornton.

137

the conduct o^ their agent, that they immediately passed
a vote, dismissing him from his agency. A committee
was appointed to investisate the whole of his conduct,
and publish a statement ofthe same, in order to do away
the false impression that had been made on the public
mind, and convince them that the bad success of this
man's practice, had been owing to his own wicked con-
duct| and not to any fault in the medicine. I was never
able, however, to get this committee to meet and attend
to the duty assigned them by the society, although they
confessed themselves satisfied ofthe truth of my charges
against Holman, and ofthe injury I had sustained by nis
conduct;' and after waiting six months, and finding that
they were more willing that I should sufter, than that
the blame should fall where it justly belonged, I left them
to their more fashionable practice, and withdrew all my
medicine from the place.

In the spring of the year of 1814, I wrote to Mr.
Mowe, my agent at Eastport, to leave that place, in con-
sequence of the war becoming troublesome, and come
to Portsmouth. He came up in May. I took him with
me and went to Surry, where we continued through the
su^imer, and he assisted me in carrying on my farm, and
collecting an assortment of medicine. In August, we
went to Onion River, where my father resided, to make
a visit, and collect some articles of medicine, that coyld
pot be obtained in Surry. After my return, Mr. Mowe
went to Portsmouth, and I remained at home till after
the harvesting was over, then went to Portsmouth, to
collect medicine, and ajttended to some practice. Some
time in December, I returned home, and found an ex-
press had been there for me to go to Guildford, sent by
Mr. Davis, whom I had attended the year before at
Portsmouth. I went with all speed, and found his wife
sick with a consumption. I attended her a few days, to

S've them information, and sold him the right of usins
e medicine; and also sold some rights to others. 1
then returned to Portsmouth, and sent Mr. Mowe to
Guildford to practise, tod give information to those who
had purchased the rights, where he remained till spring.
During the time Mr. Mowe was at Guildford, he was
very successful in his practice, and made some remark-
12*

m

MuhraUve of the lAfe, 8fe,

able cures. Great opposition was made to hii practice,
by the doctors, and all the false represent'atioui made
about it that they could invent, to prejudice the minda
of the people against the medicine and stop its being in-
troduced among them. After this, another plan wae got
up to injure me ; societies were formed in the manner I
had fiffmed mine, and members wore admitted for two
dollars. The only information giVen them was to Airniih
each member with one of the pamphlets, containing my.
directions, which had been stolen from a woman and
published at Portland, Without my knowledge. In this
manner, my system of practice, in the hands and under
the superintendence of those who were endeavoring to
destroy me, became popular in Guilford and the towns
adjacent; and had become so imjportant, that a general
invitation was given iroughout the neighboring towni
for the people to come and join them in the sreat im^
provement of testorfitig the health of mankind. Thus
did these professional gentlemen tamper with my rights
and the credulity of the people, for tne pitiftil purpose
of injuring me, by pretending to sell ell my informattoll
for two dollars, for which I asked twenty; and in their
hands called it honorable, scientific knowledge. After
these trespasses had become open and general, and the
people had been invited to join in it, m;^ agent at Guild-
ford, wrote me a letter, giving information of the trans**
action, and I went there to see to it. On my arrival, I
conversed with those who had purchesed their rights of
me or my a^ent; they informed me of the ihcti as above
related, and said that they had been solicited to join the
society that had been formed; and they wished my ad-
vice, whether they should attend a seneral meeting which
was to be held in about a fortnigTit. I told them that
they nad better attend; they then asked me if they
should be asked for information, what they should do
about giving it; I told them that I thought people joined
societies to get information, and not to give it. I em-
ployed an attorney to proceed asainst those who tres-
passed, and have them punished according to law, in
such cases provided, and returned to Portsmouth. 'And
here the matter rested, as I heard of no fltrther trespass
in that quarter.

\

Of Samuel Tlum^m.

139

In the month of February, 1815, 1 had an application
to go to Philadelphia and introduce my societies and sys-
tem of practice m that city. Thinkmg it not proper to
go alone, I made an agreement with Mr. John Locke, to
go with me; and after we got every thing prepared, he
started on the seventh in the morning to so in the stage,
and I chose to go by water, and sailed the same day in
a vessel for New York. We had a Ions and tedious
passage, suffering very much from the cold. We had a
gale of wind which blew us off into the Gulf Stream,
and we were two hundred miles south of our port; on
getting into a warmer latitude the weather became
warmer, when we were enabled to get clear of the ice,
with which the vessel was much burdened, and could
set some sail; and we arrived at New York after a very
rough passage of seventeen days.

During the passage, one of the crew had frozen his
handi^ and feet very badly, and when we had got where
the weather became warmer, he was in the most extreme
pain. He said that it seemed as though the bones of
his hands and feet were coming in pieces; his suffering
was so great that the tears would run firom his eyes, and
the sweat down his cheeks with the pain. I was re-
quested by the captain and crew to do something to re-
lieve him. I agreed to do the best I could for him, in
the cold and comfortless situation we were in. There
was ho place to keep a fire under decks, and the weather
was so rough that we could seldom keep any in the
camboose on deck. I was obliged to administer the medi-
cine according to my judgment in the best manner I
could. In the first place I procured handkerchiefs and
cloths enough to wrap his hands and feet up in several
thicknesses, then wet them well with cold water, and
wrapped his hands and feet as well as I could, wetting
them with cold water, and put him in his birth, covered
well with blankets, and gave him the warmest medicine
to take I had with me, and repeated it to keep the in-
ward heat sufficient to cause a free circulation in the
limbs; and if his hands and feet grew painful, poured
cold water on the cloths; and continued this course of
treatment, of keeping the inward heat above the out-
ward, by raising the one and letting down the other, till

140

JWrafMW of the lAfe, Sfc.

I got the fountain above the stream; and in about two
houra, fVeed him firorn all pain, to the surprise and aston>
ishment of all the hands on board. When I come to
take off the cloths, the blood had settled under the nails
and under the skin, which came off without any blister
being raised, and before we arrived at New York, he
was able to attend his watch.

It was said by the captain and crew that this was the
most remarkable cure they had ever known; and that
if he had been attended in the common form, he would
have lost his toes if not his feet, besides suffering much
' pain and a long confinement. It will be necessary to
remark, that the greatness of this cure consisted in its
simplicitv ; any person could have performed the same,
who had come to years of discretion, by adopting the
same plan, and many times be the means of saving the
amputation of limbs. There is no mystery in it, the
whole plan consists in keeping the determining power
to the surface, from the fountain of the body, which is
the stomach; iVom which all the limbs rec^ve their sup-
port and warmth, and lyhen you cannot raise the fountain
sufficient to give, nature its proper course, you must lower
the stream, or outward heat, by keeping the heat down
on the limbs, and raising the inward heat, when there
can no mortification ever return from the limbs to the
body, any 'more than a log can float against a stream.

In the case above stated, before I began to do any
thing for the man, I duly considered his situation; he
had been almost ^hilled to death by the extreme cold
weather, so that his limbs had very little warmth from
the body, not enough to bring them to their feeling; until
the warm weather raised a fever on the limbs faster than
in the body, and in proportion as the heat in the extremi-
ties is raised above that in the body, by applying hot
poultices or other similar applications, so much wiu the
whole system be disordered, and the parts that have been
injured will be extr«ii»ely painful, and by a continued
application of such means, the fever or outward heat will
increase by the current being turned inward, till. mortifi-
cation takes place, when the limbs have to be taken off
to save life; and in most cases the body has become so
much disordered, that they die after all. This may, I

C^ Samuel Tkonuon.

141

ftm confident, be avoided by understanding my • plan of
treatment and pursuing it with zeal, particularly in all
cases of burns or freezing.

On my arrival at New )fork, I found Mr. Locke, who
had come in the stage, and had been waiting for me ten
days. The next morning we started in the stage for
Philadelphia, where we arrived that evening, ana went
to a boarding house and put up for the night. In the
morning we went in search of Elder Plunier, with
whom I had engaged the fall before, to go to Philadel-
phia; we found him in the course of the forenoon, and
he expressed much joy at our arrival. He preached a
lecture that evening, and appointed a meeting at the
same place the next evening for me ; at which 1 attend-
ed and- gave a lecture; there was a large collection of
people attended this meeting, and I gave a full and ex-
plicit explanation of the principles upon which my sys-
tem is founded. There were two medical students
present, and while I was endeavouring to give a view of
the formation of the animal creation out of the four ele-
ments; that heat was life, and cold death; and that the
blood was necessary to life, as being the nourishment of
the flesh, and inasmuch as it was taken away, so much
was life and health diminished, one of them interrupted
me and said, that cold was a promotion of life, and that
bleeding was beneficial to preserve life also. I answer-
ed him by stating, that admitting his doctrine to be true,
an animal that had the blood' taken from it and was fVo-
zen, would be the liveliest creature in the world. This
unexpected retort caused a laugh, and the two medical
gentlemen left the room. I then went on and concluded
the explanations I wished to make, which gave general
satisfaction to the people present; and sixteen signed
the articles of agreement that night, to obtain the
knowledge of the medicine and practice, to whom I
engaged to give informi^ion by lectures. We remained
there about a week, in which time about twenty bought
the right.

When we had completed our business at Philadelphia,
we went on to Washington, where we remained several
days, and had a view of the ruins of the public build-
ings, which had been distroyed by the British, when

142

A*aiTafi0« of (4e !«/<, ^t.

r'-

they took possesuon of that city, about aix months pre-
vious to our being there. While at the capitol, 1 had an
interview with General Varnum, and eome convoraation
passed between us cencerning the pipsisway, which had
been found useful in a case of cancer for which I at-
tended his wife when practising at Pelham, in the year
1807. He said that it having been found so useful in all
cancerous cases, he thought it ought to be published in
the newspapers <^ almanac, for the benefit of those who
were afflicted with this dangerous disease, and express-
ed a wish that I would do it. I told him that I thought
it' would be better for him to publish it than for me, and
he consented; and the next year he published it in the
almanac, which was the cause of much speculation in
this article, and of which I shall give some account in
another part of this work.

After staying in Washington a few days, we went to
Alexandria where we remained about a week, in which
time I collected some Cyprus bark, which is known there
by the name of poplar, and what we call poplar, is by
them called quaking-asp, on account of the constant
shaking of its leaves^ While at this place I fell in com-
pany with Capt. Davis, of Portsmouth, and agreed to take
passage with him and return to that place. Arrange*
ments were made for Mr. Locke to return by land} and I
directed him to stop at Washington and get a copy of my
patent, then to go on to Philadelphia and remain there
as long as it should be necessary to give information to
those who purchased the rights, or any that should wish
to purchase them in that city, and after paying proper
attention to them, to return to Portsmouth. I then
went on board the vessel and we set sail; and, after a
long passage, arrived safe at Portsmouth about the same
time that Mr. Locke got there.

During this summer, I visited Eastport, Portland,
Charlestowtt, South Reading and other places where so-
cieties had been formed, or rights sold to individuals, to
five information to the people; and in all places where
went, found the book of directions, which had bben
clandestinely obtained and published by the doctors and
others, to iniirre me by stopping the sale of rights, sell-
ing at 37 1"2 cents. ; I was under the. necessity of putting

Of Samuel Tkomion.

143

haa an
Brtatioa
ich had
:h 1 at-
he year
ul in all
iihed in
[>a6 who
expreM-

thought
me, and
it in the
lation in
oount in

went to
in which
iwn there
ar, ia hy
constant
1 in com-
id to take
Arrange*
id; and I
^py of my
in there
lation to
luld with
proper
I then
after a
the same

Portland,
^here ao-
luali, to
ks where
lad b^en
Itora and
)ta, aell-
|f putting

an advertisement in the papers, cautioning the people
against this imposition, which put a stop to their sale;
but great pains were taken by my enemies to circulate
them among the people; and this is the way that some
of my articles or medicine came to be made use of
through the country in colds, such as cayenne, ginger,
&o. In 1816 I published another edition of my book
of directions, and secured the copy right; but this was
reprinted at Taunton, and I advertised it as before, and
stopped its progress.

In the fall of the year 1815, 1 went to Cape Cod to
procure some marshrosemary, and collected a quantit^jr,
carried it to Portsmouth and prepared it for use. This
is the last time I have collected any of this article, and
as it becomes scarce, think I shall make no more use
of it. It h too cold and binding, without using a large
share of bayberry bark and cayenne with it, to keep the
saliva free. I have found other articles as substitutes,
which answer a bette^ purpose, such as hemlock bark,
which I have of late made use of and found very good,*
white lily roots, witch-lM^le and raspberry leaves, and
sumach berries; the last article is very good alone,
steeped and sweetened, and is as pleasant as wine; it is
good for children in cases of canker, especially in long
cases of sickness when other articles become disagreear
ble to them.

In theisprin^ of the rear 1816, 1 went again to Cape,
Cod for medicine, ana found that the spotted fever, or
what was called the cold plague, prevailed there, and the
people were much alarmed, as they could get no help
from the doctors. I told them I had come after medi-
cine where they were dying for want of the knowledge
how to use it. They were desirous for me to try my
practice and satisfy them of its utility. A young man
in the next house to where I was, beting attacked with the
fever the day before, went to see him, and the family
expressed a wish to have me try my medicine. I put a
blanket round him and put him by the fire; took a tea
spoonful of composition, and added more No. 2 and as
mttteh flinffar, put it in a tea cup, and poured to it a wine
glass of not watef, when cool enough to take, added a
tea spoonful of the rheumatic drops; he took it and in

144

JVarra/>«« of ikt Uft^ 6fc.

fifteen minutee was in a free perspiration; he was then
put in bed and a hot stone wrapped in wet cloths put
to his feet to raise a steam. I then left him in the care
of his friends, with some medicine to be given during
the night; they kept the perspiration free ul night, and
in the morning heat had gained the victory, the canker
was destroyed, and he was comfortable and soon got
well.

I attended three other persons in one house, who had
been sick a longer time, and had taken other medicine,
so that it was more difficult to cure them. I steeped No.
3, and poured off half a tea cupful and sweetened it, and
added half a tea spoonful of No. 2, when cool enough
to take, put in one tea spoonful of No. 1, and gave it to
each of the patients, repeating it once in fifteen minutes,
till they had taken it three times, whether they puked or
not in that time, kept a hot stone wrapped in wet cloths
at their feet to keep up a steam; while they were under
the operation of the puking and sweating, gave them as
much cider or water to drink as they required; when
they had done vomiting, gave milk porridge freely. As
soon as they had done sweating, and their strength had
returned, got them up and steamed them as long as they
could bear it ; then rubbed them over with spirits, water
or vinegar, changed their clothes, and they went to bed,
or sat up as their strength would permit. I will ^ere
remark for the information of the reader, that when the
patient is so bad as not to be able to get up, they must be
oteamed in bed as hot as they can bear it, then set them
up on end, rub them as before mentioned, and change their
clothes and bed clothes. This last direction in imoortant
to be attebded to, for if their own clothes are c&anged
without changing the bed clothes, they will absorb a part
of the filth that nas beea discharged through the pores,
and add to what remains of the disorder. This precau-
tion is all impqi;tant in every case of disease, and should
be paid particular attention to, in order to guard Against
taking back any part of what has been thrown ofi^.by
the operation of the medicine^ The nurse or those who
atteno upon the sick, are also in danger from the same
cause, and should be particularly careful to guard against
taking the disorder by breithing in the foul vapor from

the
der
whic
tiona
the I
and
ally
a tei
when
is wo
Ad
tend
deolin

u then
ths put
le cwtp

during
;ht, and

canker
oon got

who had
ledicine,

nd No.
t, and
enough
[ave it to
minutes,
puked or
et cloths
re under
them as
»d; when
lely. As
pgth had
as they
ts, water
t to bed,
will l^ere
vhen the
must be
set them
age their
mportant
•hanged
rb apart
} pores,
precau-
d should
against
I off by
lose who
le same
against
tr from

Of Samuel T%onuon.

145

the bod clothes, and standins over the patient when un>
der the operation of the medicine, the principal effect of
which is to throw off by perspiration and other evacua-
tions, the putrefaction that disease has engendered in
the body. To guard against this, take some hot bitters,
and keep a piece of ginger root in the mouth, occasion-
ally swallowinff some of it, when most exposed; also take
a tea spoonful of Nos. 3 and 3, steeped in hot water,
when going to bed ; one ounce of prevention in this way,
is worth a pound of cure when sick.

AAer relieving those four cases, I was sent for to at-
tend a woman, who had been sick for a long time; I
declined attending any more unless they would buy the
right. This displeased her so much, because I was not
willing to practise and cure all of them for nothing, that
she abused me for my declining to attend her. Two
men bought the rights, and they asked me how much I
would take for the right of the whole town. I offered
it to them for the price of twenty rights; but they said
that the sickness had so much abated that the alarm was
nearly over, and declined my offer. This disease first
appeared in Easthamthe fore part of February, in which
month twenty-seven died, in March, fourteen, and me in
April, making in the whole, forty-six in three months in
this small place. I left some medicine with those who
had purchased the rights, and returned to Boston.

Within a week after my return from Cape Cod, I re-
ceived a letter from Eastham, to come there as soon as
possible. I took a stock of medicine, and went on there
as quick as I could ; and on my arrival, found tliat the
fever had again made its appearance among the people,
with double fatality. I soon found enough ready to
purchase the twenty rights, for which I had offered to sell
the right of the whole town. I attended on many of
those who had the disease, in company with the two m«n
who had purchased the right of me when there beforej
and instructed them how to carry the patients through a
course of the medicine; and they attended and gave in-
formation to others; when they could meet together, I
gave information by lectures; those who g(rt the infcNr-
mation attended wherever they were wanted. I pursued
my usual mode of treatment, by administering the medi-
13

It*

146

Ifarrativt of the JUftt ifc.

cine to promote a free perspiration, and when necessary,
steamed and gave injections, cleansed the stomach, and
cleared off the canker; the success in curing this alarm-
ing disease was very great. I staid about two weeks,
during which time there were attended with my medi-
cine, thirty-four cases, of whom only one died, the rest
got well. At the same time, of those who were attend-
ed by the regular doctors, eleven out of twelve died, mak-
ing in the whole upwards of fifty deaths in a short time in
this place, which was about one twelfth part of the in-
habitants that were at home. The truth of the above
statements is authenticated by the certificates of the
Selectmen of the town, and other respectable inhabitants,
which will be inserted in another part of the work.

During my stay this time, I attended the husband of
the woman who had abused me when here before, at the
house of his sister; she came there while I was attend-
ing upon her husbasd, and treated me and him in a
most abusive manner, saying that she would die sooner
than take ai^y of my medicine, or have any thing to do
with me. After she had vented her spite to her own
satisfaction, she went home, was taken sick on the way,
and was one of the last who died with the fever at this
time. The people generally, treated me with kindness
and respect, and took great interest in my cause; and
the success of my system of practice, in relieving them
from this alarming disease, gave universal satisfaction.

I formed those who purchased the rights, into a socie-
ty; and they chose a committee, whom I authorized as
agents to sell rights and medicine ; but this caused a
jealousy among the rest of the members, who said I gave
privileges to some more than to others.

I have formed four societies, and given them certain
privileges, by allowing them part of the profits on the
sale of rights and medicine ; but as soon as there ^as
any funds, it has always created uneasiness among the
members. Some of the ignorant and selfish, would call
for their dividends, as though it was bank stock, ii^stead
of feeling grateful for the advantages they enjoy by hav-
ing their diseases cured, and their minds relieved from
t^^^f^^ming C(>i^^gi|^9pe8 .(^f a disease, with ii U:i^i|ig

.j/'iiiiri

■.■in%'im,':in:hi

MH'^V •

•f-

Of Samuel Tlumion. .

tki

expense. I have since altered my plan, and now have
but one society. Every one who purchases a right for
himself and family, becomes a member of the Friendly
Botanic Society, and is entitled to all the privileges of a
free intercourse with each other, and to converse with
any one \vho has bought a right, for instruction and as-
sistance in sickness, as each one is bound to give his
assistance, by advice or otherwise, when called on by a
member. In this way much more good can be done,
and there will be much more good-will towards each
other, than where there is any money depending.

I had now been in practice, constantly attendmg upon
those laboring under disease, whenever called on, for
about thirty years; had suffered much both in body and
mind, from the persecutions I had met with, and my un-
wearied exertions to relieve the sick ; and to establish
my system of practice upon a permanent basis, that the
people might become satisfied of its superiority over that
which is practised by those styled regular physicians;
putting it in their power to become their own physicians,
by enabling everv one to relieve themselves and friends,
from all disease mcident to our country, by making use
of those vegetable medicines, the produce of our own
country, which are perfectly safe and easily obtained;
and which, if properly understood, are fully sufficient in
all cases of disease, where there can be any chance of
without any danger of the pernicious, and often

cure.

fatal consequences attending the administering those
poisons that the fashionable doctors are in the habit of
giving to their patients.

After having discovered a system, and by much labor
and constant perseverance reduced it to practice, in a
manner that had given general satisfaction to all who
had become acquamted with it, and having secured the
same by patent, in order that I might reap some benefit
from my discovery, to support me in my old age, having
by a long series of attendance on the sick, both as phy-
sician and nurse, become ahnost worn out, Icame to the
determination to appoint some suitable person, who would
do justice to me and the cause, as a general agent, to
take the lead in practice, and give the necessary infor-
mation to those who should purchase the rights, which

#

14S

JfarraHme of ihe JAfe, 4rc.

would enable me to retire from practice and receire a
rii^are of the profits as a reward for my long sufferings.
After considerable inquiry, I became acquainted with
Elias Sinith, who wa; recommended as a man in whom
I could confide, and who was every way qualified as
a suitable person to engage in the undertaking. I
found him in Boston, and in very poor circumstances;
having been for many years a public preacher, but in
consequence of his often changing his religious princi-

Sles and engaging in different projects in which he had
een unsuccesslul, he was now without a society or any
visible means of supporting himself and family. He
readily engaged with me, and promised to do every thing
in his power, to promote my interest and extend the use-
fulness of my system of practice.

I sold him a family right in December, 1816, and was
in his family during the winter, for the purpose of in-
structing him in the practice, to qualify him to attend
upon the sick, and give information to others.^ I put the
utmost confidence m his honor, and spared no pains in
communicating to him, without any reserve whatever, all
tiie knowledge I had gained by my experience, both by
practice and verbal instruction; under the expectation,
that when he became sufficiently acquainted with the
system and practice, I sholild be rewarded for my trou-
ble, by his faithfully performing his duty towards me,
according to his promise. I shcdl make no remark upon
my being disappointed in all my expectations in regard
to Mr. Smith's conduct, and the treatment I received
from him after he had gained a knowledge of the prac-
tice firom me, to enable him to set up for himself; but
shall proceed to give a short account of what took place
during my connection with him.

The first case I attended with him was in his own
family . His son had the itch very badly, so that he was
nearly one half of him one raw sore. They had fried
the usual remedies without any benefit. I snowed him
the use of No. 3, to wash with, to stop the smart .of the
sores; then took some rheumatic drops and added about
one fourth part of spirits of turpentine and washed him
with it; this is very painful when applied where the skin
is 9ff; to prevent which mix with it some of thjp wash

toiade of

give son
ed; an
shaken t
ment on(
The I

S)ther 01
e ague
pass of
ting a sm
between
her some
was curei
_ I was (
'' June;
» '• wit
.^ouse to
been give
much 8W(
proportior
direction,
cine everj
or twice a
tended ui
four was I
about for
the lofjor
•of carryin
absent; I
pt fVight
mformatio
came to hi
her, and
of this w(
informatioi
like to her
will show;
lated.

Another
who was ir
tity of phy
On takmg

m

Of Samuel ThovMon.'

149

Made of No. S; at the same time of applying the above,

give some of the composition, especially when going to
ed ; and occasionally give about fifteen of the drops,
shaken together, on loaf sugar. By pursuing this ^treat-
ment one week this boy was entirely cured.
The next case, which was the first we attended to-

Stther out of his house, was a young woman, who had
e ague in her face. I showed him the whol^ pro-
cess of curing this complaint ; which was done by put-
ting a small quantity of No. 2 in a cloth, and placing it
between her cheek and teeth; at the same time giving
her some of Nos. 3 and 3 to take, and in two hours she
was cured.
I was constantly with him in practice from February
^t June; during which time we attended many bad
ti IS with great success. A Mrs. Grover came to his
^ouse to be attended, who had the dropsy. She had
been given over by her doctor as incurable, and was so
much swelled as to be blind, and her body and limbs in
proportion. Mr. Smith undertook her case under my
direction, and carried her through a course of the medi-
cine every day for nine days, and then occasionally once
or twice a week till she was cured. She was thus at-
tended under my inspection for three weeks, and in
four was entirely cured; for which she gave Mr. Smith
about forty dollars. In this case I did a great part of
the \vhov and ha got the pay. About the third time
•of carrying, her through a course of the medicine, I was
absent; her symptoms appeared unfavorable, and he
got fVightened; a nurse woman, to whom I had given
mformation, and who had more experience than he had,
came to his assistance, and by using injections relievi^d
her, and prevented mortification. The circumstance
of this woman proving that she was forward of him 2n
information, seemed to fix in Mr. Smith's mind a dis-
like to her ever after, as his subsequent treatment of her
will show; the particulars of which will be hereafter ir^-
lated.

Another case was of a man who came to his houfe,

who was in a declining way, and had taken a great quitfl-

tity of physio before he came, which would not operate.

On takmg my medicine, as soon as he began to be warm,

13*

*

150

Jfarraiive of the UJt^ ^e.

80 aa to cause motion in bif boweli, the phjrtio he had
before taken operated, and run hUn down with a relax;
then the dysenterj set in, and he lufflsred much with

5ain, and had dischtfr^es of blood. I gave Mr. Smith
irections to use injections, to dear hii bowels of canker,
and prevent mortification; but he neglected it until I
had told him three days in succesiion. He then got
alarmed and sent for me; but before I arrived he had
given an injection, which had relieved the patient. He
remained and was attended about three weeKS, and went
home in a comfortable state of health. This man paid
Mr. Smith about thirty dollars.

About the same time, a man by the name of Jennings
applied to Mr. Smith, who had lost the use of one of his
arms by the rheumatism. He had been attended by the
doctor for nine months, and had been given over by him
as incurable. His arm was perished, and he was in poor
circumstances, having paid all he had to the doctor; he
wanted relief, but sail he could pay nothing for it unless
he was cured, so that he could earn something by his
Imbor. Mr. Smith asked me if I was willinff to astiet to
cure him on these terms, to which I agreed. We car-
rijpd him through a course of the mediome and steaming
tf^ice or three times a week for four weeks, when a cure
>#a8 effected. The last time he was carried through
was on election day, and he expressed a wish to go on
the common in the afternoon, to which I gave encour-
agement. The medicine was done about ten o'clock;
he was then steamed and washed all over with pepper-
sauce. He complained bitterly of the heat and threw
himself on the bed; I took a spoonflil of good cayenne,
and put in two spoonfuls of pepper-sauce, and gave it to
him to take. This raised the inward heat so much above
the outward, that in two minutes he was quite comforta-
Ue; and in the afternoon he went on the common. His
ann was restored, and he was well firom that time; he
afterwards, as I have been informed, piud Mr. Smith
forty dollars for the cure.

A Mrs. Burleigh came to his house about this time,
wllo had the rheumatism very badly, io that her joints
wwe grown out of place; and I aiiiited in attending
her. She had never taken much ntdidne, which made

it the e

remove

of \ ^isc

apply f(

was car

steamed

medicint

spiration

ral circu

as is the

that the

where tl

washed,

her comf

Some (

that was

and of w

and mov(

She had

utmost CO

proved h(

over him.

ticulars oi

make his

boarded \

contained

notes to 1

made stric

but have

tents to th

think of I

lose it, e:

night and

ecTa yromt

coat off, \

it could I

persons pi

wife, and

at the time

Smith, he

dishonest.

introduced

Of Samuel Thomson.

151

te had
relax;
\ with
Smith
anker,
until I
en got
ne had
t. He
d went
in paid

mninj^s \
) of his
by the
by him
in poor
tor; he
t unless
; by his

IB^lAt to

Ve car-
e anting

a cure
ihroiiph

go on
encour-
'clock;
pepper-

tnrew

iime,

joints

[ending

made

it the easier to cure her, as we had nothing to do but
remove the disease, without having to clear the system
of \ >i8cnous dru^s, as is the case in most of those who
apply for relief m complaints of long standing. She
was carried through the medicine several times and
steamed; the last time I attended her, and gave the
medicine three times as usual, which raised a lively per-
spiration and a fresh color, showing an equal and natu-r
ral circulation; but did not sicken or cause her to vomit,
as is the case most generally. I mention this to show
that the emetic qualities of the medicine will not operate
where there is no disease. She was theQ steamed and
washed, and went out of doors, being entirely cured of
her complaint.

Some time the last of April, or first of May, a woman
that was a relation, of the nurse, who assisted Mr. Smith,
and of whom I have before spoken, hired a room of him
and moved into his house, and the nurse lived w*th her.
She had more experience than he had ; I had put the
utmost confidence m her, and shs had in many instances
proved her superiority in a knowledge of the practice
over him. A singular circumstance took place, the par-
ticulars of which 1 shall relate, and leave the reader to
make his own inferences. Some time in May, while I
boarded with Mr Smith, I lost my pocket-book, which
contained upwards of thirty dollars in bank bills, and
notes to the amount of about five hundred dollars. I
made strict search for it, and advertised it in the papers,
but have never gained any information of it or the con-
tents to this day. It was in my coat pocket, and I could
think of no way in which I had been exposed, or could
lose it, except in his house. I lost it between Friday
nisht and Monday morning, during which time I attand-
eaa woman in his chamber, and several times had my
coat off, which appeared to me to be the only time that
it could be takeU, or that I could lose it. The only
persons present in the room, were Mr. Smith and his
wife, and the nurse ; I had no suspicions of any person
at the time. About'ten days after, being alone with Mr.
Smith, he asked me if I ever mistrusted the nurse being
dishonest. I told him no, for if I had I should not have
introduced her as a nurse. He then said that there had

15S

JVctrro^ve of the lAfe, 8fe.

been a number of thefts committed since ihe bad been in
the house, both from him and other people, and named
the articles and circumstances. He further Raid, that
the girl who lived with him had said that the thought
the nurse was as likely to take mv pocket-book M to
take the things she had undoubtedly stolen. The cir-
cumstances which he related, and the interest he seemed
to tiike in my loss, convinced rae beyond a doubt that
this woman had taken my property. During this con-
versation with him, he said that if she did not move out
of the house he would. The consequence was that the
family moved out of his house, and I dismissed the nurse
fVom having any more to do with mv practice. Since
Mr. Smith has taken to himself the lead in my system
of practice, he has acknowledged that he has become
convinced beyond a. doubt that this woman was not suil-
ty of taking the things which she had been accused of;
without assigning any reason, as I have been able to
learn, for his havmg altered his opinion.

During the time the above circumstances happened,
his son Ira came home, after being absent about four
years; but was not treated with that aflPection a child ex-
pects to receive in a father's house, he was sent off to
seek lodgings where he could. About twelve o'clock he
returned, not being able to obtain lodgings, and called
Up a young man who boarded with Mr. Smith, made a
bitter complaint, on account of the treatment he received
from his father, which he attributed to be owing to the
influence of his mother-in-law; he took a phial and drank
flrom it, and soon after fell on the floor. The young
m&n being alarmed, awaked his father and informed him
of the circumstance; before he got to his son he was
senseless, and stifl* in every joint. I was in bed in the
house, and Mr. Smith came immediately to me, and re-
quested my assistance, said that he expected Ira had
killed himself. He showed rne the phial and asked what
had been in it; I told him it had contained laudanum.
I got up as soon as possible, and on going down,, met
Mr. Smith "anrl the young man bringing Ira up stairs. 1
directed them to lay him on the hearth, and took a bottle
from my pocket, w6ich cc^ntained a strong preparation
of Nra. 1, S, and 6; took his head between my knees,

t

his jawa
and tee
bottle;
his jaws
in five
hour he
next da)i
seemed
took hin
as an as
arrived
and he
all perso
abeient fa
house, ai
manner a
but was c
staid in i
quence,
his fathe
quantity
ment sen
he died.

The m

the corpe

heard it,

fore he d

** I once

life when

hand on I

my pock<

home, no;

notice in

town, Ira

After Ii

Mrs. Smit

dead, she

turned, ai

dium of £

Canada.

as Ira sa

father see:

Of Samvel Tluniuon.

153

teen in
named
d, thit
bought
c AM to ^
*he clr-
leeined
ibt thiit
iit con-
9ve out
hat the
le nurte
Since ^

eyatem
become
lot guil-
wed of;

able to

ippened,
out four
:hild ex-
it off to
clock he
called
made a
received

g to 1^®
d drank

young
ned him
he wa«
d in the

and re-
Ira had
led what
idanum.
Bvn, met
tairi. 1

a bottle

Iparatien

kneet,

his jaws being set, and put my finger between his cheek
and teeth, and poured in some of the medicine from the
bottle; as soon as it reached the glands of his throat,
his jaws became loosened, and he swallowed some of it ;
in five minutes he vomited; in ten he spoke; in one
hour he was clear of the efTects of the opium, and the
next day was well. After this the affection of the father
seemed in some measure to return; he clothed him,
took him to Taunton, and introduced him into practice
as an assistant. He did very well till his mother-in-law
arrived there, when a difficulty took place between them,
and he went off. rlis father advertised him, forbidding
all persons from trusting him on his account. He was
abaent four years, when he returned again to his father's
house, and was received in the same cold and unfeeling
manner as before, was not allowed to stay in the house,
but was obliged to seek an asylum among strangers. He
staid in town several days; became dejected, in conse-
quence, as he said, of the treatment he had met with at
his father's house, ^ent over to Charlestown, took a
quantity of laudanum, and was found near the rnonu*
ment senseless; was carried to the alms-house, where
he died.

The morning after he died, his father came to see
the corpse, and, as I was informed by a person who
heard it, said that if he had been present one hour be-
fore he died he could have saved his life ; for, said he,
** I once administered medicine to him and saved his
life when he had taken a similar dose," and, putting his
hand on his pocket, said, "I always carry medicine in
my pocket for that purpose." He neither took him
home, noi put in the paper the cause of his death. The
notice in the paper was, "Died suddenly, in Charles-
town, Ira Smith, son of £lids Smith, Boston."

After Ira went §,way the last time, I frequently heard
Mrs. Smith say that if she could only hear that Ira was
dead, she should be satisfied. The season before he re-
turned, an account of his death appeared in the Palla-
dium of Boston, stating that Ira Smith died in Upper
Canada. How this account originated is yell unknown,
as Ira said he had never been there. However, his
father seemed to make great lamentation at this unfor-

■ M

*

a

164

Mhmaive of the lAfe, Sfc.

4

tunate newi, and mentioned it in one of his sermons in
Clark Street. In the spring following I saw Ira in New
York, and informed Mr. Smith's family that I had seen
hirn, but he did not proclaim it in the meeting as he did
the news of his death. Neither did he exclaim, in the
words of an ancient father of a prodigal, "My son who
was dead, is alive, and who was lost, is found."

In June following Ira came to me, instead of going to
his father's house. I found him lodging two nights,
and then got him into business in Col. House's printing
office, where he worked some days before he went to his
father's house. When calling there to see his brothers
and sisters, he said something took place betwee^i him
and his step-mother, which so disgusted him that he
threatened before the workmen in the office to destroy
his own life. They laughed at his pretensions, but he
insisted on doing the 'deed, which he did in a few days
after, and thus ended this disgraceful tragedy.

I continued with Mr. Smith, as^as been before men-
tioned, giving him instructioti, till the first of June, when
I appointed him agent, with authority to sell family
rights and medicine. An agreement was drawn up and
signed by both parties, in which it was stipulated, that
I WAK to furnish him with medicine, and allow him twen-
ty-five per cent, for selling ; and he was to have fifty per
cent, for all the rights he sold ; which was ten dollars for
(Bach right, for givrng the necessary information to those
who purchased, and collecting the pay. His principal
dependence at this time was upon me and the practice,
for his support. He paid me one half of what he re-
ceived for lamily rights as he sold them. The first of
July, I contemplated going home to get my hay; but
Mrs. Smith expecting to be confined soon, was very
urgent that I should stay till after she was sick, which
detained me three weeks. I staid accordingly, and at-
tended her through her sickness, for which they gave
me great credit and praise at the time. I then went
home to attend to my rarm and get my hay; after which
I returned to Boston, and in the fall went to Cape Cod,
to attend to some business there, and on my return to
Boston, I found Mr. Smith's youngest child sick with
the quinsy, or rattles; he had done all he could, and

given
Uie chj
physic,
ment o
someth
in givii;
ever'gi
They o
I told th
for it w
contest.
I beg{
violent i
which it
mouth; t
3, to stai
gave reli
of the gi
of its stu
which mc
morning i
they were
tion best,
the child: i
would be
their care
day about
up to die;
not swallo
pense whe
told the fa
would not
took some
except abc
several of
in canker
rinsing it
again, putt
caused it t
down beloi
then rinsed
swallow, gi

Of Samml Tlum»an,

165

one in
n New
d seen
he did
in the
on who

;oing to

nignts,
printing
nt to his
brothers
ee^» him

that he

destrcy
, but he
few days

ore men-
ne, when
■U family
|n up and
Lted, that
lim twen-
fifty per
[oUars for
to those
principal
practice,
it he re-
first of
lay; but
as very
, which
and at-
ley gave
len went
jr which
[pe Cod,
return to
ick with
lid, and

given it over to die. The women bad taken ohtrge of
the child, after he had given it up, and had given it tome
physic. When I saw the child 1 gave some enuourage-
ment of a cure, and they were very deiiroat for me to do
something for it. I told them they had done very wrong
in giving physic, for it was strictly against my ordera to
ever give any physic, in cases where there was canker.
They observed that there was no appearance of canker.
I told them it would never appear when they gave pliviio,
for it would remain inside, till mor^liication decidoa the
contest.

I began with the child by giving No. S, r'i'foh caused
violent struggles and aroused it from the ttiipio 2*Me in
which it had lain, until the moisture afipeared in the
mouth; then gave some No. 3, steeped, t\nd Nof. 1 and
2, to start the canker, and cause it to vomit. This soon
gave relief. The women who were present, accused me
of the greatest cruelty, because I brought tlie child out
of its stupid state, and restored its sense of feeling, by
which means the life *f the child was saved. The next
morning its mouth was as white as paper with canker;
they were then all satisfied that I knew the child's iitua^
tion best, and that I had saved its life. I ooniiderod
the child so much relieved, that thfi father and mother
would be able to restore it to perfect health, left it in
their care and went out of town. I returned the next
day about upon, and found that tLey had again given it
up to die; its throat was so filled with canker that it had
not swallowed any thing for four hours. I waa in sus-
pense whether to do any thing for the child or not ; but
told the father and mother I thought if it was mine, I
would not. give it up yet; they wished me to try. I
took some small quills from a win^, and stripped them,
except about three quarters of an mch at the point, tied
several of them together, which made a swab, dipped it
in canker tea, and began by washing the mouth; then
rinsing it with cold water; then washed with the tea
again, putting the swab down lower in the throat which
caused it to gag, and while the throat was open, put it
down below the swallow, and took off scales of canker,
then rinsed again with cold water. Soon as it could
swallow, gave some tea of No. 2, a tea epoonAil at a

156

^arratwe of ike lAfit ^e.

time, and it soon began to struggle for breath, and ap-
peared to be in great distress, similar to a drowned per^
son coming to lite. In its struggling for breath discharg-
ed considerable phlegm from its nose and mouth ; i then
gave some more of the emetic with canker tea, which
operated favorably ; in two hours it was able to nurse,
and it soon got well, to^ the great joy of the father and
mother, who said that the life of the child was saved by
my perseverance.

Soon after this child got well, which was in the fall of
the year 1817, Mr. Smith moved to Taunton. Previous
to his removal, a man from that place by the name o(
Eddy, applied to him to be cured of a bad humor,
caused by taking mercury. I assisted in attending upon
him part of the time. Mr. Smith began with him, and
on the turn of the disorder, the man and he got fright-
ened and sent for me. He had been kept as hot as he
could bear, with the medicine, for six hours, which in-
creased the heat of the body sufBjcient to overpower the
cold, the heat tum'^d inward tiira drove the cold on the
outside ; this produces such a sudden change in the whole
system, that a person unacquainted with the practice
would suppose they were dy mg ; but there is no danger
to be apprehended, if proper measures are taken and
persevered in by keeping up the inward heat. In such
cases steaming is almost inaispensable ; for which reason
I have been obliged to steam the patient in most cases
where the complaint has been of long standing, especial-
ly when much mercury has been taken, as nothine will
make it active but heat. This man soon got wen and
returned home.

I furnished Mr. Smith with a stock of medicine, and
in the winter paid him a visit, found him in full practice,
and Mr. Eddy assisting him. I carried with me a quan-
tity of medicine, renewed his stock, and stoi'ed the re-
mainder with him. He had sold several rights, and was
very successful in his practice, which caused great alarm
among the doctors; they circulated all kindr of false
and ridiculous reports about his practice, to break him
up; but not succeeding, they raised a mob, and twice
broke open Mr. Smith's house, in his abaenoe, and fright-
ened his family.

Of Samvul T%omion.

151

Id the spring of this year, Mr. Smith moved to Scituate,
to preach there and attend to practice; and the medi-
cine left with him, I consigned to Mr. Eddy, by his re-
commendation. The amount of the medicine was about
one hundred dollars j and 1 sent him a note for twenty
dollars, which he collected, and afterwards went off, and
I lost the whole amount. Duimg this season 1 went to
Plymouth to visit some there who had bought family
rights, and returned by the way of Scituate, in order to
visit Mr. Smith, look over his books, and have some set-
tlement with him. I had let him have medicine as he
wanted it, trusting him to give me credit for what he
sold or used. I think he had given me credit, so that
the balance due me at this time, for what he had, was
four hundred dollars. He was unable to pay me any
thing, and I returned to Boston.

Mr. Smith afterwards removed his family to Boston,
and in the fall of the year 1818, he said that he was not
able to pay me anyj^ney, but he would let me have
such ^ings as he of^^^are. I was disposed to be as
favorable towards him as I cduld, and took what he
chose to offer at his own price. He let me have two old
watches at one Hundred dollars; .and an old mare at
eighty, which was for medicine at cash prices. I gave
him all the chance of selling rights and medicine, in
hopes that he would be able to do better by me. I oKMI
had requested him to deliver lectures on my system 6f
practice, as this had been a favorite object with me in
appointing him agent ; but never could prevail with him
to do any thing in that way. Another important ar-
rangement I had made with him was, that he was ttf
assist me in preparing for the press, a work to contain a
narrative of my life, and a complete description of my
whole system. I haa written it in the best manner I
could, and depended on him to copy it off and prepare it
in a correct manner to be printed; but he put me. off
from time to time, and was never ready to attend to it.
All this time I never had any suspicion of his having a
designate wrong me, by usurping the whole lead of the
business, and turning every thing to his own advantage.

I continued to keep medicine at his house, which hvi
had firee access to, and took it when he pleased, giving '
14

158

A*arrafive 0/ Ae Liftf ije.

me credit for it accordins to his honeity. There wi«
two or three thousand dollars worth at a time, in the
house. He charged me three dollars per week for board,
for all the time I was at his house, aAer he returned
from the country ; and he had given me credit for only
eighty dollars for medicine the year past. On a settle-
ment with him at this time, 1819, he owed me about
four hundred dollars; I asked him for a due bill for the
balance, but he refused to give one; and said that Mr.
£ddy had received two hundred dollars worth of the
medicine, for which he had received nothing, and he
ought not to pay for it. I agreed to lose one half of it,
and allowed one hundred dollars, the same as if I had
received cash of him. I took a memorandum from his
book of what was due me, which was all I had for securi-
ty. In the fall of the year 1820, I had another settle-
ment with Mr. Smith, and he owed me about four hun-
dred dollars, having received no money of him the year
East. He told me that all the property he had was a
orse and chaise, and that if I did not have it, some-
body else would. I took the horse and chaise at three
hundred dollars, and the hundred dollars I agreed to
allow on Mr. Eddy's account, made us, according to his
accounts, about square, as to the medicine he had given
me credit for. He made out a statement of fifty-seven
failkily rights that he had sold at twenty dollars each,
twenty-three of which he had never paid me any thing
for; his plea for not paying me for them was, that he had
not received his pay of those who had bought them. His
agreement with me was, that he should account to me
for ten dollars, for each right sold, and he was to have
ten dollars each for collecting the money, and giving the
necessary information to the purchasers.

In the winter of 1819, I went to Philadelphia, and
previous to my going made arrangements with Mr. Smith
to publish a new edition of my book of directions; we
revised the former edition, and made such additions as
■we thought would be necessary to give a complete and
full description of my system, and the manner of pre-
paring and using the medicine; and I directed him to
secure the copy-right according to law. I left the whole
care with him, to arrange the matter, and have it print-

•4. On

done; bu

. he had |(

fn« rema

' iiiftorreoti

of thiiTa

«nd the

idea at tJ

pamphlet

quent cor

vious to I

system of

vantage; ;

lie, that K

forward tli

own ifispe

proof, thai

coveries, i

tion in an

practice ui

« well kn

parts of th

tion« to all
Another
8908 to sh
It. iFIe de
paitfpMeti
the name c
he printed
and propri(
lishing a fa
but leave tl
taken awa;
claimed urn
ually to sut
From that
ed his attei
DKkUbine.,

cwe,jmd\i
of the rhei

Of Samiet Vumuim.

169

«4. On mr return to Boiton in March, he had got it

dote; but m a manner very unsati8fa<^ory to me, for

^ he had left out twelve pagipi of the moat useful part of

' the remark! and dtrectiona. add it was otherwiae rilty

' iiiorreiptly and badly printed. I asked hiyn the reason

of this, and he said a part of the copir had got mislaid,

and the printer had not done his work well. I had no

idea at tbe time, that he had any design in h>\ying
pamphlet printed in the manner it was; bui his subse-
quent conduct would justify the belief that he had ptv^
vious to this, formed a plan to usurp the whole nf n,i
system of practice, and turn every thing to hiS own a*
vantage; for he has since attempted to satisfy the pub-
lic, that my system was no system; and has broulrht
forward this very book, which was printed under nm
own ipspectibn, and arranged by him, as a part f i l^s
proof, that I was incapable of managing my owi. dik-
coveries, and of communicating the necessary informap
tion in an intelligible manner to make my system of
practice useful to those who purchased the rights, jfeia
a well known fact, that soi||e of the most* essilmipi
parts of the directions were to be verbal: and^I ha>I ..!»'
h}w«<l him ten aolUiw ••^, to civo the^roper instruc-
tion* to all those to whom qe sold the rights.

Another circumstance thet I have recently (bund ouft,
^pes to show a dishonesty in desian, to say the leuiiteof
it. Iff e deposited the title pi^ o^the above Kpcn|i^ed
pariEpMeti and obtained a certificate ii.:^ the clerk, in
the name of Elias Smith, m proprietor. : ui caused it to
be printed in the name of Samuel Thomson, as author
and proprietor. What his intentions were in thus pub-
lishing a false certificate, I shall p >i attempt te explain;
but leave the reader to judge for himself. If I had been
taken away, he possibly, might have come forward and
claimed under it a right to all my discoveries, and events
ually to substitute himself in my place as sole proprietor.
From that time he neglected the sale of rights, and tj^m-
ed hjtf attent^ mostly to practice and preparin||^fik0wn
midioine.;, I)uring the summer of 1830, be/eipiieyed
Mr. P^arl|m to assist him in practice, and prepfr^edi-
cine, and wnile with him he prepared thirty-!eqnit'%bttles
of the rheumatic drops, which by agreemeill^w #as to

■^:

'*■■

It

160

AarrottM «/ the Ufe^ ^e.

3#

,|iave of me^ he i^lso directed hi|n ic: tike t)^ material
from my ^tock, which y/u» iathe bouse jf^aivd fHoofiare
twenty-five poQiids of Qonmpj^tioii, and thifeniaB kept •
aicretfrom me. The i^^iike ajkyeUt. Dlrling fblr^
not having ipditine of iltie^ m<k0*Swg to hif iti(i|i:«i«|it,^
wa«, that be ow^ me tso much aow tb^t he yfia afraid
he should never be ld>le to pay me. I thought his tak-

^ijlgthe preparjing of as well as the selling of my medicine
to himself, was a very, singular way to pay an old debt.

In May, 1820, Mr. Smith collected together those in
Boston who had bought rights of me or my agents, and

Jfoplbd them into a society, under a new name; he wrote
9. constitution, which they signed ; an,d the members paid
09fi dollar entrance, and were to pay twelve and a half
cents per month assessment, for which he promised them
important instructions and cheap medicinel He was ap-
jpotnted president and treasurer, and after he had 'obtain'
i^d th^ir money, the meetings were discontinued, and the
Society Was broken up in the course of nine months. In
th^he appeafi^ to have taken the lead of all those wha
iMpN^urdiased the right fif me^ and make them tributary

.fi^self. ^ *

' wrlf»flPml5#!j % teturnftil from fhft finntw^yy -and rnundt
that lie had advertised, witilojit my knowledge or;con-
aaut, in the Herald, a periodical Work published by him
a^|\at time, "pro^sals foir publishing by subscription,
a'^ok to contain the ^h^ of the system and practfce
discof«ir|(i by Samum Thomson, and seciH^ed to hirt by
mitent. The price to subscribers to be five dollars. By
Eliifin Smith." This mostly stopped the sale of rights,
for no one would purchase a right of me or my agents at
twenty dol|ars, when they had the promise of them at
five. I wbnt to him to know what he meant by his con-
duct,^ In issuipg these proposals; he plead innocence,
Und aaid he had no improper design in doing it.

I was now under the necessity of doing something in
order to counteract what had been done by Mr. Sihith,
in |fti|#Bhing the above proposals; and cidtie^to the de-
teraj|i||^iditi lo isaue new proposals for pubushibg Wjiar-
rativ^p^^mjr life as far as related to my pi-acti^, "witht a
coilli|dlie 'tdeicri|^|i of my system of |>ra^cW in q.ujring
disease, wlul |l|i^ miOMier or preparing ^ usin^ the med-^

r

irfe

Qf Samuel Thomson.

161

ling in

SKbith,

le de-

nar-

ICiUriDg

med-

icine secure^ to ine by patent; the price to subscribera
to b6 tejn dollars, including the right to each ^f using the
same for limself and family. Mr. Smit^ under^|&,to
write th» propoaids and get them printed ; filer th#^ were
; struck off, I found he hiui said in them, by Samuel Thom-
son and Eliaa Smith; all subscribera ta be refam^ to
the latter." I aaked him what bemeant by putting his niime
with mine ; he said in order to gfft more subscriber*.'^ I
said no ;more. about it at that tmie, and let them be dis-
tributed.

When I settled with him the last tjme|> I asked him
what he woul4 charge me to prepare mj manuscript for
the prest; . bjs ;#aid he thought we were to write it to-
gether; I asl^ed him what made him think so; he said
because his nam«^was on the propowls with mine; I ad-
mitted thus; but told him the reasons he bad as^i^d
for putting his i^ame^to it ^iftipfut my consent or knoirl-
edge. He then intunated tliat he iho^ht be wiM to te
a partner with me; I ,iuri|;ed him whi;^ lilver had of liim
toi^eoAUle hii^ |9 anJM|Uiil flgl&lf to all my diibovi^

4 To this l|e Hallleii^ tepljf ; bnt safd he would write
and we woutd^i|p[pi i^a |i prici #ft<BrwliHls. I ii
him no; r]| must koov|il^ia priori, firs^ He said hft «ould
not tell witbla ift| Idllars. I fhen told ymwttwoijdd
say no more |boii| it. ^kvk odiiveraatiiDii, together with
hisxonduct iii regird to^tM proposals, fl|||p^ced me be-
<yoiid all d<ip»t) that his design. ^^ ^o destroy me, and
' take the xvwtflb business,]^) himself. I felt onwiiling to
trust him any Imnfer, and t^k all my books and manu-
scripts from his l^se. His sii^wequent conduct towards
me has fully juiimed aU my,iusmetOD% and left^m> room
for a doubt, that ^is jp|ei|fkp|S^'ere to taker: evei^ ad*
vantage of me J^his power, and niJRsrp my whole system
of practice. ' ;.,. *'

jiy l^stera of practice and the credit of mv medioine,
wais Qfver in a more pjros^rii^ condition, uraa when I
bugmi with Mr. Smith, to insduct him in a knowledge of
ad my discoveries i^experiemMi in curing diseaseii and
^p^intisd hini mg^. Thp.fij^fffA^f wherever it became

'"^Imlo^m,: were ifftr^ day becommg convinced of its iitilH
Ijr, (iid the medioino was in great demand; family rights
sold readibf, and overy thing seemed to promise eopiplote

■*

_.w

4

*

16S

MrratiiK of ihe Ufe, Sfc.

success ID diffusing a general knowledge of the practice
among all elasaes of the people; but under his viiifoge-
ment^ the whole of my plants had been comitipracted,
and nqi^anticij^tions in a great measure had been fru8>
trated. By his Conduct towards me, in his attempt to
take" the«lcad of the practice out of my hands, and de>
stroy my credit with the piblic, he has not on^ been a
serious loss to .me in a pecuniary point of view, but the
people at large are deprived of the blessinj^s tl|R^t might
be derived by a correct knowledge of my discoveries;
and hy which ^hcy might have it in their power to relieve
themselves from^sickness and pain with a trifling expense, ,
and generations yet ui^m be greatly beoii^tt^tHhereby. '

I tried to get a settlement with Mr Smittt) for the med-
icine he had prepared and sold, and alfo for th«B rights he
hadtfkot accounted to me fo|, with the fuffairs that remain-
ed^ unadjusted hj^tweJBn mt but could not get him to do
^y4lmkg about Jitf and floding there was no chance of
obtuninff an holM>rfl|)le afBtUenNlili. with him, about the
^0bi February, 1821, 1 took all m^ midibine frdrav^s
h^usei and disc<y|lti^ued aU conneeti6n dr eoncern with
nui. I was then, ^^r waatinlNbt^t four yeais for him
to assiet me in writii|ff|^^which wfs ene of m|vgreate8t
objects In ^peinting nifn egenty dhltgeiS«to publish a
pamphlet, in whieh t gWe iMill ef t|i p^pciples upon
wUch^n^ fljirtiiipwas foundeil wfHi liplanations and. di-
rections for mjr practwep end trisa fH not|||^%he public
thai I had appointed othei ag||its, and dintion all per-
80«B gainst trespassing on iM^ patent; ^^

He continued to pracHM and pre[Mi|, medicine, bid-
ding nie db^anc% I;jttadiuae|eral'^K an
honoMbte#ettlement^,v^h?1^n^thout success. I em-
ployed three persone^to go to him and <#er to settle all
our difllculties by leaving them to a reference ; but he re-
fu8e#to d^lny4hijig, continued to trespass, anv n»^de
use "of wmy Means to Aeitroy ray charactef by ^usive
and Mho reports concerning niy condvet, both'in lpe|^d
to nw praotiee «nd pipgate^chaiMer. Findqig t' M I
could get no redress $nm itioi) I%ut miMidir<Mip» >a||)$
in tiie papers, giving notice that I ha^^pctved^ir' jmot
all authorwf as, ny agent; and cautionin|(e the pflblie
if ainU receifing any^ medicine or infoimatioa<lrom him

under an]
, gence in t
vertised ii
had called
do, but to
and broug
patent, to
term, 182
when it w
8pecifioati(
not being
In conieq
and stop ai
make out
from the g
Mr. Smi
he has gi\
preparing
me by pato
as far as h(
not one pi
cept what
obtained fr
he has the
discovery^
he has con
made 8om(
cine, but
tern." Th
to all thos
that I shall
true that h
of the pre
and the ma
is also a W(
medicine,
and if wha
markable,
drawn all t
taken upoi
nothing bu
feet projeo

4>in>0f Samuel Thomson.

163

itnori

under any autnbrity of mine. He redoubled his dili-
gence in treipatsing, and prepared .the medicine and ad-
vertised it for sale under different names from what I
had called it. I fouAd there was no other way for me to
do, but to appeal to the laws of my country for justice,
and brought an action against him for a trespass on my
patent, to be tried at the Circuit Court, at the October
term, 1821. The action was continued to May term,
when it was called up, and the Judge decided that the
specifications in my patent were improperly made out,
not being sufficiently explicit to found my action upon.
In consequence of which I had to become non-suited,
and stop all further proceedings against him, till I could
make out new specifications and obtain a new patent
from the government.

Mr. Smith has lately [1822] published a book in which
he has given my system of practice with directions for
preparing and using the vegetable medicine secured to
me by patont, and my plan of treatment in curing disease
as far as he knew it. in the whole of this work th^re is
not one principle laid dohvn or one idea suggested, ex-
cept what is taaen from other authors, but what he has
obtained from my written or verbal instructions; and still
he has the ef!Vontory to publish it to the world as his own
discovery^ without giving me any credit whatever, except
he has condescended to say that " Samuel Thomson has
made some imperfect discoveries of disease and mldi-
cine, but has not reduced any thing to a regular sys-
tem." This assertion will appear so perfectly ridiculous
to all those who have any knowledge of my practice,
that I shall forbear making any comment upon it. It is
true that he has made alterations in the names of some
of the preparajtions of medicine, but the articles used,
and the manner of using them, are the same as mine. It
is also a well known fact, that he had no knowledge of
medicine, or of curing disease, until I instructed him;
and if what he says be true, the effect has been very re-
markable, in as m\ich as his magnetical attraction has
drawn all the skill from me to himself, by which he has
taken upon himself the title of Physician, and left me
nothing but the appellation of Mr. Thomson, the imper-
fect projector.

*.

164

AbrroHM of the Lj/i, Sfe.

I have been more particular in dsicribing Mr. Smith's
conduct, because it has been an important crisis in the
grand plan for which I have spent a great part of my
life, and suffered much, to brin| about; that of estab-
lishing a system of medical practice, whereby the people
of this highly favored country may have a knowledge
of the means by which they can at all times relieve them-
selves from the diseases incident to our country, by a
perfectly safe and simple treatment, and thereby relieve
themselves from a heavy expenie, as H^ll ai tne often
dangerous consequences arising fVom the employing
those who make use of poisonoui druffi and other means,
by which they cause more disease than they cure; and
in which I consider the public as well as mvielf have a
deep interest. I have endeavored to malce a correct
and faithful statement of his conduct, and the treatment
I have received from him; every particular of which
can be substantiated by indisputable testimony if neces-
sary. I now appeal to the public, and more particularly
to a^ who have been benefitted, by m^ diicoveries, for
their aid and countenance, in lupporting my just rights
against all encroachments, and securing to me my claims
to whatever of merit or distinction I em honorably and
justly entitled. While I assure them that I am not to
be discouraged or diverted fttm my grand object by
opposition, or the dishonesty of tboie who deai deceit-
ful^ with me; but shall persevere in all honorable and
fair measures to accomplish what my life has principally
been spent in fulfilling.

Votl

Since i
iome circ
relating ;
an accoui
practice,
present tii

Afler h]
prosecutin
related, I
procedure,
have in al

foculty, hii

the learne

action cou

in my patt

my claim

cipes, whi

not say wl

How far t

plan to pr

original ini

utility in a

me to say;

opinion on

authority a

should alw

frustrated i

patent, I hi

ncations, I

Attorney G

at the time

the law, to

'm.

X

ABBITIOIKS

To the Second Edition—IVoT. 1839.

Since the first edition of my narrptive was published,
iome circumstances have occurred, v *^-ich I think worth
relating; and shall, therefore, continue to give the reader
an account of all thode things relating to my system of
practice, and the success it has met with, up to the
present time.

After having failed in my attempt to obtain justice, by
prosecuting Elias Smith for trespass, as has been before
related, I found it necessary to adopt some new plan of
procedure, in order to meet the universal opposition I
havo in all cases met with from not only the medical
Acuity, hut from all iho«e who belong to what are called
the learned professions. Judge Story decided that the
action could not be sustained, because the specifications
in my patent were not so explicit as to determine what
my claim was. He said it contained a number of re-
cipes, which, no doubt, were very valuable; but I did
not say what part of it I claimed as my own invention.
How far this opinion was governed by a preconcerted
plan to prevent me from maintaining my claim as the
original inventor of a system of practice, and proving its
utility in a court of justice, it would not be proper for
me to say; but I have an undoubted right to my own
opinion on the subject ; besides I had it from very high
authority at the time, that this was the fact, and that I
should always find all my efforts to support my claim,
frustrated in the same manner. When I obtained m^
patent, I had good legal advice in making out the speci-
fications, besides, it was examined and approved by the
Attorney General of the United States; and it was said
at the time of the trial, by several gentlemen learned in
the law, to be good; and that the very nature and mean-

^^

166

Narrative of the lAfct 8fc.

ing of the patent was, that the compounding and using
the articles specified in manner therein' set forth, ww
what I claimed as my invention.

There was, however, no other way for me to do, but
to obtain another patent; and immediately oAer the
above decision, I set about getting cne that would meet
the objections that had been made to the first. In fflak-
ing new specifications, I had the assistance of several
gentlemen of the law, and others, and every precaution
was taken to have them according to law ; but whether
my second patent will be more successful than the first,
time must determine. It embraces the six numbers,
composition or vegetable powders, nerve powder, and
the application of steam to raise perspiration ; and to put
my claim beyond doubt, I addea at the end as follows,
viz: "The preparing and compounding the foregoing
vegetable medicine, m manner as herein described, and
'the administering them to cure disease, as herein men-
tioned, together with the use of steam to produce perspi-
ration, I claim as my own invention." My second patent
is dated January 28, 1823.

In obtaining a patent, it wa» my priqoipal nh)*^* **
get the protection of the government agaAist the machi-
nations of my enemies, more than to take advantage of
a monopoly; for in selling family rights, I convey to the
purchaser the information gained by thirty years prac-
tice, and for which I am paid a sum of mone^ as an
equivalent. This I should have a right to do, if there
were no patent in the case. Those who purchase the
right have all the advantages of m^ experienee, and also
the right to the use of the medicine, secured to me by
patent, and to the obtaining and preparing it for them-
selves, without any emolument to me whatever. And in
all the numerous cases where I have sold rights, there
have been very few instances where any objections havo
been made to paying for them, where notes had been
given, and these were by those who had been persuaded
by men opposed to me and my practice, and who had
interested views in doing me all the injury they could;
but where suits have been commenced to recover on
notes given for rights, it has been decided that the de-
mand is good in law, and the plea set up of no value re-

Of Stmuel TliovMon.

167

been

aded
had

ould}
on
de-

e re-

ceived, is not valid; because the inrormation given, and
the advantages received, is a valuable consideration,
without any reference to the patent right. In all cases
where a person possesses valuable intbrmation from his
own experience or ingenuity, there can be no reason why
he should not hftve a right to sell it to.another as well as
any other property, and that all contracts made in such
cases should not be binding, provided there is no fraud
or deception used.

When a suitable opportunity ofTers, I shall avail my-
self of my patent rights, for the purposo of stopping the
people being imposed upon, by those who pretend to
practise by my system, having no authority from me,
and have not a correct knowledge of the subject; but
are tampering with all kinds of medicine to the injury
of their patients, and the great detriment of the credit of
my system of practice; for when they happen to be
successful, they arrogate to themselves great credit for
the cure ; but when the patients die, it is all laid to the
door of m^ system. The doctors are ready enough to
avaU themselves of these cases, and to publish exagger-
ated accounts of them, to prejudice the minds of the
people against me. Whenever I again make an attempt
to vindicate my rights, by appealing to the laws of my
country, I am determined, if possible, to take such meas-
ures as tihall give me a fair chance to obtain justice. All.
I ask is,- to have a fair opportunity to prove my medicine
to be new and useful, which is all the law requires to
make the patent valid. In doing this, I shall spare no
expense to have the most able counsel in the country en-
gaged, and shall not Ptop at any decision against me, till
carried to the highest judicial tribunal in the country.

It is a matter of much gratulation to me, and a balm
for all my sufferings, that my system of practice is fast
gaining ground in all parts of the country. The peo-
ple wherever it is intiroduced, take a lively interest in
the cause, and family rights sell rapidly; and all who
purchase, give much credit to the superior and benefi-
cial efiects of the medicine above all others. The
prejudices of those who have been opposed to it ^eem
to be fast wearing away before the light of reason and
common sense. A number of gentlemen, eminent for

•**>_!>

168

A*a»TaH«e of the lAfe, Sfc.

their loientifio researches and usefulness in society, have
become advocates for the cause ; and although they may
not be perfectly converted so as to give up all their
former opinions, yet they allow that the system is inge-
nious ana philosophical, and that the practice is new and
safe.

In introducing my new mode of practice to the peo-
ple of this country, I have never sought the patronage
or assistance of the great; and the success it has met
with has been altogether owing to its own merit. There
has been no management or arts used to deceive or to
flatter the vanity of any one; but in all cases I have en-
deavored to convince by demonstrating the truth, by
the most plain and sin\ple method of practice, to effect
the object aimed at, and to cure disease by such means
as I thought would cause the least trouble and expense.
This, probaibly, has been. one of the greatest causes of
the opposition I have met with from the people; for
the;^ have been so lona in the habit of being gulled by
designing men, and the ostentatious show of pompous
declarations and high sounding words, backed by the
recommendations of those they have flattered and deceiv-
ed, that nothing . brought forward in a plain and simple
dress seems worthy of notice. If I had adopted a more
deceptive plan, to suit the follies of the times, I might
have been more successful; but I am satisfied I should
have been less useful.

There is one thing which I think cannot be matter
of doubt, that I have been the cause of awakening a
spirit of ihquiry among the people of this country, into
the medical practice and the fashionable manner of treat-
ment in curmg disease, iVom which great benefits will
be derived to the community. Many new contrivances
and plans have been introduced by different men, td
produce perspiration by steam and other methods, by
the use of vegetables, which unquestionably have taken
their origin from my practice. When I began to make
use of steam, a great deal of noise was made about it
throughout the country, and I was called the $teaming'
and neeating doctor, bv way of ridicule. It was even
stated by the doctors, tnat I steamed and sweat my pa-
tients to death. Thit no doubt led some ingenious men

to invest!

covering

afflicted,

oontrivan(

sick. Jei

and consii

found not

of inflamn

produce ai

name of W

medicate(

among the

It seemi

learn of hi

from this

new systen

ing all kin<

glands, by

the use of (

be got his

upon this pi

imderstand J

tice as far a

He says so

an Indian in

any notice.

my system

obstructions

scrofulous; i

structions b;

icine. In a

has been not

in, than the

rheum, St. j

evil, rheuma

It appears

great succes

port and patr

dom, who h

an asylum fi

cess has giv

pears that h(

Of Samuel Thomion,

169

to investigate the subject by experiments, and on di»>
covering that it was useful in restoring health to the'
afflicted, particularly in scrofulous complaints, diffisrent
contrivances have been introduced to apply steam to the
sick. Jennings's vapor bath was highly recommended
and considerably used a few years ago ; but it hiis been
found not to be saf<d in cases where there is a high state
of inflammation, without the use of my medicine to flrtt
produce an equilibrium in the system. A man by the
name of VVhitlaw, has lately introduced what he calls his
medicated vapor bath, which has made considerable stir
among the medical faculty.

It seems that this Mr. Whitlaw, from what I ean
learn of him from his publications, about 1816, went
from this country to England, and there introduced a
new system of practice, and became celebrated in cur^
ing all kinds of scrofulous complaints and diseases of the
glands, by means of his method of applying steam and
the use of decoctions from American vegetables. How
be got his knowledge, or what first induced him to fix
upon this plan, I know not; but it seems, as far as I can
understand him, that he has adopted my system of prac-
tice as far as he has been able to get a knowledge of it.
He says something about gaining his knowledge from
an Indian in this country; but this is too stale to require
any notice. One of the great principles upon which
my system is founded, is, that all disease orisinates in
obstructions in the glands, and if not removed becomes
scrofulous; and the only remedy is to remove the ob-
structions by raising perspiration by steam and hot med-
icine. In all my practice, for nearly forty years, there
has been nothing that, I have succeeded more completely
in, than the cure of scrofulous complaints, such as sal^
rheum, St. Anthony's fire, scalt head, cancers, king'a
evil, rheumatism and consumption.

It appears that the above gentleman has met with
great success in England, and that he has had the sup-

Sort and patronage of many of the first men in the king-
om, who have liberally contributed to the support of
an asylum for the cure of the poor, and that nii suc-
cess has given universal satisfaction. And it alio ap-
pears that he has met with abuse from the medioal Am-
16

t ,

170

JVarroKve i*f the lAfe, ^e.

ulty, both there and in this cuuntr^. This wm to htve
been expected, and is the best evidence of its utility. I
feel no enmity towards those who are benefiting by ikiy
discoveries, and it gives me much pleasure to think that I
have been instrumental in introducing a new system of
medical practice, by which I feel confident so much
benefit will be derived by relieving in a great measure,
the sum of humui misery. But I tnink those gentlemen
who have gained any knowledge from my practice, for
which I have suffered so much for introducing, ought, in
justice, to allow me some credit for the discovery.

It has been my misfortune to meet with not only op-
position in my practice, but to suflTer many wrongs from
8ome with whom I have had dealings, and this in many
cases were those who have attempted to injure me were
among those that I considered under obligations to me.
I have related a number of cases in the course of my
narrative; but the disposition in many, still seems to
continue. In selling family rights, I have always been
as liberal to purchasers as they could wish, particularly
where I was convinced their circumstances made it in-
convenient for them to pay the money down ; and have
been in the habit of taking notes payable at a convenient
time. This has occasioned me considerable loss; but
in most cases the purchasers have shown a disposition to
pay if in their power, have treated me with a proper re-
spect, and have been grateful for the favor; with these
I have been satisfied, and no one has had reason to com^
plain of my want of generosity towards them. There
kave been some, however, who have taken a different
course, and have not only refused to comply with their
contract, but have notwithstanding they have continued
to use the medicine, turned against me and have tried to
do me all the harm in their power. Such conduct has
caused me some considerable vexation and trouble.

At the time I failed in my attempt against Elias Smith,
in consequence of the decision against the correctness
of the specifications of my patent, as haa been before
related, I had a number of notes for rights sold, among
them were two against a person, who had previously
expressed great zeal in my catuse, for a right for him-
self, and one for his firiend. During the pending of the

trial, h(
came u
Smith, I
refused
and the
think be
after we
he still
the actic
The defl
consequc
there wai
The tri
aged by ]
the defen
1 have be
prejudice
defendant
slang abo
for murde
the greatc
hut when
my claim,
and practi
hia tone v
Ws eirone
part of the
tion of law
the Judge
case was (
on this poii
The casi
agreed in
Court did
suspension,
opecificatioi
according
hearing wa
that the de,
the necessal
safety; but i
ed that he

^'

M

Of Samuel Thonuon.

ni

trial, be took sidoa with Smith ; and after the deciiMon,
came to the coaclusion, or, ag I suppose, was told by
Smith, that the notes could not be collected by law, aoid
refusied to pay them. I did not wish to put him to coat,
and therefore let the business rest, in hopes he would
think better of it and pay me according to contract; but
after waiting until the notes were nearly outlawed, and
he still refusing to pay, I put one of them in suit, and
the action was tried before the Boston Police Court.
The defence set up was, that the contract was void, in
consequence of the failure of the patent; and also that
there was no value received.

The trial wtis before Mr. Justice Ome, and was man-
aged by Mr. Morse, for the plaintiff, and Mr. Merrill, for
the defendant. On this trial, as on all others in which
I have been engaged, there seemed to be the same fixed
prejudice against me and my system of practice. The
defendant's lawyer opened the defence with all the old
slang about quackery, alluding to the report of my trial
for murder, and that he was going to make out one of
the greatest cases of deception and fraud ever known;
but when he came to hear the. evidence in support of
my claim, and the great credit given to my medicine
and practice, by many respectable witnesses, he altered
his tone very much, and I hope became convinced of
his erroneous impressions; and seemed to abandon tiiis
part of the defence, placing his dependence on the ques-
tion of law, as to the failure of the patent. This question
the Judge seemed not willing to decide alone, and the
case was continued for argument before the full court,
on this point.

The case was argued before the three Judges, who all
agreed in the - opinion, that the decision of the Circuit
(Jourt did not affect the patent right ; but was a mere
suspension, in consequence of an informality in the
specifications, which did not debar me firom recovering
according to the contract. After this decision, another
hearing was had, and another attempt made to prove
that the defendant had not been furnished by me with
the necessary information to enable him to practise mth
safety; but in this he failed altogether; for it was prov-
ed that he had the privilege of being a member of the

j^

^

tn

J>fhrrta%ve of ike tAfe, Sfc.

/-%i,.
■■^r

Friendly Botanic Society, and had also all the advantagen
that others had, and that if he did not improve it, it wan
his own faalt. It was also proved that he bad been in
the constant practice of using the medicine in his family,
and prepared and offered it for sale to others. In the
course of the examination, Elias Smith was brought for-
ward by the defendant, to prove, as I presume, that I
! was not capable of giving information on my own system
of practice; but his testimony was so contradictory, to
say the least of it, that it did more harm than good to the
defendant's cause. There was also a doctor of the regu-
lar order introduced in the defence ; but he seemed to
know nothing about the practice or the case before the
> court, and of course his evidence amounted to very little,
''as his opinion upon a subject that he knew nothing about,
: was not of much value, and was very properly objected
'to by the plaintifi^s counsel.

' ' In the course of the trial, a great number of gentle-
' men of undoubted veracity, were brought forward to
« prove the utility of ipy system of practice, who gave the
most perfect testimony in its favor. Several stated, that
i^they were so well convinced of its superiority over all
others, and they were so well satisfied with the benefits
I'they had derived from its use, that no sum of money
whatever would induce them to be deprived of a knowl-
edge of it. Among the witnesses, an eminent physician
of Boston, who has on all occasions been very friendly,
and shown a warm interest in support, of my system of
practice, voluntarily came forward and gave a very fair
and candid statement in favor of its utility, the value of
my discoveries, and the important additions I had made
■' to the Materia Medica.

The Judge took several days to mfdie up bis judgment,
and finally decided in my favor, giving me the full
amount of my claim; thus settling the principle, that
. obligations given for family rights were good in law.
This was the first time I have ever had a chance to prove
the utility of my medicine and system of practic'e, be-
fore a court of law; having always before been pre-
vented by some management of the court.

A knowledge of the veget«^le medicine that I have
brought into use in curing the diseases incident to this

country,

SracHet,"
'•tes; bi
P'«»ely su

wjthttandi
S^Me have
1" getting I
to quackei
who get a (
bylaw; de|
demands ft
one step fui
for any one
<>*ne to the
on all who
•re so unfoi
mining for (
them, or w\
^■edioal Soci
« eimiiarlav
of Gov. ShuJ
fo great pr«
(hrouffh the
turned the bi
^•e, that he
«nd it if to be
jeholar, now
nuence to ator
of the modicj
wgState.

The remarki

otNew York,

And proves w

other places, t

position fVom t

»t» utility, has

the year 1821,

ifl Ohio, was pa

• visit to his fi

•ee a man whoi

•The late Gor»r

Of Samiul TVmmoh.

173

II have
to this

country, and what the faculty call, my "tiov«< modt of

Sraetie;" ia fast gaining ground in all parta of the United
talei; hut in no part ofitof late, has it been more com-
pletely successful, than in the State of New York, not*
withstanding the virulent oppesition the doctors in that
State have made to its progress. They have succeeded
in getting a law passed by their Legislature, to put a stop
to quackery, as they call all practice, except by those
who get a diploma from some medical society established
by law; depriving all others of the right of collecting their
demands for medical practice ; and they have also gone
one step further than any other State, by making it penal
for any one who is not of the regular order, to sell medi-
oine to the sick; imposing a fine of twenty-five dollars
on all who offend; thus taking away from those who
are so unfortunate as to be sick, all the right of deter-
mining for themselves, who they shall employ to cure
them, or what medicine they shall make use of. The
Medical Society of Pennsylvania, made an attempt to get
a similar* law passed in that State; but the good sense
of Gov. Shultx, put a stop to it, for which he ij entitled
to great praise. After they h^^^ managed to get it
through the Legislature, he refused to sign it, and rer
turned the bill with his reasons; the principal of which
was, that he considered it altogether unconetitutienal;
and it is to be hoped that the enlightened statesman and
scholar, now Governor of New York,* will use his in-
duenoe to stop the interested and monopolizing schemes
of the medical faculty in that important and enterprise
ins State.

The remarkable extension of the practice in the Stat«
of New York, was in a great measure owing to accident;
and proves what I have fotind to be the case in many
other places, that v/here it has met with the greatest op^
position iVom the faculty, the spread of a knoivledge of
Its utility, has been the most rapid and permanent. In
the year 1831, my son, Cyrus Thomson, who had settled
m Ohio, was passing through the State of New Yprk, on
a visit to his friends; while in Manlius, he stepped t»
see a man whom I had authorized to practise, and wluie

*The late Gevffrnnr CliJbabi tt^f .^QifMl.Mtu-^ai ni

16*

m

174

JSTurraime of the Life, 8fe.

there, was requested by him to go and see two patients
ho had been requested t6 attend; both of th6m had been
given over by the doctors, as incurable. One of them
was 'found to be past help, very little was done for her,
and she soon afler died. Th6 other was cured by the
use of the medicine. The death of the above person
was taken advantage of by the doctors, who circulated a
report that she was murdered by the medicine that had
been given her. This produd^d a strong excitement
among the people, who knew nothing about the facts;
a warrant was obtained, through the influence of the
.doctors, and my son and the other man were arrest*
ed.^ My son was thrown into prison, and the other
was put under bonds of a thousand doll'ars, to appear
at the next court. The first, however, after laying in
Juil three days, was enabled to give bonds, also, for his
appearance.

Being thus prevented from pursuing his journey, he
set himself down in the town where the above occur-
rence took place, and went into practice. The persecu-
tions of the faculty gave him friends, as it led the people
to inquire into their conduct, and being satisfied of their
"tnotives, did all they could to protect him and increase
llis practice. His success has been gteater than in any
other part of the country, the practice having spread
over a country of more than two hundred miles in ex-
tent; and his success m curmg disease has been very
great, having lost but six patients out of about fifteen
hondred. This has caused the faculty to follow up their
persecutions, in ord6r to drive him out of the country ;
Hut he is too firmly established in the good opinion of
the people, for them to effect their object. I have
another son established in the practice at Albany, who
has been very successful in introducing (he knowledge
ti it there ; and a number of gentlemen of the first
■t^Nipeetability, are takinj^ a strong interest in promoting
its success.

° A writer has iMely come forward and published a
''Veries of numbers in the Boston Patriot, under the title
oif* 'Eclectic," who appears well qualified, and seems
disposed to do me end my system of practice justice,
by laying before the people a dorrect view of my case.

;isha]

«ircums

the publ

particuii

as conci

•m not

the publ

tificates

under m^

n»7 agen

have hat

use of mj

useful ini

correct v

niinistorir

treatment

could be

been mad

ing narrai

necessary

ments thei

which vai

have had

etructions

cient to sa

be for ev(

curing th(

necessity

Pew fail
the/ can
is a fcuqily
be sicknes
if the fami
doctor has
punity, w
•uspicion.
might hav
man at hoi

Theae

%

.m-

Of Samttel Ihmson.

116

shed a

le title

seems

iustice,

case.

I shall now brins this narrative of those events and
circumstances that nave taken place in my life, in which
the public are interested, to a close; having stated every
particular that I thought worthy of being recorded, in
as concise and plain a manner as I was capable ; and
am not without "a hope that my endeavors to promote
the public good, will be duly appreciated. Some eer«
tificates and statements of cases that have been attended
under my system of practice, from those who have been
my agents, or who have purchased family rights, and
have had long experience in the effects produced by a
use of my medicine, are subjoined.* They fUrnish much
useful information on the subject, and willconveyaiiiore
correct view of the success which has attended iith ad-
ministering my medicine, and following the ^lode of
treatment recommended by my system of practice, than
could be given in any other manner. Reference has
been made to some of them in the course of the forego-
ing narrative, and their publication in the work seemed
necessary, to convey a correct knowledge of many state-
ments therein given, to show the safety and t^uccess with
which various diseases have been cured by others, who
have had no other knowledge of medicine than the in^
structions received from me; and will, I trust, be suffi-
cient to satisfy every reasonable person how easy it would
be for every one to become possessed of the means of
curing themselves of disease, without being under the
necessity of calling the aid of a physician.

Our Family Doctor.

Few families, particularly in cities and villages, think
they can do without a family doptor. But of what use
is a &n)ily, other than his own, to a doctor, unless there'
be sickness? Hence it is for the interest of the doctor,
if the family are not sick, to make them so. The family
doctor has too often an qpportunity of doing this with im-
punity, without detection, and without even exciting
suspicion. Even contagion is often spread abroad which
might have been cufftsd by an old. or even a young wo*
man at home. %

* These GerliQoAtevir* nOF very much oondfosei).

U

176

Abrra/toe a/ the lAfe, Sfc.

'< Behold, how great a matter, a little fire kindleth!"
James iii. 5. For example. A child is taken with the
belly-ache. The family doctor is sent for, who pro-
nouncei^ its disorder to be worms; gives calomel and
jalap to destroy them, which reduces the child very much.
The next visit, bleeds it, to lay the fever, then gives it a
fever powder, composed of nitre, opium and camphor,
once in two hours. The {.uient now lays in a stupid,
senseless posture, with crimson spots on the cheeks, . de-
noting putrefaction. The doctor is again sent for in
haste, who now pronounces it to be the putrid fever.
The bleeding is repeated, and the fever powders contin-
ue4* The nerves become convulsed, and the doctor is
again ;^8ent for, who pronounces the disorder to be the
putrid nervous fever, and that it has become contagious;
the child dies; the family, worn out with fatigue, and
being much alarmed, begin to become sick, and by the
time the corpse of the child is interred, are all down with
the disorder. The doctor now has much employ ; the
neighbors c^re called in to watch, the putrefaction runs
higji ; the neighbors, one after another, take the disorder,
and return home sick; the doctor is called, business cains
rapidly in consequence of the same treatment, until the
fever has gone through the whole village. All thank the
doctor for his incessant attention and kindness; and he
boasts of wonder^iil success, having lost but fifly out of
one hundred and fifty! His bill is paid with the greatest
satisfaction. By this time the doctor can build his house
without sitting down '* to count the cost." [Pause ]

What is the cause of all this village sickness ? Re-
member the text. " Behold, how great a matter, a little
fire kindleth." A child was taken with the belly-ache;
and had no doctor been known, the mother, wi^h one gill
of pepper and milk, could have cured the child, and sev-
ad all this slaughter of the scourge of a family doctor.

Is not this the cause of the spread of so many conta-
gious disorders, which prevail unaccounted for? If so,
learn wisdom by the evils which others endure ; ijtudy
the nature of disease, and how to remove it, and never
tnist your own life, nor that, of tt child, in the hands of
irhat is called a family physicianifr

m

^ •.-«..

*^o the

, Iw the y
»n Boston,"
to appoint o
*no lead in
wjonded Mr
before relate
He was ger
the isummer
jars, and oti
nm somethi
■greed to fur
or sold by hi
needed, to fu
"ghts, andt
»nd for the n
roanding payi
agent. Col. J-
J«r. Locke's
me that, in,tl
mwch as he (
privijeffe of r
1 indulged th
quest for one
of indulgence,
nw own prof]
^^ine. At the
?«H agent, q
'n the manner
a«. usual throuj
mittee to revo
to prepare and
out rendering '

,;»i^' .Vv4)Vvi^-i' yj -^mmrf^S^t^

o'ii

t^

Re-
little
iche;
e gill

sev-
er,
onta-
If so,
dtudy
never

dBof

ABDlTIIOIirS

To the Third Edition— Aiigrust, 1831.

In the year 1825, "The Friendly Botanical Society
in Boiton," being destitute of a practitioner, wished me
to appoint an agent, whom I thought competent, toittke
the lead In practice, and sell my medicine. I i'^pln-
mended Mr. John Locke, of Portsmouth, as has oeen
before related, in whom I had put the utmost confidence.
He was sent for by the committee, and moved here in
the flummer of that same year. I gave him twenty dol-
lars, and oth{;r8 of the committee, and members, gave
him something handsome, for hia encouragement. I
agreed to furnish him with all the medicine, either used
or sold by him, at stipulated prices, to give advice when
needed, to furnish him v/ith books for the sale of family
rights, and to give him ten dollars for every right sold;
and for the medicine, I was to wait one year before de-
manding payment. At the end of the year, my principal
agent, Col, House, and the three committee, looked over
Mr. Locke's account, in my absence, and reported to
me that, in> their opinion, Mr. Locke had not made as
much as he ought, and proposed for me to give him the

FrivilejKe of inalcing the medicine used in his practice,
indulged them in this proposal, and granted their re-
quest for one year. But, availing himself of this inch
of indulgence, he took the liberty to prepare and sell for
his own profit to all that should call on him for medi-
cine. At the end of this year, in my absence, my prin-
cipal agent, as committee, gave him liberty to proceed
in the manner he had done. I continued to give advice
as usual through thi<i year, frequently calling on the com-
mittee to revoke the liberty they had given Mr. Locke,
to prepare and sell my medicine for his own profit, with-
out rendering me any account. In these two years, by

178

^arratwe of the Life, Sfe.

my assistance, and that of my ft^tnt ftnd committee, Mr.
Locke seemed to be well establiihod in the buMiness, and
boasted of his great succesi, not having lo«t a patient in
two years. But at the same time he itemed to lose sight
that I had been any benetit to him, and rather paid his
whole attention to the committee.

In all this time, I had never thought or mistrusted that
there was a plot laid againit me, either by him, my
agent, or the committee, or with all combined, tier until
about the end of the second year, which now seems but
too obvious. Having recently returned from the West,
I wjas at Mr. Locke's houMe, and ihowed him a k^Ivb-
pat^jf which coutained an account of the masonic out-
r^^lPat Batavia. After reading it, he flew into a great
pamiion, and accosted me ns though 1 had made the story.
I tried to argue the, case with nim; but in vain. He
called me by as many hard namei ai he could well think
of, and occasionally. The w^rda "lie," and " fool," were
in the compound. I did not think that I had merited
such treatment, having rendered him my service and ad-
vice gratuitously, for two yearet. He seemed to be so in-
dependent, that he said that he wantod nothing of me, nor
cared any thing for me. I retorted that 1 wanted noth-
ing of him except an honorable settlement. This set-
tlement never came to a close until the fall of the year
1830, and then only in part, He rendered an account
of upwards of forty rights which he had sold, and for
which he settled by my deducting about one quarter of
my share ; but as for the medicine which he has prepar-
ed and sold for his own benefit, he refuses to give me
any account thereof. So much for this inch of indul-
gence. Such conduct appears to me to be rather hard,
especially after all I and the society had done for )iim, to
enable him to assist me in my old ftgc. But instead of
this, with the assistance of tne committee, and my prin-
cipal agent, they have taken the lead of the business out
of my hands as far as they were able to do it.

! have tried repeatedly to get a settlement with Col.
House, my principal agent, but cannot eflect it. He has
paid me nothing for the large number of rights sold in
about tsn years, nor will he r^nd^r any account. I know
not how many books he has sold, as he took them when-

ever he w

last to se

Here is th

I lent him

dollars, oi

he refuses

stances w

against im

possible, «

neither bui

attention t

straight foi

gOod medi

for it.

I have t
have met ^
best friend:
their estimi
masour' ha
certain I an
innocently >
an account
harm in thi
which conta
Did Mr. L
And why d
possess sue
msomuch tl
would not s
at the heac
the commit
mason; ifs(
and whethe
and conduc
er and the p
to be hopec
society, whi
ed to be bro
for the cho
the good pe
tions, and i
the society,

Of Samuel Thomson.

179

ever he wanted, in my absence. When I called on him
last to settle, he said he had lust his account of credit.
Here is the result of ten years agency ! Besides which,
I lent him and his partner, ten years ago, two hundred
dollars, one of which he has paid in printing, the other
he refuses to pay. I miglit mention many other circum-
stances which would go to show a decided hostility
against me, and a determination to raise Mr. Locke, if
possible, at. my expense; but I forbear, for they have
neither built him up, nor put me down. I have paid no
attention to all this opposition; but have kept on in a
straight forward course, attending to the preparing of
gtfod medicine and supplying all those who 'ironiid
for it. '

I have thought much on the opposition and abua» I
have met with here, from those whom I considered . ij
best friends, and what I could have done to merit it in
their estimation. I will not undertake to say how far
masourv has been concerned in these transactions; but
certain I am that it commenced with Mr. Locke, on my
innocently showing him a newspaper which contained
an account of a masonic outrage. 1 thought no more
harm in this than as though I had showed him a paper
which contained an account of the murder of Mr. White.
Did Mr. Locke resent this, because he was a mason?
And why did my agent and committee from this time
possess such sympathy for him, and conspire against me,
msomuch that when an Infirmary was talked of, they
would not subscribe a cent, unless Mr. Locke could be
at the head of it } I think that my agent and two of
the committee are masons, and that Mr. Locke is a
mason; if so, four out of five against me were masons,
and whether masonry has had any effect on the mind
and conduct of these gentlemen, I shall leave the read-
er and the public to draw their own conclusions. It is
to be hoped that the good people who belonged to the
society, which the president and committee have suffer-
ed to be broken up by not calling the annual meeting,
for the choice of of^rera agreeably to the constitution;
the good people who taokitd part in the above transac-
tions, and who have h«d no part in the destruction of
the society, will make every effort for its resusGitation,

180

Narrative of the lAfe, Sfc,

hoping that it will die no more; but that it will Hv« to be
useful to the sick and infirm, and be an ornament to gen-
erations yet unborn.

It is expected that arrangements will be made for the
delivery of Botanic lectures, when the society will revive
and put on strength until the learned, as well as the un-
leamedj shall join to revolutionize the medical world.

I shall not go into any further particular details of
agents, but only take a general view in the western parts
of the United States.

Since my last edition was printed in Boston, I h«ve
be^osix times in and through the State of Ohio. In
^^^Pk ^^^^' ^ appointed Charles Miles, as agent in
<^(^ ibd furnished him with seventy-two books for
faiii^ rights. On his way home he purchased a number
of counterfeit books, of David Rogers, of Geneva, I un-
derstood about one hundred, more or less. He went
down into the central part of the State, and in the course
of eighteen months sold about ten thousand dollars
worth of rights, and imposed on the inhabitants at a
great rate. Some he sold for seventy-6ve dollars, some
twenty-five, others twelve, and he would leave but one
book for four rights. When he came round again, he
would borrow my book and leave the other, and , sell my
book again to another set of four or five ; and io con-
tinned until he had c-old all mine, and nearly all the oth-
eri. In the fall of 1,826, Ilorton Howard caused a letter
to be sent to me, giving an account of Milei'i conduct,
anrl req>?<)sting me to come on to see about it, I arrived
m .January, 1827, and, following after Miles, I found his
conduct to be as haO been stated. I published handbills,
Bin] otherwise showing that he had no authority from me
to do as he had done. I revoked his agency, and paci-
fied the rage of the people as well as I could, by r«stor>
ing the family right to those to whom he had so impro-
perly sold it, and besides this, I lost a great part of what
he owed me.

In January of the same year, I made Horton Howard
agent for the Western country, with authority to print
my book, and in three andngi hftif years, he had printed
about six thousand copies, andliold about four thousand
rights, with the assistance o£ JbpMiub-agents, amounting

in all to abc
different tin
him, until A
ed to give
had but one
him in the c
willing to gi
ficed about a
pg to me.
in two anni
year. I rev
August 9, 18
, fltead, and toi
^eft them wit!
The practi
western State
that they ha^
most all the Si
This has caus
^d has been
like whipping
to spread it th^
Carolina, whe
fine is five hut
prisonment. '
spirit of the pe(
the complaint (
It, and reques
was granted hi
of the patent,
cine; and the
^t. If perse(
go the whole
case, and the
Had I not obtj
defended their
power of the d
as to a dagon.

But the derni

practice into th

agement, ifpog

my Botanic pr

1

Of Samuel Thomson.

181

oward
print
)nnted
)usand
unting

in all to about eighty thousand dollars. I tried at several
difierept times to come to an honorable settlement with
him, until August, 1830, at which time he utterly refus-
ed to give me an account from beginning. I then,
had but one alternative, either to bring an action against
him in the court of chancery, or else take what he was
willing to give. I chose the latter, by which I sacri-
ficed about seven-eighths of what should have been com-
ing to me. 1 took his notes for four thousand dollars,
in two annual payments, two thousand dollars each
year. I revoked his agency in two days afterwards,
August 9, 1830, and appointed four other agents in his
stead, and took about two thousand copies of books, and
left them with my other agents.

The practice has spread rapidly in the southern and
western States, which has so much alarmed the doctors,
that they have succeeded in getting laws passed, in al-
most all the States, to prevent the spread of my piractice. g
This has caused me a great deal of trouble and expense,
and has been of no great benefit to them. It has been
like whipping fire among the leaves, which only tends,
to spread it the faster. The law is most severe in South
Carolina, where a suit was attended two years ago. The
fine is five hundred dollars for each offence, besides im-
prisonment. This violent outrage roused the patriotic
sjpirit of the people, insomuch that the doctor who brought
the complaint dared not come before the court to support
it, and requested of the court leave of absence, which
was granted him. The defence was made on the ground
of the patent, and by proving the utility of the medi-
cine; and the case was decided in favor of the defend-
ant. If persecutions must take place, let persecutors ■
go the whole exte^it of their power, as in the present
case, and the rights of the people will be defended.
Had I not obtained a patent, the people could not have
defended their rights; but must have bowed down to the
power of the doctors, they having the law on their side,
as to a dagon.

But the dernier resort of the doctors will be to get my
practice into their own hands, and under their own man-
agement, if possible. Finding that I should succeed in
my Botanic practice, certain individuals of them have

16

k ^

182

J^'arralAve of the lafe, Sfe.

■et up what they call a reformed college, in New York,
where they have adopted my practice as far as they
could obtain a knowledge of it from those who had
bought the right of me, and would forfeit their word and
honor to give them instruction. And finding that the
Botanic practice gained very fast at the West, -they have
established a branch of their reformed college in Worth-
ington, Ohio. I saw Dr. ^teel, last winter, who is the
President of that Institution, I was introduced to him
by Mr, Sealy, a member of the Senate, and Dr. Steel
was introduced to me as President -of said college. I
asked him if he was President of that reform which was
stolen from Thomson, in New York. This seemed to
strike him dumb on the subject. At the same place, a
few evenings after, I was introduced to one of the prac-
titioners under this reform, who studied and was educat-
ed at the college in New York, and was one of the in-
■tructers at Worthington. I asked him if he ever saw •
any of my books in the college in New York. He said
he had accidentally seen one there. I replied, then
you accidentally confess that my books were studied in
that college. I then asked him whether they used the
lobelia. He said they did. I then named the cayenne,
rheumatic drops, bayberry and n^rve powders. He con-
fessed the^ used them all in manner and form, as I had
laid down m my books. I am, therefore, satisfied that if
my medicine were taken from them, their Institution
would not be worth one cent. But, to have bought the
right, would have been too mean for such dignitaries;
but, to steal it from a qttack, was, perhaps, in their esti-
mation, much more honorable ! ! ! Every honest man
who hears any of the doctors speak of those colleges
with approbation, ought to upbraid thenf^ with these facts.
In 1821, while instrucUngH. Howard, of whom men-
tion has been made above, I was introduced to Governor
Trimble, and gave him a right. He had a consumptive
wife, whom the doctors could not help. I gave him a
sample of medicine, and what instruction I could. He
went home, and finding her worse, and no person un-
derstanding the medicine within fifty miles, he took the
book and carried her through a course, and repeated it;
. and she soon got well. His wife and nurse cured two

T%

^.:

Of Samuel ThovMon,

183

other women with the same sample of medicice I gave
him. The enemies of the practice, said that they ihnuld
advertise him as a steam doctor. He said they nsed not
take that trouble, for he would do it himself.

The practice has gained a respectable standing in
nearly all the States in the Union, and also in Canada.
A man by the name of Henry S. Lawson, has published
my Guide to Health, in Buffalo, and sold them in Canada;
and thus made a great speculation from my discoveriea.

In 1829, Mr. Samuel Robinson, delivered before the
members of the Friendly Botanical Society, in Cincin-
nati, Ohio, a series of fifleen lectures on "Medical
Botany," denominated the Thomsonian system of prac-
tice. He is entitled to much credit for this service d9ne
to the system. Those lectures were delivered without
my knowledge, being at the time a thousand miles from
that place. Horton Howard obtained them, while act-
ing as my agent, paid for them out of my money, secur-
ed the copy right in his own name, and printed an editioa
of them, whicn he sold lor his own benefit. This book
gave a great spread to the sale of riffhts. I have since
secured the copy right in Boston, and printed an edition
of two thousand copies, which are selling from fifty to
sixty-two and a half cents a copy. They contain much
information, relative to the practice of medicine, as
taught in medical colleges, and found in medical authors;
not to be found elsewhere in so small and so cheap a
work.

During the agency of Horton Howard, to wit, in July,
1829, while I was at Columbus, ho returned from the
South, and was so unwell that he wrote to his wife at
Tiffin, about eighty-four miles, that if«he ever wished
to see him alive, to come without delay. I attended
him the next day through a thorough course of medi-
cine, and relieved him, insomuch that I have not heard
of his being sick since. His wife arrived in about four
days, when, finding him about house, and well, she took
him around the neck and burst into tears. I retorted in
her behalf, saying, '*you are not half so bad as I hoped
you would be." This tended to dry her tears, ana it
passed oflT with a laugh. , The next day we all calcu-
lated to go north, towards the lake. The day before

184

JVbrra/tve 0/ the Life, Sfc.

we were to start, about twelve o'clock, he had word that
his 8on-iti-law, Samuel 1^ orrow, was at the point ot death,
and requested that some of the family would come as
soon as possible..^ Mr. Howard and wife concluded to
go, and insisted on my going with th^m. 1 with much
reluctance consented. We started at three o'clock, on
Friday, with two horses and a wagon, and arrived there
on Saturday, about sun-set, a distance of eighty*six
miles. Mr. Horton drove all the way, night and day,
notwithstanding he was calculating to die about five or
six days before. We found Mr. !k*orrow very sick; but
one of the patent doctors was there. I gave him but
little that night, merely a pinch of cayenne, as snutF, as
he had the catarrh, and was much stuffed on the lungs.
In the morning, Sunday, I carried him through a course
of medicine, which roused the opium, that remained in
his system, into action, as though it had been but just
taken. He tu^pbled and thrashed about in his frenzy
for about four hours, when he became composed. He
was then steamed, when the medicine operate d, which,
together with the heat, roused the physic into action,
which run him hard with a relax. I tried to restore the
digestive powers, but could not on account of his not
beinj clear. I was obliged to carry him through a second
course in thirty-six hours, instead of going turty-eight,
as I had calculated. We began with him at dark. 6ut
as soon as the medicine took hold of the opium, it re-
newed its operation, which continued eiffht hours. His
relatives stood on their feet, about ten in number, ex-
pecting to see him die before morning. I lay down on
the floor until the flounce began to abate. Luring six
hours there was not one second that he was still. He
continually called for water, and drank about ten quarts
in the course of the night. About three o'clock in> the
morning, he began to be a little stiller, resting two or
three seconds at a time. He began to inquire who those
black people were, Which he fancied were there, and
what they were there for, and niany other similar ex-
pressions, which showed that his senses were returning,
but were not yet regular. I then told Mr. Howard and
the family, that they had better go to bed, and I would
attend him, with one of his aisteri, the remainder of the

Of SavMul Thommm.

185

ni^ht. The medicine theo began to operate, after the
opium had all distilled off. He vomited powerfully about
eight times, when he appeared to be clear of disorder.
I filled him well with milk-porridge, and was in readi-
ness to steam him when the family arose. He waii
steamed, ate breakfast, and rode out in the course of the
day. I prepared a syrup for his relax, of the black
cherry root bark, made into a strong, tea, as strong as
the same quantity of bark pounded would make; I then
added peach or cherry stone meats pounded, then added
one pound of loaf sugar, and one pint of brandy, which
made two junk bottles of syrup, to drink on the way.
On Wednesday, about ten o'clock, Mr. Howard and wife,
Mr. Forrow and wife, and myself, started for Columbus,
and staid at Wanesville that uight, about fourteen miles.
He stood the ride well, as air and exercise, when the
disorder is removed, are as necessary for patients as their
food. He was persuaded to stay on Thursday. On
Friday, we travelled to Charlestown, about thirty miles,
and arrived at Columbus on Sunday about noon. In
the afternoon. Gov. Trimble paid him a visit, taking
great interest in his welfare. Mr. Forrow was a noted
man in the State, being a surveyor and superintendent
of the Dayton Canal. The governor seemed highly
pleased at the unexpected recovery of the maq^^and th^
more particularly when I told him that it was just one
week that day since I administered to him on a suppos-
ed dying bed, and that he had since been conveyed
eighty-six miles in a wagon, and was able to walk about,
and was clear of disease. He staid at Columbus but
two days, when he went on with Mr. Howard to Tiffin,
about as much further, and arrived safe in four days, his
health still gaining. I staid there with him about four
days, and then started across the woods to New Haven.
He paid me twenty-five dollars; but I would not have
taken the risk again for five hundred. In fact it was
risking ray own life to save his.

Thus I havC' given a few prominent items, though but
a small proportion of my experience, sufferings, perplex-
ities and difficulties, since the second edition of this
work was published. But much of that which operatcijd
to my disadvantage, as an individual, served to exi "
16*

ifM'

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

%

V

1.0

I.I

11.25

UitlA 12.5
lU Uii 12.2

» US 12.0

uuu

1.4 11.6

HiotDgraphic

Sciences

Corporation

^

¥^

^.

^

V

;\

^.

\

'<^

23 WIST MAIN tTRIIT

WIUTH.N.V. I4IN

(7l«)t7a-4l03

;\

4r

>

m

J^ramOmof ^ Z4fe, ^e.

■*^*wS

tiM kti6#ledge and practice of the sjttem. This gives
fne Dotieoliition iii the ^tdst of aU my trials; and con-
aideHng the B^ianical practice as being now well estab-
Huhed, ' i thitik it is titrie for m^ to retire fVoin the field
ftf eonfest and war with either learned ignorance or legal
opfKMMtion.

''I have'cblleeled abotit three hundred weight of the
gulden toal the year pairt, and a large quantity of cay-
enii<6 frdm the island of Madagascar; n^^rly three tons.
t have sent to the southern States nearly twenty bar-
teli; flouiredy which is a gi^at heip^in the agues of that
c<Mmtry.

And here it is pf6per to remark, that great imposifioiU
are ^^ractised oh "^h'iit is called the American cayenne.
The doctora havei d^lared it to be poison, and d«struc-
tite to health, ««#i think they have made it as bad as
they hav^ rdnt^eMlited it to be. It appeairs to be mixed
n^th some red paint or mineral. When bufnt, it leaves
about t#o^fhirds of nhe quantity, of the blackest sub-
itanc«. When taken iyiwardly j it produces violent vom-
itfaijl^ aiid ought to be shunned as a mad dog. There
ia JMft little or none sold at the groceries for ordinary
^rpoa^ hut of this kind. The only safe way to detect
the poiflM^iB to try it by burning. If it be pure, there
will heitP^oportiott of ashes as of other tegetables, and
<lf a Ugiit color; if it bci bad, the ashee will not only be
hfoek) hut there will be double, and perhaps triple or
quadruple the quantity there should be for the quantity

rnt;- ■

xnt '^~v-

A. bru/ 9ummary fif.the CertiJicaUs and StatemenU
' til#Aic4' aecompaimed the (too former ediiiom.

% Tbs fjratem and practice of Iht Samuel Thomsoit
having 4>een so long before the public, and the numer-
ana bertiicatea given in the two first editions of his
Narrative being ao weU known and understood,- it is
tiMMight not expedieBt to give ^lem here in full; But only
substance of them abridg<|||, and in lieu fhereof, to
new and mote reo^iibasea. .I.^;'

^/ Samul Th'msenf

m

Of the cases ttlready published, it is proper to men-
tidB that of the Difienteryj in Jerioho, Vermont, in
October, 1807, where bat two ont of twenty-two, lived,
that #ere under the care of the regular physicians. Dr.
TkonM&H was sent for, 130 miles; he arrived in five
diiys; in three days, thirty were codimitted to his care,
and in eight days, by the use of his medicine^ the town
was cleared of the disease, with the loss of two only,
who were past cune before he saw them. Testified by
John Portbr. A case« of Salt Rheum) of thirty years
standing, cured in Portsmouth, May, 1813. Certified
by ELrzABETH MARsiiAiiL. The case of Spotted Fever,
in Ek»tham, county of Barnstable, Mass: where upwards
offorty had died by the 1st of May^ and but few lived
Who had the fever. Dr. Thomson was called on for as-
sistance; sold the right of using his nlQiiclne to several
individual, *who, in one month, rellmred upwards of
thirty who were seized with this violent disease, with
the loss of but one. At the same time and place, those
who were attended by th6 ifegular physicians, eleven out
of twelve died. Testified ^ PHiLANniiR' Shaw, Mfn"
iHer ofEektham; Onsn Kkowles, one of the Selectmen;
SAktTBL Freeman, Do. ; Hardi^o KnowlEs, JtMftce o^
^ Peace f and JdSBPfeL Mato, ^ent for the Si^y; amd
PostMasltr, A case of Rheumatiskn, of long Handing,
and many others, more than twelve of a consumptioli,
one of mortification, one of a dropsy, oneof numb-palsjr,
and others of divets diseases, testified by Alexander'
Rice, K^tenj, JVor. 20, 1821. '

Five cases of consumption, supposed 1o be desperate,
w*ere relieved in the course of three weeks, and all 6f
them restored to health. A CRSe of the dropsy, consid-
ered hopeless, was Cured in one we^k. Testified by
John Burgin, Jerry Buroin, and Solomon Rice, Eaat-'
p^rtf July 20, 1821. The character and respectability
of the above witnesses are confirmed by J. R. Chad-
bourne, Justice of Peace, The case of SetM^Mason,
Portland^ whose case was truly a desperitfe one, and his
recovery exceeded aH expectation. Also, the case of
Mrs. Sally Keating, of the same place, who, after beins
doctored a whole year by the first physician in Portlimd!
had been given over as incurable. She was recov^lpl .

I9B

Jffiteraiheof ih^ JUfi^ $fc.

to an exoeUeni state of health. Testified by $. Sewkll,
Scarborough, Jan, 1, 18^. Several other umilar cases
are testified by S. Sewell, not necessary to be here, par-
ticularized. A number of cases, several of which, the
patients were given over as incurable by the regular phy-
sicians, were all relieved and cured by Dr. Thomson, as
testified by Jabesc Tvlve, Elder of the BaptiH Church in
SatUbury, Dec. 5, 1821.

The case of Elder Bolles was a very extraordinary
one. He was supposed to be in the very last stage of
a consumption, and was cured. John Lemmon was
also cured of a consumption; Isaac Perkins's wife was
€ured of a. dropsy of a desperate nature; all of wfaidh
cures are testified by Wiluah Raymo2^]>, who says, **m
these cures i was well knowing to* having been done at
that time;" wbif^l^ statement is alao confirmed by Key.
£. Williams, not only as it regai:ds Elder Bolles, but
also as it regards Ezra ,Lovett, ,on account of whose
death, Dr. Thomson was .indicted for murder, and tried
for his life, about a year afterwards; but he was hon-
orably acquitted) witnout having an occasion, or even
an opportunity of making his defenee. Mr. Lovett was
first relieved} then experienced a relapse of his disorder,
in consequence, of taking cold, by walking out some dis-
tance <|| a very cold day^ in the month of pecembeir.
Dr. Thomson was sent for; but on peeing him, he im-
mediately e^tpressed doubts of his being able to help
him. ^e gave, him medicine wrhich had no efiect; and
two respectable physicians were sent for, and came, un-
der whose care he was twelve heura before he died. . Yet
auch was the malice and prejudice ef the doctors, that
they seized upon this case, and tried to make it out
mueder, in order to destroy both Dr. Thomson and his
practice. v

Next follows a long statement of the diseases and man-
ner of treatment, by Dr. Thomson's system and direct
tions, i|d the benefit received under the administration
of his medicine; by Stephen NbaIi, Esq., of Eliot,
Maine, A similar statement by Jo^n Raitt, of the same
place, £/M><,JVb«. 28, 1821.

The case of Mary Eaton, which was a dropsy, had
^jilin pronounced hopeless by « consultation of four doc-

tors, i

Sheppai

reach o:

three wc

to see 1

about fin

gained u

of heaitl

(Signed)

An 0X1

Coleman

ceiving t

naedicine,

fi>rtably f

Ephraim

Ayoun

known, hi

ing himse

quite conif

was no mc

if his head

called to s<

he was ali

thousand th

Testified b

cine that gj

or four daj

about the n

Although
testimony, b
recent, and
duty I owe t
state it, whi<
Thomson's v

I have for
▼ery much pi
ed of quacke
ened by havii
ft quack docti

Of Samuel Thomson,,

189

had
I doc-

tors. She continued, however, under the care of Dr.
Sheppard, until he said her complaint was beyond the
reach of medicine, and that she could not continue over
three weeks. At this time, May, 1808) she says, <' I went
to see Dr. Thomson, and in three weeks I was reduced
about fifteen inches in bigness. I returned home and have
gained until this day ; and am now enjoying a better state
of health than I had before enjoyed for sixteen years."
(Signed) Mary EAtoif,' Exeter, jYov. 20, 1821.

An extraordinary case of Asthma, of Mrs. Hannah
Coleman, who had applied to six physicians without re-
ceiving any beneficial effect, by using Dr. Thomson's
medicine, she was enabled to lay in bed and rest com-
fortably for twelve years, as testified by her husband,
Ephraim Coleman, JVetotnoffon, Dec. 3, 1821.

A young man in Roxbury, who from some cause un-
known, had taken ratsbane with the intention of destroy-
ing himself, was so relieved that the next morning he was
quite conifortabh. Dr. P. who had been called, said there
was no more chance for him to live than there would be
if his head were cut off. After he was relieved, Dr. P.
called to see him and expressed great astonishment that
he was alive, saying that there was not one case in a
thousand that a man could live under similar circumstances.
Testified by Elijah Simons, who administered the medi-
cine that gave relief, and who says, ** I attended him three
or four days, and he is now so far recovered as to walk
about the room." Roxbury, Feb. ^, IQ2\.

Additional TeBtimony.

Although there is no real occasion to add any mor6
testimony, by way of certificates, yet as my case is more
recent, and my name may have some weight, I feel it a
duty I owe to the public, as well as to Dr. Thomson, to
state it, which I dd as editor of the present edition of Dr.
Thomson's works, 1831. ll

I have for many years b^en opposed to, and latterly
very much prejudiced against, every thing which savor-
ed of quackery, which prejudices were greatly strength-
ened by having once been egregiously imposed upon by
a quack doctor, (I forbear giving his name for his rela-

190

^arrtUine of tlu JUfi, Sfc.

*
tions' sake, though he is now not living,) of whom I

bought the skill, as he said, of curing cancers; but

which proved to be nothing but a gross imposition on the

public; hence, after trying the experiment on several,

^without effect, though it would effectually remove tu-
mors not cancerous, I declined the practice altogether,
lost my trouble, together with what I had paid for the
skill, besides experiencing the mortifipation of having
been thus dipped by a man void of principle and mord
honesty.

It was under these feelings, that the Thomsonian
system was first recommended for my daughter who had
what had been first called a white swelling, then a fevet
sore, but lastly, by Dr. Thomson, a mercury sore, on her
arm, in the elbow joint, for nearly four years. The
best encouragement she could get from the regular phy-

.sicians was, either to have it amputated to save life, or

; (which was the advice of Dr. Warren) to lay by entire-
ly, and not to use it. She thought she should be in a
manner useless herself, without her arm; for it was her
right arm, and if she was not to use it, she might lose
it almost as well es not. Under these impressions, she
was induced to try the Thomsonian system, under the
direction of Mrs. Holman. It was soon found to have a
salutary effect. In a very few weeks it was better than

4t had been before for more than three years. A great
part of the time, her arm had been so stiff that she could
not raise her hand to her head. It is now entirely well,
and her general health much improved; better than it
has been for a number of years; for she has been sick
every few years with fevers, or with what was called the
liver complaint, ever since she had the typhus fever in
1812, when she was but a child. The favorable re-
sult the medicine had on her, softened the prejudices
very much, which I had, till then, entertained against
it; though they were not entirelv removed, nor was she
entire|| well, when I was attacked with the fever ^nd
ague, which I considered, but a presace to the return of
the fever I had last fall, which I caught in travelling on
the Erie Canal, and from which I did but just recover.
After the second attack with the ague, I was taken down
.witb the bilious fever, and w«ui more yipl^ipitly stized

\f

I could n

entirely i

sleep, an

have hi|d

After I

but witho

day for ft

ed the re^

omitting

them, till

to say tha

me, or thi

that my li:

enjoying,

first instai

the skill ;

which, it i

ment, the

applied by

been sent

ger was in

Whethe

taking cole

poisons wh

system wa:

to say; th

the facts a

be the mea

tern in the

I have in v

It is trikj, t

the medicii]

but this did

I took a rel

Of Samuel Thornton,

191

than I was last fall; and had I received the same treat-
ment which I did then, I have no idea that I could have
recovered, as my fever at that time run twelve days be-
fore it formed a crisis; and then it was three weeks aAer
that, before I was able to be about. But under the
Thomsonian system, the crisis was formed in just about
forty hours from the time I commenced taking the medi-
cine; at which time I lay, as I have been informed, for
I could not measure the time, seven or eight hours in an
entirely unconscious state ; after which I tell into a sweet
sleep, and awoke in the morning free from all f6ver, and
have hi^d none since. *

After about ten days, however, the chills returned;
but without any fever, which I had regularly every other
day for four or five weeks. To wear out these, I pursu-
ed the regular course of medicine, every few days, not
omitting injections, as often as I felt any occasion for
them, till the chijls left me entirely, and I am now happy
to say that I am not aware that I have any disease about
me, or that I ever enjoyed better health. All, therefore,
that my life. is now worth to me, and all that I am now
enjoying, or shall, hereafter emoy, I must impute, in the
first instance, to the Thomsonian system, together with
the skill and faithfulness with which it was applied;
which, it is but justice to say, in the most critical mo-
ment, the medicine that apparently saved my life, was
applied by Mrs. Holman; for although Dr. Thomson had
been sent for iii the night, yet before he arrived the dan-
ger was in a manner oVer.

Whether the relapse I took was in consequence of
taking cold, or in consequence of the mercury and other
poisons which I had formerly taken, and from which my
system was not entirely cleansed, I shall not undertake
to say; the doctor says, the latter; I have only stated
the facts as I felt aad experienced them; and should it
be the means of giving others confidence to try the sys-
tem in the most difficult cases, it will answer the object
I have in view in thus making them more publicly known.
It is troe, the pain of the disease, or of the operation of
the medicine, or of both, was at first most excruciating;
but this did not discourage me from trying it again, when
I took a relapse; and the operation became more and

Mm

m

Ik

1^

Jfarraike of ike I^e^^c,

more vai4f as tk^ disease went off, tiU it was attended
wit)i but very Uttle inconvenience.

ABNER KNEELAND.

MOVICE.

I hereby appoint Abner Kneeland, editor of the
Boston Inyeatij^ator, Agept, generally, but not exclu-
8i?ely, throughout the United States, to receive and an-
swer my letters, to sell the Rights to my Botanical Sys-
tem of Practice in Medicine, and my Books containmg
a Narrative of my Life and System of Practice, and to
attend to aU matters and things expressed or implied in
the above agency, especially during my absence, the
same as I should or could do if present, and the agencies
of E. G. House and John Locke, are hereby revoked.

SAMUEL THOMSON.

TO THE PUBLIC.

The Subscriber having been Appointed Agent for Dr. Sah-
UEii Thomson, as above statied, ail letters incehded for the Doc-
tor, may be addressed enher to him or to the Subscriber, as all
the Doctor's letters come into the box of the Investigator, and
of couHKi into the liands of the Suliecriber, who will l^eep Fam-
ily Rights, with the Books containing the System of Practice,
constantly for sale at the lnv«>8iigaior Office ; and who will
appoint sub-ageiitfl^ with the advice and consent of the Doc-
tor, wl«en, and wherever they shall be thought necefsary,,'and
will also iceep the Medicine for wile at the same prices, bnd as
low as it can be bought of the Patentee, and the patronage in
this hne, which the public are dis|K>fled to give, will he grate-
fully received by the public's obedient servant,

ABNER KN£ELAND.

O'jnttinini
pro6tabi
if not to

As hon
enriches o
may add o

About t
thirty to fi
I had a go
of a swarn

Afte^ab
lack on m
was their
©very pers<
as well as
the aummc
mostly in
than all th]
of the bees
I then tool
^e cause n
be idle in tl
^d I foun]
bees. I ha
large enouj
swarm of i
dearly one
tlunn from L
small at firsl
that had no|
room for the

k

TO THB THIRD SDIKTIOir OF TBB HARKATITB.

OjoUining tome new remarks, whieh may be pleMing, if not
pro6uble| to the reader ; and add to the bigneaa of the book,
if not to the stock «f knowledge.

V-

CtdHvoKofi of Beei.

As honey adds to the quality of medicine, as well as
enriches our food, I think a short treatise on this subject
may add one particle to the stock of useful knowledge.

About twenty years of my life, from the age of from
tkirty to fifty years, I attended to the keeping of bees.
I had a good farm, and used to calculate that the profits
of a swarm of bees was as much as thallt>f a cow.

Aftet' about fifteen' years, I found that there was some
lack OB my part to enable them to be as induw^r'ous as
was their nature and disposition; as it is obvious to
every person who has paid any attention to the subject,
as well as to my own obsenration, that dUHng the heat of
the summer, and at a time when the white clover is
mostly in bloom,' from which more honey is obtainei
than all the other flowers of the field, that a great piirt
of the bees lire on the outside of the hive, and are idle.
I then took the matter intdt consideration, to ascertain
the cause why so industrious an iiosect as the bee should
be idle in the best |>art of the season for making honey;
and I found the fault to be in the owner, not in the
bees. I had inade their hive much too small, being only
large enough for a quart of bees, when I had put in a
swarm of nearly half a bushel; so. that their hive was
nearly one third full of bees, and thereby prevented
them from having room to work. The space which was
small at first, was soon filled with honey, and the bees
that had no room were crowded on the outside, to give
room for the rest. Hence the cause of all this idleness.

n

h

194

JVarrofive of the Life, 4fe,

■'■^

In the fall of the year, the owner of beea will try the
weiffht ot his hives, and if in any one he thinks there is
not honey enough to winter the bees, he will take them
up, and thus save from five to ten pounds of honey;
wnen at the same time, if the owner had made the hive
large enough, so that all would have hiBid room to work,
they would have made from fifty to a hundred pounds of
honey; would have had enough to live on through the
winter, or, if taken up, would have been a valuable prize
to the owner. This mode of raising bees is too, much
like the labor of mankind. A few industrious ones la-
bor, and many lazy or idle ones help eat up all the pro-
fits; and if any starve, of are taken up, the industrious
ones sufier as much as any; with mankind, generally
more. But to remedy this evil with bees, is much easier
than to remedy it with mankind.

A few of the last years of my keeping bees, I made
some improvement, in order to aid and assist this profita-
ble insect in the making of honey. I did it in the fol-
lowing manner. Instead of making my hives to hold
frym a bushel % a bushel and a half, I made the first
to hold three bushels, and put in a swarm from on^
of my small hives, and made my observations. I noticed
in the summer, that there were no idle bees. In the fall,
I found it heavy, but not full. They wintered well.
The next season, they worked well; but did not swarm.
This hive did so well, I piit a swarm into a four bushel
liive this season.^ They worked well until fall, at which
time I found the' other large hive, which, had the work
of two seasons, fi41. I had previously learied that one
good hog of eighteen months old, was worth more than
three shoats at six months old. I concluded to try the
same rule with the bees. I took up the old hive, ^ and
took out 160 pounds weight of the handsomest, comb I
ever saw. I followed the same plan with <^e other la^^e
hive, and at eighteen months old, I found that full also.
I then took it up, and took out two hundred weight of
honey, equal to the other. In this way I was satisfied
that by putting a swarm into a large hive every year, and
have one to take up, was as mnch better than to make
small hives, .as to have one goo.d hog instead of two or
three shoats. , v^

I'didi
what exti
ried. Bi
those swi
only hav
would hi
Then by
swarm, a
«qually gi
may be si

I will
to some,
hive, we
gave awa'
cuit Ind'
round, I I
men who i
ed, '«Ha!
"Yes."
such a foo
41 notch in
and Carrie
lars. Thi
it away,
company v
up your be
** And did
answer wa
He repHe(
ing them.*
which I ha
*way J wi
tiierefore,
cannot Jiv<
b^lgins the
c^serve a
fool, in the
thing whici
not keep a
■ Q'Jiestwn.
like a hiv(
year?

4

Of 8&mml ^phMMoii.

196

I«di<l not try the experiment long enough to know to
what extent this mode of cultivating bees might be car-
ried. But I am satisfied that if 1 had kept either of
those swarms over, afler they were full, that I should not
only have had a swarm from that hive, but that they
would have filled one of equal size the first season.
Then by increasing the size of the hive to that of the
swarm, and keeping but-a few swarms, they may be all
equally good. But be careful .not to overstock; for bees
may be starved in this way as well as other stock.

1 will here relate an anecdote, which may be 6f use
to some. At the time of my taking up my first large
hive, we asked some neighbors in, to eat honey. I
gave away about one hundred weight of honey, with bis-
cuit Snd butter answerable. Before the season came
round, I bought a few pounds in presence of one of the
men who partook most liberally of the bounty. He ask-
ed, ** Have you got rid of all your honey?" *I replied,
** Yes." ** Why," said he, **you should not have been
such a fool as to have given ft all away." Here I madi
a notch in my memory. The next fall I fbok up my bees,
and carried honey endbgh to Walpole, to fetch ten dol-
lars. This I thought better than to be twitted for giving
it away. However, in the course of the fall, I was in
company with the same man ; he asked, **Have you taken
tip you r bees ? " * * Yes, ' * was the answer. He rejoiBed,
** And did you ask in the neighbors to eat honey ?" My
answer was, '* No; I carried it to Walpole and sold it."
He replied^*' Why, they say you are a hog for not ask-
ing them.*^ I replied, *' You have learned me a iesson,
which I had not thought oP; when I gave my honey all
away. I was a fool; and when I kept it, I was a hag;
therefore, unless I am a fiog at least half of the time, I
cannot live." The conclusion is this. When a man
b(|gins the wllld, if he means to escape censure, he must
cfbserve a proper medium between being a hog and a
foolf in the estimation of his neighbors, but if he has any
thing which to them will be as sweet as honey, he must
not keep all, nor give all away. *

. Question. Why is an industrious man in old age,
like a hive well filled with honey, in the fall of the
year?

^/my-

196

*

Amtnr, BecauM A the droM beet who have iNeo
idle all aomroer, in tinie of hitnreat, wish to eat l»
mucli honey in winter af thoae who laid it up. The
old Aiani when he comet to be past labor, teet hit
ehOdreii and grand-child^n hover round him, to suck
the honey the old man hat eamdl; and they are very
apt to inquire of each other how much the old man is
worth ; begin to tr^ the weight of hit iron chest, or where-
ever he keeps his money, as the owner does his bee,
hives, and say, in a low voice, ** Don*t you think he has
about dope ffaining? I fear he will begin to spend on
the interest, if not on Ihe capital. Now w<;^uldJi)e a good
time to take him up, if it oould be done and not expose
ourselves." But the lesson of Mr. White, in Salem,
who waff taken up for the^tame purpose, will be a hard
lesson to all such, during t|^e present generation at least.
What then is best to be done r I know of no better way
than to let old people live as long as they can, and let
them oe as comfortable as they can, while they live ; for
notwithstanding the natural disposition of men, general-
ly, is nearly th# same, the risk in taking up old men pre-
maturely, like taking up bees for the sake of their honey,
it much greater than the risk that they will live, natural-
ly, to spend all their earnings.

Every thing is in motion; all our hopes are in pros-
pect, moving onward, nothing backward. The inquiry
iS) " How much will father leave for us?" not "^what shall
we do for our parents?" Hence it is wisdom, if a min
has it, to keep enough in nis own hands, ^^r his own
wants, and not to rely too much on the goomiess of any
one, even his own children.^

When to sd Fruit 7Vee», and lose no^rowth, ^

About the middle of October, trees have ffenerany
done growing for that season; yet they are still ereen
and full of leaves. Taken up at this time, which is the
most proper time^ they will become well rooted before
tpring. It will be necessary to cut round and take up
at much dirt as you conveniently can, and set the root
well down in the ground, and pack it close, to that the

Of Samuel Thomwh, 197

iMt will not shake th^in. A BtAe may be useful until
thsy becoo^ well rooted. If the weather is dry, they
■hould be watered often, for a few 'day^ As soon ns
they will stand all day, withdut wilting, they ire out of
danger. They wilf get so roMed before spring, as to
lose no growth; but iHll crow jost as well as though they
had not been moved.-'^ They are the most sure, if set
when small.

Bjd CgMeqwncti of 8tave$ in Tight Rooms,

I visited a^iriend in Ve|jnout» whose daughter was
unwell; her bed was near charge stove in the kitchen,
where the work of the houpe was done. While the
doors were frequently opene<i^ during the day, there a|H
'peered no bad effects from the dry air; but at evening,
when the house was shut, the young woman grew much
distressed, and about ten o'clock, sho had a violent con*
vulsion fit, and continued at jpteryals through the nigh||
I was satisfied that the. stove waa the cause, or the dry
air from it; but I could not convince the family that
such was the fact. I tried to have her removed out of
the room, and I succeeded in the course of the day,
Her senses were gone, and her recollection did not re-
turn fur some days. Th^ cause I attribute to the water
being dried out of the air, and her glands grew dry by
inhaling the dry gas. In a healthy state we throw on
moisture with the breath, anit inhale as much more from
the atmosphere. This keejis the lungs refreshed with
moisture. When they grow dry, it causes fits.

I will here name another case, for further illustration
Of pr<$bf of this supposition. i;Mr. John M. Williams, of
Baltimore, had a child taken sick about three o'clock m
thf morning^ They j^ot up, made a fire in the stove in
Ih6 kitchen,^d after administering to the child, put it
in the cradle near the stove. Thoy then proceeded to
prepare their breakfast, and when it was ready, I came
into the room, in which I could scarcely get my breath,
it was so warm. AH set round the table. The child in
the cradle bega|i to groan at evAry breath, and after con-
tinuing so for. a short spac^, went into a convulsion ^

n*

f:

«-«

198

A'ami(iM of IhM Hfe, ^e.

The family were mtich^larmecl. I told them the fil waii
caused by the stove. I opened the door^ the child
was carried tq^it, the ory was, whtU thall Vft dal t told
them to five it some of the Sd preparation. The^ tried
to give it; but they spilled it in the bosom, as the jaws of
the child were set. I iM them to giv^ fne a spoon. I
put my finger between the eheek and teeth, ana poured
in the liquid, and crowded it back to the throat, which
let the jaws loose, and the child swallowed enough to
make it vomit. The fit was off, and I ordered it into my
chamber, where was a fire. It had no more fits. I fol-
lowed it with medicine, and carried it throngh that fore-
noon. The senses of ithe iikild did not return till noon.
The next day it was well. So efficacious was the course
pursued. One of the neighbors said that he was glad
the case happened; not o« account of the child, but for
the benefit of all present; for if I had not been ttiere,
they would not have known the cause of the fit. |lad the
child remained in the room, the probability is, it would
Utot have lived till noon. And the cause bemg unknown,
no remedy would have been known for others in a simi-
lar predicament.

There are similar cases fVom burning charcoal in a
tight room, in iMiich case^lt sometimes happens that no
sensible effect is experienced, till the senses of the per-
son affected is gone. Others coming into the room,
persons have been often found de|id or senseless. As
diis is most generally the efillBct, it makes these cases the
more alarming; and people ought to be more careful
against such exposures. Men who work in furnaces in
cold weather, and who often drink too much ardent spir-
its, and then' crawl away under the roof, to find a warm
place, have often sufiTered the same consequences by
■tupor or death.

Not many years ago, I was informed ttet in the Hos-
pital, the doctors had kept the rooms fo»%e sick, t6-a
certain warmth, by stoves, regulated by the thermome-
ter, so that one sick uerson ihoUId have the same heat as
another. This woolo not answer fqr all, even in a stele
of health. This plan, as I understand, did not succeed.
The patients died very fhst, insomuch that the disorder
was called the league. They might have truly said.

Of Samuel Thonuon,

199

k

perhaps, tho plague of the doctors! I understand that
Ihey have pulled down all their stoves, and substituted
fire places, from which time the plague, of the stoves if.
you please, " was stayed." And should the olague of
the poisons, and the bleeding, be stayed also, the people
would have a greater cause for rejoicing than the 'Rus-
sians had at the defeat of Bonaparte, at the burning of
Moscow. And should the iatal practice of bleeding and
poison cease, and the people die with old age, the only
cause of death, casualties excepted, naturally incident to
man, then would death have a greater respite than it hat
had since the time the great butcher, Sydenham, first iuf
troduced the murderous practice of bleeding info the
world. A certain writer says, "During the course of
one hundred years, more died by the lancet alone, than
all who perished by war in the same period." Another
writer says, " The lancet has slain more than the sword,
and mercury, more than powder and ball."

t*,*"

Value of Guards and SenUneh in War or Peace, and tiu
danger of their Signals being neglected.

Guards and sentinels have been the principals of safety^
ever since human beings learned the art of war; . and it
is to this art of safety we are probably indebted for our
independence. By this means was the treachery of Ar-
nold detf cted, and the plots of our enemies defeated.
And even in time of peace, when the enemy is either
conquered or driven out, forts and breast works are still
necessary, that they may be in readiness in time of war.

One of the greatest sentinels who has been set to '
guard the welfare of this nation, was Thomas Jefferson,
who erected a permanent fort in the constitution, against
the clergy and the church and state party, who, were
they not sufficiently ffuarded, would bring the people of
this country, as they have done in other countries, under
religious bondage. Another sentinel has recently dis-
tinguished himself, in defending the fort of Jefferson
against the church and state party, armed with their Sun-
day mail petitions. This sentinel is Col. R. M. Johnson,
armed with the constitution of equal rights.

^1

200

^

MiimUive of Ihe lAfe, S^c,

Many useful lessons may be learned from the Scrip-
tures; not excepting the Apocrypha; where we find
some, to say the least, which are as useful as any other
parts. Mor this purpose I would refer the reader to the
13th chapter of Judith.

In this chapter may he found the result of silencing
the guard, and sentinels, whereby through the deceit and
influence of one woman, the destruction of a whole army,
of^about 160,000 soldiers, was effected. No other pos-
Bible means could have subdued them. See the ac-
count.

I have refbrred to thi^ chapter,- to show what incalcu-
lable mischief may arise from such neglect ; with a view
at the same time to awaken the people from their drow-
siness, and to arouse them to double their diligence in
placing their guards and sentinels, or else stand them-
selves, to guard their rights and liberties, which are in as
much danger of being diestroycfd ultimately, if not so
speedily, as the great army under Holifernes, was, but
a short time previous to their destruction. And yet the
people seem to rest as safely as did the army to which I '
have just alluded,
i> There is a power and influence as much to be guard-
^ed agajinst now, as there was then, and the vigilance of
all our guards will not be more than sufficient to protect
the people. Let them watch the secret workings of our
enemies; especially those who appear as friends to our
fkc9s, and see what they are about in the dark. Re-
member the light sayings and dark doings of Judith.
While the army thought they were in safety, sudden dfe-
striiction came upon them.

Look! See the rapid strides of the clergy ! ! Behold
all their secret working among the women and children
of our landll! And the men have no sentinels to guard
themlblves. I think we never had more need to be on
our guard than at the present time. As with the priest,
flo with the doctor; the people are crammed with the
poison doctrines of the one, and the poison drugs of the
other, without giving them any chance to examine and
taste for themselves. The priest crams them with his
dwn ignorance and superstition ; and the effects are de-
lirium and suicide. The doctor crams them with hia

poison; «
death.' ^
or nearly
And the w
house, or
to be bla
the doctoi
and the p
must n9to I
remedy na
first place.
Let us ii
. nels, both
to guard tf]
tinels disp]
perceived
This, of CO!
"Eyes, lo(
there appei
the best m(
and says, **j
orders are (
the commai
and smellin
and muscle
fence or ret
of each otht
The senti
are to judge
eye;' and if
nose, the ne
the flavor b
nothing disi
tongue to th
convey the
air to the 1
to prevent e
either, and
is thrown ba
w received
spection. . I
to health, is

Of Samuel Thomson,

201

•i

ard-
of
tect
our
our
Re-
dith.
diB-

poison ; and the effects are pains, lingering sickness, and
death. When dead, the doctor often takes the whole,
or nearly the whole, of the little property remaining;
and the widow and orphans become subjects of the poor-
house, or go out as servants. The question is, who is
to be blamed ? All, all are to be blamed. The priest,
the doctor, and the lawyer, for deceiving the people;
and the people, for being deceived by them., But what
must 91910 be the remedy? Where it is not too late, the
remedy must be the same as it should have been in the
first place. But see.

Let us inquire, in the first place, what are the senti-
nels, both external and internal, which nature has placed
to guard the body from injury? And how ai^ these sen-
tinels displayed? We will suppose the danger is first
perceived by a certain sound, or some trifling noise.
This, of course, is first perceived by the ear, which says,
"Eyes, look!" The call is instantly obeyed; and if
there appears to be danger, and flight is thought to be
the best mode of escape, the whole body is summoned,
and says, * 'Legs, carry me oflTas fast as you can. " These
order? are obeyed as regularly as though a general gave
the, command. The senses of seeing, hearing, tasting
and smelling, are the sentinels; which, with the nerves
and muscles, constitute the whole army, cither for de-
fence or retreat; and they are subject to the command
of each other. ' , •

The sentinels of the internal structure, or those which
are to judge of what is to be swallowed, begin with the
eye;' and if it be pleasant to the eye, it passes to the
nose, the next sentinel; if the pass be right, that ij, if
the flavor be agreeable, it goes to the taste ; where, if
nothing disagreeable is perceived, it is carried from the
tongue to the swallow. Here are two roads, the one to
convey the food to the atomach, the other to convey the
air to the lungs; the business of the sentinel here, is,
to prevent either from taking the wrong road ; for should
either, and especially the food, take the wrong road, it
is thrown back with a great explosion. When the food
is received into the stomach, it undergoes a general in-
spection. . If any thing ireeuonous, that is, uncongenial
to health, is found in it, an uneasincfss is almost the im-

'«

$02

^arraiive of the Life, Sfc,

mediate consequence, perhaps pain and sickness, and it
is often sent back without consulting Any of the guards
or sentinels; for it is general orders. And if the gen-
eral gives orders for any to pass or re-pass, without being
hailed by the sentinels, such orders must be obeved.
And if the general loses his head, and thereby his whole
army is defeated, it i^ no fault of the guards and senti-
nels, as in the case of Judith and Uoliiiernes.

Nature has placed all the guards and sentinels in the
body, which are necessary for its safety and protefction,
and the mind is so constituted, that it is capable of judg-
ing of all the signals which these sentinels give; but the
devil, which is only another name for imposture and
fraud, that is, learned ignorance, falsehgod and art, are
always at variance with simple and natural principles;
the same as honesty and dishonesty are opposed to each
other. Now, of what use is such reasoning to the peo-
ple? None, until they can be brought back to a simple
state of na ure. Here the devil, or lalse learning, under
the name of doctor, with his elegant cloak »nd powder-
ed head, comes in and upsets the whole system of plain
simple truth, and introduces his learned falsehood. Tells
M the people that those sentinels which nature has set in
'the body are all false; learning is the only true guide;
and urges them to throw by all their natural ideas, and
hear to learning, popular customs and fashions; and
then they will be respected by the popular classes; that
is, by the doctor, minister and lawyer, and the great
dons around whom those learned professions fawn, and
whom they like to flatter. Pay us, and we will attend to
your most important concerns. Attend to your labor
in building our houses, and making our rich clothins.and
furniture; cultivate the soil; raise the fatted calt, the
poultry, and the flour, to feed us; and we will pray for
your souls, doctor your bodies, and make your wills.
You must not attempt to do any of these things for your-
selves, for you have not sufficient learning.

Now, look, fellow laborers, and see to what a condi-
tion these three learned craf\s have brought you at the
present day. The learned doctor has knocked down all
your natural sentinels, and has passed the poison down
your throats as though it was as innocent as breast-milk

is for th
rats, an^
the poiso
butcher i
produces
ed by su
tural sent
senses ar
beast triet
be is nev
And whei
nature, th
than are
beasts wil
down the
the prejudi
selves, am
till they by
own arms,
antimony,
emetic. S
of the bea
to take a U
it, it woul
than all th
oralis I h
child of tw
&] coniplai
wound, eve
by a doctor
is somethin
thinks his f
only afraid
takes it. S
the doctor
where it be
for the spac
yard, and <
ifthree-foui
of age; thii
iuded world

Of Samuel T%o^i. ??i.

203

is for the infant, until you are dying off like swarms of
rats, and with tho same poison. Then, in addition to
the poison, he draws out your blood, to cure, as does the
butcher the blood of the beaat/to kill; and which often
produces the same effect. This is what you have gain-
ed by suffering the doctors to knock down all your nor
tural sentinels, . and to substitute learned fools whose
senses are below the grade of the beast. When the
beast tries his food, by the sentinels of the eye and nose,
he is never deceived. Nature always tells the truth.
And when wild beasts go according to the dictates of
nature, they are more successful in raising their offspring
than are mankind in raising theirs by art. For the
beasts will neither eat poison themselves, nor force it
down the throats of their offspring. But mankind, by
the prejudice of false learning, will both eat poison them-
selves, and force it down the throats of their children,
till they by this means execute death upon them in their
own arms. This is done by giving wine poisoned with
antimony, or the tartrite of antimony, called tartar-
emetic. So much is mankind reduced below the grade
of the beast by the force of education. Were parents
to take a lesson from a child two years old, and abide by
it, it would be of greater use to the rising generation
than all that ever came from the college by the three
crafts I have named. It will be remembered that a
child of two years old is troubled and makes- a mourn-
ful complaint at the sight of blood, from the slightest
wound, even if he feels no smart from it; or when taken
by a doctor from another. His senses tell him that there
is something wrong in it, and applies to those whom he
thinks his friends, to remedy the evil. The child is not
only afraid of the . blood, but also of the doctor who
takes it. Should parents from this lesson, learn to keep
the doctor away, and to keep the blood in the body,
where it belongs, for the preservation of life and health,
for the space of one hundred years, then visit the grave-
yard, and examme the monuments of the dead, and see
if three-fourths of the inhabitants died under thirty years
of age; this, I think, would stril^e conviction to the de-
luded world.

^1

904

A*atTalioe <tf iht Life, B^e.

' '

I return to my text. The sentinels of life and preser-
vation, as before mentioned, in the brute animals, never
deceive them. There is none found dead by poison,
either accidental or done on purpose. Their sentinels
have been true to them. Not so among the dupes of
kamed ignorance, where they allow their sentinels to
be knocked down by the doctor, and poison to be cram-
med down their throats; for unless the general govern-
ment of the stomach should s6 condemn his prescrip-
tions as to throw the poison back in spite of nim, the
patient must suffer; his sufferings may be long, but gen-
erally fatal; and his body will be carried out by the sex-
ton, in a coffin, as was the head of Holifemes, in the
^^> hy Judith. Neither is this the greatest evil, caused
by these artificial monsters in human shape. How often
do we see our children sacrificed by being born artifi-
cially, instciad of naturally? aided by the pincers of the
assassin, instead of the skillful hand of the midwife. All
their art, is to force nature, instead of assisting her.
These are some of the effects of learning which termi-
nate in death. But there are others never to be forgot-
ten. Cripples and invalids, dragging out a miserable
life, reduced almost to a state of starvation, for those
who survive their unnatural practice. Besides a tribute
of twenty dollars for destroying the comfort of a wife
and the life of a child ! Yet the eyes of the people are
blinded by the sound of the word feamtngp, and learned
doctor; and ddubly blinded by the priest, or the parson,
who will clear the doctor firom all blame, by sayine, *Hhe
Lord gave, aqd the Lord," not the doctor, "hath tkken
away, and blessed," not cursed, *^be the name of the
Lord. " Had the wiest declared, as often as it was really
the case, that in all probability the poison, bleeding and
blistering, had killed the patient, the doctor-craft ^ould
have been dead more than a thousand years ago.

Were it possible for mankind to be brought back to
his proper grade, that of other animals, and at the same
time to exercise all their natural faculties, and have their
sentinels which have been knocked down by the doctor
restored, so as to be as good as those of the beasts, so
that the sentinel of the eye and nose would reculate
their food and medicine, and prevent any poison neing

Of SavMuJL 27iofiuon.

ao5

taken either by theinselvea or their children, for four
generations, the people, I think, would improve in stature
and vigor, and become **mighty men of renown;" stich
as we read of in olden times, before the poison doctors
had destroyed the natural senses of our race; or at least,
80 perverted them that they cease to be subservient to
their natural use. But, on the contrary, should the
hood-winking system be continued, and the people coi^
tinue to degenerate, in every sense of the word, so far
as their health and bodily faculties are concerned, for
four generations to come, as they have for two genera-
tions pa3t, they will become more like a race of monkeys
than like human beings.

From this 83urce of poisons may be traced those
hereditary and family consumptions we hear so often men-
tioned. If traced back, it will be found that the family
consumption began with the family doctor; and so it
will continue as long a3 you employ one. A treatise on
the family doctor may be found on page 175, of this -work.
The family consumption was made with those families
to whom the doctor gave the fever when he spread it
through the village. Those who did not die, were left
worse than dead. The poison left in the system caused
them to linger out a miserable life in pain and torment;
and the doctor gets clear by stating that they have all died
with the family consumption. If you wish to keep clear
of a family consumption, keep clear of a family doctor.

The priest is equally guilty of knocking down the
sentinels of the mind and understanding, as the doctor
is of knocking down the external aiid internal sentinels
of the body. Death, in many instances is the effect of
both. Bleeding and poison on the one hand, and insan-
ity and suicide on the otheY. Both of them cause a
grievous tax on the people; and the lawyer sweeps the
board in collecting their bills and his fees.

Thus I have shown in part, the evils arising from giv-
ing up the guards and sentinels of the laboring class of
the community, and substituting the three crafts to watch
over them, and to **eat them that are fed, and clothe
themselves with their wool; but they feed not the flock."
They call themselves '^shepherds;" but they ara ^^wolves
in sheep's clothing.*'
18

806

JVomrftve of iKt Lift, Sfc,

Why meat will not putrefy in very hot, or vert

cold climates.

Meat will not putrefy in Arabia, nor in South America,
nor at the North or South Poles. Where the climate is
SO hot as almost to roast meat, it will not putrefy, as in
Africa or South America. Where the sand will roast
an egg in fifteen minutes, there the carcases dry up,
and do not rot. So, on the North or South Poles, where
every thing is frozen, there is no putrefaction. But half
way between freezing and roasting, there is putrefac-
tion. Much beef is dried on the sand in Brazils, with-
out any salt, and used at sea as fresh beef. The cause
why meat will not putrefy in either very hot, or very cold
climates, ad 1 apprehend, is, the water evaporates in the
one case, and congeals to ice in the other, so suddenly,
that the meat has no chance to decompose, as in either
case it becomes hard.

The myrrh from Africa, is better than from Turkey
or Russia, as the climate is steadily hot, and the myrrh
is of a more spicy smell, and is much more powerful
against all mortifications and putrid sores than that from
the Straits; and is of a much higher price. . There
being no trade up the rivers, to the interior part of the
country, all that is to be had, is brought by the Arabs
to Mora or Madagascar. The cayenne from Madagas-
car is better than that from the West Indies, as it is
more steady in its operation, and better against putre-
fiiction; and is not fluctuating from a calm to a hurri-
cane, as is that from the West Indies. The latter, often
80 frightens the people who take it, especially in a cold
state of the body, that they never dare to take any more.
It is seldom the case with that from Africa.

Beware >of the American, which is manufactured,^ and
colored. It is poisoned, as I have remarked elsewhere.

Proposals for a revolution in thb piuctick of

hbdicins.

•

People have paid doctors for being sick, for about four
thousand years. Let them now turn about, and pay for
their healthy which is much more reasonable. Let the

Of Samuel Tliomton,

301

doctor enter into contract with the dead of a family, to
keep the family in health, for a certain sum, for each
i&ember of the family, for one year; conditioned that for
each day's sickness in the family, by any member thereof,
the doctor shall forfeit twenty-five cents, to be deducted
from the sum agreed upon. Hence all the account there
is to be kept, is, the number of days of sickness there ia
in the family, in order to know what amount there is to
be deducted from the sum agreed upon. And to prevent
any imposition on the doctor, by the family, any one
saying, "I am sick," to save twenty-five cents; the doctor
must be called, and they must go through a regular course
of medicine, or else not have any allowance made for their
sickness. But if they comply, the doctor must not only
attend them for nothing, finding his own medicine, but
also pay them twenty-five cents for every day they are
sick; to be deducted at the end of the year, from his
salary. Were this plan generally adopted, it would save
nine-tenths of all the sickness of our country.

%

NUM^PALST.

In looking oyer my Narrative and Guide to Health, I
find that this disease has been overlooked, and not treat-
ed upon. J carried the view in my mind, that I had re-
corded the case of my daughter, which happened about
twenty years ago; and the omission was not discovered
till it was too late to insert it in its proper place. I shall,
therefore, give it a place here.

While I was at Portsmouth, I do not recollect now ex-
actly the year, I received a letter from home, that my
daughter, then about twenty years of age, was sick and
her life despaired of. I ohtainod and took with me a
bottle of the best' pepper-sauce. When I arrived, she
appeared to be dying, and had so appeared, as they said,
for some days. Her eyes were set; and she breathed
like one in the last struggles of life. I was advised to
do nothing for her. I thought it would do no harm to
try the pepper-vinegar. I therefore poured a spoonful
of it in her mouth, as it was open. In about two min-
Lies she opened and moved her eyes. I then gave her
another spoonful, which was swallowed. In about the

toe

AUrra/tve of the Life, Sfc,

space often minutes, she spoke, and said she had had a
shoG^ of the numbpalsy. This was the first idea we
had of the kind. After awaking like a person from
sleep, or nearly dead, she gave a history of its begin-
ning and progress to the then present time. She »aid
the shock struck one half of the body and limbs, and
half of the tongue, insensible of feeling; like that caus-
ed by a knock of the elbow. All one side was full of a
prickling sensation, attended at first with heavy and se-
vere pain; the pain relaxed, however, as the side dead-
ened, and entirely ceased with the feelings; and all that
side remained dead, as to sensation, till the pcpper-Fauce
was given. This brought back the pain and prickling
as at the commencement, until all parts had become
equalized. I think I carried her through several courses
of medicine in usual form, until the system became clear
of obstruction, and the digestive powers restored. She
soon recovered, with no other disodvantage than that of
the side which received the shock continuing weaker
and moHft subject to cold than the other. She has had
two or three of those shocks since. But by having the
medicine in the family, and by the assistance of the
neighbors who have the right, she has been always soon
relieved, so as not to be. confined but a few days. I saw
her last fall. She has now no trouble frcm the com-
plaint, except that above mentioned. She has a family
of six children, and has done the greatest part towards
their support by practising abroad, under my system, and
by my finding her with medicines and rights to sell. She
has relieved many of the same complaint.

I have given a history of this ctise, only on account
of the name. Had the same case appeared without any
name, the treatment under the head of fits, drowned
persons, and all suspended animation would have an-
swered. The third preparation is the first resort; then
a full course of medicine, rigorously pursued, in propor-
tion to the dcadliness or violence of the disease, until
life becomes equalized through the body. The whole
of the directions above given, is simply this: A thorough
course of medicine, administered with the best articles;
emetic seed, cayenne, drops, nerve powder, and bay-
berry, or No. 3,

Of Samuel Thonuon,

309

any
^ncd

Fever must have its course.

How consoling must these words be from the health*
restoring physician, to his suffering patient, who wishet
to know how long he must undergo those torturing ad-
ministrations of poisonous physic, salivation, loss of teeth,
together with bleeding and blistering! The doctor tellf
him that he does not know; perhaps nine days; some
fevers run longer than others; and it must have its
course! I have known a rich man's fever run a hundred
days, when a poor man's fever would turn in ten dayi.
The inflammatory fever, or hot fever, will soon come to
its height, unless checked with small doses of calomel,
opium, nitre, &c. which tend to prolong it. With these
applications, the fever may be continued longer or short-
er, as the money of the patient holds out.

Sometimes, before one fever turns, another will set id,
until they have the whole list, thirty'Seven and upwardi.
But the patient will be likely to die before Ae has had
half of^he above number .of fevers. By tliis ||bu may
see that the doctor does not pretend to knon^ ai^ thing
how long you vjrill be sick, or whether you will live or
die. Who, I would ask, has not heard part, if not all,
of the above statements, made by the doctor to his pa-
tients, and yet not feel insulted at ajl ?

Suppose you went to a landlord to doctor your hunger,
and the landlord should tell you that your hunger^ must
run from nine to a hundred days, would you not be dis-
posed to cuflT his ears for the insult? But is it not as
much of an insult for the doctor to tell you that your
fever must have its run, as for the landlord to tell you
that your hunger must have its run? It would be so
considered, if the |>eople only knew that a fever can be
relieved as certainly,* and almost as speedily, as hunger.
In either case, it would be, as it is with the doctor, a
plain confession that they have ho remedy. Then why
should the doctor continue his visits for a fee, any more
than the landlord when he has no food i One is as much,
entitled to pick the pockets of his employers as the other.
How long must custom and superstition become a law to
ignorance and credulity?
18*

tio

yarraUve of tht lAfe, ^e, '

*

4

\. .

A Remarkable Vision,

INTROOUCTIOjT.

The following Vipi(m was, seen and published in a
hand-bill form, iit March ^ 1817, in consequence of the
coldness of the summeir j;>revi(fis, which caused great
mortality, especially among wdjbien in ehild-bed delivery,
in a town adjoining this city. Thirteen women died, as
I understood, in this condition, in about six weeks; for
I heard of none out of this number that survived. This
mortality caused me great distress of mind, knowing the
cause of their deaths, and having no means to give the
alarm to the people, as all the preises at that time were
shut against tide, l^ however, could not remain silent.
I foilira a man who had a few old types, and I interceded
with him to print in hand-bill form, two thousand copies
l^tliei following Dream or Vision; a great many copies
m Ifhich J?ere distributed in said town. The distribu-
tibn ftiok pka^e before the break of day, lest tl^eople
shoiTld'llba^)utlne writer, and, owing to their prlfvdiceii^
it should i^U of having the desired effect. T his strata-
gem operated like a charm, being dreamed into the mind,
and no other possible means in my power could have ef-
fected so desirable An object; because, in the morning,
the people were s^n, like the manna • eaters, gathering
each one for himself^r where they were mostly scattered,
beings at the doctors, ministers, lawyers, merchants, li-
braries, and reading-rooms. This wonderful production
was seized upon as eagerly as was the manna of former
times, and wiis read and then carried to their neighbors,
and to their ^Vent surprise, like as the first born being
slain, they ibintd the same there. This unexpected mes-
sage, being thus rained down among them, caused much
inquiry among t|ie. husbands and friends of the victims,
who anxiously desired a manifestation of the cause.
When finding to their satisfaction that it was the medi-
cine, in combination with the cold, which caused this
mortality, then the destroying angel put up his deadly
weapons, (mercury, arsenic, antimony, opium and ni-
tre) and sheathed the sword of destruction, (lancet, knife
and forceps,) and the fatality from that time ceased^
And there was great joy among the inhabitants of the

«arth, at
as foiloMt

•^ remati
publiih

Whifb
greatly aj
aayin^, »
Boastmg
And 1 tho
of thoir w
saw by m^
ment. I i
plied, •*!
yourself t\
;, notes Puri
I then ai
** I am Da
the njn^ c
tfUhJ^,;
off his whi
then asked
«nd many <
have lately
until this rr
stroyed wil
or hours."
After hei
or not. H
many." 1
to which he
showed me
is inscribec
under the r
of preservii
bj^that ins(
weapons co
according t
*Tf, Quintm
He then i
under the p
and the me

iies-
ituch
Liins,
luse.
Jnedi-
this
;adly

ni-
iniie
ised^

the

earth, at tl#l

Of Samuel Thimton,

Sll

«arth, at tl^ii|pcew of tha Pream, which was headed
OS folIoMts:

A retnariuihk Vtnon, Been in th§ ^Ij/ieteenih Cenhtry^ and
publiaH$d Jfir CiU benefit Hff §Uv}fy} believe il a realiiy,

Whifb in fl9t0t repose Upon my bed, my mind was
greatly agitated by d voice, Which, m my dream,*! heard
saying, *' Poor wretchad inhabitants of a free country!
Boasting of RcHgion, Medical knowledge and wisdom!"
And 1 thought my8eli''ii^ake,%nd fei|l, what is the cause
of thoir wretchedness? As I s^^ke, turning iny eyes, I
saw by my bed-^e, a man clothed in a long white gar-
ment. I thought I said t^ him, who are yoiH'? He/e-
plied, '* I am Deception." I tilen said, why do ybu give
yourself this odious name? Ho replied, '* White de-
notes Purity, Innocence, and' a Promoter of Health.

I then asked him what he was in reality; his reply was,
**I am Death under the name of Life; or Evil, under
the njtoe of Good." I then asked him to appear to ^rfif^
#l(h(imeiny cover^r diaguisei this he did, by throwtiw
off his white robe; alj waSvbrackjDess and darkness. I
then asked him what h^ represented; he said " Death!
and many ^f my victims you have Imown, andA>thers you
have lately heard of, and will continue to hear of them,
until this mineral practice is changed. Many have I de-
stroyed wiHi my deadly weapons, some liithin a few days
or hours."

After hearing nil this, Tas^d liim if he w^s a reality
or not. He replied, *'I ai^iiVily the representative of
many." This led me to inquire what he represented;
to which he replied, *' I shall calf no names," and t|;^en
showed me i\fb pill bags, and said«|t** These, and what
is inscribed on them, will teach you yhy I am Death
under the name of Life ^ and why I kill under the name
of preserving life." I then asked him what he meant
bjl^that inscription; he replied, ^' I mean those deadly
weapons contained in the bags; the names of which are,
according to the b^st of my recollection, Arsenic, Mercu-
ry, Quinine, Opium, Nitre, Lancet, and Knife."

He then added, " These instruments of death are used
under the pretence of curing diseases, or promoting life ;
and the men who, use them, you know have been the

212

Miiralive of the L(/«, ^c,

cause of the death of those who were so suddenly taken
from their friends and all they held dear on earth."

Having heard all this, I aiiikod why he revealed this
secret to me and not4o another? lie replied, *^ because
I kpow you are able to write the particulars which are
related to you." He added, "do not (ail to publish what
I have related; not only in this town, but in every di-
rection ; for this business of killings under the name of
healing, has gone far, and is going farther; for many
have great wrath, becaust they IkinK their time is short.
Every thing which has been done here, and in other
places, adapted to relieve the sick wi^^ the medicine of
our country, which nature has so bountifully furnished,
all these thins^s have been despised, and those who kill
others, cry, PoUon! PoitonI Kill! Killl

I asked him why they cried out in this manner, when
so few died who used the medicine of our own country,
and when so many fell under their deadly weapons? He
rcyplied, "you remember what I first stated; tj^ will
iSk of pity, if one is likojy to be cured, that JHf m^
kill him themselves. It is not strange for the 7agle to
cry death to birds, when the dove is atnong them, though
he would gladly devour the. dove with the other birds,
were it in his power."

In my dream, I thought the one who spake to roe, said,
"I enjoin it on. you to direct the people of U|e country,'
to keep in their libraries and reading rooms, three books*
in use among those who use deadly weapons, viz. : The'
New American Dispensa||^y, The Medical Dictionary,
and The Medical Pocketbook. "

"Lest you or any other may not happen to find what
is laid in the Dispensatory, concerning^ these deadly
weapons, I now. repeat a few words written there." Hf
then handed m^ the following, page 285. O^Nitre^ it is
said, Th\8 poioerful saltj when inadvertantly taken in too
large quantities^ is one of the moit fatal poisonB. Page
288, Oxid of arsenic is one of the moBt iudden and violent
poisons we are acquainted with. The lancet we know th^
use. of, and also mercury, which is called medicine,
though poisonous. »

* The first book dhows how to prf pnrn mfdloint ; tli^ lecond
•^plains th« dend Iniijpruagei; tht third dirtffti how much medi-
cine or poison to give.

■^-

Of Samuel Thoinson.

213

I'

As these are so, how can people expect to be profitted
by such articles as are acknowledged the most deadly
poison, though used as medicine, in the most diiRc('.!t
cases? Alter quoting these things from the Dispensato-
ry, and making the above remarks, I thought that he
said, *' Do not tail to put them in mind of this important
question; Wh^^t mil become of your souls another day?
You must die as well as other men, and how can you
answer for the lives of those poor people who have died
in consequence of taking poison from your hands, under
the name of healing medicine; while you have despised
the medicines which might have relieved them; and es-
pecially when you did it for filtlw lucre?'* When he had
said these words, he vanished, wd I awoke, and behold
it was a dream. *

Fearing I might forget these things, I arose immedi-
"ately, and wrote down the vision according to my recol-
lection; and, as soon as possible, found the books men-
tionedgnid to my gt'eat astonishment, found every word
iorthelpbpensatory, which haMeen related to me.

The Dream, and what I folnd in the Dispensatory,
caused some serious reflections in my mind. I said thus
to rnysclf; l^arseniCf mercury j and nilre^ are in their na-
ture poison, can they in the hands of a physician, be
medicintt? If, when taken by accident, these things
kill, will they cure when given designedly? Does not
mercury go to the same part of a man when taken by
accident, as when given by the doctor? Surely it does;
of course it will be poison, aiMJlW injurious whenever it
is taken.

These things are commuiiicated to the public, that
they may judge of them according to the evidence given
of their being true or not.

nm

id

I-

214

J^TaiTotive of the Life, ^e.

To rouse the attention of the public to the alarm of
what is called the Cholera, and for other purposes of
general utility, 1 issued one thousand copies of the fol-
lowing

OZROULAA;
VKZTZB STATS8 BOTAKZO OOXnTBlVTZOZr.

At the request of a great number of the Agents of Dr.
Samuel Thomson, and others friendly to the Thomson-
ian System of Practice in Medicine ; by the recommen- ^
dation of the general Agents in Ohio, and the approba-
tion of Dr. 1 HOMsoN tmnself, a United States Botanic
Convention will be held at Columbus, Ohio, on the third ^ «
MONDAY of December next, and the succeeding day|||^
until the business of the Convention shall *be accomplish-
ed; at which time and place all the Friendly Botanic
Societies throughout the United States, are requested to
send, at their own exj^se, a delegate or deltij^tes to
represent them in said Convention. And where it is not
convenient to send delegates, or, on account of distance,
it would be too expensive, they are requested to send by
letter, post paid, directed to Messrs. Pike, Platt & Co.
Columbus, Ohio, all such information as to the success
of the practice, in what cases, and whether tn any which
were supposed curable it has failed; what improvements,
if any, have been suppq&ed to be made, and the test of
such improvements; th^i^rious certificates which may
have been published, printed copies sent as above; and
generally all such knowledge as will be useful to be
brought before said Convention; the whole object being
to establish the System on a firm and permanent basis; '
to raise it above suspicion; to convince the world by its
salutary efficacy of its practical utility; to carry its
knowledge, if possible, into every family; and to cflllse
the whole community to understand that they no more
need what is called learning and skilly which too often is
little less nor more than learned quackery, to teach them
how to restore their body to health when sick, than they
do to preserve its strength by proper food when in health.
To this end, the doings of this Conj^pntion will be made

Of Samuel Thomson,

215

public, and all concerned may rest assured that no pains
will be spared to give them ail the information that forty
years experience, yea, a long life i|i>ent in the service,
can possibly furnish. It is expected that Dr. Samuel
Thomson will attend in person.

ICP The above named Convention wad formed agree-
ably to the notice given, and has been annually attend-
ed ever since ; and practitioners in all parts of the Union
have sprung up, who have quieted the alarm not only of
Cholera, but also in relation to every other disease. The
following was added to the Circular:

N. B Cholera Has not this disease, under vari-
ous names, lappeared in all parts and in all ages of the
world? Such as diarrhcea, flux, dysentery, camp dis-
temper, cholera morbus, cold plague, spotted fever, and
now simply the choUral These all produce death either
in themselves or by the antidote usually applied ; though
the disease may put on a milder or moie malignant type.
Is not every tree which prod uce9 apples, an apple tree?
Some are later than others, but all ripen in their proper
season. But the fruit may be shakien off, either by a
tempest or by a giant, at 'any time from blossom to fully
ripe. [Pause.] Is not a gill of brandy and two hundred
drops of laudanum a giant sufficient to shake all the fruit
from the tree of life ? [Five cholera deaths in Eliot
Street in one day!] No simple remedies appear in the
columns of the public prints ! ! ! And why ? Not because
there have been no cases cured; for they are numerous,
which can be attested by many witnesses. But the peo-
ple are blind to their own safety, and must abide the con-
sequences. It is a fact, that the friends and survivors
of those who died with the cholera, from Eliot Street,
have been to Thompson's Infirmary to ask protection for
their lives. If any doubt it, let them go to the Infirmary
and inquire. An author quoted by Dr. Robinson, Lec-
ture viif. p. 101, says, "The practice of Medicine is,
porbaps, the only instance in which a man can profit by
his own blunders and mistakes. The very medicines
which aggravate and protract the malady,'* {one gUl of
brandy and two hundrd drops of laudanum!!!) " bind a
laurel on the Professor's brow; when, at last, the sick

i

• ''^'

*.-i.

216

^arralive of the lAfe, Sfc*

is saved by the living powers of nature struggling against
death and the phywcian." The friends ot the present
practice in the casiH of cholera, say, it was expected
that the patients would nearly all die at first. What
would be said of a landlord who, having undertaken to
cure your hunger, should say that he expected that
nearly all his boarders would starve to death at first?
Would not all the people leave him, and even consider
him an impostor? Who, let it be asked, would lik^ to
be takeii forcibly out of his own house and placed under
the care of such a landlord — doctor, if you please ? Bas-
tiles are Bastiles, and Inquisitions are Inquisitions, un-
der whatever pretence people are thrust into them. And
if a class of men shall be permitted to stamp the mark
(not of the ^Apocalyptical beast^ but) of the Cholera, up-
on whom they please, and have them removed to their
house of dissection, wherein does it differ from the Bas-
tile in France, the Inquisition in Spain, or the resurrec-
tion of the old wit^cihcraft in America?

Had the Board of Health of this and other cities pre-
vented any poison of the Doctor, or tainted meat of the
Butcher,<^: from beinig taken into the stomach, by any of
the inhabitants, under the penalty of five dollars, to those
who should administer 'the one, or deal out the other,
and as strictly have adhered to this law. as they have to
the sauce law of our market,' would so many people have
died with the remedy for the cholera?

Could the doctor and priest have frightened the peo-
ple so much at the name of the cholera had they known
that the names of medicine and disease were altered
every ten years, the better to impose on the credulity of
the inhabitants, whereby so many names for the same
disorder appear ?

Had the people known that camphor in a bag around
a child's- neck, to prevent cholera, would produce fits
and death, if eaten, would the doctors have made so great
a speculation in this article, when the remedy itself was
disorder ? [Shall we strain at the gate and swallow this
saw-mill?] Why should the sauc^-man be fined five
dollars for bringing sauce into the market in its natural
state? Can bringing turnips with tops, peas in the pod,
or corn in the husk, cause the vegetables so to make

Of Samul ThamMtm. J17

war with themselves, in coming to market, as to make
one part support life, and the otheJproduce cholera and
death? ^

Has not the name — cholera, been made use of both in
this arid other countries, for a speculation, thereby to
enable the priest and the doctor to monopolize the influ-
ence of power over the people, and by the prayers of
the one and poison of the othir, to keep the peopte in
awe? If so, it is to be hoped that the eyes of the public
may be soon opened to these glaring facts, that oiir fel«
low citizens may no longer die with fright at imaginary
evils, much less with the rem$dy for the cholera; for peo-
ple are beginning to be ** disgusted with dtl learned
quackery," such as drawing out the natural bloody
''which is the life,*' and filling the veins with "saline
fluid," or artificial blood, in which is scpn the' effect of
learned ignorance, which is death. Is there fjfuy pro-
fessor of any art or science who cannot do r^r"j*thjjng of
what he professes except a learned doctor'^!! ^^

• 't

TBS nUlonoB of vbvsxo

AND THS J|

^BAOTZOB OF BKBDIOZV:

The two practices of Physic and Medicinb, as fl^^v
noticed, I shall treat under Mvo distinct heads, and n*eal
them in the order I have stated, paying my first respectB to

TKB FR4OTXOB OF FB7SZ0;

This is what is iSientifically called the depletive (or
reductive) system. To elucidate this practice, I will
€all|the attention of the. reader to the first stages of sick-
neira; whatever name the sickness may be called, or
;whether the patient be malf or female, the tame deple-
19 , .

it

T^^''

Practiee of Phytic*

tire practiee iff intraduced; such as bleeding, blisfering
and purging with pHerful physic, such as calomel and
jalap. Then comes^he laudanum to check the operar
don and stupify the patient, and all this is to ease the
diatress caused by the physic. Then the doctor contin-
ues with small doses of calomel, opium, nitre and cam-
phor, until the patient is fixed out with wh&t is called the
run of a fever« To these^epletive instruments of death,
the patient is compelled to submit; all his natural senti-
ivela [senses] being knocked down by the doctor's death-
maul [depletioh] ; and the patient's friends, who ought
to be protictors, become completely stunned, and made
nearly a^leuseless as th% patient, by the name of learn-
ing, and ^* the learned doctor;" thus mankind are cheat-
ed out of ^heir reason, and their senses are often reduc-
ed below''those"9f a brute.

Instead of driving the doctor out of the house and
thrcMgin^ his poiion physic after him, the friends, in their
delirmm, will assist the doctor in administering those in-
struments of death, till the patient, the nurse, and per-
haps the whole family, have fallen victims, one after an-
other; the grave becomes. the receptacle of the bodies;
and the dqyetor cbmes into the possession of the whole
estate as b% exclusive and legd^ right; for, it must be
observed, our laws are such, tharthc expense of the last
sickness and funeral charges must be paid first, to the
exclusion of 1^1 other debts.

In all sweeping sicknesses, such as the cholera for i»>
stance, when the people are allowed and recommended
to keep the instruments of death in theii* pockets, such
ao one gill of brandy, two hundred drops (cT ^aiidanuu^
aiM^lixty grains of calomej, how long wi)l ti take for all
9«i^ dupes to be dead, al^ these legal speculators in
iphysic to be in possession of ull or at least the greater
portion of their wealth? What diflTerenlle does it make
what the plague or pestilence is eaUed, when the cause
18 physic, ana the meaning is moi^ P'— the doctors want
'm6ney ai^d mutt have it. Remember the* cry* of the
cholera. This, hi my opinion, was a scheme of the doc-*
toirs to dupe the people, and to eive the physic dealers
poweir over them, grounded on the authority of the city.

Thede doctora, &,o^ are sfyled a bourd of heakh, (not

«

PraeHce of Pkifne.

#

^9

«f death,) notwithstanding their cbplera patients all or
nearly all died; yes, died with chiflkra (alias physic.)

For farther proof that the objeiPih a great measure,
was wrong, recollect the fifty thousand dollars granted
by the city to the board of health (so called), to cleanse
the city, provide hospitals, and give the cholera a decent
reception.

Another scheme to coUeci^jmoney from the people by
these dealers in physic, was to make them believe that
the cholera could be prevented, but not cured. By this
means they contrived to empty all their old drugs, from
the apothecary shops into the pockets of the people,
whereby they filled their own with the precious metals,
gleaning £ little from every^one weak enough to be
a dupe to their horrid speculations. In this way
the game is played; the blind lead the blind, and all
fall into the ditch together, till the grave is full and
running over, as at New Orleans, and as probably would
have been the case in this city had not the cholera gun
been discovered, and the amnmnition with which it was
charged, (viz: lancet, mercury, opium, nitre, camphor,
blisters, saline fluid, 8lc.) together with Dr. W.'s pre-
scription as a preventive [of life] until a physic dealer
could be obtained; so that if the preventive did not an;
ewer the purpose [of death] , the doctor would.

Now, reader, just take a general survey of the calam-
ities of the world. The condition of a g^at portion of
mankind is truly deplorafble, and has been ever since the .
healing art was lost, and the plants and herbs of the field
and forest ceased to be used as medicine ; and since poi-
son minerals of the rankest dye were substituted in their
stead by Paracelsus, who in consequence was called a
hater of mankind. Dr. Robinson says, ** Paracelsi^F gave
the tartrite of antimony, because it burnt up the stomach
and lungs like hell fire." If this expression be true, I
think it sufficient to prove the truth of his being a hater
of mankind. In addition to this physic dealer and hater
of mankind, comes Sydenham, who introduced bleeding
to cure disease. These two plagues being joined in
matrimony, against the life and health of mankind, I
think, have caused the greatest plagues that ever infest-
^ ed the earth. The writer says that after Sydenham in-

sso

4

sPrmtHce of Pkytie.

trodiiced bleeding into the practice of physic, in the
space of one hundnlMvears, " more died with the lancet
alone, than all that fffished by war in that time." Stop,
reader, and reflect for a moment ; and say to thyself,
can any being be so destitute of common sense, except
a learned fool, as to believe that the same practice that
will kill a well ho^ w6uld cure a sick man; or that that
practice which will cure ,a sick man, would kill a well
rat f For example ; when the doctor comes to cui'e a
sick man, he bleeds him. When a butcher comes to
kill a well hog, he bleeds him. ' When a farmer wishev
to kill a well rat, he poisons him. When the doctor
comes to cure a sick man, he poisons him. Could any
one believe that a learneo doctor ever possessed a hu-
man body, when he sees him take the same niet|iod to
cure a sick roan, that the butcher takes to kill a well
hog; and also when he takes the same method to cure a
sick man, that the farmer takes to kill his well rats? And
what adds further to our astonishment, is, to see those
human butchers climb onilaw legs to take the little pro-
perty from the orphan children ror butchering their pa-
rent! Can any one wonder at their seeing their need of
law legs, when their mal-practice is seen in all its naked
deformity? Sad dilemma! Has their boasted scientific
knowledge of foiir thousand yearsncome to such a rotten
and crumbling condition as to need the pro)i of the law
to support it Jn its last dying moments? Farewell
physic!

Thus, by what I have written, the reader will have
some faint conception of my views of the practice of phy-
sic; that it is the beginning of sickness and a train of
accumulated evils, ending in poverty, misery and un-
time!|: death. In consequence of the foregoing practice
of physic, well might we exclaim as did the wise man,
"Thou fool, why shouldest thoii die before thy time ?" Be-
cause, like the foolish Galatians, they were bewitched
by, and ran after, the name learnings and a learned doc-
tor, and have suffered all their natUral sentinels to be
knocked down, and the poison to be swallowed, wfthout
being allowed to examine or taste for themselves, until
they are swept off like rats; and that, too', before the
meridian of life, by the physic of the doctor, and the

0

Practice of Phytic.

m

#

malice of those who kill them with poison according to
law; and at the same time, it is evident that the doctors
believe the botanic practice to be £e best in the world,
as the following particulars will show.

1. They do not allow that any patients ought to die,
under the botanic practice. This is proof that they be*
lieve it far preferable to their mineral practice.

2. When the dealers in physic can get no relief from
their own poison practice, they will flee for refuge to the
botanic practice.

These two witnesses are sufficient to establish the
fact, viz: that they do believe the botanic practice to be
far preferable to their own. The extraordinary cures by
the botanic practice they cannot deny.

I have every reason to believe, that three persons
have been poisoned by dpsign, viz: Mr. Hill, of Surry,
who died instantly while going through a course of tne
Thomsonian medicine; the blood discharged from hie
•mouth, nose and ears; he turned as black as morocco,
and swelled out of all natural form; and was so mortified
that the skin was slipping off before he was buried.
The friends are satisfied that there was abominable ini-
quity in this case to destroy the botanic practice. The
second case was that of Mrs. Wheelock, of Swansey,
who was evidently poisoned to death eleven days after
Dr. Wright left her. The third case was that of my owb
daughter, at Washington, N. H., a few days after her
•confinement. She was taken to all appearance like Dr.
Frost's account ©f Mrs. Wheelock. He says, ^' She ap-
peared to be strongly under the influence of a deadly
narcotic poison, and fast sinking into the arms of death,"
In this condition was my daughter about the first day of
February, 1835. She was not expected to have lived
the day out. She was senseless and her eyes set, and
appeared in the last struggles of life. She just survived
the aimed fatal blow, and a shocking salivation followed.
She lost the use of her limbs ; her teeth turned black and
crumbled out. She was cured by a strict Attention to
^several courses of ray medicine;

|C3* [For Practice of Medicine, and also the "Coiv-
elusion" to the Narrative, see the ** Chide to 0kaUk**1
19*

• .?'

To the IVarratiTe of Samuel Thomson.

ACORNS, Red Oak, use

Ague and Fever Theory and Cure, • - - •

Allegory,

BLEEDING, a view ef it lis injurioue, - . .

Bleeding of the longs, practice, • -

Bleeding of i!ie nose, cure, piactice, ...

Bleeding of the stomach, the patient had been bled42 times

in two years — Theory of cure — Important observations

on blood, circulation and bleeding,

Paok.
36

- 59
SIO

31

- 47
74

91

Bruised qnd mashed foot, cured in five weeks,! very bad case, 113
Bleeding in Yellow Fever, observations on, . . * 125

Butternut bark, use of, an important case w Diarrhoea, 129

Botanic Society, advantages ot membership, • - 147

Botanic Practice, the reason of opposition to, • - 168

■— , A nurMber of gentlemen, eminent for their
' scientific researches, have become advocates in the cause, 168

— , its extent in New York Stale, - - 174

. . , its spread in the Southern and Western Sfatesi 181

, the Faculty meanly attempted to ruin it,
and lo establish it themselves, • - • 181

, the extent of it through the Union and Canada, 183

Bees, information, • - - • • 193

Bath, Jennines's, views of, - - , - - • 169

Bleeding, why injurious in preventing perspiration, - 81

Bilious Fever, success of the Botanic Practice, • - 46

COMFREY and Turpentine Plaster, use important - 20

Out, practice in, - - - - • - 20

Child-birth, Dr. Thomson's wife's situation, - • 25

Oanker of the eye.first use ofstoam^bath in, • - 29
Group, Dr. Thomson's first practice, cured by Rattlesnake oil, 30

Golds, first stages, use of May-weed, - - . > 31

Golds, practice in, - - - - • 32
Giiiidren, duty of parents to instruct them in medical practice, 32

Ofaolic, cured, Mrs. Reddin/^, .... 36

Oholic, cured, Mrs. Wei herby, - - - - 37

Capsicum, No. 2 and No. 3, use explained, ... 44
Gancer relieved, after fashionablo practice had been unsuc-*

ceasful, • - - - • - 47

Oheckerberry and Hemlock, use in Dropsy, - -48

OoDvulj^on Fits, cured, - ' ," ' ' ^^

.Oireular, United States Botanic Convention, - - 214

« \

Index to the NtaroHve.

Ctneer eured in thre* weeks, after h«fing been tortured

with ciiuitiot, . ...» 53

Cat of the hind, a bad eane, eared in 10 dayi, after being

nearly ruined by Dr. French, - - • 61

Con? uUiona, bid, cured, theory and practice, important, • 6*2
Conaumplion cured, .... 65, 71,7S

Consaniption, cure, important, from the previoui aie uf

Sn^iir <»f Lead, - * - - - • 86

Coniuniition in the last staire cured, after the dootora bad

'left the patient ns incur^ible, ... 88,89

Con8um;ilioH iind utricture of the lungs — important case in .

Gon:)equence of lulernal heat not liolding more than 6

hours, - - - - •- -90

Cancer cured, - - - . . • - • 01

Consumption, five desperate cases, all relie?ed in three

we«k8,'June Idl I, and ail alive 1831, - - • US

Cancer, use of Pipsiswny, in tho case of Oen. Varnum'slady, 142
CypreSit id called Poplar, and Poplar ia called Quaking Asp

in Washington, D. C. • - • • 143

Contagion, lo prevent, fiom disease of patient, by those in

attendance upon the sick, • - - - 145

College, Reformed, of the pirates of medical practice in N.

York, and also Worth in;2:l on, Ohio, : • 183

Cayenne, important test of its purity and goodness, - • 186

Certificate;! and statements of disease cored, - - 187

Convulsions and fits from being confined in a tight room

with a stove, - - - - - 197

Charcoal, bitrniour in a ti<;lit room, why pernicious, • 198

Clergy and Doctors, the injury the nommunity atlar4;e receives

from iheir conductand practice, - • • 200

Cayenne, taken Internally to remove external pain, - 150

Consumption and hereditary diseatie traced to their source,

the Family Doctor, ..... 205

Cayenne, important views -of and observations on, • . 206

DISEASB of the eyes, first use of the steam bath, - 29

Decline, cured, - . - - - - 39

Decline, relieved after the fashionable practice had been un*

Buccessfal, - - - - - . 47

Dysentery o*ired, - • - - - - 52

Drowned persona, observations on . . . 58

Dysentery, t\yenty-eight cases cured, • - - 63

Dysentery, theory and practice, • - « • 64

^Dysentery, preventive i'rom taking, important, - -64

Dropsy cared, .:.... 72

Dropsy, theoiyof, - - - - - - 73

Dysentery, 15 out of 18 cases cured, ... 83

Dropsy j cured, - - • ^ • - - 90

.Dropsy, cured in one week, . • • « 115

Dropsy and a state of Pregnancy cured and delivered in five

days, and all well, ..... 128

Drink proper to take during the operation of medicine, see

Spoiled Fever, - • * - • 144

tM

Mex to Uke AWtoIim.

DiarrhoM, imporUnI ohm, om of Bntternot bark •

DiMisf, to prevent inft»etion from patient, practiea,
Dropsjr«a oaa« conaUlered incurable, was ao inueh awollen as

to b« blind, and bod/ and liniba in proportion »
Doloreux Tic, cure, . . . . - .

D^aent«rv,inj«ctiona of the greatest importance, .

Diieaae, Farrow*a cane, important irom the practice,
Diwasea cured, certificates and statements,
Ooctora, the injury ibe commnnity at large reoeiTea from their

conduct and practice, . . . «

Dropay, cured in a week after mercurial treatment had failed,

which nearly proved fatal, ....
EMPIRICS, what and who, . . .

Eyes, di84*aie o^', first use of steam bath, core, practice, «'
FASHIONABLE Doctors, theii eourae of study, 1m.
Facoliy, tlieciiitdor of some, . . . •

Fever, ca«e of a woman's situat'^n from poisonoua medicine.
Family Dfictor, the impoaition of, • \ •

Fever, Puerf>eral, cure, practice, ....

Fashionable practice, the folly of, ...

Fever and decline cured after a enarae of m^reury had failed,
Faahionnbitt Doctors, just views of.
Fever, obaervations on, important, . . •

Fever, a friend and not an enemy.
Fever. Bilious, at Alstead, success of Botanic practiee.
Fever, Puerpffal, cured after faahionable practice liad been un-

successful, . . .

Ferer^ bilious, cure, practice, . . . •

Fever, two cnscs, cured in twenty-four hoora, . •

Fits, convulsion, cured, . . , . .

Fever, Yellow, theory of, .

Fever, Yellow, interview with Dr Miller and the Mayor of Mew

York on the subject of this diseaae,
Fever, Yellow, cure, practiee, . , • . .

Foed^ putrid, just views of, , • , • ' .

Fever, turii of, explained ....
Fever, Yellow, «ure and practice, cured in 24 houra .
Fever, observiitions on . . . . .

Food, salt and fieah, . . • * • -

Fever and ajjue, theory and cuve . . . *

Fits, convubion, cured, theory and practice . . *

Fever, can be turned in ffom 12 to 48 houre . . • ^

Fever, biliou«,curp, practice . . .

Fever, spotted, syji^ptoms, cold and senseles, practiee and care

in twenty •four hours, important, two cesee
Fever, typhus, cure, practice . . , .

Foot, bruised and mashed, practice, cured in five weeks.
Fever, Yellow, bleeding in, just views of and obaervatioB •
Fever, spotted, cure and practice, important, .

Froacn hands and feet, a very bad case
Fro«en limbs, theory and practice, very important
ff«ever, spotted, practice, important ^ * - *

1S9
145

140
149
160
184
187

200

48

n

6

8
SI
26
8S
37
29
41
46
46
46

47
49
49

61
66

66
6f

S7
58
68
69
68
. 66
79

90
87
113
125
128
139
140
143

Indtx to the JVorrofiM.

SS5

FeT«r, •p'>titd, pmotioeofimporUinoe^drinkfAM. •

Fttver, •{••tfe**!, priotiofof^M o«M*i ill two Wtfcki •

F«v«r, iii'it .tfd, inj«>olion« of^reat iinportancei . .

Family di>c(nr ind his practice • . •

Faoaiiy, their attempt ti» ruin the Botanic praotlri*, &c.

Fiti, oaiivul«ion, in oon««qiM*no« ofaiofti* in light roonifl

Food, why it will not putrify in very hot or cold climatei

Fever mu«t hav« U^ouurM. 4e«. reation aiilgned . .

GOLD THRBAD or Yellow root, use in practice .

Oout, ouri*, practice .....

Oout comnt'tely relieTpd in twenty-four hnura •

HBMLOCK and oheuk*>r berry, use in Dropsy

Head, scald, or Tinea e ipiiin, cured in thr«« weeka

He:it, inward and outward, Alc. . • •

Heat, iritfrnti, important ca^e . . . •

Hinds and le 't irozen, a very bad case, practice

Heat, inward and uulward inversion thereof, important

Hi^ad, scald, ...

Hereditary diseases traced to their source, the family doctor

INFECTION fr »m patient, to prevent, practice

Injeciiinsof great importance in fevera . . •

Itch, cure, practice ...••<

Injection* of tfreat importance in practice .• •

Injections of the i^reaiest importance in Dysentery .

JENNINGS 8 Biih. views of ....

LOBBLI A. fir:it discovered by Dr. Thomson

Lobelia, effects on boys . . . « .

Lobelia, a certain counter poison . • • • ^

Lobelia, description, its value and use •

Lobelia, Thomson's experience, ; • •

Lobelii, Dr Thomson's Arst idea of its medical virtues .

Lobelia, second uoe with success ...

Lobelia, operation explained, also Nos. 2 and 8 explained

Lungs, bleeding of, cure and practice * . .

Love powder, a good story . . ■.

Lungs, suffusion, cured in 14 hours . « . .

Lungs, consumption, d:c. . . , .

Lungs, stricture of, important case ...

Law rexpecting the practice of medicine . .

Lamene^is, unuble to walk for nine months, cured .

Limbs, frozen,. theory and practice very important

Lobelia, the opernton of, iinportant inrh&'imatism

Laudanum, taken to destroy life, cured in one hour

Lectures on Boianic medicine and practice. Robinson's,

Lobelia, 3d prcpantion, practice with important observations

MEDICAL FACULTY, &c .....

Medical, regular faculty^, their bad success in praetice . .

Medicine, enough grows iu our country . . .

Measles and the effect thereof .'

Midwifery, Dr Thomson's inducement to attend to the practice S5

Mayweed, use and practice In the first stages of colds 31

Medical practice, the duty of parents to instruct their chiliren 33

144
146
146
175
181

imr

306

SI09

36

89

89

48

77

84

90

189

166

169

906

146

146

148

149

150

169

16

16

16

16

17

87

36

44

47

63

60

90

90

104

130

140

151

153

183

208

5

6

7

24

«?■

S26

imdM* to ih* ^oirraiMH,

i'

f
<-

If.

Medical adviee, firat application to Dr Tbomaon . 39

Medical practice, important and Juil obMrvallons on • 84

Measlest cured . t . . • 3S

Mtfasleo, the nature of, diioovertd . . . . ^

Manhed foot cured in 6ve weeki . . . 113

Medicine, a course of, proper drink during the operation . 144

Mercurial diaease, opinion whan ilinminff ii indlspenmble 156

Medical practitinnera in Pennaylvania and New York| ho. . 173

Myrrh, important views of and obiorvationi on . 206

Medical practice, proposals for ft revolution of , . 206

Marsiirosemary, use . . • . . 143

Medicine, Dr iJartnn'a acknowledgment . . . 186

NETrLE RASH, theory, praotioe, cure, Intporttnt . 70

Nose, bleeding of, practice, cure . » .74

Nose, ulcer on, a bad case and cured in three monthe . 189

Numbpalsy, important case, practioe, cure . . fKff

Nitre taken in quantity, practice to overcome, Ac. . 130

OPIUM, rnken to destroy life, praotice end cure . . 153

Opium, difficult to remove, see Fftrrow'e eaee . . 184

PHYSICIANS and their praotice . . .7

Poi^sonous Druga, caution to the pnblic . . 4

Poison, counter, a certain cure . « .16

Parturition, the unfortunate practice of the doctore . S5

Practice, old, injudicioua , . . .30

Puerperal Fever, practice, core • ,, . {^

Pox, small, practice, cure . . . .36

Puerperal Fever, relieved after faihiOBftble practice, Slc. 47

Putrid food, just views of . . . . 68
Pepper, observations on . . , .68

Physic, none to be given in the Botftnio practice . .60
Perspiration . 1 . .84
Patent of Botanic practice .... 122

Pregnancy and dropsy, cured and delivered In five daye . 128

Poison, efieels on the system . . . %• 136

Pipsiswa^, a case of cancer cnred, Gen. Varnum'e lady . I^IU

Prevent infection from patient, impttrlent . . 145

Poplar and cypress, names in diiTerent plecoe . . 142

Pain, esternni, removed and practict important . .150

Philosophy why meat will not putrify, ko, , . 206

Palsy, important case, praotlee and cure . . . 207

Practice of medicine, a revolution prnpoiid . .206

Parents, the dut^ of, to instruct their children in mad. pr. 32

Practice of Physic and Medicine . . . 217

QUACKS and empirics, who are and what . . .9

Quack, who la . . 1 « « . 46

Quinsy,iinportant, practice, cured In two liouri . ■ . 155

RASH, cure, practice .... 26

Rattlesnake oil, use . t « • .'30

Rash, cured . • ... 36
Remarkable caae of a woman cured, who waa bedridden 10 yre. 50
Rheumatiam cared . . 66,73,150,151,169

Rickete cured * « ^ .90

<m

0

iH hdex U> ike JVomi<ive«

SS7

Rheumatism t arm useless, cared 411 four weeks
SLEEPINESS, an ezlraordinary care
Steam bnih, first use of fur canker of the eyes . . .

Steaming, important directions on the subject *

Small pox cured . . . ^ •

Steaming, improvement in ' . • .

Steaming, observations on . . « ,

Sumach, observations on . • • «

Sprain, ti montlis standing, cured in ten days . .

dt. Anlhony'R fire, theory, practice, cure, important
Syphillis, one case ofl and another of 6 years standing, cured
Syphilliti, cure and practice . . •

Scnld head cured in three weeks . . «

Syphillis, important case in consequence of mercury
SlDmach, bleeding of, case, observations on . ^ .

Seaming, important, observations on •. .

Steaming, when indispensable in mercurial disease . «

Sumach berries, important, ' .

Scrofula, practice, cure and success of Thomson . .

St. Anthony's fire, practice, cure, . * .

Scald* head cure . . . ' .

Stoves, had consequences of in tight rooms . .

Steam, never, in a tight xoom .

Stoves in Hospital, effects therelVom . ■-» ,

THOMSON'S Theory, &c. . . .

Thomson's success in his praetieo . . ,

Thomson's system of practice ~ . • . .

Thomson's system, advantages thereof . «

Thomson, life and account of .

Thomson's birth, parentage and state of country at the time ,
Thomson's childhood and stale of medical practice at the time
Thomson's first instructions from Mrs. Benton . l*

Thomson's hardships in early life . . '.

Thomson sick, effect nn his mind . . «

Thomson called Doctor at 8 years of age . . *

Thomson, bis father, religious views . «

Thogisnn's removal to Vermont . . .

Thomson's hardships, injury from cut, injudicious treatment
^Thomson's sufferings au'l amputation recommended
Thomson's arrival in New Hampshire, situation at 21 years
Thomson's first attempt to doctor himself
Thomson's marriage, ....

Thomson's inducement to attend to the practice of midwifery
Thomson's wife's situation in child birth . *

Thomson's experience in the use and value of plants
Thomson's situation at 25 and his lesson In law «

Thomson's daughter ill with rash . .

Thomson's ^r<it use of the Steam bath . .

Thomson's first practice in croup . * .

Thomson, first application to formedlcal advice »

Thomson discovered the nature of measles « .

Thomson's reasons for practising medicine . . .

ISO
»1

80
36
40
40

70

73

H

77

77

91

144

VX

I4S

100

160

160

^7

197

198

8

9

10

11

13

14

16

15

17

18

18

19

19

SO

21

22

24

24

25

25

27

28

28

29

30

33

36

40

i

)

»

mW « w^.u^Ah^ -_<.M'

SS8

Jndit to ike ^arraHve,^

TheoMon, the malioe of fathionable doctors towaidf

Tbomton^a theory explainifd and established •

Thomson's practice in disease and levers

Thomson lost not one patient in 4 Or 5 years pnetict

Thomson's theory explained . .

Thomson, indicted for murder . . . «

Thomson's snfiorinj^s in jail

Thomson's honorable acqilittal

'Thomson is treated with great ingratitude

Thomson's Patent, kc.

Thomson and Dr Thornton ...

Thomson's interview with Drs Rush and Barton

Thomson, conduct of the Faculty towards him

Thomson's enemies, base means tn injure his praetic*

Thomson's cypress and poplar, different names

Thomson's drudgery in establishing his practice •

Thoini>on's patronage to Elias Smith,

Thomson's system of practice, extension of

Thomson's success owing to his own merit

Thomson's losses, incratitode of those he had benefitted

Thomson's system of practice, its utilitf proved

Thomson, Dr Cyrus, nis success in practice

Thomson's difficulties with his agents

Thomson's interview with Gov. Trimble of Ohio

Thomson's success in forty years practice

Turpentine and comfrey plaster, use in wotinda and stralna

1^0 Doloreuz, practice and cure in two hours

^ight rooms and stoves, bad eonaeque&ces of.

Tetter, practice, cure . . . '

ULCER, seven jeara' standing, cored in 5 montha

Ulcer on the nose, cored in 3 months, important

Ifl^OUND, bad, of the hand, cured in ten days

Whitlaw's, practice in Europe, observations on

Waterhouse, Dr. Profvssor of Materia Medlea, €aknbridge»

VISION, an allegorv . .

Yellow root Or Gold Thread, oie

49
49

45

81

9»
9ft

m
m

183
194
191
139
149
197
167

^2
I6d

179

173

174

177

189

169

20
149
197
169

<t9

6b«
169
178
810

99

r