\y*£&*~*4r*+4*££%' «v-" THE BOSTON Jftetitcal aim Surgical JOURNAL Volume CIV. —WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 1881.—Number 23 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE Massachusetts Medical Society 1781-1881 ~^i BOSTON HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY Cljc KttersdDe proas, Camlm&ge 1881 DR. EDWARD A. HOLYOKE, FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE JIASSACIIl'SETTS MEDICAL SOCIETY, With a Fac-Simile of the Toast presented by him at the public dinner given in his honor by the Faculty of Boston, Salem, and vicinity, on his Centennial Birthday, August 13, 1828. Vol. CIV., No. 23.] BOSTON MEDICAL AND SURGICAL JOURNAL. 529 Original 3trtiric£. PORTIONS OF THE CENTENNIAL ADDRESS BEFORE THE MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL SOCIETY", JUNE 7, 18S1.1 BY SAMUEL A. GREES, M. D. I. The Massachusetts Medical Society is about to en- ter upon the second century of its existence. Follow- ing the customs of this centennial period, it proposes to celebrate the anniversary of its origin by the story of its life. It was born in troublous times ; and its found- ers were still engaged more or less actively in a polit- ical struggle which even to-day, by reflex action, is ex- erting a powerful influence on the events of the world. It was during the War for Independence that the phy- sicians and surgeons of this Commonwealth were led to feel the need of some association in order to encourage professional studies. A new field was then opened for medical investigations, and the workers were eager to cultivate it. At no previous time had so many medical men of the State been brought into close relations with one another, or in contact with their brethren from other States; and this intercourse necessarily stimu- lated inquiry and discussion, and produced a commu- nity of professional feeling, such as had never before existed. In union there is strength ; this was true in war, and it was true in peace. They saw that better results were accomplished by concerted action than by individual effort; and they were then ready to associ- ate themselves together for the purpose of improving the practice of medicine and raising the standard of its study. It is a singular fact in the social economy of affairs that some of the oldest and moat learned scien- tific associations, both in this country and in Europe, have been formed during the clash of arms and the din of war ; and this Society is no exception. Nothing happens in this world by chance, though oftentimes it may be difficult to discover the law which underlies a principle. The Massachusetts Medical Society was incorporated on November 1, 1781, and its charter was signed by Samuel Adams, as president of the Senate, and by John Hancock, as governor of the Commonwealth. These names suggest Revolutionary times and smack of patri- otism. It will be noted that the centennial anniversary of the birth of the Society does not occur fir some months to come; but it is fair to assume that the pre- liminary steps for its organization cover this interval. In the presence of this audience it need not be said that a period of gestation always precedes a birth ; and without attempting to fix the limit of this period I shall assume that it is now a century since the con- ception of the Society took place in the brains of its founders. There had been before this time a medical society in Boston, which was the first one formed in America. It appears to have been in existence as early as the year 1735, though it did not continue long. Its rec- ords are irretrievably lost, and all that is known about it is gathered from fragmentary sources. It is very likely that it included in its list of members some of the ministers, as they were interested in the study and practice of medicine. Dr. William Douglass,2 a noted author and physician of that day, writes, under date of l Through the courtesy of Dr. Green we are enabled to publish parts of his interesting Address at this early moment. 2 Appendix A, p. 537. 67 February 17, 1735-36, to Cadwallader Colden, of New York, that, — ..." We have lately in Boston formed a medical society, of which, this gentleman [Or. Clark, the bearer of the letter], a member thereof, can give you a particular account. We design from time to time to publish some short pieces ; there is now ready for the press number one, with this title page: — Number One. MEDICAL MEMOIRS CONTAINING (1.) A miscellany. Practical introduction. (2.) A history of the dysentery epidemical in Bos- ton in 173 4. (3.) Some account of a gutta-serena in a young woman. (4.) The anatomical inspection of a spina ventosa in the vertebra of the loins in a young mm. (5.) Some practical comments or remarks on the writings of Dr. Thomas Sydenham. Published by a Medical-Society in Boston, New-Eng- land." This letter is now among the Colden Papers, in the possession of the New York Historical Society; a copy of it is printed in the second volume, fourth series, of the Massachusetts Historical Collections (pages 188, 189). Gutta serena, Englished into drop serene, was the cause of Milton's blindness. The poet alludes to him- self, when he says: — " Eyes that roll in vain To find thy piercing ray, and find no dawn ; So thick a drop serene hath quenched their orbs." The disease was afterward known as amaurosis. Spina ventosa is an affection of the osseous system,— according to old notions,—in which the texture of the bone dilates, seemingly distended with air. The first number of these Medical Memoirs was never printed. It was probably Dr. John Clark, at that time a prominent practitioner of medicine, who is referred to in the letter, as a member of the Societv. He was born on December 15, 1698, and was then in the height of his professional zeal, when he would naturally be interested in a scientific association. He belonged to a family of medical antecedents and tradi- tions, being himself of the fourth generation in a direct line of John Clarks, all physicians, and he was followed by three more, equally direct, of John Clarks, these three also physicians, — covering a period of more than a century and a half and including seven generations of the same name. During the year 1736, Dr. Douglass published a pamphlet entitled The Practical History of a New Epidemical Eruptive Miliary Fever, with an Angina Ulcusculosa which prevailed in Boston, New-Eno-fand, in the years 1735 and 1736. It is inscribed " To a Medical Society in Boston" and the preface begins : — " Gentlemen, This Piece of Medical History does nat- urally address it self to you, considering that I have the pleasure of being one of your number, that you have been fellow labourers in the management of this distemper, and therefore competent judges of this performance, and that where difficult or extraordinary Cases have occurred in any of your private practice, I was favoured to visit the-Patients in order to make a minute ciinical enquiry: 530 BOSTON MEDICAL AND SURGICAL JOURNAL. [June 8, 1881. in short, without your assistance, this piece would have been less perfect, and not so well vouched" In The Boston Weekly News-Letter, January 5, 1737, there is a long communication, addressed "To the Judicious and Learned President and Members of the Medical Society in Boston," and signed " Philan- thropos." It takes strong ground in favor of regulating the practice of physic throughout the province, and ad- vocates the plan of having all practitioners examined by a board of physicians and surgeons appointed by the General Court. The writer is justly severe on the " Shoemakers, Weavers, and Almanack-makers, with their virtuous Consorts, who have laid aside the proper Business of their Lives, to turn Quacks." , In the same newspaper of November 13, 1741, is an interesting report of a surgical operation performed about that time for urinary calculus, on Joseph Baker, a boy six years old. It was done " in Presence of the Medical Society," by Dr. Sylvester Gardiner, and "ac- cording to Mr. Cheselden's late Improvement of the lateral Way." The report begins: — " A Medical Society in Boston New England, with no quackish View, as is the manner of some ; but for the Comfort and Benefit of the unhappy and miserable Suf- ferers by excruciating Pain, occasioned by a Stone in the Bladder, do Publish the following Case." Dr. Gardiner, the operator in this case, was a rising young -surgeon who had studied his profession in Lon- don and Paris. He began the practice of medicine in Boston, where he also lectured on anatomy, which he illustrated by preparations brought from Europe. His enterprise led him to establish an apothecary's shop, in which he carried on an extensive wholesale and retail business. His career as a physician and surgeon was attended with remarkable success, and he soon ac- quired from his profession both fame and fortune. His prosperity, however, was interrupted by the political troubles which preceded the Revolution, and during the struggle he took sides with the mother country. He thus became odious to the patriots ; and when Boston was evacuated by the British troops, he was compelled to leave his native country and pass eight or ten years in exile. He finally returned and died at Newport, Rhode Island, August 8, 1786, in the 80th year of his age. Although the Medical Society in Boston was short- lived, no account of the history of medicine in the State would be complete which did not mention its existence. In its day it exerted a good influence on the profession, and showed a zeal on the part of the physicians which is alike honorable to their heads and creditable to their hearts. The origin of the Society may have had some connection with the epidemic of diphtheria which broke out in Boston during the summer of 1735 ; at any rate, it was organized about that time. It is kuown to ha\e been in existence late in the autumn of 1741, though ten years afterward there was no trace of it. Dr. Lloyd, who began the practice of medicine in Boston about the year 1752, and continued in it for more than half a century, had no recollection of such an associa- tion. This last fact is mentioned by Dr. Bartlett, in his address before the Massachusetts Medical Society, June 6, 1810, and shows that it had disappeared before Dr. Lloyd's time. The founders of this local society, the pioneer association of its kind in the country, rep- resented the active medical thought in Boston ; and, though they are unknown to us by name even, deserve on this occasion a tribute which is freely given. A long generation passes, and the Massachusetts Medical Society takes the field, and occupies the broad limits of the State, including the District of Maine. Many of the original members had served in the army, and were familiar with the capital operations of the hospital and the battle-field, while others had filled im- portant public positions of a civil character. In any presence they would have been considered accom- plished physicians and surgeons, and they were the peers of otlnr professioral men. Together with the clergy they represented the education and refinement of the community. II. The rise and progress of medicine in Massachu- setts during the colonial and provincial periods gives some idea of the antecedents and traditions of the Medical Society. The corner-stone was laid on such a ground-work; the structure was built on such a foun- dation. It was so planned that additions and changes might be made to meet the wants of advancing time, and not weaken the unity or symmetry of the whole. The workmen were earnest and honest, and the result proves their faithful labor. They have erected an edi- fice which has stood the test of a century, and now bids fair to last for ages to come. I now purpose to trace in some detail the develop- ment of the Society from its beginning, one hundred years ago, to the present time. Civil commotion stirs up thought and quickens men- tal activity. When the first steps were taken to es- tablish this Society, the surrender of Yorktown had not occurred, and it was a matter of grave doubt when the Revolution would come to an end ; but a six years' war had drilled the popular mind in great things. The uncertainty of public affairs tended rather to excite ef- fort than to repress it. In such a time and under such conditions the Massachusetts Medical Society was or- ganized. It was no small affair to bring together from all parts of the Commonwealth the representatives of the medical profession and to harmonize their conflict- ing views. Berkshire County was two days distant from Boston, and relatively as far off as Chicago and St. Louis are to-day ; while that large northeast terri- tory, called the District of Maine, was almost as little known as the farthest northwest region is known to us now. Between the different sections of the State there were then small conveniences for general travel and few postal facilities, by means of which an interchange of visits and ideas, so conducive to unification of ac- tion, could be brought about. The formation of this Society at once increased professional intercourse, in spiie of these difficulties, and accomplished excelleu results.1 The act of incorporation, under which this Society first met one hundred years ago, is found in the first volume of its Communications, pp. 8-11, and is as follows : — Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in the year of our Lord, 1781. An Act to incorporate certain physi- cians, by the name of The Massachusetts Medical So- ciety. As health is essentially necessary to the happiness of society ; and as its preservation or recovery is closely connected with the knowledge of the animal ecot.omy, and of the properties and effects of medi- cines ; and as the benefit of medical institutions, formed 1 Appendix B, p. 518. Vol. CIV., No. 23.] BOSTON MEDICAL AN on liberal principles, and encouraged by the patronage of the law, is universally acknowledged : — B: it therefore enacted by the Senate and the. House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That Nathaniel Walker Ap- pleton, William B lylies, Benjamin Curtis, Samuel Danforth, Aaron Dexter, Shirley Erving, John Frink, Joseph Gardner, Samuel Hoi ten, Edward Augustus Holyoke, Ehenezer Hunt, Charles Jarvis, Thomas Kast, Giles Crouch Kellogg, John Lynn, James Lloyd, Joseph Orne, James Pecker, Oliver Prescott, Charles Pynchon, Isaac Rind, Isaac Rind, Jr., Micaijah Saw- yer, John Sprague, Charles Stockbridge, John Barnard Swett, Cotton Tufts John Warren, Thomas Welsh, Joseph Whipple, William Whiting, be, and they here- by are, formed into, constituted and made a body pol- itic and corporate, by the name of The Massachusetts Medical Society; and that they and their successors, and such other persons as shall be elected in the man- ner hereafter mentioned, shall be and continue a body politic and corporate by the same name forever. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the Fellows of said Society may from time to time elect a president, vice-president, and secretary, with other officers as they shall judge necessary and convenient; and they, the Fellows of said Society, shall have full power and authority, from time to time, to determine and establish the names, number, and duty of their several officers, and the tenure or estate they shall re- spectively have in their offices ; and also to authorize and empower their president or some other officer to administer such oaths to such officers as they, the fel- lows of said society, shall appoint and determine for the well ordering and good government of said Society, provided the same be not repugnant to the laws of this commonwealth. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the Fellows of said Society shall have one common seal, and power to break, change, and renew the same at their pleasure. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That they, the Fellows of said Society, may sue and be sued in all actions, real, personal, or mixed, and prosecute and defend the same unto final judgment and execution, by the name of The Massachusetts Medical Sciety. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the Fellows of said Society may from time to time elect such persons to be Fellows thereof, as they shall judge proper; and that they, the Fellows of said Society, shall have power to suspend, expel, or disfranchise any Fellows of .-aid Society. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the Fellows of said Society shall have full power and authority to make and enact such rules and bye laws for the better government of said Society, as are not repugnant to the laws of this Commonwealth ; and to annex reasonable fines and penalties to the breach of them, not exceeding the sum of twenty pounds, to be sued for and recovered by said Society, and to their own use, in any court of record within this Common- wealth proper to try the same; and also to establish the time and manner of convening the Fellows of said Society; and also to determine the numbers of Fellows that shall be present to constitute a meeting of said Society ; and also, that the number of said Society, who are inhabitants of this Commonwealth, shall not at one time be more than seventy, nor less than ten ; and that their meetings shall be held in the town of Boston, or such other place within this Commonwealth, as a ma- SURGICAL JOURNAL. 531 jority of the members present in a legal meeting shall judge most fit and convenient. And whereas it is clearly of importance that a just discrimination should be made between such as are duly educated and properly qualified for the duties of their profession, and those who may ignorantly and wickedly administer medicine, whereby the health and lives of many valuable individuals may be endangered or perhaps lost to the community : — Be it therefore enacted by the authority aforesiid, That the President and Fellows of said Society, or other such of their officers or Fellows as they shall appoint shall have full power and authority to examine all can- didates for.the practise of physic and surgery (who shall offer themselves for examination, respecting their skill in their profession), and if upon examination the said candidates shall be found skilled in their profes- sion, and fitted for the practise of it, they shall receive the approbation of the Society in letters testimonial of such examination, under the seal of the said Society, signed by the President, or such other person or per- sons as shall be appointed for that purpose. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if the said president, and such other person or persons, so elected and appointed for the purpose of examining candidates as aforesaid, shall obstinately re- fuse to examine any candidate so offering himself for examination aforesaid, each and every such person so elected and appointed as aforesaid, shall be subject to a fine of one hundred pounds, to be recovered by the said candidate, and to his own use, in any court within this Commonwealth proper to try the same. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the Fellows of said Society may, and shall for- ever be deemed capable in law of having, holding, and taking in fee simple or any less estate, by gift, grant, or devise, or otherwise, any land, tenement, or other estate, real or personal; provided that the annual income of the whole real estate that may be given, granted, or devised to, or purchased by the said Soci- ety, shall not exceed the sum of two hundred pounds, and the annual income or interest of said personal es- tate, shall not exceed the sum of six hundred pounds ; all the sums mentioned in this act to be valued in silver at six shillings and eight pence per ounce: And the annual income or interest of the said real and personal estate, together with the fines and penalties paid to said Society, or recovered by them, shall be appropri- ated to such purposes as are consistent with the end and design of the institution of said Society, and as the Fellows thereof shall determine. And be it further enacted, That the first meeting of the said Medical Society shall be held in some conven- ient place in the town of Boston; and that Edward Augustus Holyoke, Esq.; be, and he hereby is author- ized and directed to fix the time for holding the said meeting, and to notify the same to the Fellows of said Medical Society. In thk House of Representatives, October 30, 1781. This bill having had three several readings, passed to be enacted. Nathaniel Gorham, Speaker. In Senate, November 1, 1781. This bill had two several readings, passed to be en- acted. Samuel Adams, President. Approved, JOHN HANCOCK. A true copy. Attest, John Avery, Jr., Secretary.1 1 Appendix C, p. 538. 532 BOSTON MEDICAL AND SURGICAL JOURNAL. [June 8, 1881. In accordance with the last clause of this Act, Dr Holyoke published a notice in 'lhe Boston Gazette and The Country Journal, November 12, 1781, calling a meeting of the members whose names are mentioned in the charter. It was called " at the County Court- Ilouse, in Boston, on Wednesday the 28th Day of this Instant November, at Ten o'Clock, A. M. for the Pur- pose of chusing Officers of the Society, and transact- ing any other Matter (which by this Act they are em- powered to do) as they shall think proper."x The charter members were thirty-one in number, and rep- resented different sections of the State: fourteen of them lived in Boston; two in Newburyport; two in Salem ; and one in each of the following towns: Cam- bridge, Danvers, Dedham, Dighton, Great Barrington, Groton, Hadley, Northampton, Portland, Rutland, Scituate, Springfield, and Weymouth. By counties, as constituted at that time, Suffolk had sixteen members ; Essex had five; Hampshire three; Middlesex two; Berkshire, Bristol, Plymouth, Worcester, and Cumber- land, in the District of Maine, one each. The first meeting of the corporation was duly held in the county court-house, on November 28, 1781, at which time there were present nineteen of the thirty- one persons whose names are given in the Act of In- corporation.2 The court-house of that period stood on the site of the present one in Court Street. The first vote passed was that the officers at this meeting should be chosen pro tempore; and subsequently "Edward Augustus Holyoke Esq: " was elected president, " Doctr. Isaac Rand junr." secretary, and " Doctr. Thomas Welsh," treasurer. The records follow the precedent of the Act in withholding the medical title from Dr. Holyoke's name. Perhaps it was because Dr. Hol- yoke held a commission as justice of the peace, and the title of esquire at that time carried a great deal of dig- nity with it. The second meeting was held in the court-house, on April 17, 1782, and Dr. Samuel Holten chosen presi- dent pro tempore? A committee, consisting of Drs. Tufts, Warren, and Appleton, was appointed to con- sider the form of letters testimonial to be given to those candidates who were approved by the Censors of the Society ; and to invent a device and motto for a seal. This was an important committee, and they ap- pear to have reported at the next meeting, — though I do not find any record of the details, — when they asked for further time in regard to the seal. One of the prime objects of the Society was to draw the line between the intelligent and the ignorant practitioners of medicine; and it was the function of this commit- tee to devise some method to reach this end. Even the matter of the seal was considered sufficiently im- portant to be mentioned in a separate clause of the original Act. The third meeting was held on June 5, 1782, and Dr. James Lloyd chosen president '■•pro hac vice." At this meeting permanent officers were elected for the ensuing year ; and as the pioneers of a long line of eminent physicians who have held office in this distin- guished organization, I give the names of them all, as taken from the records : — Edward Augustus Holyoke Esq., President Doctr James Pecker, Vice President 1 Appendix D, p. 540. 2 Appendix E, p. 538. 3 Appendix F, p. 542. Doctf Samuel Danforth ' Doctf Joseph Gardner Hon: Sam!Holten Esq. James Lloyd Esq. } Counsellors Doct.r Isaac Rand junf Doct.r John Sprague Hon : Cotton Tufts Esq. J Doctr John-Barnard Swett Corresponding Seer? Doct!" Nath-Walker Appleton Recording Seer? Doctf Thomas Welsh Treasurer Doctf Aaron Dexter Vice Treasurer & Librarian Doctf, Sam! Danforth ] Doctf Charles Jarvis j Doctf Joseph Orne )> Censors Hon : Cotton Tufts Esq. | Doctf John Warren J At this meeting it was voted " That a Comittee be appointed to publish a List of the Officers this day elected, to announce to the Public that the Massachusetts Medical Society is organized, also to invite the Correspondence of the Faculty and others as they shall think proper." 4 By the Act of Incorporation, Dr. Holyoke was em- powered to name the time and place for holding the first meeting of the Society ; and it was a fitting sup- plement to the previous arrangements that he should be chosen its first president.5 The fourth meeting of the Society was held on July 18, 1782, when "The Com : appointed to agree upon a Device and Motto for a Seal, laid several Devices before the Society, particularly a Figure of iEscula- pius in his proper habit pointing to a wounded Hart nipping the Herb proper for his Cure with this Motto ' vivere natura.' " The design was adopted, though the motto was changed to natura duce ; and the same com- mittee was authorized to procure a seal made after this device. The fifth meeting was held on September 4th, when it was voted, " That the Fellows of this Society be re- quested to transmit to the Recording Secretary an Ac- count of those Diseases that have from one stated Meeting to another been most prevalent in the Circle of their practise, that the same may be laid before the Council for their Inspection and such communicated to the Society as the Council shall direct." Many such papers were then sent in, which are now carefully pre- served on the Society's files. The sixth meeting was held on October 16th, but no quorum was present. The seventh meeting was held on April 9, 1783, when the committee on the seal reported that they had procured one, which was laid before the Society and unanimously accepted. It was also voted that candidates for practice, who had passed a satisfactory examination by the Censors, should pay the sum of eight Spanish milled dollars. A circular letter was adopted to be sent to those members mentioned in the Act of Incorporation, who had not been present at any of the meetings. By the records it appears that there were eight such persons. The letter is as follows : — " Sir, The Fellows of the Mass : Medical Society, who have met from time to time for the purposes of their appointment, have conceived themselves happy in your having been appointed one of its Fellows, and 4 Appendix G, p. 539. 6 Kor a short biography of Dr. Holyoke, see p. 545 of this Journal. Vol. CIV., No. 23.] BOSTON MEDICAL AND SURGICAL JOURNAL. 533 beg Leave to assure you, that your Comunications will at all times be highly acceptable ; and that they are sincerely desirous of your Assistance in carrying on the Business of the Society, which in its Beginning call for more particular Exertions, and requires the joint Efforts of all its members. " The Society has been so unfortunate as not in any way to be informed of the Determination of several Gentlemen, appointed by an Act of the General Court Fellows thereof, relative to the Acceptance of the Trust, for want of which information, the Society in the prosecution of its Business, has found itself embar- rass'd and unable to make such arrangements as might more fully tend to promote the Ends and Designs of the Institution, for which Reason we have address'd you on the subject; not doubting of your benevolent Intentions and Readiness to promote an Undertaking, conducive as we hope to the Benefit of Mankind in general and the Medical Faculty in particular. We presume that your answer of acceptance will be for- warded by the first opp°. " With sentiments of Respect and Esteem, " We are &c." At the same meeting a Resolve was read, passed by the General Court March 20, on the petition of Cotton Tufts, granting the use of a room in the Manufactory House to the Massachusetts Medical Society, in con- nection with the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The Manufactor}' House was a noted public building of that time, belonging to the State, and situ- ated on Tremont Street, nearly opposite to the site of the Park Street Meeting-house. The room was fitted up conjointly by the two associations, and first used by the Medical Society on October 15,1783. It was occu- pied by them for the stated meetings held on October 30, and April 14, 1784, and probably for other minor pur- poses. The meeting on June 2, as well as the one on June 21, took place in the county court-house, where all the former ones had been held, before the room in the Manufactory House was occupied. The meeting of April 13,1785, was held in "the Stockholders' room in the Bank." The Massachusetts Bank, at that time the only one in the State, was organized in the year 1784, at which date it bought the Manufactory House, sold by order of the General Court. The stockholders' room in this building was the apartment previously used by the Society. The meeting of May 4, 1785, took place in the Senate Chamber of the Old State House, and the one of October 19, 1785, was held in "Mr. Fumass's painting room in Court St. ; " while that of October 18, 178G, was "in the hired room in Court Street," — which may have been the same as Mr. Fur- nass's room. The meetings of October 20, 1790, and April 13, 1791, were held in Concert Hall, a noted tavern at the southerly corner of Court and Hanover streets. I have been particular in giving some of the minor details of the early history of the Society, in order to show its small beginnings and the changing places of its meetings. It is well sometimes to com- pare present opportunities with the narrow means of past generations. The birth of the present Medical School in the year 1783 formed an epoch in the medical history of the State, though the Massachusetts Medical Society, as a corporate body, did not officiate on the occasion. At first the school w.is looked upon by the Fellows with some jealousy, as they feared that the existence of two institutions would lead to serious embarrassments. The matter was considered of sufficient importance to be referred to a special committee of the Society, which, however, did not report for nearly three years. At the meeting held on October 15, 1783, it is re- corded that " Upon a Recomendation of Council to consider Whither the Doings of any of the literary Societies in this Comonwealth, interfere with the Charter Rights of the Medical Society ; " Voted That a Com : of three be appointed to take into Consideration the above Recomendation and to confer with any such Societies (upon the Subject, as they may think proper) and report: " Voted That I)r. Cotton Tufts, Dr. Kneeland & D'. Appleton be this Committee." Nothing further relating to this subject appears to have been done, until the meeting on June 7, 1786, when: — "The Com : appointed on 15 Octr. 1783 to consider whither the Doings of any of the literary Societies in this Comonwealth interfere with the Charter Rights of this Society, & to confer with any such Societies upon the Subject as they might think proper, reported, That they had attended the Business of their appoint- ment upon examining the Medical Institutions of Harvard College, the Com: were of opinion that those Institutions did interfere with the Charter Rights of this Society ' to examine Candidates for the practise of Physic & Surgery & to grant Letters testimonial of the Examination of such as shall be found skilled in their profession' in that, those Institutions provided for the Medical professors of that College examining their Pupils & granting Letters testimonial or public Certificates to such of them as they judged proper, of their Abilities to practise physic. Whereupon the Com : applied to the Government of the College for a Con- ference upon the Subject, which was had, & ended in an agreement that the Com : should confer with the Medical professors of the College & make such arrange- ments respecting this matter as should be mutually agreed upon for the Honor of both Societies & the ad- vancement of Medical Knowledge. This Conference between those Medical professors & the Com: for some reasons, unknown to the Com : was never held. The Com : further report that it has lately been sug- gested to them that the Medical Institutions of Ilarv : College have been altered, whereupon Enquiry was made respecting the Matter and an Acc° of the above Institutions authenticated by the Secry. of the Over- seers, was procured, and upon a careful examination the Com : were clearly & unanimously of Opinion that Harvard College Medical Institutions do not and that no Doings of that or of any other literary Society do, as far as the Com : could find, interfere with the Char- ter Rights of this Society." At this time there were but three professors in the Medical School; and two of these were original mem- bers of the Medical Society.* It was, therefore, ex- tremely improbable that there would be any permanent friction between the two bodies. The Medical Society had no right to confer degrees ; and it does not appear that the Medical School had any intention of granting testimonial letters to the profession at large. What then bid fair to be a little tempest soon subsided. At the meeting held October 26, 1785, correspond- ing and advising committees were appointed for the different counties of the State, in order to encourage 534 BOSTON MEDICAL AND SURGICAL JOURNAL. [June 8, 1881. reports of professional cases to this Society ; and many years later, on April 28, 1803, it was voted,— "That the Commonwealth be divided into four Dis- trict*, the Middle, Southern, Eastern, and Western ; the Middle to consist of Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, and Middlesex; the Southern of Plymouth, Bristol, Barn- stable, Dukes County, and Nantucket; the Eastern district [to consist] of Maine; the Western [of] Hampshire, Bristol, and Worcester." Immediately afterward committees were appointed for each of these districts, " to ascertain who are de- serving of becoming Fellows." These organizations have since grown and become the present District Societies. At the meeting held on November 8, 1786, the council of the Society was requested to consider the propriety of addressing the legislature that some measures might be taken to prevent the sale of bad and adulterated medicines, and to report thereon. In the spring of 1790, the first number of a publica- tion entitled Medical Papers was prepared under the direction of the Society, and five hundred copies printed ; but, for the want of funds, the second num- ber did not appear until the year 1806. The third number was printed in 1808, which completed the first volume of the series now known as the Medical Com- munications of the Massachusetts Medical Society. It is made up almost entirely of papers written by the members, giving the result of their observations on diseases and epidemics in their respective neighbor- hoods. The address of Dr. Isaac Rand, delivered June 6, 1804, is usually bound in this volume. Its subject is Observations on Phthisis Pulmonalis; and it is the first one of the long series of annual addresses made before the Society. This pamphlet became so rare that, by a vote of the councilors, it was re- printed in the year 1853. It was published in exact facsimile, under the careful supervision of our late associate member, Dr. Nathaniel Bradstreet Shurtleff. The Medical Communications have been continued until now, when they comprise a work of twelve vol- umes. One number of the Communications appears each year, and five or six of them make up a volume; the later numbers consisting of the annual addresses, proceedings of the meetings, and other'papers. A Pharmacopoeia, prepared by Drs. James Jackson and John Collins Warren, was published in the year 1808, under the auspices of the Society. It was formed on the plan of the Pharmacopoeia of the Edin- burgh College, and was designed to introduce modern nomenclature, and to establish greater uniformity in the prescriptions of physicians. The American New Dispensatory, written by Dr. James Thacher, and pub- lished in the year 181Q, was submitted to a committee of this Society, and received its official sanction. The basis of this work was the Pharmacopoeia which has just been mentioned. "The Publications of the Massachusetts Medical Society," technically so called, were begun in the year 1860, and kept up until 1871. They consist of three volumes, comprising, for the most part, essays and re- ports read at the meetings, and subsequently pub- lished. Papers of this character are now printed in the Communications, and do not appear in any sepa- rate serial. It may not be inappropriate to mention in this place The New-Enalai/d Journal of Medicine and Surgery, which was published quarterly in Boston. While it was not an official organ, it was " conducted by a num- ber of physicians," in the warmest interest of this Soci- ety. It was edited with much ability, and contained manv original papers. It began in the year 1812, arid was kept up until 1828, when it was followed by The Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, a publication which has continued till the present time. The protective power of vaccination was discovered in England by Edward Jenner, near the end of the last century ; and the news of its discovery was soon brought to this country. Among the first persons here and perhaps the first whose critical attention was called to its importance, was Dr. Benjamin Waterhouse, of Cambridge, an early Fellow of this Society. Its intro- duction, like that of variolous inoculation, was destined to meet with many difficulties and obstacles ; and Dr. Waterhouse was to be the champion. He wrote much as an advocate of the cause ; ami against popular ridi- cule and prejudice he succeeded in carrying the day. A communication, signed with his initials and dated at Cambridge, March 12, is found in the Columbian Cen- tinelof March 16,1799. It is headed " Something curi- ous in the Micdical Line," and is the first account of vaccination that was given to the public in this country. In the article Dr. Waterhouse describes cow-pox, and says that it must not be confounded with another dis- order incident to the human race, which bears a some- what similar name. He printed the account in a newspaper in order to excite " the attention of our dairy farmers to such a distemper among their cows." and to inform the profession generally of this security against small-pox. In the year 1800 he published a tract entitled "A Prospect of exterminating the Small-Pox, being the his- tory of the Variola Vaccina, or Kine-pox " etc.; and in it he describes the method he used, July 8, 1800, in vaccinating his son, Daniel Oliver Waterhouse, a lad five years of age, who had this disease in a mild way. From the arm of this boy he vaccinated another son, three years old, who had the customary symptoms in a light form ; and subsequently he " inoculated a servant boy of about twelve years of age, with some of the in- fected thread from England." This expression fur- nishes the clew to the method adopted for obtaining the vaccine virus, which came " by a short passage from Bristol," England ; though in the autumn of 1802, Dr. Waterhouse speaks of receiving quill-points, or " tooth picks," charged with virus. Before he had finished the practice in his own family, he had vaccinated four of his children and three of his servants, with no serious symptoms or consequences. The faith he had in the efficacy of the operation, prompting him to try it on one of his own children, was of that living kind which always commands attention. In this matter we are reminded of Dr. Boylston's bold act in inoculating his son for small-pox. In the year 1802 Dr. Waterhouse published a work of 134 pages, which formed Part II. of the previously- mentioned tract; and in it he gives a full account of the new inoculation in America. In all his efforts to introduce vaccination, Dr. Waterhouse was warmly seconded by Dr. William Aspinwall, of Brookline, who deserves no small meed of praise in this matter. Dr. Aspinwall had paid much attention to variolous inocu- lation ; and after the death of Dr. Boylston, the first American inoculator in point of time, he erected small- pox hospitals in Brookline, where he treated a large number of patients for the disease, which had been ar- Vol. CIV., No. 23.] BOSTON MEDICAL AND SURGICAL JOURNAL. 535 tificially induced. No man in America, probably, ever inoculated so many persons, or enjoyed so wide a rep- utation for his skill in so doing, as Dr. Aspinwall. Massachusetts was the first colony to introduce small-pox inoculation, and she was also the first State to adopt kine-pox vaccination ; and her towns have always taken the lead in sanitary matters. During the summer and autumn of 1802 some interesting ex- periments were conducted under the direction of the Boston Board of Health, whose unremitting exertions at that time, to prevent contagious diseases, entitle them to the highest praise. The Board fitted up a hospital on Noddle's Island, now known as East Bos- ton, and invited a number of physicians to cooperate with them in an undertaking to diffuse knowledge and dispel prejudice in regard to vaccination. Some bold experiments were tried at this hospital, and fortunately all were highly successful. On August 16th, nineteen boys were vaccinated, and all passed through the regu- lar stages of the cow-pox: and on November 9th, twelve of these children, together with a son of Dr. Bartlett, who had previously had the cow-pox, were inoculated for the small-pox, with matter taken from a patient in the most infectious state of the disease, and no trouble whatever followed. In order to show the true variolous character of the virus used in this ex- periment, two lads were inoculated at the same time with the same matter; and in due time a severe erupt- ive fever followed, with a plenteous crop of variolous pustules. When these two cases were in the right stage, matter was taken from them and inserted, for the second time, in the arms of the twelve children who had been previously inoculated, and besides in the arms of the other seven boys who were absent at the first inoculation. They had, moreover, been exposed to infection, most of them for twenty days, by being in the same room with the two lads who had the small- pox ; and all nineteen escaped. These and other facts are given in a report which was made and signed by eleven physicians, — James Lloyd and Benjamin Waterhouse appearing at the bead of the list. A full and official account of the whole affair is found in the Columbian Centinel, December 18, 1802. The town of Milton was the first to act in its corpo- rate capacity, and extend the benefits of vaccination to its citizens. In the year 1809, three hundred and thirty-seven persons of different ages and conditions among its inhabitants were vaccinated ; twelve of them were afterward tested by inoculation for small-pox, and found fully protected. The test was conducted by Dr. Amos Holbrook, a Fellow of this Society ; and the twelve persons — eight, boys and four girls — were volunteers for the operation. The town acted during the whole affair in a most liberal and intelligent spirit, and published a valuable pamphlet, setting forth all the transactions concerning it. It was entitled " A Col- lection of Papers relative to the Transactions of the Town of Milton, in the State of Massachusetts, to pro- mote a General Inoculation of the Cow Pox, or Kiue Pox, as a never failing preventive against Small Pox Infection "; and a copy was sent to the selectmen of each town in the Commonwealth. About this time a similar plan of public vaccinaao was adopted at New Bedford. By an act of the Gen- eral Court, passed March 6, 1810, the towns through- out the State were directed to appoint committees to superintend the matter, and authorized to defray the expenses of a general system of vaccination The motive power of all these proceedings was furnished by the Massachusetts Medical Society, though it was not always apparent. By the act of incorporation the membership of the Society was limited to seventy persons; but on March 8, 1803, an additional act was passed by the General Court, which removed all limitation and made many changes in other respects. Since then the number of fellows has been steadily increasing; and at the pres- ent time every town in the State, with the exception of a few small ones, is represented among the mem- bers. In the winter of 1811, an effort was made to obtain from the General Court a charter for another medical society, to be called the Massachusetts College of Phys- icians. The movement was strenuously opposed, as might have been expected, by the Massachusetts Med- ical Society; and a long controversy was the result. There had not been so much personal and professional feeling excited among the physicians of the State,"since the introduction of small-pox inoculation, ninety years before this time. The following petition to the legislature was re- ceived by that body on February 12, 1811, and re- ferred by them six days afterwards to the next Gen- eral Court: — " lb the Honourable (he Senate, and the Honourable the House of Representatives, in General Court assem- bled, this petition most respectfully sheweth : — " That seeing health is a blessing, which sweetens all our enjoyments ; and long life that which all men naturally desire, so everything that tendeth to secure the one or leadeth to the other, is an object worthy the attention of this legislature. " And considering, moreover, that of the various methods of obtaining and diffusing medical knowledge, not one is found so effectual and desirable as a friendly and liberal intercourse and honorable associations of its professors; more especially when their end and aim is mutual improvement and the publick good ; and ex- perience has proved that two literary and scientific societies produce more than double the advantage of one — " Influenced by these sentiments, we your petitioners humbly pray the Honourable the Legislature to con- stitute us, and such may hereafter associate with us, a body politic and corporate, by the name and title of the Massachusetts College of Physicians; with such powers, privileges and immunities, as other medical as- sociations of the like nature and views enjoy, under the same denomination, in several states of the union. "And your petitioners shall, as in duty bound, ever pray. Thomas Williams. James Mann. Samuel Danfoiith. Charles Winsiiip. Marshall Spring. Abijah Draper. Nath. Ames. James Lovell. William Aspinwall. Jacob Gates. John Jeffries. William Ingalls." At the annual meeting of the Med;cal Society, held June 5, 1811, a committee, which had been appointed " to prepare a memorial to the General Court respect- ing a petition for the incorporation of a college of physicians," presented the following remonstrance. It was adopted almost unanimously, one member only out of seventy-two dissenting: — 536 BOSTON MEDICAL AND SURGICAL JOURNAL. [June 8, 1881 " To the Honourable the Senate and the House of Rep- resentatives of the Commonwealth of Massachu- setts. " The Massachusetts Medical Society, in consequence of an application to the General Court in February last, for the incorporation of a College of Physicians, beg leave respectfully to represent,— " That the said Massachusetts Medical Society was established in November, 1771, with power to elect officers, examine and licence candidates for practice, hold estate, and perpetuate its existence as a body corporate. In June, 1782, the Society was organized agreeably to the provisions of the statute, and the members directed in every way to extend and increase its usefulness. By an additional act of the General Court in February, 1789, authority was given to point out and describe such a mode of medical instruction as might be deemed requisite for candidates previous to examination ; which important duty has been con- stantly attended to, and occasionally revised. By a farther additional act in March, 1803, as the Society was thought too limited to answer the purposes of its establishment, its state was so essentially changed that the number of its Fellows originally limited to seventy, may embrace all respectable physicians and surgeons resident in the State; and that district soci- eties may be established in such places as will facilitate medical improvement, and prevent the inconvenience of applying in all cases to the censors in Boston for an examination. "In consequence of this provision, several district societies are formed, and are in a prosperous condition, cultivating medical science, and qualifying candidates, in various parts of the Commonwealth. It has been the constant endeavour of the Society, without refer- ence to local or political considerations, to admit the most respectable practitioners in every section of the State, and they are desirous to elect all others of known talents who, by accident or from any other cause, are not admitted. " The number of candidates licensed for practice by the Society is more than eighty, all of whom, as well as all bachelors of medicine in Harvard University, may claim admission as Fellows of the Society, after three years' practice. " The pre>ent number of Fellows exceeds two hun- dred. Publications of important cases communicated to the Society; of a Pharmacopoeia, which is now in general use ; and of Dissertations read at the meetings, have been made, as often as the funds would possibly admit; committees have been appointed to investigate the nature, causes, and cure of epidemics, and the re- sult of their inquiries communicated to the publick. The greatest harmony has distinguished their proceed- ings. No mention was ever made, as has been insinu- ated, of regulating fees in practice. The sole object of the Society has been to promote the design of its in- stitution and the Fellows have been led to believe by the constant patronage and support of the Legislature, as well as the publick voice, that their conduct has been approved. "It is scarcely necessary to remark, that, from the state of medical science, at the incorporation of the So- ciety, its progress, for several years, was slow, and that it was less useful than could have been wished; but by the aid and cooperation of the flourishing medical school at the University, it is at this time in a most prosperous state ; aud it is the united endeavour of all to promote medical instruction, and discourage unwor- thy practices. " It is found on examination that the petition on the files of the General Court, for a College of Physicians, is for similar powers and privileges with this Society, on the ground, ' that two literary and scientific societies would produce more than double the advantages of one.' — The Society presume not to dictate to the Leg- islature on this important subject; but they beg leave respectfully to offer an opinion, that the establishment of such an'institution can effect no object, not accom- plished by existing societies, and would be so far from promoting a laudable and useful emulation, that candi- dates rejected by one society would resort to the other, with the greatest hopes of success, whatever might be their qualifications for the proper exercise of their pro- fession. Hence would arise disagreements and ani- mosities, which in other parts of the United States (particularly in Philadelphia at a former period, and very recently at New York) have been injurious to the profession and to the publick. Such animosities were threatened in the infancy of this establishment, by a supposed interference of Harvard College with the rights of the Society, and would have produced the most unhappy effects, but for the repeal of an excep- tionable article in that establishment, and the accom- modating conduct of those who at that period were the guardians of science, and the patrons of the healing art. " From these considerations, and from other circum- stances which the Medical Society are prepared to state, they have thought it an incumbent duty to re- quest that the prayer of the said petition should not be granted, and they as in duty bound will ever pray. " In behalf of the Society, "John Warren, President. "Boston, June 5, 1811." On June 14, 1811, both the petition and remon- strance were presented at the same time to the legisla- ture ; and they were referred to a joint committee of the House and Senate. After certain formalities final action was deferred until the second session of the General Court, which was to meet on January 8, 1812. During this interval communications appeared in the newspapers, and pamphlets were printed, setting forth the views of the writers on each side of the question. At one time it seemed as if the petitioners would be successful in their efforts, but finally they were defeated. The speech of Governor Gerry, at the opening of the session, contained the following remarks: — "Many Institutions in this Commonwealth which have promised great benefit to the public, would have met with much more success had similar Corporations been established. When only one of any kind is per- mitted, it too frequently happens that a majority of individuals composing it indulge their private views and interests, to the exclusion of men of the most en- larged, liberal, and informed minds, and thus destroy the reputation and usefulness of the society itself. The multiplication of such institutions has a tendency, not only to prevent this evil, which is an opiate to genius, but to produce a competition, and to promote in the highest degree the utility of such establish- ments."— Columbian Centinel, January 15, 1812. An attempt had been made, before the legislature met, to mingle politics with the question and render it a party one; and it will be seen that the Governor threw his influence ou the side of the petitioners. Vol. CIV., No. 23.] BOSTON MEDICAL AND SURGICAL JOURNAL. 537 In the early part of February, 1812, the committee of the legislature gave a hearing in regard to the matter in the Senate Chamber, which was filled at the time with spectators. Drs. James Mann, William Iu- galls, Abijah Draper, and Joseph Lovell appeared in order to support the petition ; and Drs. David Town- send, John Warren, Thomas Welsh, Aaron Dexter, Josiah Bartlett, William Spooner, and Benjamin Shurt- leff, as a committee of the Medical Society, to defend the remonstrance. The petition was also advocated by Dr. Benjamin Waterhouse, Professor of Theory and Practice of Physic, who, with Drs. Leonard Jarvis, Edward Whitaker, Daniel Thurber, and Nathauiel S. Prentiss, had added their names to the subscribers. This brought out a reply from Dr. James Jackson, Professor of Theory and Practice, in behalf of the medical institution at Cambridge, as it was generally understood that a new medical school would be con- nected with the proposed e-tablishment. On the next day the committee reported, by a bare majority, so far in favor of the petitioners that they should have leave to bring in a bill, which report was accepted in the Senate. The proceedings of the House on February 13, 1812, in regard to it are found in the Columbian Centinel, February 15, and are as fol- lows : — " The report of a joint committee which had given leave for the introduction of a bill to incorporate a College of Physicians, and which report had been ac- cepted in the Senate, was taken up in the House yes- terday, when the House non concurred the vote of the Senate ; and refused leave to bring in a bill. " This day, Mr. Cannon moved to reconsider the vote of yesterday. This motion, which involved all the merits of the question, was advocated by the mover, Messrs. Martin of Marblehead, Austin of Charlestown, Green of Berwick, and others ; and opposed by Messrs. Childs of Pittsfield, Mr. Kittridge, Messrs. Foster, Fay, Russell, Davis, and others, and was negatived. For it, 195; against, 211. The debate on this sub- ject was animated and interesting, and lasted three hours. The gentlemen of the committee which re- ported the#leave stated, that in the examinations be- fore them, they found nothing to support nor justify the numerous insinuations and reports which had been circulated in print and in out door conversation, tend- ing to implicate and injure the existing Medical So- ciety ; but that the Society has stood, and now stands, on high ground for usefulness, impartiality, and respect- ability. It was clearly demonstrated — though at- tempts were made out doors to make it a party ques- tion— that the institution asked for is unnecessary, and that if granted would produce great dissensions among the faculty, and be highly injurious to the com- munity." Thus happily ended one of those unpleasant contro- versies which never lead to good results. The petition for the Massachusetts College of Physicians, as well as the remonstrance against it, are found in Dr. Bartlett's address delivered at the annual meeting of this Soci- ety, June 6, 1810, which was published " with altera- tions and additions to January 1, 1813," iu the first volume, second series, of the Massachusetts Historical Collections. This edition of the address contains ten pages of matter more than the one printed in the sec- ond volume of the Medical Communications. The Massachusetts Medical Society is now the oldest state organization in the country, of a similar character, 68 i that has held its meetings continuously and regularly from the date of its incorporation. Since its founda- i tion it has borne on its rolls the names of 3.700 per- [ sons; and to-day its membership includes 1,350 phy- sicians from all parts of the Commonwealth. These members represent every section of the State, and their influence on one another is as immense as it is incal- culable. The average attendance at the annual meet- ings of late years is not far from 750 members ; these meetings last through two days, and with few excep- tions have been held in Boston. The charter of the New Jersey Medical Society antedates that of this Society by some years, but th«re have been breaks in its regular line of descent. During , the Revolution there was a suspension of its meetings from the year 1775 to 1781, which was due to the in- terruption of the war; and then again from the year 1795 to 1807, this time owing to a general anaemic condition of interest, on the part of its members. We now stand on the dividing line between two centuries, and we can look forward only so far as the light of the past illumines the vision. We see enough, however, to know that new ideas in the profession will be established, and new methods adopted. The phy- sician of the coming period will have a broader knowl- edge of preventive medicine. The laws of infection and contagion will be better known, and the daily con- ditions of health and disease more thoroughly under- stood. The subtle connection between cause and effect will be more accurately defined; and what is now ob- scure will be made clear. The great fact is to be em- phasized that everything in this life is related to what has gone before, and that we are what we are in consequence of antecedent circumstances. We may approach even to the curtain which nature drops over all vital action, but there we must stop ; though in other directions the finger of Discovery points down endless paths. Yet with all the knowledge that the human intellect can master, the great problem of living organ- ism will be as far from solution as it is to-day. Grop- ing in the dark in respect to first causes, we must con- fess that life is an impenetrable mystery, and something more than chemical action, and something beyond pro- toplastic development. For our purpose it is enough to know that the science of medicine will continue to the last point of measured duration ; and, like a planet pungingon through the immensity of space, in its un- tiring and unending course, it will shed its rays of light and con-olation wherever the atoms of humanity are found. LETTER FROM DR. WIL. DOUGLASS TO THE AS- SESSORS OF BOSTON, ASKING AN ABATEMENT OF HIS TAX, i747.L APPENDIX A. Thursday, April 23d, 1747. Gentlemen Assessors of the Town of Boston. I am forry for the neceffity of giving you trouble from time to time of my complaints as being ag- grieved in my Rate bills : laft year you abated me fixly fix pound old Tenor : which, tho not a fufficient abatement, that I might eafe you of the trouble of further application I acquiefced with the fame. The true, jufl and legal reafons of my complaint you may gather from the annexed Schedule of my 1 The original is in the possession of Dr. John T. H. Fogg. 538 BOSTON MEDICAL AND SURGICAL JOURNAL. [Junk 8,1881. Eftate. Further I may obferve to you that I am or Soon mull be in the Decline of Human life : there- fore do not endeavor to increafe my Fortune, having no family to provide for : but fhall yearly leffen it, by dooing charities in my life time by donations and bounties. This year I have Sold my garden in At- kinson Street to Mr. Thos: Goldthwait, and fome lands in the country to feveral towards fettling five hundred pounds O. T. upon a free fchool in Doug- lafs, formerly New Sherburn, and of Fifty pounds pr an. for the firft feven years to their Minifter, befides feveral other bounties to particular families. I con- tract the bufinefs of my Profeffion, becaufe confider- ing long outftanding debts and bad pay, it is an affair of more labour than profit. If not relieved I can not be blamed, in applying further to the Quarter Seffions as the Law directs : where upon producing your Books, I fhall make it appear that I am affeffed more than my proportion with others (which the Law expreffly calls a griev- ance) by comparing with fome of the Affeffors, with fome of my own profeffion, and with some Mercht8 and Shop-keepers in Bolton. I have not inferted my Books and Inftruments be- cause they are the Tools of. my Profeffion. I have not inferted my wearing apparel or furniture of two Rooms, as being of little value. I have no Plate, no Equipage. There is no legal Tax upon a man as a Batchelor, and for frugality in every thing excepting charities and an almost continued employ of tradef- men and labourers. Wil. Douglass. Dr. Bulfinch who has by much the best bufinefs of the profeffion in Bofton is affeffed only 45^ O. T. Dr\ Kennedy I. Perkins & Sprague who follow more bufinefs than I do are aileffed only 2$£ to 35£ O. T. Left it may appear invidious I fhall not mention the proportional under-rates of fome Mercht8- and tradefmen. Mr. Clark the Hatter deceafed worth 30,000^ to 40,000^ O. T. Eftate was rated 38^" O. T. Deacon Parker the Top Mafon in Town full em- ployed, u^" O. T. A fchedule of the income of the real ejlate and of the perfonal Eflate and faculty of Dr. Wil. Douglafs for 1746 Real hflateunder his own Jmprovemeni. Two chambers in Green Dragon value $$£ prann. O. T. Perfonal Eftate, viz.: Income of real Eftate. Old Tenor. Green Dragon (the above $z£ O. T. is deducted) pran. Jarvis in Roxbury and appurtenances. Widdow Stoddard. Pitfon : half of late Capt Steels Fowle : late Walkers near Orange. Houfe Mill-creek lane, Sundry Ten- ants. Burnet: late Capt: Steels. Major Sewall: a warehouse late Capt: Steels. Money at Intereft not exceeding Income by faculty not exceeding A Refufe Negro boy purchafed fome lime fince for ^17 12 O. T. 100 o o 105 0 0 IOO 2 0 IOO 0 0 60 0 0 5° 0 0 5° 0 0 35 0 0 20 0 0 300 0 0 500 0 0 My outftanding Debts in Practice I will make over to any man for 1,000 o o My running Cafh to defray incident charge, variable at a medium 100 o o Old Tenor. 2,615 2 o Boston, April 21, 1747. Suffolk fs. Doctr. William Douglafs perfonally appeared & made folemn Oath that the above Schedule is a juft & True eftimate of the Income of his Real Eftate, & of the Perfonal Eftate & Faculty of him the faid Wil- liam, the whole amounting to two Thoufand fix hun- dred & fifteen Pounds two lhillings old Tenor. Jurat Coram. H. Hall, Jujl: Pacts. DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE FOUNDA- TION OF THE MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL SOCIETY. APPENDIX B. LETTER TO E. A. HOLYOKE FROM N. W. APPLETON. Boston, Sept. 19, 1781. Hond- Sir, — The long intended Medical Bill has at laft paffed the two Houfes & ordered to be en- groffed. I underftand Mr. Lowell has given you the outlines of it. I fhall inclofe you a lift of the mem- bers & a few particulars reflecting it. This will be handed you by my Parents, who are juft letting out for a fhoit Vifit to Salem. I hope that whenever the firft Meeting of the Society fhall be appointed we fhall have the Pleafure of your Company. With beft Regards to the Family, I remain your obliged Friend & Servt., N. W. Appleton. A LIST OF THE MEMBERS OF THE MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL SOCIETY AS ALPHABETICALLY ARRANGED IN THE ACT. p. Appleton. H. Baylies of Taunton. /. Curtis. /. Danforth. p. Dexter. p. Erving. H. Frink of the County of Worcefter. /. Gardner. S. Holten of Danvers. S. Holyoke of Salem. S. Hunt of Northampton. /. Tarvis. p. Kail. H. Kellog of Hadley. p. Linn. p. Lloyd. S. Orne of Salem. p. Pecker. S. Prefcott of Groton. S. Pynchon of Spring- field. • ■S. Rand, Sen., Cam- bridge. p. Rand, Jr. ■S. Sawyer Newbury Port. H. Sprague, Sen., Ded- ham. 6". C. Stockbridge of Plymouth Co. S. Swett of Nevvbur)- port. S. Tufts of Weymouth. p. Warren. /. Welfh. /. Whipple. H. Whiting of Concord. Thofe with a /. fixed before the Name are the Peti- tioners. Thofe with an S. were nominated by the Society. Those with an H. were put on by the Houfe of Reprefentatives. Thofe with no Town after their Names are of Bofton. No fine of the Society is to exceed £20. The sum to be recovered by a Candidate in Case the examining Comittee refufe to examine,^ 100. ND SURGICAL JOURNAL. 539 Vol. CIV., No. 23.] BOSTON MEDICAL The Annual of the real Eftate not to exceed ^"200. The Annual of the perfonal Eftate not to exceed £600. APPENDIX C. TO E. A. HOLYOKE. Boston, October 31, 1781. Hon. Sir, — I am very happy in the Pleafure of informing you that the General Court have this day enacted the Medical Bill, & have appointed you to call the firft Meeting ; it is fent up to the Governor for his approbation, which no doubt will be given. The Gentlemen in the Town are defirous of having a Meeting as soon after you have received official Infor- mation as can be with convenience, previous to the fetting in of Winter. This Appointment gives me Pleafure on feveral Accounts, .one is that I hope thereby to have the Pleafure of feeing you in Town & I fhall depend upon the Happinefs of your Com- pany to dine with me on the day you fhall fix for your firft Meeting. I think at prefent that the County Court Houfe would be a good place ; we can, doubt- lefs, have a fire in the lobby (in cafe the court is not fetting) which will be large enough to accommodate as many as will probably be at the Meeting. I re- main, with Refpect Your obliged Servt, N. W. Appleton. APPENDIX E. MINUTES OF THE FIRST MEETING OF THE MEDICAL SOCIETY. At a Meeting of the Maffachufetts Medical So- ciety, agreeably to a Notification of Edward Auguftus Holyoke, Efq. (for the original fee the Files), at Bos- ton, November 28th, 1781 — Prefent, Doclrs Appleton, Baylies, Curtis, Dan- forth, Gardner, Holyoke, Hunt, Jarvis, Kaft, Linn, Lloyd, Pecker, Rand, Rand junr, Sprague, Tufts, Warren, Welfh, and Whipple. Voted, That the officers to be chofen at this meet- ing ho. pro tempore. Voted, That a Prefident, Secretary and Treafurer be chofen by Ballot. Voted, That Scruteneers be chofen for the purpofe of counting the Ballots. Voted, That the number be three and DocTrs Sprague, Jarvis, and Rand Sr. be Scruteneers. Voted, That a majority of the members prefent is neceffary to conftitute a choice. Upon the Ballots being taken, it appeared that the following gentlemen were chosen : Edward Auguftus Holyoke Efq. Pref- ident Doctr Ifaac Rand Junr Secretary Doctxs Thomas Welfh Treafurer. Voted, That a Committee be chofen to form a Code of Laws for the future Regulation of this So- ciety, and make report at the next Adjournment. Voted, That' this Committee confift of feven. Viz. DocTrs Tufts, Lloyd, Holyoke, Warren, Danforth Rand Junr and Jarvis. Voted, That the Secretary be directed and hereby is directed to procure three hundred Copies of the Charter, printed, for the Use of the Society. Voted, That the Committee appointed to form a Code of Laws and be impowered to call a Meeting of this Society thro' the Secretary when they are ready to report. APPENDIX G. LETTER TO THE PUBLIC UPON THE INSTITUTION OF THE MEDICAL SOCIETY.1 The defign of the above Inftitution is to promote medical and furgical knowledge, Inquiries into the Animal Economy, and the Properties and Effects of Medicines, by encouraging a free intercourfe with the Gentlemen of the Faculty throughout the United States of America, and a friendly correfpondence with the eminent in thofe Profeffions throughout the World, as well as to make a juft difcrimination be- tween fuch as are duly educated and properly qual ifie 1 for the Duties thereof, and thofe who may igno rantly and wickedly adminifter Medicines, whereby the Health and Lives of many valuable Individuals may be endangered, and perhaps loft to the Commu- nity. In fo laudable and ufeful an Intention the Maffa- chufetts Medic il Society feel the moft folid Encour- agement in calling upon the wife and obfervant of the Faculty and upon the curious in every Profeffion, to communicate whatever may appear to them conducive to this great undertaking. They would wifh that the moft trifling Obfervations, if pertinent, may not be withheld. Every communication will be gratefully received and treated with the utmoft Candour. For the Purpofe of enabling the People at large (who might otherwife be incapable of properly dif- cerning the Qualifications of Candidates for Prac- tice) to diftinguifh the Perfons upon whom they may rely, they have upon the principles of their Charter, appointed five Cenfors, whofe Duty as affigned them is, to examine all Candidates for the Practice of Phyfic, and Surgery, who fhall offer themfelves, there- for, and to give Letters, teftimonial of their Appro- bation, to thofe whom they fhall find worthy of public Confidence. Such gentlemen as would prefent them- felves Candidates for Examination will be feafonably notified of the ftated meetings of the Cenfors in the weekly News-Papers of the Town of Bofton. APPENDIX H. DRAFT FOR A LETTER FROM DR. HOLYOKE. Salem Ocf. 3d, 1768. Sir, — I recd a Line by your fon, defiring to be informd of the Terms upon which I fhould be willing to 8 &d by a Line juft recd by your fon you Defire to be informed of ye Terms upon wch I fhould be willing to Undertake Inftructing him in ye Study & Practice of Phyfick. To which I would anfwer £ 20. Ster1 a Year, to be paid annually. That he Bed & Board at my Houfe, & live con- formable to ye Rules & Orders of my Family. That He attend upon & prepare Medicines for the Shop. That He attend the Sick & Wounded under my Care. That He write in & Poll my Books of Account. Collect Money, in fhort attend. On my Part I promife to give Your fon advice & Inftructions, according to ye beft of my Capacity & Opporty in the Theory & Prafticeof Phyfick Surgery & Pharmacy. 1 Original in handwriting of Dr. John Warren. £40 BOSTON MEDICAL AND SURGICAL JOURNAL. [June 8, 1881. APPENDIX D. FAC-SIMILK OF DR. HOLYOKE'S SUMMONS FOR THE FIRST MEETING. i/A+rt., Z*,L>'..~ 9*4 .QT.'. J, 9^..a.s/. /? S * ^S/.~/ £j?. C"VT)' y^ #*">'£} t/^/f-<£ ik^ <%*&, JJl*. M£>**™-, *&* f.B$ iXis/tu <%W^ - £//5o*6*~, tf/£^^ *&>+++£-&«**MU4 $/ s+*~D 'ol. CIV.. No. 23.] BOSTON MEDICAL AND SURGICAL JOURNAL. 543 APPENDIX I. FAC-SIMILE OF TWO PAGES FROM DR. HOLYOKE'S DAY BOOKS, 1750-1828. WITH EXPLANA- TIONS.1 *&e '3w£^J2$'^jfcJ!U~ner t^j*,*)/ v^'Jk ^^AjC^^ 3f^> £&^f/- 3 ^ 'fa *(J^<^^jM3rJo 46«-p /£&. rZ?*Qi&oit6;ty. ^stCaAtAUM'Sf'^ % "fa° %tifrjfa£~~,ff(tf M*. */■ gjg^^/ ?£^^^^jf^^^^ ~cg^>70 /0*i:y /,&»?• ^^^^C^ Ju^ntrSlC &~rf ejb&fc/U^fo -/. /* Ve*.<&r7Z f&vu// 2 yL//> grJi t6 a successful merchant. 3 Jonathan Phelps, blacksmith, in.. 1729, Judith Cox; their sec- ond daughter, Rachel, 111. Daniel Hathorne, of Salem, and these were the grandparents of Nathaniel Hawthorne. 4 Capt. Nathaniel Andrew, of Salem, mariner and merchant, m. Mary, daughter of Nathaniel Iligninson, a lineal descendant of Rev. Krancis lligginson ; their son, John, was grandfather of John A. Andrew, governor of Massachusetts 1861-66. 5 Madam Turner and family. She was the widow of Major John Turner, a noted merchant of Salem, long of the provincial council; b. 1671, 111. Mary Kitchin 1701. Their son, John Turner, in. Mary O.-born, of Host. 11. 17-'i8. whose daughter, Maty, in. Daniel Sargent, from whom sprang Lucius Maulius Sargent" and descendants, of Uostoil. The Kitchins and Turners weie prominent families in Salem dur- ing the provincial period. U. \V. 544 BOSTON MEDICAL AND SURGICAL JOURNAL. [June 8, 1881. t/c\4zrrL_____ .______J7*?£ii /#?, t-fci£0 K ■■^vji^mti^ ^^f'jjf^ A Twf. -ftyiu^y file fl^ftj^i /f.7,Jt~Jr. II *"!*- # A ''*» r^S'S^^^r jfyi <. 4 ri/fl APPENDIX J. FEE TABLE OF THE BOSTON MEDICAL CLUB, 1781. In the year 1781, and in feveral preceding years great difficulties were experienced among profeffional men, by the fluctuating ftate of the old continental paper money. In order to obviate as far as practica- ble the inconvenience and lofs fuftained from this caufe, the phyficians of Bofton inftituted a club, the meetings of which were held at the Green Dragon Tavern. Phyficians' fees had been much below par, and when paid in depreciated paper money, little or nothing could be realized from them. The fee for a vifit was one fhilling and fixpence, afterwards in- creased to two fhillings. Midwifery and capital oper- ations were at a guinea, with charges for after vifits. I he firft fees eftablished by the Medical Club were: fifty cents for a vifit; if in confultation, one dollar ; rifing and vifit in the night, after eleven o'clock and before funi ife, double fee ; obftetrical cafe, eight dol- lars ; capital operation in furgery, five pounds ; redu- cing a diflocation or fetting a fracture, one guinea; bleeding, opening abfeefs, extracting tooth, fifty cents, and the ufual fee for vifit was added. All accounts were to be calculated in hard money, and, if paid in paper, according to fuch agreeme t as could be made with the parties. The profeffion was much benefited by thefe regula- tions, having a happy tendency to make phyficians acquainted with each other, and to promote harmony and good fellowfhip; all party politics were prohib- ited at their meetings, and the medical fees were made more adequate to the fervices performed. (A Hiftory of Medical Science in the United States, by James Thacher, M. D., Bofton, 1828.) From the I. Chronicle and tlie Univ. Adver. Mareh 22, ij8r. Boston, March 21, 1781. I am directed by the Honorable Major General Lincoln to inform the Field Officers and Surgeons belonging to this Commonwealth that they are not nor were not meant to be included in his orders late- ly publifhed in the Papers refpecting Officers leav- ing the Commonwealth until further Orders. John Crane, Colonel Artillery. The Pi inters in this Commonwealth are tequefted to publifh the above in their papers. Vol. CIV., No. 23.] BOSTON MEDICAL AND SURGICAL JOURNAL. 5-15 ittetitcal auD Surgical Journal. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 1881. A Journal of Medicine, Surgery, and Allied Sciences, published weekly by Houghton, Mifflin ani> Company, Boston. Price,15 cents a number; $5.00 a year, including postage. All communications for the Editors,and all books for review, should be ad- dressed to the Editors of the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal. Subscriptions received, and single copies always for sale, by the under- signed, to whom remittances by mail should be sent by money order, draft, or registered letter. HOUGHTON, Mlt-'t'HN AND COMPANY, No. 4 Park Street, Boston, Mass. THE JOURNAL'S COMPLIMENTS AND GOOD WISHES TO THE SOCIETY. Through the appreciative encouragement of the committee of arrangements of the Society, and by ad- vancing one day its regular publication, the Jourval is able to dedicate to the Massachusetts Me 'ical Soci- ety the present number, which the editors hope will not be found altogether unworthy, either in matter or form, of the centennial anniversary of the oldest sur- viving medical society in this country. The Journal is glad to avail itself of so auspicious an occasion to congratulate the Society upon having completed a first century of existence and usefulness, which it can do the more sympathetically, having itself already expe- rienced the emotions coincident to a semi-centennial anniversary. The Society is to be congratulated, not merely upon being mature, but also upon being vigor- ous, and there is every reason to anticipate, from a useful past, a no less useful future. In our modest effort to bring before the minds of our readers, to some extent, the social and profes- sional conditions amid which the Society was born, it seemed eminently appropriate, that the Journal should group its material around the picturesque fig- ure of the first president of the Society, Dr. Holyoke, whose own busy and prolonged career, marked as it was hy a true temperance and prudent moderation, may n..t unfitly typify a destiny which it is to be hoped awaits through a longer cycle and in a larger sphere the body over which he first presided. The Journal takes this opportunity to thank the Essex Institute of Salem, and individual members of the Medical Society, for kind contributions to this anuiversary number. BIOGRAPHY OF DR. EDWARD AUGUSTUS HOLYOKE, FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE SO- CIETY.1 Edward Augustus Holyoke was the second of eio-ht children of Edward and Margaret Holyoke, of Marblehead, County of Essex, Mass. His father was born in Boston, educated at Harvard College, where he was afterwards tutor, settled as pastor of the Sec- ond Congregational Society in Marblehead, April 25, 171G, installed President of Harvard College 1737, and died June, 1769, aged eighty. His paternal an- cestor came from Tamworth, on the borders of War- wickshire, England, and was among the original grant- 1 Taken from a memoir prepared by a committee of the Essex South District Medical Society, published 182J. ees of the town of Lynn, where he settled at Saga- more Hill, in 163S. President llolvoke was three times married ; the first time to Elizabeth Brown, of Marblehead, the second to Margiret Appleton, daugh- ter of Colonel John Appleton. of Ipswich, and the third time to the widow of Major Epes, of Ipswich Hamlet. Tne subject of this memoir was the offspring of the second marriage, and was born August 1, 1728, Old Style. In 1742 he entered the freshman class at Harvard University. He has preserved an account of his examination, and the sentence which was given him as a theme upon that occasion seems to have been the mot o of his future life : Labor improbus omnia vincit. From this period to the end of his life he was charac- terized by constant diligence and assiduous attention to his duties. In 1746 he was graduated, and in the fol- lowing year he spent six m >nths at Roxbury in teach- ing a school.2 In July, 1747, he commenced the study of medicine under the care of Colonel Berry, of Ips- wich.3 This gentleman was the most distinguished practitioner of his neighborhood, although his being universally known by his military title does not speak highly for the estimation in which medical honors were then held. He finished his studies in April, 1749. and came to Salem in June of the same year. . . . For the remainder of his life he scarcely left the town, un- less on business connected with his profession, and during his life he never wandered so far as fifty miles from the spot on which he was born. His longest journey was to Portsmouth, in 1749, at which time lie was absent five days. In 1755 he was married to Judith Pickman, daughter of Colonel B. Pickman, of Salem. This lady died in her nineteenth year, in 1756, soon after the birth of a daughter, which did not long survive her. In 1759 he was again married, to Mary Viall, daughter of Nathaniel Viall, merchant, of Boston. Upon this latter occasion he was absent from Salem a week, which is believed to have been the longest visit he ever made from home, except in 1764, when he went to Boston to be inoculated for the small- pox. The length of this visit was occasioned by a custom which then prevailed for newly-married persons to devote a week to receiving the visits and congrat- ulations of their friends, or, as the phrase was, '• sit- ting up for company;" a ceremony which Dr. Hol- yoke declared to one of the committee was " very tedi- ous and irksome." By his second wife he had twelve children, most of whom died in infancy. Two daugh- ters only survive, — the widow of the late Mr. William Turner, of Boston, and the wife of Joshua Ward, Esq., of Salem. Dr. Holyoke was perhaps led to select this town as his place of residence in consequence of the death of Dr. Cabot, which occurred just at the time of his finishing his studies ; but so little were his expectations of employment realized that after two years' trial he appears to have had serious intentions of abandoning the place in despair of success, and to 2 For which he received eighty-four pounds old tenor, — $38.50, — out of which lie paid his board at sixty-seven cents per week. 8 ''Thomas Berry, Esq., was bom at Boston, the latter end of the seventeenth century, and was graduated at Harvard College, 1712. He received his medical education under Dr. Thomas Greaves, of Charlestown. He settled at Ipswich, Essex County, where he had a remarkable run of practice in his profession, and was consid- ered the most eminent physician in that vicinity. But in the latter period of his life he was more attentive to politics than physic. He represented the town in the legislature, and afterwards was of the council several years, was judge of probate for the County of Es- sex, and justice of the court of Coinnum Pleas, and colonel of the regiment. He died August 10, 175G, aged seventy-two." (From a memorandum of Dr. llolyoke's.) 546 BOSTON MEDICAL AND have remained here only through fear of distressing his father if he returned home. No man probably ever entered upon the business of his profession with more settled resolution and per- severance than Dr. Holyoke. He had youth and health, a constitution of mind and body eminently cal- culated for endurance of labor and fatigue, was reputed a good scholar for his time ; he read the Latin lan- guage with great fluency, and he subsequently attained a familiar acquaintance with the French ; he had as many opportunities of learning his profession as were common at that time, and was respectably connected and advantageously known. But notwithstanding the se advantages the medical profession abounded in discour- agements which, to say the least, are greatly lessened in our day. The standard of medical education was totally unsettled. Evei y one who chose to prescribe for the sick was admitted to the rank of physician ; the higher points of medical character and the value of medical studies were totally unappreciated by the bulk of the peo- ple, and the compensation for medical services was ex- ceedingly small.1 The periodical press did not then, as now, issue its regular current of observations and intelligence, and it was not till Dr. Holyoke reached the declining period of life that this species of medical literature had given that impulse to the profession which is so sensibly felt at the present day. It was rare, in the period of his meridian life, for any man to devote himself to medicine as a science, and pursue the pro- fession without reference to other advantages than those which appertain to medical and scientific character. During almost the whole period of Dr. Holyoke's life the spirit of commercial adventure was the characteristic trait of almost all around him. There were many ways of rapidly attaining to wealth and distinction which looked more inviting than the one he had chosen ; and it shows his steadiness of purpose, and his character- istic contempt for mere money, that during his whole life he never appears to have been enticed to engage in any of the enterprises which were undertaken by others in pursuit of wealth, or for a single day to have laid aside his character of a practitioner of the heal- ing art. . . . The characteristics of mind most essential to form the practical physician are a talent for observation, a readiness to take cognizance of the phenomena of nature, and curiosity to investigate the causes of these phenomena. These characteristics distinguished Dr. Holyoke from his outset in life. He had a good mem- ory, and although his incessant calls prevented his de- voting much time to writing, he seldom passed a day, for the first sixty years of his practice, without noting down some fact or observation calculated to augment his professional knowledge. His meteorological ob- servations were recorded daily, almost without an in- terruption, for eighty years. The study of the book of nature has been the oc- cupation of the enlightened physician in all ages, and a more complete method of pursuing this study can hardly be imagined than that of Dr. Holyoke. If his attendance upon professional practice had ever allowed him to have fully completed this plan, and prepared the general results of all his observations for publica- tion, he would have furnished a most valuable treasury of medical knowledge. He kept a memorandum upon i His first visits were charged at five shillings old tenor, equal to eight pence, or about eleven cents each. This was at a time when provisions bore nearly half of their present prices, and other neces- saries of living were in proportion. SURGICAL JOURNAL. [June 8, 1881. his table in which was minuted down the name of every disease the moment he returned from making his call, the more remarkable being the subject of further mem- oranda, as their interest required or his leisure allowed. At some stated periods, as at the end of the year, he made out a summary from these daily memoranda, in which he ascertained by computation the number of cases of every disease. He also was diligent in ob- taining correct bills of mortality. He was thus en- abled to inform himself* most completely of the changes which take place in the frequency of occurrence and the fatality of diseases. Although for reasons which have been mentioned he did not often appear before the public as an author, he was not indifferent to the cultivation of medical sci- ence among its professors. As soon as the Medical Society of this State was formed 2 he contributed his full share to their published transactions. He wrote the preface to the first volume, and the first paper of that volume is his interesting account of the state of the weather, diseases, operation of remedies, deaths. etc., in Salem for every month of the year 1786, and shows that he must have been in habits of close ob- servation and of noting down the occurrences he met with in practice. Observations of the same kind were communicated for the years 1782, 1783, 1784, 1785, 1787, and 1788. Every physician engaged in full practice, as was Dr. Holyoke at this time, will admit this to have been no small labor. By this method of increasing knowledge, and by more extensive reading than was common at that day, he was, in the early part of his career, in advance of most of his professional contemporaries. He acquired the authority of a master ; and without being the lead- er of a sect his opinions were adopted, his prescriptions copied, and his practice imitated. His treatment of dysentery may he taken as a specimen of his early practice; a practice which he found successful, and which is still held in high repute by many practition- ers of this neighborhood. The terrible epidemic of sore throat of 1731-35, which almost totally destroyed the infant population of the north part of Essex County, was keenly remem- bered for many years afterward, and the attention of physicians was directed to the inflammatory affections of the throat and lunyis, and the operation of remedies the most efficacious in these dreaded and dangerous at- tacks. Hence originated a more complete acquaint- ance with the mercurial practice than elsewhere ob- tained. . . . Although, as has been observed, Dr. Holyoke was a cautious practitioner, he was not a timid one, and never neglected to make himself acquainted with the reputed powers of new articles which were from time to time introduced into the materia medica, and with the new modes of practice which were recommended by others. In the use of the digitalis, of the gum acaroi- des, of the muriate of barytes, and of many medicines of later date, he was one of the earliest aud most care- ful experimenters. His use of acetate of lead in re- straining haemorrhages, of the oxymuriate of mercury in the treatment of scrofula and some forms of cuta- neous disease, of small doses of calomel in the ulcus- cula oris of children, have led to the establishment of 2 Dr. Holyoke was one of the founders of the Societv, and was most punctual in his attendance at the stated meetings "of the So- ciety at large, as well as those of the District Society in which he was included. To this latter bodv he was a generous benefactor during his life, and bequeathed to their library some of his most valuable books. Vol. CIV., No. 23.] BOSTON MEDICAL AND SURGICAL JOURNAL. 547 modes of treatment attended with the highest degree of benefit. There are several medicines which owe their introduction into use entirely to him, and may, in fact, be said to have originated with him, as he was the first to settle their best mode of preparation and administration. The article so well known by the name of the " white balsam drops," or '• fennel balsam," is a strong solution of subcarbonate of potass with the addition of a little of the essential oil of sweet fennel, and is a valuable diaphoretic and carmin- ative, especially to children. This was a favorite med- icine during his whole practice. He obtained his first knowledge of it from a Mr. Wigglesworth, of Maiden. Of a cheap method of preparing the salaeratus or super- carbonate of potass he wrote an account for the Mas- sachusetts Medical Society. This article has in this neighborhood nearly superseded the common carbon- ate, both in medicinal and culinary preparations. Dr. Holyoke's prescriptions were, for the most part, put up under his own inspection, either by himself or his pupils. This practice was nearly universal, even in large towns, till the commencement of the pres- ent century, and if there were obvious disadvantages in the necessity which called for so much of the val- uable time of the physician there were undoubtedly some benefits derived from connecting practical phar- macy with his more dignified duties. . . . Dr. Holyoke was intimately acquainted with the qualities and preparations of all the drugs he was in the habit of using, and was extremely neat and skill- ful in compounding them. Although, perhaps, he used a greater number of remedial agents than enter into the prescriptions of the present day, he was by no means infected with the polypharmacy which was the prevailing fault of the physicians of his time. The following anecdote, related by one of his pupils, ex- hibits the simplicity of his practice : " When I first went to live with him, in 1797, showing me his shop, he said, ' there seems to you to be a great variety of medicines here, and that it will take long to get ac- quainted with them, but most of them are unimportant. There are four which are equal to all the rest, namely, mercury, antimony, bark, and opium; of these there are many preparations, however. Of antimony I think I have used thirty.' These are his words substantially. He ought to have added cantharides, but he was think- ing of internal remedies." The same person adds, " I can only say of his practice, the longer I have lived, I have thought better and better of it." In 1777 Dr. Holyoke applied himself to the busi- ness of innoculating for small-pox. He had himself been innoculated in April, 1764, by Dr. N. Perkins at Boston, and his careful minutes of this occurrence 1 il- lustrate the customs and practice of that day. In March, 1777, he took charge of the hospital which had been erected a few years before for small-pox innocula- tion, and conducted through the disease three classes, amounting in all to about six hundred, with only two l This business was in those days considered a very weighty affair. Dr. Holyoke first wrote to Dr. Perkins at Boston, where in consequence of the small-pox having been for some time spreading, the selectmen had given leave for a general innoculation, to engage his attendance and receive his directions for the proper preparation of the svstem. By Dr. Perkins's directions he took a pill at night of five or six grains of calomel with antimony, and lived low. After some days of this process he was reduced sufficiently to receive the disease in the most favorable manner, and accordingly, having ex- ecuted his will, he went to Boston, April 6th. and fi'St went abroad after the small-pox April 23d, having had the disease in the most favorable manner. fatal cases occurring. But the loss of these two, less than the average number, one of which occurred in his first class of two hundred, affected his sensitive mind with so much anguish as almost to occasion self- reproach and a resolution to abandon the undertaking. During most of the period of his patients remaining in the hospital he passed his whole time with them, night and day, and many persons in Salem, who were at that time under his care for innoculation, testify to to his assiduous and skillful attentions. . . . Dr. Holyoke was an early vaccinator. He was in the common practice of it in the beginning of 181)2, if not sooner. As a surgical operator Dr. Holyoke had more than a mediocrity of talent and skill. He never appeared to have any extraordinary preference for this branch of his profession, but as a matter of necessity held himself qualified for all the usual demands for surgical treatment. In fact, the opportunities for a display of surgical address are much less frequent in the popula- tion with which Dr. Holyoke has resided than might be expected from its number. As an obstetric practitioner he was greatly es- teemed, and upon this branch of his business he seems to have bestowed extraordinary attention. On his first coming to Salem this department of the healing art was entirely in the hands of ignorant midwives, and the physician ""was only called in extraordinary cases, or to rectify some of the blunders of these prac- titioners. He has preserved an account of the first forty- five obstetric cases which occurred to him. The first one which he " was persuaded to engage in " occurred 1755, after he had been six years in practice, and it was not till four years afterwards that he makes the record of a case which was the first " common easy birth which ever came under his management." 2 . . . He received pupils during nearly all the period of his active practice, and some of the most distinguished physicians of New England were educated under his care.3 a List of Births. The following is a list of births, occurring in ten years of his practice, from 1790 to 1801, and is a memoran- dum of some interest to medical men: — Years. Boys. Girls. Total. 1791 35 49 84 1792 53 34 87 1793 52 38 90 1794 45 51 9fi 1795 59 48 107 1796 47 5 i 10(1 1797 54 43 97 1798 53 4 10(1 1799 48 54 lti-2 1801 46 3 i 81 494 452 946 List of Pupils: — Isaac Atherton, came 1762, remained 3 years. Joseph Onie, came 1795, remained 5 years. David Jewett, came 1766, remained 3 years. William Paine, came 1768, remained 4 years. William Clarke, came 1772, staid few months. Edward R. Turner, came 1772, remained 3 years. William Goodhue, came 1772, remained 3 years. Nathaniel W. Appleton, came 1774, remained 3 years. Francis Borland, came 1774, remained 1 year. Edward Barnard, came 1774, remained 3 j'ears. Daniel Kilham, came 1778, remained 1 year. B. Lynde Oliver, came 1778, remained 3 years. Isaac Osgood, came 177—, remained 3 years. Nathaniel Parker. came 1779, remained 3 years. Thomas Farley, came 1782, remained 4 years. Abiel Pearson, came 1782, remained 3 years. James Griffin, came 1786, remained 2 years. Ebenezer Learned, came 1788, remained 3 years. Nathan Read, Nime 178—, remained 1 year. William Harris, came 1783, remained 1 year. J. D. Treadwell, came 1788, remained 3 years. 548 BOSTON MEDICAL AND SURGICAL JOURNAL. [June «, 1881, The period of the Revolution was a tr)ing one to the subject of this memoir, and he never loved to dwell upon the recollection of it. His feelings in the spring and summer of 1775 were intensely painful. In referring to that period, he said to one of his family he thought he should have died with the sense of weight and oppression at his heart. He had sent his family to ^Nantucket, and the loneliness of his home increased the feeling of desolation. Most of his inti- mate friends and near connections favored the royal cause, and his own education had attached him to the established order of things, and his peaceful temper shrunk from the turmoil of a revolution. He thought this country destined to be independent, but believed the proper period had not arrived, and that weakness and dissension were likely to follow what he considered a premature disunion. But in alter times, when re- ferring to these opinions, he was wont, with his usual ingenuousness, to say that the event had proved he was wrong in his prediction. He imputed to the Revolu- tion a change in the manners of the people which will not be reckoned among its good effects. He thought there was a faliing off in domestic discipline, and a relaxation of wholesome subordination among children, since the freedom of the colonies. During this trying period he kept steadily occupied in his benevolent duties, and such was his prudence, his inoffensive manners, and the universal respect for his virtues that he did not meet with so much trouble as might have been expected from the unpopularity of his opinions. Although most distinguished men who had adopted the royal cause found it expedient to leave the country, it does not appear that he was ever impeded in the prosecution of his business or studies for a single day. Once only he committed himself, by signing an address, in common with a number of the most distinguished citizens of the town, complimentary to Governor Hutchinson, who was about leaving the country. He afterwards felt himself obliged, as well as most of his associates, to publish a sort of apology for this act, which recantation, as it was called, con- tained nothing that was servile or disgraceful.1 It does not appear that his practice was ever injured by the part he took in politics. He held a commission as a magistrate both before and after the Revolution. . . . Edward Wigglesworth, Nathaniel Lee, Thomas Pickman, John Preston, James (look, James Jackson, Nathaniel Bradstreet, Samuel Gerrisli, Mathew Spalding, Samuel Hemenway, Samuel Trevett, • ----- Flan came 1790, remained 1 year. came 1791, remained 2 years. came 1791, remained 3 years. came 1791, remained 3 years. came 1795, remained 3 years. came 1797. remained 2 years. came 1798. came 179-. came 1800. came 1801. came 1804, remained 2 years. came 1804. came 1808, remained 1 year. came 1817, remained 1 year. John B. Brown, Edward A. Holyoke, Total number, 35. i Kkcantation of Tokvism, Salem May 30, 1775. Whereas we, the subscriber--, did, some time since, sign an address to Gov- ernor Hutchinson, which though prompted to by the best intentions, has nevertheless given great offense to our country; We do now de- clare, that Ave were so far from designing by that action to show our acquiescence in (hose acts of parliament so universally and justly odious to all America, that on the contrary we hoped we might in that way contribute to their repeal, though now to our sorrow we find ourselves mistaken. Anil we now further declare that we never intended the offense which (his addre-s has occasioned, and that if we had foreseen such an event, we should never have signed it; as it always has been and now is our wi-.li to live in harmony with our neighbors, and our serious determination to promote to the utmost of our power, the liberty, the welfare, and happiness of our country, which is inseparably connected with our own. Signed by twelve persons. The circumstance of his arriving to he an hundred years old, — an occurrence so unusual to happen to ;niy man, — and of which it does not come within the knowledge of the committee that there are many au- thentic accounts of its having happened before to emi- nent physicians, was looked upon by the doctor and his friends as an era of very great interest. Upon this ( ccasion his medical friends of Salem and Boston united to pay their respect to him by inviting him to a pidlic dinner. At this period he ajipeared in perfect health, and his firm and elastic step, his cheerful and benevolent looks, his easy and graceful manners, the model of the old school of gentlemen, his nicely-pow- dered wig, his dress arranged with studied neatness, and just enough of antiquated fashion to remind one that he belonged to the generation gone by, but not outraging the proprieties of the present mode, his ac- customed nosegay slipped through his button-hole, and his affectionate and grateful greeting of those who had assembled to do him honor, will never be forgotten, or remembered without delight, by those who witnessed them. He partook of the hilarity of the occasion with an evident zest, and when called upon for a toast, of- fered in his own hand-writing a sentiment perfectly appropriate and professional, accompanied with a pa- ternal and touching benediction upon the medical brethren who were present. At the same time the District Medical Society testified their respect for him by requesting him to sit for his portrait, to be placed in their library. . . . The anniversary of his birthday was on the loth of August, and on the 18th of Sep- tember, the centennial anniversary of the settlement of the town, he was again induced to take part in the public celebration. . . . The excitement of these occa- sions appeared rather to invigorate him than other- wise, and he afterwards visited Boston and Cambridge, and the place of his birth ; upon all which occasions he enjoyed much gratification. This was, however, the last lighting up of the spark of life, and in about a month he began to feel the approach of that disease which terminated his life. . . . In seeking for the causes of his length of life and enjoyment of health, it seems obvious that he owed these to a rare combination of natural advantages with the habits of life best calculated to preserve these advantages. He was a happy example of a sound mind associated with a sound body, neither of which was matured or maintained at the expense of the other. . . . He required and sought but little relaxation from professional occupations, and these of the simplest kind. Occasional short visits to the neiuhborino- towns where his connections resided, a weekly even- ing conver.-ation club,2 and the culture of his garden were his principal resources for amusement. As an in- door recreation he was fond of the sober game of chess, which was the only game of skill he was accus- tomed to play at. He now and then indulged in a party upon the water in summer, and for many years of the early part of his life, in his favorite exercise of 2 Dr. Holyoke took great pleasure in the meetings of his Monday night club. Iheir object was improvement in philosophy and liter- ature by reading and conversation. Some of the most amiable and distinguished individuals who ever belonged to this town were -is- sociated in it. Their meetings were interrupted by the breaki'ii-' out of the revolution, and commenced again in 1779. Duriii" the period of their suspension, or at least a part of it, so stroujAere tne Doctor s attachments to the memory of his fiiends that he was accustomed to devote the usual evening of their meeting every Vol. CIV., No. 23.] BOSTON MEDICAL AND SURGICAL JOURNAL. 549 skating upon the ice in winter, in which exercise he was well skilled. He sometimes, too, upon festive oc- casions, till he thought his age rendered it unbecom- ing, mixed in the sprightly dance, of which he was said to be fond. . . . Of his temperance there is one remark which we think it of consequence to make, since it shows the error of those who think that temperance consists in relinquishing some articles of food or drink, while they indulge to an injurious excess in others. His was a temperance of moderate desires, that never led him to err in quantity, and thereby rendered him less solici- tous about the quality of his food. The following let- ter, written last autumn, in answer to one he received from a gentleman, who had addtessed to him some inquiries concerning his habits and mode of life, gives a satisfactory and interesting account of these matters. Salem, Oct'r — 1828. To--------------, Williamsville, Person County, North Carolina. Sir, — I received yours of the 20th ult. on ye 30th, wherein you wish me to give you some Account of my Mode of Life, &c. — In answer to which I would first mention that 1 was prov- identially bhssed with an excellent Constitution — that I never injured ill s constitution by Intemperance of any kind — but invigorated it by constant Exercise, having from my 30th to my 80th Year walked on foot (in the Practice of my Profes- sion) — piohably as many as 5 or 6 miles every day, amounting to more than a mil/ion x of miles, and tho' sometimes much fa- tigued, the next Night's refreshing Sleep, always completely re- stored me. In early life, between 20 and 30, I used to ride on Horse back, but being often pestered by my Horses slipping their Bridles I found it more convenient to walk. As to my Diet, having been taught to eat of any thing that was provided lor me, and having always a good Appetite, I am never anxious about my food, and I do not recollect any thing, that is commonly eaten, that does not agree with my Stomach, ex- cept fresh roasted Pork, which tho' very agreeable to my Palate, almost always disagrees with me; for which however I have a remedy in the Spirit of Sal Ammoniac. Eight or Ten drops of Aqua Ammonia purain a %\ine glass of Water, gives me relief after Pork, and indeed after any thing else which offends my stomach. As to the Quantity, I am no great Eater, and I find my appetite sooner satisfied now than formerly ;— there is one peculiarity in my Diet which as it may perhaps have contributed to Health I would mmtion ; I am fond of Fruit, and have this 30 or more vears daily indulged in eating freely of those of the Season, as Straw ben ies, Currants, Peaches, Plums, Apples, &c. which in summer and winter I eat just before Dinner, and sel- dom at any other time, and indeed very seldom eat any thing whatever between meals. — My Breakfast I vary continually. week to conversing about them with his family, who were assem- bled for the purpose. . . . Among the names of the persons who constituted Dr. Holyoke's club and his intimate acquaintance, in those days, were those of Andrew Oliver, Judge of the County Court, Nath. Ropes and Benj. Evnde, Judges of the Superior Court, Kev. Win. McGilchrist, of the Episcopal Church, who was educated at Oxford and distin- guished as a mathematician, Kev. Thomas Barnard of the First Church, Kev. Dr. Barnard of the North Church, Dr. Ernest us Plummer, Dr. Putnam, who was cotemporary with Dr. Holyoke, Mr. Wm. Pvnchon, an eminent lawyer, Col. Pickman, Col. Frye, Col. Browne, afterwards Governor of Bermuda, Col. Eppes Sargent, Col. Ichabod Plaisted, Mr. Stephen Higginson, Mr. Thomas Kobie, and Mr. Samuel Curwen. More than half a century ago an emi- nent Boston divine used to say there was no pulpit in which he should not choose to preach an ordinary sermon sooner than that of Mr. Thomas Barnard of the First Church in Salem, to whose parish most of these men belonged. Many of them were men of accurate literary attainments, great critical acumen, and of considerable re- search in theology. 1 This seems to have been a slip of the pen; the following is his own calculation, made in 1823, and which from his great dread of exaggeration falls short of half the actual amount. "If from my ao-e'of 20 to 80 years I have walked 5 miles a day, which is a mod- erate calculation^ I must have gone in that GO years 100,500 miles. And in the first 20 and last 15 years . . 38,325 In 05 years probably, total . . . 147,825" Coffee, Tea, Chocolate, with toasted bread and butter, Milk with Bread toasted in hot weather, but never any meat in my Life — seldom the same breakfast more than 2 or 3 days running. Bread of Flour makes a large portion of my Food, perhaps near 1-2. After Dinner I most commonly drink one glass of Wine — plain boiled rice I am fond of— it makes nearly 1-2 of my Din- ner perhaps n> often as every other Day — I raiely eat Pickles or any high seasoned Food — Vegetable food of one kind or other makis commonly 2-3 or 3-4 of my nourishment—the condiments I use are chiefly Mustard, Horse radish and Onions. As to Drinks I seldom take any but at meal times and with my pipe — in younger Life my most common draft was Cider, sel- dom Wine, seldom or never Beer or Ale or distilled Spiiits — But for the la>t 40 or 50 years, my most usual drink has been a Mixture, a little si. gular indeed, but as for me it is still palate- able and agreeable, 1 still prefer it — The Mixture is this, viz. Good West India Rum 2 Spoonfuls, Good Cider whether new or old 3 Spoonfuls, of Water 9 or 10 Spoonfuls —of this Mixt- ure (which I suppose to be about the strength of common Cider) I drink about 1-2 a Pint with my Dinner and about the same Quantity with my Pipe after Dinner and my Pipe in the Even- ing, never exceeding a Pint the whole Day ; and 1 desire noth- ing else except one glass of Wine immediately after Dinner the whole day. I generally take oue Pipe after Dinner and another in the Evening, and hold a small piece of pigtail Tobacco iu my mouth from Breakfast till near Dinner, and ajjain in the Afternoon till tea: this has been my practice for 80 years—I Use no Snuff— 1 drink tea about sunset and eat with it a sniiill slice of Bread toasted with Butter — never eat anything more till Breakfast. I have not often had any complaint from indigestion, but when I have, abstinence from Breakfast or Dinner, or both, has usually removed it; indeed I have several times thrown off se- rious Complaints by Abstinence. — As to Clothing, it is what my Friends call thin ; I never wear Flannel next my Skin tho' often advised to it, and am less liable to take cold, as it is called, than most people — a good warm double breasted Waist-Coat and a Cloth coat answeis me for winter, and as the season grows warmer I gradually conform my Covering to it. — As to the Pa-sions, Sir, I need not tell you that when indulged, they in- jure the Health ; that a calm, quiet self possession, and a mod- eration in our Expectations and Pursuits, contribute much 10 our Health, as will as our happiness, and that Anxiety is inju- lious to both. I had a good Set of Teeth but they failed me gradually, with- out Pain, so that by 80 I lost them all. Thus, Sir, you have, blundering and imperfect as it is, an an- swer to your Reqtie-ts, with my best wislus that it may be of any service to the Purpose for which it was made — But must rely upon it that Nothing I have written be made public in my Name. Wishing you long Life and many happy Days, I am yours, &c. E. A. H. P. S. I forgot to speak of my repose. When I began the practice of Physick, I was so often call'd up soon after retiring to Rest, that I found it most convenient to sit to a late Hour, and thus acquired a Habit of sitting up late, which necessarily occasioned my lying in bed to a late Hour in the Morning — till 7 o'cl'k in Summer and 8 in Winter. My Business was fatigu- ing and called for ample repose, and I have always taken care to have a full proportion of Sleep, which 1 suppose has contrib- uted to my longevity. In summing up the character of our venerable friend, it is not too much too much to say, he was a perfect model of the general practitioner of medicine. His manners were equally removed from servility and arrogance. Free from dogmatism, and trusting to the mild dignity of his manners to enforce his precepts, nothing excited his displeasure more than the swagger- ing, Radcliffe style assumed by some men to impose an idea of their consequence upon the vulgar, who are sometimes prone to believe that excessive rudeness is a mark of genius, and that consummate insolence is, not unfrequently, coupled with consummate skill. These people he used to term " medical bucks." His regard for truth was scrupulous and sincere, and this was obvious in his reasoning upon facts, for he was never known to form a deduction which re- quired the sacrifice or modification of an important fact in the premises ; but he rather suffered his judg- 550 BOSTON MEDICAL AND SURGICAL JOURNAL. [June 8, 1881. ment to remain suspended, and waited for a farther insight into the operations of nature. From the same cause, a letter of recommendation or introduction com- ing from him, even in behalf of the most valued of his friends, was sure to contain not one word more than came within the scope of the author's personal knowl- edge and observation. His generosity and the moderate competence with which he contented himself prove this. Still more pe- culiar was the perfect simplicity and singleness of heart which marked his moral conduct. There was no effort, he acted right because he felt right, and every one could see that the kindness of his manner was a sin- cere expression of the kindness of his heart. It was the perfect confidence which every one had in the habitual rectitude and purity of his intentions that in- duced persons of all ages and of all classes to look upon him as a sympathizing friend to whom th?y might safely intrust their most important interests. His sickness and expected death were the most com- mon topics of inquiry with the citizens of Salem for some davs previous to his decease; and when this event took place, it was announced by the tolling of all the church bells of the town, a mark of respect never known to have been shown to any others than the late Presidents of the United States. All classes of persons thronged to his funeral to.pay their tribute of respect to his memory, and the eulogy pronounced over his remains by his pastor and intimate friend, the Rev. Mr. Brazer, was a chastened effort of genuine and touching eloquence, and a delineation of his moral and religious character, which was recognized as faith- ful and just by the crowded assembly before whom it was pronounced. . . . ----♦---- The accompanying fac-siraile of a certificate of fumi- gation serves to show that our ancestors took such pre- cautions as the knowledge of the time allowed them. / T Boston, ^^/^../5 1776. HESE Certify, that. £^^^^ fr^^?^(yn, £&.$ been fo fmoak'd and cleanfed as that in our Opinion he may be permitted to pafs into the Country without Danger of communicating the Small-Pox to any one. As a fitting accompaniment to the certificate of fu- migation we are enabled to publish a letter addressed to Dr. Parker, a practitioner of Virginia, transmitting vaccine virus. The letter is interesting as containing in few words directions which are just as applicable to-day as at the time they were written, and as illus- trating the efforts of President Jefferson to favor vac- cination.1 LETTER FROM MR. J. W. EPPES (SON-TN-LAW OF THOMAS JEFFERSON) TO DR. PARKER OF VIRGINIA. J. W. Eppes with his befl wifh.es forwards to Docf Parker a phial of Genuine Cow-pox matter. It has been taken from fubjects innoculated from matter forwarded by Doctor Waterhoufe of Bofton to the Trefident. It has been fairly tried by Waterhoufe p^°^las innoculated several hundred with the final 1 matter after their having gone thro' the cow-pox, p>, 1,,e letter i= «■ Plymouth. funushed for pubiicatioll hy Dr. Parker of without the fmall pox infection taking in a fingle in- ftance. One peculiarity attends the difeafe. The virus mtift be taken from the puftulefor innoculation while quite clear and tranfparent. If taken after complete pufs is formed it gives a bad fore without communi- cating the difeafe. The 7th or 8th day is as late as the matter can be taken for innoculation with fafe'y. Accept for your health the befl wifhes of a friend. Endorfed on back. J. W. Eppes, Son-in law to Thos. Jefferfon, M. C & was chairman of the com- mittee of ways & means in Congress. Endorfed in another corner. Cow Pock. From the Independent Chronicle and the Univerfal Advertifer Jan. ij8r. ' A young Woman with a good Breaflof Milk would take a Child to fuckle. Inquire of the Printer. Vol. CIV., No. 23.] BOSTON MEDICAL AND SURGICAL JOURNAL. 551 PORTION OF THE DIARY OF MR. PYNCHEON OF SALEM, COVERING THE PERIOD OF HIS STAY IN BOSTON FOR THE PURPOSE OF INNOCULA- TION. i [Day i.] July 15, 1776. The weather fair and fine. Went to Winnesimet from Salem with fon John driven by Billy— Arrived at Bofton in good feafon — We were innoculated at Dr Loyds houfe at ten o'clock in ye even'g — he gave me six powders to be mixed wth Molls & taken one each night & morn'g — three for John for Monday W'ednefday & Fry- day nights. [Tuesday, 2.] July 16th. Johns powder operated o(nce)—mine 3 times — very moderately went to fee Mr. Vassals fine gardn alfo Mr Lowells—eat our fill of fine fruit A. M. — visited ye Salem pa- tients in K & Q Streets & find yt they take powders but once in 2 days yt I am favd as to medicine but expecT to pay for it in pocks — dined at our lodg- ings. [Wednesday, 3.] July 17th. (Dr.) Putnam took ye bandage &c off my arm this morng — was fatis- fied yt ye incifion &c. were effectual —went to Dr. Loyd & he was of ye fame mind. Vifited our friends, patients &c in K Street & Q ftreet—also Dr Pem- berton & Dr. Mather — dined at Mr Thos. Ruffels with Dr Putnam Mr. Sparhawk & Mr. Coleman — P. M. eat fruit at Mr. Sheriff Greenleafes fine Garden — I mean S. Greenleafe efqr—wrote to Mrs Pyn. by Cap* Peale for fome currants &c. Dr. Putnam & bro Sargent at my lodgings ye eveng — drank Tea at Dr Putnam's. [Thurfday, 4.] July 18th. Took a glafs of fenna this (morn'g) inftead of ye powder — ye . . . hav- ing had no effect, fince last Monday p. m. —■ John took half a glafs of it alfo — & within 2 hours each of us took another glafs of it alfo—wrote to Mra Pyn —by Mr Johnston & by Mr Sparhawk for Cur- rant Syrup inftead of ye fruit — our Physick affects both this morng — met Dr Goodhue riding out — he is break'g out & is relieved by it — his symptoms have been very high thefe 3 days — yt appeared ye 9th day from ye innoculat". At noon the Congrefs Declaration of ye Inde- pendence of the Colonies on G. Brit, was read in ye Balcony of T° house — A Regim1 under arms & artillery C° in King ftreet & ye Guns at the fea batteries were fired—3 Cheers given Bells ringing &c. &c. afternoon ye Kings arms were taken down & broken to pieces in K ftreet & carried off by ye people. [----.] July 18th. ano. glass of fenna. Dr Loyd came to see me—ordered me to continue tak- ing ye powders of fenna. John to go on with ye fenna but to omit ye powders till Sat'y night. In ye eveng recd letter from Mrs. P. & a box of Jellies &c per Mr. Knox. Fryday 5. [July 19.] Took another glafs of fenna. . . . John took one alfo — it being . . . was affected with yefterdays Phyfick. At 12 : took a powder. Mr. Hunt's at Tea — Met Mr. Otis & was intro- duced by him to Mrs. Otis in ye ftreet he left us tellg her that I was once a handfome fellow. On Saty.-eve at Dr. Loyds I met Mrs. Otis & fhe urged me to come and fee him. 1 A portion of this diary was written in cipher, which has been translated for this number of the Jmckxai. by the kind permission of the owner, Dr. F. E. Oliver, of Boston. [July 20.] We took each of us a glafs of fenna before breakt — at 11 I took a powder wrote to Mrs. Pyn. by Mr Sanders. A. M. Was a Mr Bromfields and at Mr---- in Q. ftreet, alfo at Mr. Sparhawks. P. M. We went over to Bunker hill, met Mr Bar- rett & wife at ye ferry w° had been at my lodgings to fee me & was going to Salem on Mondy. On our return from C-town found yt Dr Loyd had been to fee us in ye even'g I went to advife with him as to medicine for to night & to morrow but cd not see him. At 10 Jno. took his powder & I, a glafs of fenna Billy this afternoon brot us fome curr1 fyrtup & currants & a pr fhoes for Jn° & returned — My med- icine operated once & Johns to day. [July 2 1.] John complains of fwelling (of) his arm & in his gums &----Toothach each of us took a glafs of fenna at 9 at 1 Dr. Loyd called & left 6 more powders for me & fome falts for John — the powders to be taken eveni'g & morns as before — ye falts at twice ^ an oz. at a time. P. M. A Tranfport of — tons laden with Beef Butter &---from Ireland was convoyed into Nan- tafket by a fifherman, on difcoverg ye impofition wd have gone off but was prevented by ye Fort at P' on her comg to ye wharfe Guns were fired & three cheers were given. [Monday, 8.] July 22d. Wr. fair. [It i]s a very hot day — The melitia being muftered for pro- curing ----men this Town's proport" for Canada & N. York drew us all into ye Common & ye great heat brot on John's symptoms to wit headach & fever, took away his appetite — the dofe of falts wch he took in ye morng foon fet him a vomiting then took a glafs of fenna & was affected but once by any of his medce dozed all ye reft of ye day — at Night took a fmall dofe of nitre diffolved in water — went to bed havg but one difh of Tea & a little pce of cake fince break- faft My med. affected me but once to day it being a glafs uf fenna & a powder in morng & eveng — was at Mr Brimmer's, p. m. — Jno. was very feverifh & reftlefs at Night. Jno. was fhiverg & somew' cold, A. m. [Tuesday, 9th.] July 23. Wr cloudy & cool. Each took his glafs of fenna. I took my powder as ufual----twice — attended ye court of inquifition. Johns fever very high all night—vomited in ye even'g. July 24th. headach & lofs of appetite early yet affifted & gave direct* to Mr Elliots Comandrs of ye Privateers — walkd only to ye ferry this morn — both languid & weak — effects of medicine 4 times—drank to day only 2 difhes of Tea & about 4 spoonfulls of milk porridge being fick at ye Stomach—puked once. John continues to breakfaft — Mrs Pyncheon came with Billy & brot fome fruit. [Thurfday, 11.] July 25th. Wr warm — ficknefs & headach continues] Jno. is eafier yn yefterday & continues to break out — eat to day about a gill of milk & water & a little p. of milk bifket — ye like at night headach & pains in my Limbs abates in ye cool of ye Eveng & I refted well — Dr. Loyd had his Trial this afternoon before ye Court of Inquifition — began to shave myfelf in ye inorng but being obliged to defift thro' weakn8 & faintnefs was fhaved by Bar- ber P. M. — 552 BOSTON MEDICAL AND Mifs Sargent Lowell W. F. & Lada & Dr Elliot & Neighbr Giles & Miffes Orricks made us vifits. [Friday, 12.] July 26th. headach & pain in my bones return without any appetite — eat only fome broth at noon a difh of tea & one of coffee P. M. fleep well. [Saturday, 13.] July 27th. Wr moderate. Symptoms continue [----eat fome milk & water with Jonee cake for breakfaft on fearch Dr Loyd finds f >me puftules in my neck & on ye shoulders — Dr Loyd much affected wth ye illns of his children havg. ye throat diftemper—hear from Salem yt Derbys prize was retaken near Newbery barr. feet in warm water this eve'g. [Sunday, 14.] July 28th. W* Fair.----early — fymptoms continue— rofe & walked about ye houfe till funrife — then walked to Charleft"1 ferry eat fome whitpot for breakfaft alfo a cup of coffee & cake Dr P. fays my fever is much abated more pus- tules come out had a ftool at noon Mr W & Caty came to fee us. broth for dinner—Jno- eat in addit" to his broth a little Lamb & cucumbers notwithftand8 my ob- ject, had 2 more ftools — moderate. in ye morn8 Mr. Lowell brot me fome goofeberr8 & cherries. feet fet in warm water. [Monday, 15.] July 29th. Waked & rofe at 3. head[ache walked to Ch-ferry—\\ difh of coffee for breakf Pudding for dinner — Jno fever increas- ed! & his puftules very fore — Dr Loyd here — Mr Wetmore & lady fet out for Salem abt. 9 o'clock juft before ye fhower Johnny's fever & fores incre f8 Dr Loyd & Dr. Putnam came in ye even'8 & pro- pofed med to open his bowels & he had a coftive ftool in ye N4. drank 1 difh of Tea — this & fruit was all yt I eat after Dinner. [Tuesday, 16.] July 30th. Wr. fr. pain in my head not entirely gone — for breakfaft 1 difh of coffee 2 difhes. of milk & water with milk bisket & a bunn Jno took electuary— Dr Loyds trial finifhed — his condemnation I eat for dinner pudding & fome buttd peas Mr Sargent went with me to fee Judge W. Cufhing whofe pock was about turn'g — I flept ill this night by reason of gt costiveness and this I am now fatisfied to have been owing to a large quantity of Genifon pairs which I eat fome days paft wh I find by experience to be very bind- ing, tho ye Drs. seem doubtful of it. [Wednefday, 17.] July 31ft. Had a ftool early — rose with my headache as ufual. Billy came from Salem — brot fome fruit & dined with us. Dr. Loyd here to fee us. [Thurfday, 18.] Aug. ift, faft day—Wr fr. & warm —rose with headach —had 2 plentifull ftools — Dr. Loyd came & allowd of eatg meat oyfters &c mody. P. M. —went with Dr. Putnam to hear Dr. Elliot coddled apples & milk fuppr Thundered & rained in ye night Aug. 2d. go to bed but cant fleep rife agn. & walk ye room fome hours — took elect'y. twice Ifo 4ay;. [Saturday, 20.] Aug. 3d. Wr fr. rife with ye headach — had 1 ftool early — took elect.y twice — choc6 for breakft. walked up to K Street Mr Low- ells &c. by way of Dr ^Ujtjiam were askd to Dr Loyds this afternoon but were r^w-ell en0 to wait on him—letters from Caty at Salenr-—Took elec- SURGICAL JOURNAL. [June 8, 1881. tuary at going to bed—supped on Coddled apples & milk [Sunday, 21.] August 4th. Wr fr. & fine, flept well laft N4 my ufual headache -----for break- faft. rode in Dr Petnberton's chaife to ye fortifi- cat-n & back wth son Jno. wch almost cured my headach — took electuary this morn dined on w. berry pudding Butter fauce, ftringed beans & peas & roaft pidg" & eat heartily without inconven- ience & drank a Baker of wine & water Tea at home Mrs Pyn. & Jno. at Mifs Gunther Dr. Loring & ye Mifs Hunts fpend ye eveng with us — Took electy. at even'g. Suppr. W. & milk. [Monday, 22.] Auguft 5th. [Rofe] at 6 — al- moft free of headach — cho. for breakf at 8 went over ye neck with Mr Coborns horfe & chaife — a glafs of fenna before breakf Mutton Squafh & Turnips for Dinner wth a little flip at Landlady defire & it did no harm — Tea at Dr Loyds where were Dr Pemberton & Chocolate for Supper — took electuary—firft — N. Ropes came with chaife for Dr Putnam & Eben. [Tuefday, 23.] Auguft 6th. rofe without head- ach to Ch.-ferry with Dr Putnam Took a glafs of Senna. Choc for breakf. recd a prefent of fermons from Dr Pemberton—at eleven took elec- tuary Billy & Sally came & dined wtu us at two tarried ye night. [24.] Auguft 7th. chocolate for breakfaft—Bil- ly & Sally tarried at breakfaft & Dinnr & they with John set out for Salem after dinner with S. Cabot & Deb. Higginfon ab4- 4 o clock from W4. P. M. Electuary I was at Dr Clarkes p m & eat fruit in his Garden. [Fryday, 25.] Auguft 9th. WTr-cloudy — rofe at 7. being firft well wafhed all over in Rum & Wa- ter— put on clean Linen & Clothes — Mr Wetmore dined here. Auguft 10th. I rofe at 1-2 after 8 o clock too late to breakfaft at Mr Elliots w° invited Mr W. & myfelf we all dined at Mrs Chadwells & about 2 fet out for ye ferry. Mr. W. & Mrs Pyn. for Charleftown myself & Billy for Winn4. & we all met at Newhalls & baited & reached Salem ab4 7 o'clock Fryday, Aug. 23d. after — feveral poultices the fcabbs----difficulty was pulled---- arm & was buried — From the Chronicle and Advertiser. The Bofton Medical Society having taken into con- fideration the general with of the inhabitants that an annual fettlement of their accounts might eftablifh a cuftom in this Town. — Refolved, that the following Vote be publifhed viz. That every Member of the Bofton Medical Society fhall exhibit his accounts for fettlement annually. Per Order Thomas Kast Sec'ry, Jan. 8, 1784. Laft Wednefday Se'nnight departed this Life Mrs. Hannah Davis, the amiable Confort of the Honorable Caleb Davis, Efq: of this town----Her Remains were Entomb'd on Friday Evening being followed to the filent Manfion by a numerous and mournful Pro- ceffion of Relatives and Friends, whose unaffected Sighs and Tears feelingly Evinced that she died greatly lamented. Nov. 7, 1782. * Natura Duce. TABLE OF CONTENTS. PACE Frontispiece. Silhouette Portrait of Dr. E. A. Holyoke, with Fac-simile of the Toast offered by him at a Dinner given on his One Hundredth Birthday. Portions of the Centennial Address before the Massachusetts Medical Society, June 7, 1881, by Dr. Samuel A. Green................529 Letter from Dr. Wil. Douglass to the Assessors of the Town of Boston, asking an Abatement of his Tax—1747..............Appendix A 537 DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE FOUNDATION OF THE MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL SOCIETY. Letters from Dr. W. W. Appleton (First Secretary of the Society) to Dr. E. A. Holyoke announcing the Incorporation of the Society and giving a List of the Charter Members, with Explanatory Notes.............Appendices B and C 538, 539 Facsimile of Dr. Holyoke's Summons for the First Meeting......Appendix D 540 Minutes of the First Meeting............Appendix £ 539 Fac-simile of a Letter from Dr. Holyoke declining a Nomination to the Presidency . . Appendix F 542 Address to the Public on the Institution of the Society.......Appendix G 539 OTHER MEDICAL DOCUMENTS. Draft for a Letter by Dr. Holyoke giving his Terms for* taking a Pupil . \ . Appendix H 539 Fac-simile of two Pages from Dr. Holyoke's Day-Books, 1750-1828, with Explanations Appendix I 543 Fee Table of the Boston Medical Club, 1781...... Appendix 7