Chapter I: Preface

The present volume was one of the last upon which its author was engaged, the facts having been gathered from the experience and observation of a long life. It was his design to publish them anonymously, but under the changed circumstances this is rendered impracticable.

A short time previous to his death, the writer spoke of this work, and said, in allusion to the termination of his own somewhat peculiar case,--"This _last chapter_ must be added." In accordance with this desire, a brief sketch, having reference chiefly to his health and physical habits, with the closing chapter of his life, has been appended.

Boston, June, 1859.

TO THE READER.

In the sub-title to the following work, I have used the word "Confessions"--not to mislead the reader, but because _to confess_ is one prominent idea of its author. It is a work in which confessions of the impotence of the healing art, as that art has been usually understood, greatly abound; and in which the public ignorance of the laws of health or hygiene, with the consequences of that ignorance, are presented with great plainness. The world will make a wiser use of its medical men than it has hitherto done, when it comes to see more clearly what is their legitimate and what their ultimate mission.

These remarks indicate the main intention of the writer. It is not so much to enlighten or aid, or in any way directly affect the medical man, as to open the eyes of the public to their truest interests; to a just knowledge of themselves; and to some faint conception of their bondage to credulity and quackery. The reader will find that I go for science and truth, let them affect whom they may. Let him, then, suspend his judgment till he has gone through this volume once, and I shall have no fears. He may, indeed, find fault with my style, and complain of my literary or philosophic unfitness for the task I assigned myself; but he will, nevertheless, be glad to know my facts.

Should any one feel aggrieved by the exposures I have made in the details which follow, let me assure him that no one is more exposed--nor, indeed, has more cause to be aggrieved--than myself. Let us all, then, as far as is practicable, keep our own secrets. Let us not shrink from such exposures as are likely, in a large measure, to benefit mankind, while the greatest possible inconvenience or loss to ourselves is but trifling.

Some may wish that instead of confining myself too rigidly to naked fact and sober reasoning, I had given a little more scope to the imagination. But is not plain, "unvarnished" truth sometimes not only "stranger," but, in a work like this, better also, than any attempts at "fiction"?

THE AUTHOR.

AUBURNDALE, March, 1859.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER. PAGE.

I. EDUCATIONAL TENDENCIES 1

II. MY FIRST MEDICAL LESSON, 6

III. THE ELECTRICAL MACHINE, 9

IV. THE MEASLES, AND POURING DOWN RUM, 11

V. LEE'S PILLS AND DROPSY, 13

VI. THE COLD SHOWER BATH, 16

VII. MY FIRST SICKNESS ABROAD, 18

VIII. LESSON FROM AN OLD SURGEON, 20

IX. LEE'S WINDHAM BILIOUS PILLS, 23

X. DR. SOLOMON AND HIS PATIENT. 26

XI. PHYSICKING OFF FEVER, 28

XII. MANUFACTURING CHILBLAINS, 31

XIII. HOW TO MAKE ERYSIPELAS, 34

XIV. STUDYING MEDICINE, 38

XV. NATURE'S OWN EYE WATER, 41

XVI. THE VIPER STORY, 43

XVII. STRUCK WITH DEATH, 46

XVIII. EFFICACY OF COLD SPRING WATER, 51

XIX. CHEATING THE PHYSICIAN, 56

XX. MEDICINAL EFFECTS OF STORY TELLING, 58

XXI. OSSIFIED VEINS, 61

XXII. HE WILL DIE IN THIRTY-SIX HOURS, 64

XXIII. ABOUT TO DIE OF CONSUMPTION, 72

XXIV. MY JOURNEYMANSHIP IN MEDICINE, 81

XXV. MY TEMPERANCE PLEDGE, 85

XXVI. TRIALS OF A YOUNG PHYSICIAN, 87

XXVII. A DOSING AND DRUGGING FAMILY, 90

XXVIII. POISONING WITH LEAD, 96

XXIX. STANDING PATIENTS, 102

XXX. KILLING A PATIENT, 105

XXXI. A SUDDEN CURE, 109

XXXII. GIGANTIC DOSES OF MEDICINE, 112

XXXIII. THE LAMBSKIN DISEASE, 115

XXXIV. MILK PUNCH FEVER, 120

XXXV. MY FIRST CASE IN SURGERY, 124

XXXVI. EMILIA AND THE LOVE-CURE, 127

XXXVII. HEZEKIAH JUDKINS AND DELIRIUM, 133

XXXVIII. MY FIRST AMPUTATION, 136

XXXIX. MILK AS A REMEDY IN FEVERS, 138

XL. VIRTUES OF PUMPKIN SEED TEA, 141

XLI. BROKEN LIMBS AND INTEMPERANCE, 144

XLII. DYING FROM FILTHINESS, 148

XLIII. TAKING THE FEVER, 153

XLIV. BLESSINGS OF CIDER AND CIDER BRANDY, 156

XLV. THE INDIAN DOCTOR, 160

XLVI. DYING OF OLD AGE AT FIFTY-EIGHT, 163

XLVII. DAUGHTERS DESTROYING THEIR MOTHER, 169

XLVIII. POISONING WITH STRAMONIUM, 172

XLIX. CURING CANCER, 175

L. SWELLED LIMBS, 179

LI. SUDDEN CHANGES IN OLD AGE, 182

LII. AN OPIUM EATER, 185

LIII. COFFEE AND THE LAME KNEE, 188

LIV. THE OPIUM PILL BOX, 193

LV. BLEEDING AT THE LUNGS, 196

LVI. BUTTER EATERS, 201

LVII. HOT HOUSES AND CONSUMPTION, 206

LVIII. POISONING BY A PAINTED PAIL, 216

LIX. ONE DROP OF LAUDANUM, 218

LX. MRS. KIDDER'S CORDIAL, 220

LXI. ALMOST RAISING THE DEAD, 225

LXII. FEMALE HEALTH AND INSANE HOSPITALS, 231

LXIII. A GIANT DYSPEPTIC, 236

LXIV. GETTING INTO A CIRCLE, 246

LXV. POISONING WITH MAPLE SUGAR, 249

LXVI. PHYSICKING OFF MEASLES, 251

LXVII. TIC DOULOUREUX, 253

LXVIII. COLD WATER IN FEVER, 256

LXIX. COLD-TAKING AND CONSUMPTION, 258

LXX. FREEZING OUT DISEASE, 261

LXXI. THE AIR CURE, 263

LXXII. THE CLERGYMAN, 266

LXXIII. HE MUST BE PHYSICKED OR DIE, 268

LXXIV. WHO HATH WOE? OR, THE SICK WIDOW, 272

LXXV. THE PENALTY OF SELF-INDULGENCE, 275

LXXVI. DR. BOLUS AND MORPHINE, 282

LXXVII. BLEEDING AND BLISTERING OMITTED, 286

LXXVIII. MEDICAL VIRTUES OF SLEEP, 288

LXXIX. CURE BY DEEP BREATHING, 291

LXXX. SPIRIT DOCTORING, 295

LXXXI. REMARKABLE CURE OF EPILEPSY, 301

LXXXII. SCARLATINA CURED BY LETTING ALONE, 312

LXXXIII. IGNORANCE NOT ALWAYS BLISS, 314

LXXXIV. MEASLES WITHOUT SNAKEROOT AND SAFFRON, 317

LXXXV. THE CONSUMPTIVE PAIR, 320

LXXXVI. HOW TO CURE CHOLERA, 322

LXXXVII. OBSTINACY AND SUICIDE, 324

LXXXVIII. HEALTH HOSPITALS, 327

LXXXIX. DESTRUCTION BY SCROFULA, 329

XC. STARVING OUT DISEASE, 334

XCI. DIETING ON MINCE PIE, 342

XCII. GIANTS IN THE EARTH, 346

XCIII. THE GREEN MOUNTAIN PATIENT, 349

XCIV. CURE OF POISON FROM LEAD, 355

XCV. FAITH AND WORKS, 358

XCVI. WORKS WITHOUT FAITH, 360

XCVII. DISEASES OF LICENTIOUSNESS, 365

XCVIII. CURIOUS AND INSTRUCTIVE FACTS, 367

XCIX. ANTI-MEDICAL TESTIMONY, 371

C. AN ANTI-MEDICAL PREMIUM, 375

CI. CONCLUDING REMARKS, 378

CII. A LAST CHAPTER, 380

FORTY YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS

OF

PILLS AND POWDERS.