Medicine in the GAop

[Rateye]

Afternoon all!

As some of you may have noticed, I've become something of a doctor on the RabbleRousing in Port Royal. Thanks to the assistance of the generous Capt. Sterling, information for treating malaria was quickly afforded to me, thereby allowing me to save said captain's life.

Now, to all in the know, I ask politely for any information on remedies, surgeries, accutrements or practices used by doctors, surgeons, shamons and or medicine men during the time of which we enjoy.

I would also be interested to see if there are any within this region that have taken the persona of a ship's cutter.

I'll be grateful for yer assistance, and will surely talk ill of ye that much less.

Here's to ya!

Rats

[Dorian Lasseter]

Here are two sites I enjoy on the subject...

http://www.rootsweb.com/~mosmd/surgeonchest.htm

http://www.thegarret.org.uk/historyofmed.htm

If luck will allow, I plan on putting together a bit of this for reenactment, not surgeon, but Apothocary...

[Rateye]

Much thanks Mr. Lassiter!

This will surely be a very good start...

Could I also trouble you to inquire if you know of a vendor or maker of PC instrumentations that might be used in the pursuit of wellness.

Again I am very grateful for your assistance.

R

[Dorian Lasseter]

As a point of fact, I do....

http://www.gggodwin.com/page16.htm

As with any piece of medical equipment, even olde ones they are a pretty penny...

[Rateye]

A wealth of knowledge you are Sir!

If I may inquire, which would you suggest as a must for a good starter kit?

My thanks again

R

[Dorian Lasseter]

Hmmmm...

That, is a very goode question....

I have not fully read or explored all the particulars, but....

I would suggest;

A copy of the medical book.

http://www.gggodwin.com/medicalbook.htm

One or two Incision Knives.

One or two Bistoury Knives.

Scissors, Forceps, Tourniquet of some type.

A Bullet Probe.

Several Medical bottles and vials for such medicines.

That's just off the top of my head, and not too hard on the coin purse.

Take a look through the list of medical instruments after reading up on the practices of the time, then add to the list...

Just my thoughts...

[Rateye]

Excellent!

Though I'm sure it's well worth the purchase, do you by chance own the book?

Again, many thanks

R

[Dorian Lasseter]

Not yet... I shall be purchasing said book soon...

I also forgot to add the Catlin to the basic list....

[Rateye]

Mr. Lassiter?

What would you think about making instruments??

After all, some are no different than kitchen or carpentry tools...

I would love to find a very large and crude cast iron pliers also.

Any ideas?

R

[Dorian Lasseter]

Making your own.... could happen... maybe prowl around a couple o flea markets, etc... keep a picture in yer mind's eye, or in yer pocket, of what yer trying to find/reproduce...

Although, some of the instruments are pretty specialized... not likely to find something 'close' lookig out there...

but the 'scalples' and such... I can see it...

[mrwill]

Gentlemen,

If I may make bold and join this conversation,

One of the better sources for information on medical matters is the book "Revolutionary Medicine" by Keith Wilbur. It is one of the best starting points for anyone who has an interest in colonial medicine, surgery and it's practice. Don't let the title scare you off, the medicine and methods didn't change that much between the G.A.o.P. and the American Revolution.

Yr Servant,

M. Williams Esq.

Late surgeon to his Majesty's provincial forces

[Capn_Enigma]

Historical medical instruments can be had here.

Amputation saws, forceps, bullet probes, extractor, it's all there for the discriminating MD.

Happy cutting!

[Rateye]

I have recently started my kit from Goodwin!

Yesterday as I mentioned to me captain, was literally a "red letter" day!

Yes my friends... I got me 1st amputation knife!!!

and I couldn't be more proud!

Maybe it's just me, but something tells me that someday doctors might be able to demand obscene amounts of money for their efforts, but in return will be damned to playing golf for all of eternity.

Could be worse? or could it???

However though I'm presently attempting to decipher the med book, I'm still looking for any and all pics, phrases or leads that could help me flesh out this area.

You humble servant

Rats

[Cheeky Actress]

Hello Rateye!

Here is a little something which I am sure you would find great value in. It is a book of great wealth...and as you can see...a very rare find! Read below...and do notice the price on such a wonderful find!

Wafer, Lionel. VOYAGE DE MR. WAFER, Où l'on trouve la description de l'Isthme de l'Amérique. Publisher not stated. Paris? 1723.

Most probably a volume in William Dampier's COLLECTION OF VOYAGES IN FOUR VOLUMES. Book is complete, tight and neat. Pages are numbered from P.146 to 381. Includes 2 folded hand colored maps & 5 folded plates (2 charts and 3 engravings). Rebacked in light brown cloth, raised leather gilt-engraved spine, paper age browned. The last three pages were professionally repaired affecting a few letters in text.

Written in old French. Small format: 17 x 10. Folding map of the Isthmus of America and three folding plates of Indians. "An extremely interesting and valuable account of the people while they retained their primitive and savage freedom" (DNB). Mr Wafer was a surgeon who went to sea in 1677, buccaneering in the Caribbean, crossed the Isthmus of Panama (map), sailed on the Spanish West coast from Mexico to Chile, including the Galapagos islands (map).

This book is our principal source of information of his exploits. On Wafer's return from a voyage to the East Indies, a gunpowder accident blew away most of his knee, and he was unable to keep up with his companions, a group of buccaneers. Wafer recuperated in an Indian village, observing and ultimately adopting many Indian customs. The plates show the Indians swinging in hammocks, letting blood, and engaging in a royal procession. Wafer's description of his meeting with English sailors on their return to the village is especially interesting: "I sat awhile, cringing upon my hams among the Indians, after their fashion, painted as they were, and all naked but only about the waist, and with my nose-piece hanging over my mouth. 'Twas the better part of an hour before one of the crew, looking more narrowly upon me, cried out, 'Here's our doctor,' and immediately all congratulated my arrival among them." Wing W193...........$1200.00

[Rateye]

Oh that's petty cash!

Yeah right! I would be sooooo dead!

Sounds like a great book though!

R

[Calico Jack]

Ahoy folks. As a related aside, does anyone have the location of an e-text of the Lionel Wafer book [english or french, I care not which]? Would be most welcome.

[Rateye]

I have been collecting various information from several sites and hope to contact a few persons who apprear to be subject matter experts on various colonial practices

I hope to eventually list the sources and also some of the interpretations I've found during my limited study of "The Plain Concise, Practical Remarks" book for wounds and fractures.

Let's face it, some of the terms are unknown to those unfamiliar with medicine. Even us 1st responders. But a good read just the same!

Also if anyone has any information, sites or anything to add, please post. It will only help the cause.

I've also come to the conclusion,(See he's starting to go doctor already) that a lot of this information would be next to impossible to memorize for living history. So I'm planning to make a hardcovered pocket journal with the cause and cures of many of the common ailments.

If nothing else, it would make a good prop and also help with the info.

Rats

[Brit.Privateer]

To throw something more into this, two good books I own I will suggest for material on medical studies of the period:

>Stephen R. Bown's "Scurvy: How a Surgeon, a Mariner, and a Gentleman Solved the Greatest Medical Mystery of the Age of Sail"

and

>Zachary B. Friendenberg's "Medicine Under Sail"

Both books I enjoyed and learned a lot from. If you shop around enough, you will most likely get a fair price for them.

[Rateye]

That "Medicine under Sail" looks great!

I'll pick it up soon as I get my charge card back from my....Boss.

Rats

[Jib]

How about that VD and mercury treatment? If one doesn't get you the other does.

[mrwill]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

While the book "Plain, concise and practical remarks" by Jones is a wonderful book, it is a bit late for our time period considering that it was written in 1776 (if my failing memory serves) I would say a bit safer choice would be "Extracts from the Marine Practice of Physik and Surgery, Including the Nature and Treatment of Gunshot Wounds" by John Ramby who served as the Surgeon General of the British Army in the 7 years war. It was written around that time and the copy that is reproduced was reprinted in 1776. It is only a small selection of the original work but it has a good deal of naval information in it and is much closer to the G.A.o.P. time period.

Of course, if you can get your hands on a copy of the Surgeon's Mate by Woodall you are home free, since it was the period's best medical book. But good luck, it only took me three years to find a copy I could afford. <grin>

You can get a copy of Ramby for around $14.00 from King's Arms Press

http://www.kingspress.com/military.html

I Remain, Yr. Most Humble and Obd. Serv.

M. Williams Esq.

Late Surgeon to his Majesty's provincial forces

[mrwill]

Ah, Jib......

Please remember the old adage, One evening in the arms of Venus, leads to 10 weeks with Mercury.

Or as the British Airborne doctor told the troops he was inspecting before operation Market Garden, "You lads put your private parts where I wouldn't put the ferrule of my umbrella. <grin>

Y.M.H.& O.S.

M. Williams Esq.

Late Surgeon to his Majesty's provincial forces

[Rateye]

Aye Mr. Jib!

From me studies, I've learned that when dealing with the putrification of the genitals, or what some refer to as the "French Pox" lues venerea, a fellow is thereby "punished where he sinned".

Now as an option, you can face said treatment of mercury or choose a less active approach such as praying to St. Job, the patron saint of syphilis victims.

However, I would advise facing Mr. Mercury at least until medicine advances just a bit.

Mr. Will!

Thanks again for the advice on the Medicine book by C. Keith Wilbur!

With out a doubt, this is the kind of source I was hoping for and will be a very smart match for my initial studies in the healing art.

I thank you again!

Rats

[mrwill]

Rats,

My pleasure to be of service to a brother of the scalpel.

Yrs.

M. Williams Esq.

[Rateye]

Mr. Will...

I do have some questions following my initial studies...

What kind of worsted binding do they speak of for the fillet and stick tourniquet?

What kind of tape do they speak of below the knee?

What type of fabric is the 18-tailed bandage?

Sinew for sutures?

Do you know of a good source for apothacary bottles and such? All I could find was this site.

http://www.glassnow.com/glass_bottle.htm

I thank ye again!

Rats