More than two years ago, someone posted a message to a list I subscribe to, advising that if anyone was interested, there was an old medical book for sale at eBay. I had been looking for a copy of that book for some time. Not just any copy, but one that was complete, legible, and yet in poor enough shape that it would be relatively inexpensive, and I wouldn't feel guilty doing what I intended with it - destroying it in order to immortalize it electronically. The book is now available for everyone to enjoy at: http://www.americanrevolution.org/medicine.html I believe you'll find it more than a curiosity of medical history. For one thing, it'll dissipate a lot of myths about 18th century medicine, such as the common misconception that bleeding was the end-all and be-all of medical science. Dr. Buchan tells when and when not to bleed, and most of his treatments put the emphasis on other aspects of patient care. Indeed, you'll find his exhortations on exercise, diet, and cleanliness to be downright modern. In fact, I daresay his suggestion to wash ones hands and changing clothes after attending a contagious patient before venturing into public foreshadowed by a century the giants like Lister, Semmelweiss and Pasteur - although I will admit that the advice to stuff ones nostrils full of tobacco to avoid infection was a bit off the mark. For students of 18th century life, or those merely curious about how their ancestors lived, the work is a veritable gold mine. Anecdotes about patients, observations on improving the public health, and derogatory remarks about the filthy habits of the peasntry provide insight into how 18th c. British thought and lived. Removing foreign bodies from the eye with the tongue, putting fresh manure on wounds, etc., bring the era into sharper focus than many a learned tome written from hindsight. About all that's missing in the internet version is the poignancy of noticing that the most well-thumbed chapter is that dealing with small-pox, or suddenly realizing what the small, round, reddish-brown stains on the pages dealing with wounds probably are. I could go on for hours (hey, two+ years work makes one an advocate!) but I'll simply suggest you check it out, and enjoy. Best regards, Ed -- For Revolutionary War information on the Internet, your first choice should be AMERICANREVOLUTION.ORG

Absolutely awesome!! Thanks so much, Ed. Maureen At 04:23 PM 11/6/01, you wrote: >More than two years ago, someone posted a message to a list I subscribe >to, advising that if anyone was interested, there was an old medical >book for sale at eBay. > >I had been looking for a copy of that book for some time. Not just any >copy, but one that was complete, legible, and yet in poor enough shape >that it would be relatively inexpensive, and I wouldn't feel guilty >doing what I intended with it - destroying it in order to immortalize it >electronically. > >The book is now available for everyone to enjoy at: > >http://www.americanrevolution.org/medicine.html > >I believe you'll find it more than a curiosity of medical history. > >For one thing, it'll dissipate a lot of myths about 18th century >medicine, such as the common misconception that bleeding was the end-all >and be-all of medical science. Dr. Buchan tells when and when not to >bleed, and most of his treatments put the emphasis on other aspects of >patient care. > >Indeed, you'll find his exhortations on exercise, diet, and cleanliness >to be downright modern. In fact, I daresay his suggestion to wash ones >hands and changing clothes after attending a contagious patient before >venturing into public foreshadowed by a century the giants like Lister, >Semmelweiss and Pasteur - although I will admit that the advice to stuff >ones nostrils full of tobacco to avoid infection was a bit off the mark. > >For students of 18th century life, or those merely curious about how >their ancestors lived, the work is a veritable gold mine. Anecdotes >about patients, observations on improving the public health, and >derogatory remarks about the filthy habits of the peasntry provide >insight into how 18th c. British thought and lived. Removing foreign >bodies from the eye with the tongue, putting fresh manure on wounds, >etc., bring the era into sharper focus than many a learned tome written >from hindsight. > >About all that's missing in the internet version is the poignancy of >noticing that the most well-thumbed chapter is that dealing with >small-pox, or suddenly realizing what the small, round, reddish-brown >stains on the pages dealing with wounds probably are. > >I could go on for hours (hey, two+ years work makes one an advocate!) >but I'll simply suggest you check it out, and enjoy. > >Best regards, >Ed >-- >For Revolutionary War information on the Internet, your first choice >should be AMERICANREVOLUTION.ORG > > > >==== AMERICAN-REVOLUTION Mailing List ==== > > > >============================== >Create a FREE family website at MyFamily.com! >http://www.myfamily.com/banner.asp?ID=RWLIST2