authoroftheearliestmedicaltreatisesprintedinthecountry，[A
BriefRuletoGuidetheCommonPeopleinSmallpoxandMeasles。1674。]whoseepitaphinLatinandGreek，saidtohavebeenwrittenbyEleazer，an“IndianYouth“andamemberoftheSeniorClassofHarvardCollege，maybefoundinthe“Magnalia。“Imissthisnoblesavage’snameinourtriennialcatalogue；andasthereismanyaslipbetweenthecupandlip，oneistemptedtoguessthathemayhavelosthisdegreebysomedisplayofhisnativeinstinct，——
possiblyaflourishofthetomahawkorscalping-knife。Howeverthismayhavebeen，thegoodmanhecelebratedwasanotableinstanceoftheAngelicalConjunction，astheauthorofthe“Magnalia“callsit，oftheofficesofclergymanandmedicalpractitioner。
MichaelWigglesworth，authorofthe“DayofDoom，“attendedthesick，“notonlyasaPastor，butasaPhysiciantoo，andthis，notonlyinhisowntown，butalsoinallthoseofthevicinity。“MathersaysofthesonsofCharlesChauncy，“Allofthesedid，whiletheyhadOpportunity，PreachtheGospel；andmost，ifnotallofthem，liketheirexcellentFatherbeforethem，hadaneminentskillinphysickaddeduntotheirotheraccomplishments，“etc。RogerWilliamsissaidtohavesavedmanyinakindofpestilencewhichsweptawaymanyIndians。
Tothesenamesmustbeadded，assustainingacertainrelationtothehealingart，thatofthefirstGovernorWinthrop，whoissaidbyJohnCottontohavebeen“HelpforourBodiesbyPhysick[and]forourEstatesbyLaw，“andthatofhisson，theGovernorofConnecticut，who，asweshallsee，wasasmuchphysicianasmagistrate。
Ihadsubmittedtomeforexamination，in1862，amanuscriptfoundamongtheWinthropPapers，markedwiththesuperscription，“FormyworthyfriendMr。Wintrop，“datedin1643，London，signedEdwardStafford，andcontainingmedicaldirectionsandprescriptions。ItmayberememberedbysomepresentthatIwroteareportonthispaper，whichwaspublishedinthe“Proceedings“ofthisSociety。
WhetherthepaperwaswrittenforGovernorJohnWinthropofMassachusetts，orforhisson，GovernorJohnofConnecticut，thereisnopositiveevidencethatIhavebeenabletoobtain。Itisveryinteresting，however，asgivingshortandsimplepracticaldirections，suchaswouldbemostliketobewantedandmostuseful，intheopinionofaphysicianinreputeofthatday。
Thediseasesprescribedforareplague，small-pox，fevers，king’sevil，insanity，falling-sickness，andthelike；withsuchinjuriesasbrokenbones，dislocations，andburningwithgunpowder。Theremediesareofthreekinds：simples，suchasSt。John’swort，Clown’sall-
heal，elder，parsley，maidenhair，mineraldrugs，suchaslime，saltpetre，Armenianbole，crocusmetallorum，orsulphuretofantimony；andthaumaturgicormystical，ofwhichthechiefis，“Myblackpowderagainsttheplague，small-pox；purples，allsortsoffeavers；Poyson；either，byWayofPreventionorafterInfection。“
Thismarvellousremedywasmadebyputtinglivetoadsintoanearthenpotsoastohalffillit，andbakingandburningthem“intheopenayre，notinanhouse，“——concerningwhichlatterpossibilityI
suspectMadamWinthropwouldhavehadsomethingtosay，——untiltheycouldbereducedbypounding，firstintoabrown，andthenintoablack，powder。Blood-lettinginsomeinflammations，fastingintheearlystageoffevers，andsomeofthoseperemptorydrugswithwhichmostofushavebeenwellacquaintedinourtime，theinfragrantmemoriesofwhichIwillnotpursuebeyondthisslightallusion，areamonghisremedies。
TheWinthrops，tooneofwhomDr。Stafford’sdirectionswereaddressed，werethemedicalaswellasthepoliticaladvisersoftheirfellow-citizensforthreeorfoursuccessivegenerations。Oneofthem，GovernorJohnofConnecticut，practisedsoextensively，that，butforhismoredistinguishedtitleintheState，hewouldhavebeenrememberedastheDoctor。Thefactthathepractisedinanothercolony，forthemostpart，makeslittledifferenceinthevalueoftherecordswehaveofhismedicalexperience，whichhavefortunatelybeenpreserved，andgiveaveryfairidea，inallprobability，ofthewayinwhichpatientsweretreatedinMassachusetts，whentheyfellintointelligentandsomewhateducatedhands，alittleafterthemiddleoftheseventeenthcentury：
Ihavebeforeme，whilewriting，amanuscriptcollectionofthemedicalcasestreatedbyhim，andrecordedatthetimeinhisownhand，whichhasbeenintrustedtomebyourPresident，hisdescendant。
TheyaregenerallymarkedHartford，andextendfromtheyear1657to1669。Fromthese，manuscripts，andfromthelettersprintedintheWinthropPaperspublishedbyourSociety，IhaveendeavoredtoobtainsomeideaofthepracticeofGovernorJohnWinthrop，Junior。ThelearnedeyeofMr。Pulsiferwouldhavehelpedme，nodoubt，asithasdoneinothercases；butIhaveventuredthistimetoattemptfindingmyownwayamongthehieroglyphicsoftheseoldpages。Bycarefulcomparisonofmanyprescriptions，andbytheaidofSchroder，Salmon，Culpeper，andotheroldcompilers，Ihavedecipheredmanyofhisdifficultparagraphswiththeirmysteriousrecipes。
TheGovernoremployedanumberofthesimplesdeartoancientwomen，——elecampaneandelderandwormwoodandaniseandtherest；buthealsoemployedcertainmineralremedies，whichhealmostalwaysindicatesbytheirancientsymbols，orbyanamewhichshouldleavethemamysterytothevulgar。IamnowpreparedtorevealthemysticsecretsoftheGovernor’sbeneficentart，whichrenderedsomanygoodandgreataswellassomanypooranddependentpeoplehisdebtors，-
atleast，intheirsimplebelief，——fortheirhealthandtheirlives。
Hisgreatremedy，whichhegaveoftenerthananyother，wasnitre；
whichheorderedindosesoftwentyorthirtygrainstoadults，andofthreegrainstoinfants。Measles，colics，sciatica，headache，giddiness，andmanyotherailments，allfoundthemselvestreated，andItrustbettered，bynitre；aprettysafemedicineinmoderatedoses，andonenotlikelytokeepthegoodGovernorawakeatnight，thinkingwhetheritmightnotkill，ifitdidnotcure。Wemaysayasmuchforspermaceti，whichheseemstohaveconsidered“thesovereign’stthingonearth“forinwardbruises，andoftenprescribesafterfallsandsimilarinjuries。
Oneofthenextremedies，inpointoffrequency，whichhewasinthehabitofgiving，wasprobablydiaphoreticantimony；amildformofthatveryactivemetal，andwhich，mildasitwas，lefthispatientsverycommonlywithaprettystrongconvictionthattheyhadbeentakingsomethingthatdidnotexactlyagreewiththem。Nowandthenhegavealittleironorsulphurorcalomel，butveryrarely；
occasionally，agood，honestdoseofrhubarborjalap；atasteofstinginghorseradish，oftenerofwarmingguiacum；sometimesananodyne，intheshapeofmithridate，——thefamousoldfarrago，whichoweditsvirtuetopoppyjuice；[ThisistheremedywhichaBostondivinetriedtosimplify。SeeElectuariumNovumAlexipharmacum，byRev。ThomasHarward，lecturerattheRoyalChappell。Boston，1732。
ThistractisinourSociety’slibrary。]veryoften，aharmlesspowderofcoral；lessfrequently，aninertprescriptionofpleasingamber；andletmesayitsoftlywithinpossiblehearingofhishonoreddescendant，twiceoroftener，——letushopeasalastresort，——anelectuaryofmillipedes，——sowbugs，ifwemustgivethemtheirhomelyEnglishname。Oneortwootherprescriptions，ofthemanyunmentionableoneswhichdisgracedthepharmacopoeiaoftheseventeenthcentury，aretobefound，butonlyinveryrareinstances，inthefadedcharactersofthemanuscript。
TheexcellentGovernor’saccountsofdiseasesaresobrief，thatwegetonlyaverygeneralnotionofthecomplaintsforwhichheprescribed。Measlesandtheirconsequencesareatfirstmoreprominentthananyotheroneaffection，butthecommoninfirmitiesofbothsexesandofallagesseemtohavecomeunderhishealinghand。
Feverandagueappearstohavebeenoffrequentoccurrence。
Hispublishedcorrespondenceshowsthatmanynotedpeoplewereincommunicationwithhimashispatients。RogerWilliamswantsalittleofhismedicineforMrs。Weekes’sdaughter；worshipfulJohnHaynesisinreceiptofhispowders；troublesomeCaptainUnderhillwants“alittlewhitevitterall“forhiswife，andsomethingtocurehiswife’sfriend’sneuralgia，Ithinkhiswife’sfriend’shusbandhadalittleratherhavehaditsentbythehandsofMrs。Underhill，thanbythoseofthegallantanddiscursivecaptain；andpiousJohnDavenportsays，hiswife“tookebutonehalfeofoneofthepapers“
whichprobablycontainedthemedicinehecalledrubila，“butcouldnotbearethetasteofit，andisdiscouragedfromtakinganymore；“
andhonoredWilliamLeeteasksformorepowdersforhis“poorelittledaughterGraciana，thoughhefoundit“hardtomakehertakeit，“
delicate，andofcoursesensitive，childasshewas，languishinganddyingbeforehertime，inspiteofallthebitterthingssheswallowed，——Godhelpalllittlechildreninthehandsofdosingdoctorsandhowlingdervishes！RestlessSamuelGorton，nowtamedbytheburdenoffourscoreandtwoyears，writessotouchinganaccountofhisinfirmities，andexpressessuchoverflowinggratitudeforthereliefhehasobtainedfromtheGovernor’sprescriptions，wonderinghow“athingsolittleinquantity，solittleinsent，solittleintaste，andsolittletosenceinoperation，shouldbegetandbringforthsuchefects，“thatwerepentourhastyexclamation，andblessthememoryofthegoodGovernor，whogaverelieftotheworn-outframeofourlong-departedbrother，thesturdyoldhereticofRhodeIsland。
Whatwasthatmedicinewhichsofrequentlyoccursintheprintedlettersunderthenameof“rubila“？Itisevidentlyasecretremedy，and，sofarasIknow，hasnotyetbeenmadeout。Ihadalmostgivenitupindespair，whenIfoundwhatappearstobeakeytothemystery。Inthevastmultitudeofprescriptionscontainedinthemanuscripts，mostofthemwritteninsymbols，IfindonewhichIthusinterpret：
“Fourgrainsofdiaphoreticantimony，withtwentygrainsofnitre，withalittlesaltoftin，makingrubila。“Perhapssomethingwasaddedtoreddenthepowder，asheconstantlyspeaksof“rubifying“
or“viridating“hisprescriptions；averycommonpracticeofprescribers，whentheirpowderslookalittletoomuchlikeplainsaltorsugar。
WaitstillWinthrop，theGovernor’sson，“wasaskilfulphysician，“
saysMr。Sewall，inhisfuneralsermon；“andgenerouslygave，notonlyhisadvice，butalsohisMedicines，forthehealingoftheSick，which，bytheBlessingofGod，weremadesuccessfulfortherecoveryofmany。““HissonJohn，amemberoftheRoyalSociety，speaksofhimselfas“Dr。Winthrop，“andmentionsoneofhisownprescriptionsinalettertoCottonMather。OurPresidenttellsmethattherewasanheirloomoftheancientskillinhisfamily，withinhisownremembrance，intheformofacertainpreciouseye-water，towhichthelatePresidentJohnQuincyAdamsascribedrarevirtue，andwhichheusedtoobtainfromthepossessoroftheancientrecipe。
Theseinheritedprescriptionsareoftentreasuredinfamilies，Idonotdoubt，formanygenerations。WhenIwasyetoftrivialage，andsufferingoccasionally，asmanychildrendo，fromwhatoneofmyCambridgeportschoolmatesusedtocallthe“ager，“——meaningtherebytoothacheorface-ache，——Iusedtogetrelieffromacertainplasterwhichneverwentbyanyothernameinthefamilythan“Dr。Oliver。“
Dr。JamesOliverwasmygreat-great-grandfather，graduatedin1680，anddiedin1703。Thiswas，nodoubt，oneofhisnostrums；fornostrum，asiswellknown，meansnothingmorethanourownormyownparticularmedicine，orotherpossessionorsecret，andphysiciansinoldtimesusedtokeeptheirchoicerecipestothemselvesagooddeal，aswehavehadoccasiontosee。
SomeyearsagoIfoundamongmyoldbooksasmallmanuscriptmarked“JamesOliver。ThisBookBegunAug。12，1685。“Itisaroughsortofaccount-book，containingamongotherthingsprescriptionsforpatients，andchargesforthesame，withcounter-chargesforthepurchaseofmedicinesandothermatters。Dr。OliverpractisedinCambridge，wheremaybeseenhistombwithinscriptions，andwithsculpturedfiguresthatlookmorelikeDianaoftheEphesians，asgiveninCalmet’sDictionary，thanlikeanyangelsadmittedintogoodsocietyhereorelsewhere。
Idonotfindanyparticularrecordofwhathispatientssufferedfrom，butIhavecarefullycopiedouttheremedieshementions，andfindthattheyformaveryrespectablecatalogue。Besidestheusualsimples，elder，parsley，fennel，saffron，snake-root，wormwood，I
findtheElixirProprietatis，withotherelixireandcordials，asifheratherfanciedwarmingmedicines；buthecalledintheaidofsomeofthemoreenergeticremedies，includingiron，andprobablymercury，asheboughttwopoundsofitatonetime。
ThemostinterestingitemishisbillagainsttheestateofSamuelPasonofRoxbury，forservicesduringhislastillness。Heattendedthisgentleman，——forsuchhemusthavebeen，bytheamountofphysicwhichhetook，andwhichhisheirspaidfor，——fromJune4th，1696，toSeptember3dofthesameyear，threemonths。Iobservehechargesforvisitsaswellasformedicines，whichisnotthecaseinmostofhisbills。Heopenstheattackwithacarminativeappealtothevisceralconscience，andfollowsitupwithgoodhard-hittingremediesfordropsy，——asIsupposethediseasewouldhavebeencalled，——andfinishesoffwitharallyingdoseofhartshornandiron。