A centennial address delivered in the Sanders Theatre, at Cambridge, June 7, 1881 : before the Massachusetts Medical Society.

  • Samuel Abbott Green
Date:
1881
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A centennial address delivered in the Sanders Theatre, at Cambridge, June 7, 1881 : before the Massachusetts Medical Society. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Lamar Soutter Library, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Lamar Soutter Library at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

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    the quacks were not slow to avail themselves of the chances. During the first winter at Boston, the Court of Assistants fined Nicholas Knapp five pounds for takeing vpon him to cure the scurvey by a water of noe worth nor vakie, which he solde att a very deare rate, to be im- prisoned till hee pay his ffine or giue securytie for it, or els to be whipped, or shalbe lyable to any mans accon of whome hee hath receaned money for the s'' water. — (General Ct)urt Records, i. G7.) The record, however, does not state which dose he took in the way of punishment, but as three pounds of the fine were subsequently remitted, it is fair to infer that he was not whipped. If we now had as wise legislation in regard to medicine, there would be less quackery in the community. By a law passed a few years later, regulating the precedence of passengers in ferry-boats, preference was given to public personages, and to Physitians,' Chirurgeons, and Midwives. The colonial authorities appear to have taken steps, at an early day, to guard against the introduction of infectious or contagious diseases from foreign ports. An order was passed by the General Court, at the ses- sion beginning in March, 16-17-48, which established a strict quarantine over all vessels coming from the West India Islands. It prohibited the landing of persons or goods from such vessels, until the Council saw fit to decree otherwise. At that time y® plague or like in[fectious] disease, — perhaps yellow fever, — was raging in some of these islands, and this fact was the cause of the order. In May, 1649, — one year after- wards,— it is recorded that The Courte doth thinke meete, that the order, concerning the sto])ing of West India ships at the Castle should hereby be re- pealed seeing it hatli pleased God to stay the sicknes there. — (General Court Records, ii. 2.38.)
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