Report of the trial of Dr. Samuel Thomson, the founder of the Thomsonian practice, for an alleged libel in warning the public against the impositions of Paine D. Badger, as a Thomsonian physician sailing under false colors, before Judge Thacher, in the Municipal Court of Boston, April term, 1839.

  • Samuel Thomson
Date:
1839
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the trial of Dr. Samuel Thomson, the founder of the Thomsonian practice, for an alleged libel in warning the public against the impositions of Paine D. Badger, as a Thomsonian physician sailing under false colors, before Judge Thacher, in the Municipal Court of Boston, April term, 1839. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

    15/64 page 9
    Cross examined. Dr. Thomson boarded with me at that time. He and Badger were at variance, and Dr. Thomson would have nothing to do with Badger's medicines. He called him an impostor, tor using his name and imitating his medicines, without authority. The letter was delivered to me by Badger, opened. It appeared to have been sealed. Badger said it was an order for medicine. There were books, and medicines and directions, sold as family rights, by Dr. Thomson. The medicines were patented, and I suppose Badger had no right to sell them. He did not have the books to my knowledge. Badger said that after the letter was broken open, he found it belonged to Dr. Thomson, lie said it was opened by somebody else, by mistake, be- fore it was given to him. I am ])ositive the outside of the letter was directed to Dr. Thomson. Dr. Thomson was angry at the conduct of Badger, when I gave him the letter brokeii open. I do not know any thing of Dr. Badger's practice at his Infirmary. He was once sick himself and sent for me. I do not know why Badger could not cure himself, but he might be too sick to do it. The object of the family right is, that he who has it shall know how to administer the medi- cines himself. Being asked if he cured Bridgor, when sent for, with his (B.'s) own medicines, he replied, I did not like to try Badger's medicines upon himself. Dr. Thomson cried out against them, and I carried some of ihe genuine, which I administered. I differ from Dr. Thomson now. Was his agent then, but am not now. I compound my own medicines and sell them as Thomsonian. The Judge of the Supreme Court has decided so, and I call them Thomsonian. I am the Clark refer- red to in the notice published by Dr. Thomson. I sell my own Thomsonian medicines and keep a Thomsonian sign. Carlton Cobbett, for the prosecution. In the fall of 1835 I was employed by Badger, at the Thomsonian Infirmary, 554 Washington street. A baggage wagon stopped at the Infirmary, and the, teamster brought an order for medicine. The teamster opened the letter and wanted to know if we sold Thomsonian medicine. I told him we did. He read over the articles and asked me if he could have them. I said yes. He wanted them to be ready the next day at noon, when he^ would call. I said he should have them. After he had gone, I hap- pened to turn the letter over, and saw Dr. Samuel Thomson, Pleasant s'reet. Dr. Badger was up in the steam room. I w-ent up to him and showed it, and he said he would go and carry the letter to Dr. Clark. Cross examinrc/. It was abouX S or 9 o'clock in the forenoon, and sometime in September or October, 1835, when the letter was brought by the teamster. In regard to the prosecution Badger was threatened with, it was in September or October, when the letter was brought, and Badger sold out to Mr. Magoun in May, and left the city in July. I have heard it verbally said that he would be prosecuted. Do not think I heard it till he went away. I received a letter from Badger after he left Boston, when I liaJ moved to Hopkinton. It related to the conduct of Badger at Boston. He spoke of a prosecution he had been threatened with before he left Boston. I was not a partner of Badger in the Infirmary. He had so much business to do I bought him out as to his Variety Store, which I kept 2
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3