The medical side of Benjamin Franklin / by William Pepper.

  • William Pepper
Date:
1911
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The medical side of Benjamin Franklin / by William Pepper. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    148/202 page 88
    Passy, March 19, 1784. To La Sabliere De La Condamine. Sir:—I received the very obliging Letter you did me honour of writing to me the 8th inst. with the epigram etc. for which please to accept my Thanks. You desire my Sentiments concerning the Cures perform’d by Comus & Mesmer. I think that in general Maladies caus’d by Obstruc¬ tions may be treated by Electricity with Advantage. As to the Animal Magnetism, so much talk’d of, I am totally unacquainted with it, and must doubt its Existence till I can see or feel some Effect of it. None of the Cures said to be perform’d by it, have fallen under my Observation; and there being so many Disorders which cure themselves and such a Disposition in Mankind to deceive themselves and one another on these Occasions, and living long having given me frequent Opportunities of seeing certain Remedies cry’d up as curing everything, and yet soon after totally laid aside as useless. I cannot but fear that the Expectation of great Advantage from the new method of treating Diseases, will prove a Delusion. That Delusion may however in some cases be of use while it lasts. There are in every great City a Number of Persons who are never in health, because they are fond of Medicines and always taking them, whereby they derange the natural Functions, and hurt their Constitutions. If these People can be persuaded to forbear their Drugs in Expectation of being cured by only the Physician’s Finger or an Iron Rod pointing at them, they may possibly find good Effects tho’ they mistake the Cause. I have the honour to be, Sir, &c. B. Franklin. Just after the report had appeared Franklin wrote to his grandson. Passy, Aug. 25, 1784. Wednesday. To William Temple Franklin. . . . The Report is published and makes a great deal of Talk. Everybody agrees that it is well written; but many wonder at the Force of Imagination describ’d in it, as occasioning Convulsions, etc., and some fear that Consequences may be drawn from it by Infidels to weaken our Faith in some of the Miracles of the New Testament. I send you two more Copies. You would do well to give one to the French Ambassador, if he has not had it. Some think it will put an End to
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