Sect. II. Occurrent Circumstances.
The improbable invention of so exceptionable an evidence will contribute very little towards detecting, as he terms it, the ignorance of the impostor.
Had he called it cunning, it had been we think, more applicable to the purpose, as admitting the utmost strength of every false, and futile argument his observations have started, he must allow the Doctor to have a great share of that quality that could be able to dupe the greatest part of one of the first cities in the world.
To follow Dr. Lettsom through his collection of incredible assertions, and misrepresented cases, mostly attested by initials, or grounded on hearsay, were to render our work as disinteresting and heavy, as even the compilation which we have undertaken to answer; and which nothing but the necessity of being acquainted with the contents could have induced us to wade through.
We shall only, therefore, trouble our readers with a few cases, selected from an immense number of others, written or dictated by the patients themselves, which when thoroughly weighed, and their authenticity considered, must undoubtedly over-balance any objections already stated by Dr. Lettsom, against his envied and superior rival in physical fame.
That the detector, as Dr. Lettsom seems desirous of being stiled, has no reason to exult on the acquisition of a discharged domestic to his party, pretty evidently appears; as every impartial person must thereby be convinced; that his publication was the result of a determined persecution of one whom he looked upon as an enemy to him and to the faculty; for which every engine must be employed, every dependent dispatched, right or wrong, to decry merit, and to hunt down an intruder upon the profits of his calling which he would have every one believe to be the inherent right of the college of physicians; from whom alone a dispensation can legally be granted for carrying on the medical trade, and without which, he would have us to suppose, it is impossible for any one to have the least knowledge in the profession.
Under the apprehension of not being able to write in a more fluent style that that of Dr. Lettsom, we chose to begin this section in his own language. Its meaning may perhaps suit our subject as well as it did his. For diseases are the physicians’ stock in trade, and the more they have to work upon, the more profit their business brings them in. It must therefore be their interest to extol their own praise, and to decry the deservings of others. If a new-comer, by dint of superior knowledge, or of accident, happens to jump into noice, every medical mouth is open, every pen is dipt in poison to pronounce and write him an interloping quack.
Merit is the constant butt of malice; and Envy with her thousand hissing snakes, is ever ready to diffuse around it the venom of slander and detraction.
‘Tis to combat this hydra we now take the field, unknown to the gentleman whose cause we espouse, unsolicited, unrewarded.
Dr. Lettsom affirms, that “the state of the the urine, liable as it is to so many variations in health, cannot afford a just indication of the state of the body, when under disease, without a previous knowledge, not only of the human body in health, but likewise of the various changes produced upon it from different causes, in its sound as well as its deseased state.”
Without following the Doctor, and his secreted fluids, through the urinary passages, or examining the action of those vessels upon which the excretions depend; we are on the other hand, bold enough to affirm the direct contrary. Here is ipse dixit for ipse dixit. How then is it to be decided? The Doctor backs his assertion by the opinions of others; we ours by positive and direct proof; which shall be the purport of our next section.
Let not Dr. Lettsom be piqued because another has discovered the secret which he has fought after in vain. Let him rather say, I own it is beyond my comprehension, how any judgement can be formed of the situation of the body from urinary appearances. Dr. Mayersbach can do it, and therefore he has the superior knowledge. Perhaps Dr. Lettsom does not recollect that by making the difficulty of the attainment so great, he only heightens Dr. Mayersbach’s knowledge; for when every one knows a thing, the knowledge is of less value.
Whether Dr. Mayersbach is, or is not, a regular-bred physician, or whether his degree cost him three shillings and six-pence, or as many hundred pounds, is entirely immaterial in the present case. When we go into a mercer’s shop, and see a beautiful and curious silk, we never ask whether the ingenious artist has served his time, and taken out his freedom regularly; nor, when we are told that the worker of it is under a prosecution for carrying on his business without being legally authorized so to do, does it lessen the value of the silk. We admire the workmanship, without considering the means by which the artificer acquired his skill. Aye, but then (it will be urged) the work of the hands may be learned by an insight of the mode of carrying on the business; while the scientific knowledge requires a different mode of acquirement. True; and therefore it is, that all rules for dispensing that valuable attribute to an individual, by any set or community of men, is ridiculous and absurd.
To parcel out the gift of understanding were to arrogate the power of the Deity.
Had all the bards on earth met in convention, upon Pope and Curl, to determine their degrees of merit in the poetic line, and had decreed a diploma to the later to write and rhyme for the edification of man, and through pique or sinister motives should have denied it to the former, the writings of Pope would have been no less valuable, nor the verses of Curl in higher estimation.
A person in the north of England took upon him the business of bone-setting, and became noted for his knowledge and success in that branch of surgery. A lady of quality in London happened to dislocate her hip, which baffled the skill of Surgeon’s-hall, and made her despair of ever having the joint replaced; but hearing of the bone-setter above-mentioned, he was sent for to town, where he had the good fortune to set the lady’s hip, and restore her to perfect strength. This brought the whole tribe of regular-bred surgeons upon him; they exploded him as an ignorant pretender, and allowed him no merit but accident in the cure. In order to convince the world of their assertion, they hired a chairman, who was to pretend to have put out the joint of his arm, whom they instructed on the occasion, and sent to tell his case to the bone-setter; on looking at the man’s arm, he immediately saw into the deceit, and giving it a twist dislocated it in a dangerous manner, and sent him back to those that had hired him to have it set. Their skill, however, was unable to effect it, and he came back to the country surgeon, confessed the whole matter, begged pardon, and was immediately set to rights.
Will Dr. Lettsom pretend that this man, because he had never been instructed in anatomy, had no skill in bone-setting?
Let him rather consider, that it may bear some analogy to his own case. Like the hirers of the poor chairman, who, instead of detecting the ignorance of the bone-setter, exposed their own baseness; so he, in attempting to expose, as he terms it, the ignorance of a quack, may sink in his own trap, with the reflection of having been stimulated by envy, or self-interested motives, while the object of his malice is more firmly established in his profession, and more followed by the town.
The testimony of a very intimate and worthy friend, Mr. Willan, of Marylebone, induced him to consult Dr Mayersbach, in behalf of a relation, and the effect of that consultation was an entire belief of his knowledge of diseases, by the inspection of the urinal.
On his looking at the water, without hestitation, without any previous questions having been asked, or any kind of artifice made use of, that could give him the most distant hint of the disorder, or situation of the patient, he described not only the disease, but the cause which had produced it. That the water was a lady’s, that she was elderly, but a large swelling in her body, of the dropsical kind, but not in a situation to be tapped; that her chief pain was in her side, with various other symptoms, as exact, as if he had attended her through every stage of her complaint; that the case was very desperate, and that he could not say whether he could be of any service to her or not, till he had tried the effect of some medicines for a few days. He made the experiment, found it was to no purpose, and declined taking any more fees.
His opinion and conduct on the above occassion are particularly dwelt upon, for two reasons; in the first place, to prove his knowledge of the disorder by urine, and in the next place, to acquit him of any mercenary views; for if he had had the least intention of that kind, he had nothing more to have done than to have declared the disease curable, and continued taking his fees for six weeks longer.
These, or any other particulars advanced in this publication, will be testified, and more fully explained, if required, to any one who chuses to take the trouble of calling at Mr. Willan’s, whose case, as it is singular, stands first in the list of cures, which are here inserted in their own words.
These pains used to attack me in my bowels, attended with reachings to a violent degree. Wherever I was, I used to send to the first apothecary of estimation I could get, and they always treated my disorder as an inflammation in the bowels. It grew worse and worse. I was sent to Bath for it, to Harrowgate, the saltwater, and to all the watering places we could think of, and underwent all the experiments of the faculty. I still grew worse, till, in short, I lost the use of my limbs; and for the last seven or eight weeks before I saw Dr. Mayersbach, I can safely say, I never had one hour’s sleep at one time; my legs swelled to a great degree; I lay in dreadful misery; part of my family were constantly with me, and those that were in bed could have no rest, for I lay in such agonies, that I disturbed the whole house with my cries. A friend persuaded me to consult Dr. Mayersbach; with reluctance I complied. I sent my coachman for him. When he came, I was lying on a settee, for I could not stand, nor sit in a chair any time together. There was nobody in the room but my wife and Mrs. Woster of Barnet, who was come to see me: to whom I refer the public, if they think proper to have this account authenticated by her. When the Doctor came into the room, he saw me in that situation; with my crutches lying by me, as I could not move without them. He asked me no questions, to the best of my knowledge. My water stood there in a tumbler glass: he took it to the window, and looked at it a little while; turned round to me and said, Sir, I can cure you. He told me, I had the gravel to a violent degree, and till that was brought away, I should never be able to stand upright; that the gravel was my chief complaint, but I had the scurvy very bad with it. I informed him, that my doctors said my complaint was the rheumatic gout. He said, he could cure me of my gravel, and the gout would cure itself; that he would make me walk without my crutches in three weeks, and in six weeks he would make me well; which he did; for I was in six weeks time as well as ever I was in my life; and for these last thirteen months I have not known what it was to feel any pain, and am now, thank God, as hearty as ever I was in my life. I have lived in London above forty years, and, perhaps, twenty of the time as freely as any man in it; and am now turned of sixty-four, and am as well and free from pain as I was when I was ten years old. When Dr. Mayersbach first saw me, I had two issues in my legs; he said they were disagreeable things, and made me dry them up, which I was afraid of, as I was always told it would endanger my life. They have been dried up now almost a year, and I have found no bad effects from it, nor have I taken any physic these twelve months,
JOHN WILLAN.
Mary-le-bone,
Oct. 1, 1776.
P.S. There is one remarkable circumstance attending my case, which I cannot help relating. When I was got well, and had occasion to go into the country, the Doctor told me that I should, at some period or other, have a good deal of blood come from me with my water; but that I must not be alarmed at it, as it would be attended with no bad consequence. Some little time after, on getting out of bed one morning, I discharged a large quantity of blood, as he had foretold; it came away without any pain, and I have since had no complaint upon me of any kind.
In this situation I was recommended by several friends, and particularly by my disconsolate wife, at whose request I consented, to try Dr. Mayersbach. I went to him in a coach. On seeing my water, he immediately pronounced my complaint quite different from what I had been informed. And farther, says he, I can cure you. If you follow my prescriptions you will find yourself better in a week. The weakness of my constitution would not let the first medicine continue on my stomach. I then took a smaller quantity, which had the desired effect; on its continuing on my stomach I immediately found relief. I strictly adhered to his directions, and in a week, agreeable to the doctor’s promise, I was able to walk from my house to the Doctor’s and back, and likewise three or four miles into the country; and by the continuance of the medicines for about six weeks, was restored to perfect health, which, I thank God, I have enjoyed ever since, and still continue so to do. Whoever pleases to call on me, may be satisfied of the truth, and if Dr. Lettsom, or any other person, pleases to have my oath on the occasion, by paying the expence attending it, they may have it whenever they think fit.
JOHN POWELL.
Cloth Fair, No. 6.
ROBERT WILLIAMS.
JANE WILLIAMS.
Bow-Street,
Oct. 3.
When I enquired at the shop for Dr. Mayersbach, I was desired to go up stairs; I met a person coming down, and asked if the Doctor was above. You told me you was the person, and went with me into the dining-room. My wife was with me. I gave you the vial with my water; you looked at it, and told me I was in such a state as you had never met with but in one person in your life, and that was in Germany, I asked you what my complaint was. You then began to recite my various complaints, which were many and violent, without my wife or self saying one word. You told us I had violent pains in my head, my stomach loaded with phlegm, and drawn up with cramp; that I was violently troubled with wind, and that the pain I felt threw me into fainting fits; that from my hips downwards I was numbed, and that the whole proceeded from a violent sharp humour in my bowels. Which was every word litterally true; for I never was free from prodigious head-achs, or from being loaded so at my stomach with phlegm, that I was almost strangled, with frequent vomitings, which were at times very violent.
My stomach was so drawn up with the cramp, that it was a stiff as if I was dead. I could not bend sometimes for half an hour, all the time screaming with torture. I have had a physician and an apothecary holding me up in this manner for half an hour together, pouring into my stomach hot medicines, and hot brandy and water, with usquebaugh and brandy; when quite spent, I had fits of crying and fainting, and was so reduced, that for two or three days I could not speak to any body, but kept my bed or lay on a couch. I had such numbness in my thighs and legs, for years, that they were obliged to be rubbed with hot fannels for circulation. I had Zelzer water bottles, with hot water put to my feet at night to keep heat in them.
You sent me pills, powders, and two sorts of drops. I found the first two pills touch the cause. I thank God after tak your medicines about two months, I got quite well of my complaints, which is known to hundreds of people; having a very large acquaintance. And whoever wants further information, may call on me, at John’s coffee-house, Cornhill, where I will satisfy them.
I am, Sir,
Your most humble servant,
THOMAS ROBERTS.
Charter-house Square,
Oct. 4, 1776.
N.B. I have been three times sent to Bath in a year. Please make what use you please of this account.
EDWARD MILSON.
Cross-street, Islington,
Sept, 27, 1776.
Her first physician was Dr. Pitcairne, the second Dr. Hook, and the third Dr. Fothergil. She followed their prescriptions, and they all three, I verily believe, did their best for her. When I first came to you with the water, you told me what her disorder was, and that you could shortly be of service to her. In twenty-four hours after she had taken your medicines she found herself a little better. In three days she asked me for a mutton chop; which surprised me so much, that I asked her if she was in earnest? She said, she was; therefore she had the mutton chop. By continuing your prescriptions, she recovered very fast. In a fortnight she was able to come down stairs, and in a very short time after became perfectly well, and has been so ever since.
EDWARD FOX.
High-street, Borough,
Oct. 3, 1776.
N.B. It is near twelve months since the doctor first attended her.
The foregoing cases are a few of the long list of others, equally extraordinary and equally interesting, offered for our insertion. We could have easily have swelled them to the extent of Dr. Lettsom’s catalogue of twenty-eight, or twenty-eight times twenty-eight, if we may judge from the numbers we refused, though of equal authenticity with the former, because we would not wish to tire the reader with so many superfluous instances of the Doctor’s undoubted knowledge in urinary judgement and the restoration of health.
It may be objected, that it is very extraordinary a person unknown to Dr. Mayersbach should take so much pains in collecting of cases, and stepping forward in a transaction in which he is no way interested.
The answer is, that it was from a thorough conviction of Dr. Mayersbach’s being what he really professes, a doctor or the first magnitude. That conviction, as mentioned before, arose from ocular and auricular assurance of his skill. We behold the wanton attack upon one, whom we look upon as a great public blessing, with an honest indignation. We communicated our sentiments to Mr. Willan, and ’tis to his interposition that Dr. Lettsom and the public are troubled with this trifle in Dr. Mayersbach’s favour. Were it ten times more interesting and forcible than it is, it would, we are conscious, be far short of the Doctor’s desert.
Now, Dr. Lettsom, you are asked one question. Answer it, upon your honour.
How many of the last hundred patients you had under your care had you the happiness to save?
Did one of the twenty which you allow to the trial of medicine, which is the smallest number we can state, die under your hands?
If you answer in the affirmative, we reply, that one is more proportion to the degrees of your patients than Dr. Mayersbach‘s ten. For your’s (it must be taken for granted) consist of the common run of diseases, while his are chiefly made up of desperate cases, mostly given over after they have been perhaps precipitated to the jaws of death by the misapplied medicines of others.
The generality of Dr. Mayersbach’s patients come with the dart of death at their breasts. If he can ward the blow there is confessedly a life saved. If the stroke takes effect there is only a life gone, which had for some time been doomed to that fate by perhaps the whole body of physicians.
We are far from wishing to throw the least flight on the materia medica; nor does our subject require it. We cannot however help observing, that every rule put upon professional genius is a bar to its progress.
How glorious are the flights of Shakespeare, when soaring beyond the given bounds of dramatic fable, to the ears of an admiring, an enraptured audience; while the bard, confined within the established mode of rule, time and place, drags his drowsy auditors through the jog-trot road laid out within the restraining shackles of the drama.
In like manner the powders of Dr. James snatch a patient from the tedious train of physic, nurses, slops and confinement, the natural concomitants of the flow prescriptions of the materia medica.
A member of the medical faculty, talking on this subject very lately, declared, that was he president of the college of physicians, he would propose the moving for a law, to make it felony for any one to presume to prescribe, in any case whatsoever, without a licence first had from that learned assembly, for that purpose.
An amendment was proposed, which it is imagined, will be carried at the next meeting of that august body, that a subscription be immediately entered into, to get an act of parliament entitled,
An act to encourage MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE, and to extend the powers of the COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS;
Wherein it is to be particularly specified, that whoever presumes, after the first day of January, 1777, to give the least relief, by way of medicine, to any one that has been given over by any member of that body, shall be condemned to work upon the Thames for three years; and upon conviction of any person or persons, having by a medicine or medicines, restored to health such person or persons so declared incurable, that the said quack or quacks shall immediately suffer death, for having dared to convince the public that they have more skill in the art of restoring health than the bench of regular bred gentlemen, to whose care the lives of all his majesty’a liege subjects are legally entrusted, to be dealt with as they or any of them shall think fit; be it to bleed, puke, sweat, physic, blister, glister, scarify or kill at pleasure.
The absurdity of an existence of the allegations it contains must appear glaring to the meanest capacity.
The latter part of Dr. Mayersach’s concise answer to that extraordinary composition which appeared in the Public Ledger of September 30th last, attested with his name, is the best confutation of so malicious a libel. To save our readers the trouble of referring to the paper we have inserted it here.
“I beg leave to lay before the public
an acccout of Hauffmann, the Doctor’s
correspondent. He was never, either directly
or indirectly, apothecary to me;
he was servant to Mr. Koch, and discharged
by him, taken before one of his
majesty’s justices of the peace for the
county of Middlesex, and committed to
Clerkenwell Bridewell; the reason why
is best known to himself.
MAYERSBACH.”
Such is the true character of Dr. Lettsom’s prime agent, his partner in invention, the promoter of calumny.
Oh, Envy! where is thy stop, if the grave, the moral, the admired Dr. Lettsom, grows pale beneath thy influence, and can descend to the meanest mode of feeding thy insatiable gratification? But, alas! who that has a being liable to the frailities of nature, can behold, and keep himself within the bounds of reason, a fellow-mortal accumulating a princely fortune by dint of application, and of meritorious knowledge in a profession, which classical study, a thorough understanding of the materia medica, and a diploma in all its forms from Warwick-Lane, could not enable his own endeavours to acquire.
Whether Dr. Mayersbach does or does not intend to retire into his own country to enjoy this princely fortune, the report of his antagonist has allowed him, we neither know nor have endeavoured to find out. It is very natural for a person to seek an asylum among his relations and friends, to enjoy what his industry has realized. And that Dr. Lettsom would be desirous of supplying his place, at least in the profits of his calling, if his abilities would furnish him with the means, is as natural and as reasonable a conclusion.