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ARMY MEDICAL, LIBRARY

         WASHINGTON

             Founded 1836
Section.
Number ±9.^3.31.
        Form 113c, W. D.. S. G. O.
3—10543    (Reviaed June 13, 1936) 
 
 
        A NARRATIVE
            OP THE              ^
             >      S   '    -
   UFE AND MEDICAL DISCOVERIES     ^
             OF

SAMUEL THOMSON.
«
ItNINO AN ACCOUNT OF HIS SYSTEM OF PRACTICE
;\-n tiiu MAKMtllt OF CORING DISEASE WITH
       VEGETABLE MEDrCINK,


    UPON A TLA.N ENTIRELY NEW.
WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.
t^S-ifZ
TENTH EDITION.
rublUhcd by Jarvis Pikb, i$- Co., General Agents.
COLUMBUS, OHIO,
    1835. 
  Copy Right secured to the Author, in  conformity to the act of
Congress of the  United States, entitled  " an act for the encou-
ragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and
books, to the  authors and proprietors of such copies during t: ■•
times therein  mentioned;" and also an  act entitled "an act, su,'
plementary to an act entitled'an act for the encouragement of learn-
ing, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and  books, to the au-
thors and proprietors of  such copies during the Mmes therein mem
tioned;' and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing,
engraving, and etching historical-ana utiicr prints."       »
JONATHAN  PHILLIPS. Printer, 
     ADFERTISEMENT...TO T1TE PUBLIC.

   The preparing the following work for the press, has been a task
 of much difficulty and labor.  To comprise  in  a  short compass
 and to convey a correct understanding of the subject, from such a
 ma«s of materials, as I have been enabled to collect, by thirty .j ears'
 practice, is a business of no small magnitude.  The plan that has
 been adopted, I thought the best to give a  correct knowledge of my
 system of practice; and am confident that the  descriptions and
 directions are sufficiently explained, to be understood by all those
 who take an intevwt m this Important subject.  Much more might
 have been written ; but the main object has been to confine it to the
 practice, and nothing more is stated of the theory, -than what was
 necessary to give agcneral knowledge of the system. If any errors
 should be discovered.it ishoped that they will be viewed with candor;
 for in first publishing a work, such things are to be expected; but
 much care has  been taken that there should be  no error which
 would cause any mistake in the practice or preparing the medicine.
   Many persons arc  practising by my system,  who  are in the habit
 of pretending that they have made great improvements, and in some
 instances, it is well known that poisonous drugs  have been made
 use of  under the  name of  my medicine, which has counteracted its
 operation, and thereby tended to destroy the confidence of the public
 in my system of practice;  this has never been authorised by me.—
 The public are  therefore cautioned against such conduct, and-all
 those u im arc well disposed towards my system, are desired to lend
 their aid  in exposing all such dishonest practices, in order that jus-
lice may be done.  Those  who possess this work, may, by examin-
ing it, be able to detect any improper deviations therefrom; and they
 are assured that any practice which is not conformable to the direc-
tions given, and does not agree with the principles herein laid down ,
 Is unauthorised by mc.«

 ♦This advertisement, and the preface which follows, were written
 for the work as originally published by Dr. Thomson, that is to say,
 when both the Narrative and New Guide were bound iu one volukie. 
PREFACE.
          WRITTEN  BY  A FRIEND.

   There is no subject in which the great family of
mankind have a deeper interest, than that of med-
icines: to lessen the sum of human suffering, by
alleviating pain, and removing those diseases that
all are subject to, is a duty of the greatest import-
ance  of any undertaking that man can engage in.
Health is the  greatest blessing that can be enjoy-
ed in this life; and to be deprived of it, takes away
all our pleasures and comforts, and makes every
thing in this world  appear a dreary  waste.  This
will readily be admitted by every one; but in what
manner disease can be removed or prevented, is a
subject that has engaged the attention of many
wise  men, who have  existed  in  different ages,
from the  earliest  times to the present day, with-
out, as we  humbly conceive, very much benefiting
mankind  by their labors. Their inquiries, it would
aeem, have been directed to the investigation of
visionary theories,  of the form and curious con-
struction  of the body and members, upon mechan-
ical  principles; to the neglect of what is of the
greatest importance, a correct and useful  practice
by a direct application to the cause of disease.—
This is like pursuing  a shadow, and losing sight
of the substance; for there are certain causes  and
effects in the works of creation, that are beyond
the comprehension of man, and the general princi-
ples of animated nuture, are as correctly  known
by the whole  human family  as by the most wise
and learned.
  In different ages of the world, the medical facul-
ty have been very prolific in forming systems of the
theory and practice  of medicine.  One man builds
up a system, for another who comes  after  him to 
                    PREFACE.                  V

 pull down, who erects one of his own, which is fol-
 lowed for a time, and  then is supplanted bj ano-
 ther.  They have gone on in this way, almost eve-  jj
 ry age producing a new system, to the present  ]|
 time; each one pronounces the other to be wrong,  j
 they certainly cannot all be right, and  the most
 natural conclusion is, that they are all wrong; for
 no good has resulted from all they have done, but  U
 on the  contrary, it  has tended to  produce  much  '
 confusion and doubt, in the  minds of all who seek  y
 to gain a correct knowledge of the subject.   The  j
 best evidence of this, is the bad success that has  i
 attended the regular faculty, in all their  practice;  j
 for they do not pretend to a knowledge of a certain  '
 remedy for any  case  of disease: and it is readily  I
 admitted  by the most distinguished  men in the
 profession, that there is no  art or science so little
 understood, and  miserably  conducted,  as that of
 medicine.                                         '
   The way to become a fashionable  doctor at the
 present day, is to spend three or four years jn what
 they call reading physic, when they receive a de-   '
 gree and a diploma from some medical society.—
 This time is spent in learning the Latin names of
 the different preparations of medicine, according to
 the plan adopted by the faculty, as also of the dif-
 ferent parts  of the haman body, with the names,
 colors, and symptoms of all kinds of disease,  divid-
 ed and subdivided into as many classes and  forma
 as language can  be found to  express, and sufficient
 knowledge of the nature  of medicine  to know how
 much poison can be given without causing imme-
 diate death.  With these qualifications and a little
self-importance,  they commence their medical ca-
 reer, as ignorant of what is  really useful in curing
disease, as though they had  been shut up in a clois-
ter all  the time.  Their heads are filled  with the
 theorv. but all that is most imoortant in the  remo- 
Vi
PREFACE,
val of disease, they  have to learn by  practice,
which can never be learned in  any other way.—
Those patients who are so unfortunate as to come
under their care, become subjects for them to learn
upon, and have to suffer from their experiments.
After pursuing this course for  many years, they
begin to learn that their practice has been wrong;
and  it is a fact well known, that all  our old and
most experienced physicians, who have become dis-
tinguished in their profession, make use of but very
little medicine;  prescribing principally simples,
with directions how they may cure themselves; the
greater part of their patients are such as have been
run down, and had their constitutions destroyed by
the improper treatment they have  received  from
the young and inexperienced part of the faculty.
   This picture may be considered by some as high-
ly colored, but, if prejudice be laid aside and the
subject viewed  with candor, it will be found not
far from the truth.  There are, no doubt, many ex-
ception* among the practising physicians; but their
manner of treating disease, by  bleeding and blis-
tering, and administering mercury, arsenic, nitre,
antimony, opium, &c, is directly  opposed to na-
ture, and cannot  be  justified by  any principles,
founded on natural causes and effects.  Another
serious difficulty exists, which  is, that the people
are kept ignorant of every thing of importance in
medicine, by its being  kept in  a dead language,
for which there can be no good reason given.  Dr.
Buchan has made some very good remarks on this
subject, to show  the  impropriety of such a prac-
 tice, and gives it as his opinion, that, if physicians
would write their prescriptions in the language of
our  country,  and  lay medicine  more  open to the
people, much good would result from it.   In the
now Pharmacopoeia, got up lately by the medical 
PREFACE.                 VU
societies in this country, an entire  new arrange-
ment is made, and new  names  adopted, which is
to be revised every ten years: this will completely
keep the people in. ignorance of the medicine they
use, when prescribed by the faculty.
  There cannot be the least  doubt, but there is
medicine enough grows in our country,  to  answer
all the purposes necessary in curing  every  disease
incident to the climate, if the people had a know-
ledge  of it; but the doctors have so much influence
in society, and manage their  affairs with so much
art for their own profit  and praise, that the com-
mon  people are kept back  from a  knowledge of
what  is of the utmost importance for them to know.
If any man undertakes to pursue a practice differ-
ing from what is sanctioned by the regular faculty,
let  him show ever  so much ingenuity in his disco-
veries,  or be ever so successful in curing disease,
he is hunted down like a wild beast, and a hue and
cry raised against  him from one end of the  country
to the other.   There must be some  reason for all
this, more than an aim to the  public good: for all
people are certainly  capable of judging for them-
selves, whether "what  is done  for  them removes
their  complaint or increases it.  It is  not unrea-
sonable, we think, to conclude that it arises from
a fear that the craft is in danger.
  Nothing could more fully  exemplify  the  above
opinion, than  the  treatment  which Dr. Thomson
has received from  the medical faculty, during  the
whole of his  practice.  He  has  been  persecuted
and pursued with all the malice of demons, for no
other reason that can be imagined, than  because
of  his  extraordinary  success  in curing  disease,
which has tended to enlighten the people, and do
away their blind  confidence in the  infallibility of
doctors.  This opposition  has not  been from the 
vm
PREFACE.
  people at large, for all who have been attended by
  him, and those who have  had a correct knowledge
  of his system of practice, are thoroughly convinc-
  ed of its superiority over the practice of the doc-
  tore; and some of the faculty, who have  examined
  the ■subject, allow the discovery to be original and
  ingenious, and that the principles upon which it
  is founded, are correct.  If the physicians general-
  ly had (instead of trying to destroy him and his prac-
  tice) inquired into, and made themselves acquaint-
  ed  with his improvements, and treated  him with
  that courtesy due to  every  ingenious man, who
  devotes himself to the advancement of the arts and
 sciences, they  would  have received  much useful
 information on  one of the  most important branches
 of the medical art, that is,  of the  medicinal vir-
 tues of the vegetables  of this country, with the
 beet method of preparing and administering them
 to cure disease; but they  seem to consider every
 thing relating  to the subject  as a  sort  of holy
 ground, on which  no one has a right to tread, but
 the regularly initiated.
   Dr. Thomson began his  practice as it were from
 accident, with  no other view than an honest en-
 deavor to be  useful to his fellow creatures ; and
 had nothing to guide him but his own experience.
 He not having had an education,  has received no
 advantages from reading books, which left his mind
 unshackled by the visionary theories and opinions
 of others; his whole studies have been in the Sreat
 book of nature, and his conclusions have  all been
drawn from that unerrino- Smde • hv thio i
enabled to form correct oPS! it^^eJ"
things  Hls first inquiry was to know of what all
animal bodies were formed, and then  to alce/tain
what caused disease.  And  after  hpin,    ,■ r ?
on this head, ,he next  m£™£„&'.£?££ 
PREFACE.
IX
 icine was the best calculated to remove disease,
 and restore health.  For this he looked into  the
 vegetable kingdom, where he  found a large field
 for contemplation, and for the exercise of his in-
 quiring mind.  Here, by an invention of his own,
 that of ascertaining the qualities and power  of ve-
 getables by their taste., he was enabled at all  times
 to find something  to answer the  desired purpose.
 His apothecary's shop was the woods and the  fields.
   In his practice,  it has always  been his first ob-
 ject to learn the course pointed out by nature, and
 follow by administering  those things best  calcu-
 lated to aid her in restoring health.  This  is un-
 questionably the only correct course that can  be
 pursued  with any chance of success, for all the
 good that can be expected by giving medicine, is
 to assist nature to remove the disease,   The suc-
 cess with  which his practice has been attended,
 has astonished  all who witnessed it, and has led
 the people to wonder how a man without learning,
 could perform what could not be done  by  learn-
 ed  doctors; this  is not  strange, for the people,
 most generally form their opinions by what is fash-
 ionable,  without  examining  into  the  nature of
 things.  A man can be great without the advan-
 tage of an education; but learning can never make
 a  wise man of a  fool;  the practice  of physic re-
 quires a knowledge that cannot be got by reading
 books, it must be  obtained by actual observation
 and experience.
  It is very common with the doctors  to call  all
 those who practise, and have not  been regularly
 educated to the profession,  quacks and  empirics.
 The definition  of the word quack,  is an ignorant
 pretender; and those who are entitled to this ap-
 pellation, are best known by the knowledge they
possess in their profession, and  the success with 
X                  PREFACE.
which they pursue  it; and  probably there may be
more ignorant pretenders found among those who
have received a diploma, than in any other  class.
An empiric is one who is governed in his practice,
by his own experimental knowledge; and Doctor
Thompson^can have no reasonable objection to be
honored by this title, for there is nothing valuable
in the whole range of the medical science,, but
what has been derived from this source.  In an-
cient times, the man who could discover any thing
that proved useful in curing disease, was entitled
to honorable  notice, and a reward for his ingenui-
ty, without regarding, whether he was learned or
unlearned.   In this way the faculty have-obtained
all their knowledge of vegetable medicine,  and if
they had confined themselves to this, it would have
been much  better for the people, than to make use
of those poisonous minerals, which have been the
production  of the learned, and is the only addition
they have been able to make to the materia medica.
  In the following work, Dr. Thomson has endea-
vored to  embody in a small compass, and to con-
vey  to the  public in as plain and simple terms as
he was capable, a correct knowledge of his system
of practice, with his manner of treating disease,
together  with a description of all the  vegetable
productions of our country, that he has found use-
ful in curing  disease, and  the best manner of pre-
paring and administering them.  It will be found
of the greatest  importance  to the people ;  being
the result of thirty  years constant practice, in at-
tending on  all kinds of disease common in this
country.  It offers to the -public an opportunity to
make themselves sufficiently acquainted with the
subject, to enable  everyone who avails himself of
it, to become  his own physician, with a trifling ex- 
PREFACE
X>
  To introduce a new system of medical praetice,
and to make an entire change of the public opinion
on so important a Subject, is an undertaking of too
great magnitude to be effected without much diffi-
culty,  let its superiority  over others be  ever  so
great; for whoever undertakes it will have to con-
tend against  the  interest  of a large class of" the
community, and the prejudices of the whole. That
Dr. Thomson has  been  able to effect so  much, is
more surprising, than that he has not done more,
for he has labored under many difficulties, besides
being opposed by a powerful  combination, whose
interest it is to keep the people back from adopting
his practice.  He  has been  obliged to satisfy the
people of what is for their interest,as well as for their
peace and  happiness,  against  their own inclina-
tions; and has pursued  his own  plan with wonder-
ful perseverance, and with an honest and determin-
ed zeal, to do what he thought to be his duty. He
seems to have had in view the public good  more
than his own interest, for  his whole plan has been
to give information to the people, as well as to re-
lieve the"m from disease; and to put it in their pow-
er to- cure themselves and families in all cases of
sickness, without being under the necessity of em-
ploying a doctor.   In pursuing this object, he has
spent the best part of his  days,  and has receiv-
ed but very  small compensation for all his labors.
The pecuniary benefit that he has realized for his
practice and rights sold, would be no temptation to
anyone to undergo the hundredth part of what he
has suffered from persecution.
   Notwithstanding all the difficuties Dr. Thorn-
 eon  has met  with, and all the  opposition he  has
 had to contend against, his system is made use of
 by the people  generally,  in many places, and is
 fast spreading in all parte of the United Statce^— 
Xli                  PREFACE
 Wherever the  people become acquainted with it,
 they universally adopt, and consider it of the great-
 est value; so much so, that there are hundreds
 who would not be deprived of the information they
 have received, for any sum of money  whatever.—
 In several towns large societies have  been formed
 of those who have purchased the rights, and who
 obligate themselves to assist each other in cases of
 sickness;  where this has been the case, great be-
 nefit has been derived, and the success of the prac-
 tice has been complete.  This seems to be the best
 plan for  introducing a correct knowledge of the
 system and practice among the people, and putting
 it in their  power to derive the most  advantage
 from its use; and if a few  of those men who have
 the most influence in society,  would examine into
 the subject with  impartiality, they would readily
 be convinced of its superior usefulness, and by tak-
 ing an interest in diffusing a knowledge of the prac-
 tice among the people, they  would confer a great-
 er benefit  on mankind  than by any charitable act
 they could preform.
  There  has  been one great obstacle in -the way
 of a general  extension of a knowledge  of the prac-
tice; for the want of some means to  convey cor-
 rect  information  how  to  prepare and administer
 the medicine, with  the best manner of treatment
 in curing disease; and also to prevent all who adopt
this system of practice,  from being imposed upon
 by those who pretend to make use of it, without a
proper knowledge of the subject; for  there  are
quacks under this system, as well  as others.  This
is obviated by the following work, in which it is
thought will be found sufficient explanations and
directions, to enable  any  one who pays strict at-
tention to them, to make use of the practice with
safety and success. 
NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE, &C OF
      SAMUEL  THOMSON.

  There is nothing perhaps, more unpleasant than
to write one's own life; for in doing it we are oblig-
ed to pass over again, as it  were, many scenes
which we might wish to have forgotten, and relate
many particulars, which, though they  may  seem
very important to ourselves, yet would be uninter-
esting to the reader.  It is not  my  intention to
attempt to write a history of my  life, nor  would it
be in my power to do it, if I had such a wish ; but
as I have been  the greater part of my life  engaged
in one of the most important  pursuits, and which
is of more consequence to the great  human family
than any other that could be undertaken by man;
that of  alleviating  human misery, by curing all
cases of disease, by the most simple, safe, and cer-
tain method of practice, I think the public will be
interested to know something of me, and the cause
of my having  taken upon myself so important a
ca'ling,  without being regularly  educated to the
profession, which is thought by the world to be in*
dispensably necessary; but  I  will take the liberty
to disagree a little with  them in this particular ;
for, although learning may be a great advantage in
acquiring a profession, yet that  alone,  will never
make a great man, where there is no natural gift.
  By giving a short sketch of the early part of my
existence, and relating  those accidental circum-
stances  that have occoured  during.my  life, and
which were  principally the cause of my- engaging 
  14          NARRATIVE OF THE  LIFE

  in the healing art, will enable the public to judge
  more correctly, whether I have  taken that course
  in fulfilling my duty in this life  which the God of
  nature hath pointed out for me.  In doing th's, I
  shall endeavor to give a plain and simple narrative
  of facts as they  took  place, and relate only those
  particulars of my life, with such of the cases that
  have come under my  care, as will best convey to
  the. reader the most correct information of my sys-
  tem of practice in curing disease.
   I was born February  9, 1769,  in the town of Al-
 sted, county of Cheshire, and State of New Hamp.
 shire.  My father, John Thomson,  was born in
 Northbridge, county  of Worcester, and,. State of
 Massachusetts; he was twenty-five years old when '
 1 was born. My mother's name was Hannah Cobb;
 she was born in Medway, Massachusetts, and was
 four years older than my father.   I had one sister, 1
 older than myself, and three brothers and one sis-
 ter younger, who are all living except my  second
 brother, who died in his fourteenth; year. My oldest'
 sister married Samuel Hills, and lives in Surry, '
 New Hampshire, and my  two  brothers  live ia
 Jericho, Vermont.   My youngest  sister married
 Waters Mather,  and lives hi the State of Ohio.
   The country where J was born was a wilder-
 ness at the time;  my father had began there about
 a year before, at which time there  was  no house
 witim three miles  one  way, and  about one the
 other; tnere were no roads, and they had to  go by
 marked trees   1 he snow  was  verv deep when I
 they  moved there,  and  my  mother "had to travel
 over a mile on snow shoes through the woods to
 get to their habitation.   My parents  were poor,
 having nothing to begin  the world  with- but had
 to depend upon their labor for support.  V  father
had bought a piece of wild land on credit and  had 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.
15
to pay for it by his labor, in what  he could make
off of the land, which caused us great hardship and
deprivation for a long time.
  As soon as I began to form  any correct idea of
things, my mind was much  irritated by the im-
pressions made on it by my parents, who, no doubt
with very good intentions, filled my young head
with  all kinds of hob-goblin  and witch stories,
which made a very deep impression on  my mind,
and which were  not entirely eradicated for many
years.   I mention this as a caution to parents, not
to tell their children any thing but the truth ; for
young  children  naturally believe  whatever  their
parents tell them ; and when they frighten  them
with such stories, for the purpose  of making them
behave well,  it will most generally have a very bad
effect; for when  they arrive at  years of discretion,
and find  that all those stories  are falsehoods, they
will naturally form very unfavorable opinions of
their parents, whose duty it is to  set them better
examples.
  My father  and mother were  of  the Baptist per-
suasion,  and  were very6trict in their religious du-
ties.  They attended meeting every Sabbath, and
my father prayed night and morning in the family.
One day they went-to meeting, and left me and
my sister at home alone, and  told us if we were
wicked,  they would send the bear or the knocker
to carry  us off.  While they were absent,.T was at
play, when we heard a hard knocking on the out-
side  of the  house,  which frightened us very much,
and when they came home, 1 told them what had
happened;  but instead  of letting us know what
it was, they observed it was the knocker they had
told us of, and that or the bear  would always come
if we were wicked and  did not  mind and do aa
they  told  us.  It  was  several years after that 
16
NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
1
  my reason taught  me that this knocker as they
  called it, was a woodpecker that came on the end
  of the  house.  Parents ought to be careful to im-
  press on the  minds of young children correct ideas
  of things, and not mislead  their understanding by
  telling them  falsehoods; for it will be of the great-
  est importance  as  respects their future  conduct
  and pursuits in life.
   When I was between  three and four years old,
  my father took me out to  work.  The first busi-
  ness I was set to do, was to drive the cows to pas-
 ture, and watch the geese, with othersmall chores,
 which  occupation kept me all day  in the fields.
 I was very curious  to know the names of all the
 herbs v/hich I saw growing, and what they were
 good for; and to  satisfy  my curiosity,  was  con-
 stantly making inquiries of those persons that  I
 happened to be with, for that purpose.  All  the
 information I  thus  obtained,  or by  my own per-
 sonal observation, I carefully laid up  in my memo-
 ry,, and never forgot.   There was an old lady by
 the name of Benton, lived near us, who used to
 attend our family when there was any sickness.
 At that time there was no such  thing as a doctor
 known among us;  there not being any within ten
 miles.   The whole of her practice was with'ropta
 and  herbs, applied to the  patient, or  given in  hot
 drinks,  to produce  sweating; which always  an-
 swered the purpose.  When one thing did not  pro-
 duce the desired effect, she would try something
else  till they  were relieved.  I3y her attention to
the family, and the beneutsthey received from  her
 skill, we became very much  attached to her-  and
 vyhen she used  to go out to  collect roots and herbs,
she  would take  me with -her,  and learn me their
names, and what they were good for ; and I used
to be very curious in my inquiries, and in tasting 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.
17
every thing that I found.  The information I thus
obtained at this early age, was afterwards of great
use to me.
  Some time in the summer, after I was four years
old, being out in the fields in search of the cows,
I discovered  a plant which had a singular branch
and pods that I had never before  seen; and I had
the curiosity to pick some  of the pods  and chew
them.   The taste  and operation produced, was so
remarkable  that  I never forgot it.   I afterwards
used to induce  other boys to chew it, merely by
way of sport, to see them vomit.  I tried this herb
in this way for nearly twenty years, without know-
ing any thing of its medical  virtues.  This plant
is what I have called the emetic herb, and is the
most important article I make use of in my prac-
tice.   It is very  common in most  parts of this
country, and  may be prepared and used in almost
any manner.  It is a certain counter poison, having
never been known to fail to counteract the effects
of the most deadly poison, even when taken in large
quantities for self-destruction.  There is no danger
to be apprehended from its use, as it is perfectly
harmless in its  operation; even when a large quan-
tity is taken, it operates as an emetic, cleanses the
stomach from all improper aliment, promotes an
internal heat which is immediately felt at the ex-
tremities, and produces perspiration.  The exclu-
sive right of  using this plant for medical purposes
is secured to me by patent, and my right to the dis-
covery has never been disputed;  though the doctors
have  done every  thing they could to destroy the
credit of it, by  false statements, representing it to
be a deadly poison, and at the  same time they knew
to the  contrary, for they have made use of it them-
selves for several years, and have tried to defraud
me of the discovery.   I feel perfectly convinced,
               B 
18         NARRATIVE OF TnE  LIFE
from nearly thirty years' experience of its medical
properties, that the discovery is of incalculable im-
portance;  and if properly understood by the peo-
ple,  will  be  more useftil  in curing the  diseases
incident to this climate, than the medicines sold
by all the  apothecaries in the country.
  At five years of age, my father put me to hard
work, and was very strict, using the greatest se-
verity towards me.   I  used to  suffer much frona
pains in my  hips and back, being lame from my
birth, and the hard work made me so stiff, that in
the morning  it was with difficulty I could walk.^
My father's severity towards me made  me  verr
unhappy,  for  I was constantly  in fear, lest  ho
should call and I should not hear him, in which
case he used to punish me very severely.  I con-
tinued in this situation till I was eight'years old,
when my brothers began to be some help, which
took part  of  the burthen from me.   We suffered
great hardships and lived very poorly; but we al-
ways had  something to eat,  and  were contented,
for we knew of nothing better: a dish of bean por-
ridge and some potatoes,  were our constant fare,
and this was  better than many others had.  The
greatest part  of this winter  we had to live in the
barn.  In July my father had got a part of a new
house covered, and we moved into  it; which was
more comfortable than the  barn.   About this time
my mother was taken sick,  and was carried to Mr6.
Benton's, for her to take care of, where she remain-
ed for several weeks, during which time, by using
such means as this old lady prescribed, she recov-
ered. At this time I had never been to school  or
had any chance whatever  to learn to read.  My
father kept me constantly  at work all week day/
and on Sunday I had to go  a  considerable distance
on foot  to meeting,  and the rest of the day wai 
              OF SAMUEL THOMSON.            19    j

 kept on my feet in hearing him read the catechism,    ,]
 creed and prayers, so that I had little time to rest   \
 on that day.
  _ The winter I was eight years old, I  was  very   If
 sick with the canker rash, but was attended by the   il
 widow Benton, who cured me by making use of   f]
 such medicine as our country afforded, and I was   jjj
 in a short time able to be about.  After I had got    I
 well, my mind was more attentive to  the use  of    f
 roots and herbs as medicine, than ever.   I had at    '
 that time a very good knowledge of the principal    fe|
 roots  and herbs to be found in that part of the    !j
 country, with their names and medical uses; and     |
 the neighbors were in the habit of getting me  to
 go with them to show them such roots and herbs as     j
 the doctors §rdered to be made use of in sickness
 for syrups, &c. and by  way of  sport they used to     1
 call me doctor.   While  in the field to work I used
 often to find the hsrb, which  I  tasted when  four
 years  old, and gave it to those who worked with
 me, to f-ee them spit and vomit, but I never observ-
 ed any bad effect produced by it, which simple'ex-
 periments eventually led me to observe the value
 of it in disease.
  When I was about ten years old,  there was a
 school a little more than a mile from my father's,
 where I had the opportunity of attending for ona
 month.  The weather was cold and the going bad,
 which caused me to make very  slow progress in
 my learning;  but the chance we considered a great
 privilege, for the country was new and the people
 poor, and the opportunity for children to get learn-
 ing very email.   I took a great dislike to working
 on a farm, and never could be reconciled to it; for
nothing could strike me with greater dread than
to hear the name of a plough, or any other thing
used on a farm, mentioned.  This I have always     j 
20          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

attributed to the hardships I  have underwent, and
the severity which my  lather  used constantly to
exercise towards me from the time I was five to ten
years old.  AH that time I used to think that if I
ever had any land I would not plough it; and if
my father's treatment of me  was the effect of his
religion, I never  wifhed to have any.  This was
when he v> as under the strongest  influence of the
baptist pereuasion, and used  to be very zealous in
his religious duties, praying  night and morning,
and sometimes three times a  day.   He was a man
of violent and quick  temper, and when in his fits
of passion, my mother used frequently to remind
him of certain parts of his  prayer; such as thre, •
which I never forgot: "May we live sobeily,right-
eously, and gcdly in the present evil .world." £ho
was a woman much respected in the  town where
we lived.
  About the  time I was  fourteen years old, my j
father left the baptist persuasion, and eitibraced
that  of universal  salvatior.—"By grace are ye
saved, through faith; not of  yourselves, it is the
gift of God."  If he ever experienced a charge of
heart, for the better, it v* as at this time; his love to
God and man was great, and  1 had great reason to
rejoice, for he v\as like another man in his house.
He continued to enjoy the same belief with much
comfort to the time of his death, which took place
in August, 1&20, aged ',6.  My mother remained
many years in the full belief of the salvation of all
men,  and continued so till her death
  Some time during the year that I  was sixteen
years old, I heard my parens  say, that as my mind
was so much taken up with roots and herbs they
thought it best to send me to live with a doc5
Juller, of Westmoreland, who was called a root
doctor.  1 his pleased me very much, and in some 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.           21
measure raised my ambition; but I was soon after
disappointed in my hopes, for they said I had not
learning  enough,  and they did not know how to
spare me from my work, which depressed my spirits
and was very discouraging to me.  I now gave up
all hopes of going  to any other business, and tried
to reconcile myself to spend my days in  working
on a farm, which made me very unhappy.  I had
little learning, and was awkward, and ignorant of
the  world, as my father had never given me any
chance to go into company to learn how to behave,
which caused me  great uneasiness.
  In the yeax 17SS,  when I  was in my nineteenth
year, my father purchased a piece of land on Onion
river, in the state  of Vermont, and on the l'2th day
of October he started from  Alstead, and took me
with him, to go to work on the land and  clear up
some of it to build a house on, as it was all cover-
ed with wood. In about four days after our arrival
we  were  enabled to  clear a small spot, and to build
us a camp to live  in; we had to do our cooking and
washing; our fare was poor, and we had  to  work
very hard; but we got along tolerably well till the
2d of December, when I had the misfortune to cut
my ancle very badly, which accident prevented
me  from doing any  labor a  long time, and  almost
deprived me of life.  The wound was a very bad
one, as it split the joint and laid the bone entirely
bare, so as to lose the juices of my ancle joint to
such a degree as to reduce my strength very much.
My father sent for a Dr. Cole, of Jericho, who or-
dered sweet appletree bark  to be boiled, and the
wound to be washed with it, which caused great
pain, and made  it  much  worse, so that in eight
days my  strength was almost exhausted;  the flesh
on my leg and thigh was mostly gone, and my life
was despaired of;  the doctor said he could do no 
S3          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
 more for me; my father was greatly alarmed about
 me, and said that if Dr. Kittridge, of Walpole,
 could be sent for, he thought he might help  me;
 but I told him it  would be in vain to send for him,
 I could not live so long as it would take to go af-
 ter him, without some immediate assistance.  Ho
 said he did not know what to do; I told him that
 there was one thing I had  thought of, which I
 wished to have tried, if it could be obtained, that
 I thought would help me.  He anxiously inquired
 what it was, and  I told him  if he could find some
 comfrey root, I would try a plaster made of that and
 turpentine.   He immediately went to an old place
 that was settled before the war, and had the good
 luck to find some;  a plaster was  prepared by  my
 directions and applied to my ancle, the side oppo-
 site  the wound,  and  had the desired effect;  the
juices stopped running in about six hours, and I
 was very much relieved, though the pain contin-
 ued to be very severe, and the inflammation was
 great; the juices   settled between the  skin  and
 bone  and  caused  a suppuration, which broke in
 about three weeks, during which  time I did  not
 have  three nights' sleep, nor did I  eat any thing.
 This accidental remedy was found through neces-
sity, and was the  first time  the mother of inven-
tion held forth her hand to me.  The success which
attended this experiment, and the natural turn of
my  mind to these things, I think was a principal
cause of my continuing to practice the healino- art
to this time.
  Our stock of provisions being now  exhausted
and my wound somewhat better, my father was
very anxious to return to  Alsteatl.  He asked  mo
if I thought I could bear the  journey if he should
place me in a bed laid on a sled.  I  answered that
I was willing to try.  He immediately  went to 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.
23
 work and fixed a 6led, and put me in it on a straw
 bed; and on the first  day of January, 1789, we be-
 gan our journey.  There was very little snow and
 the road rough, which caused the sled to jolt very
 much,  and my sufferings were great.  It was very
 doubtful with my father, and likewise  with  me,
 whether I should live to perform the journey; but
 we proceeded, however, without any thing import-
 ant happening, except wearing out the runners of
 our sled and having to make new ones, and accom-
 plished twenty  miles the first  day.  At a place
 where  we stopped all night, there was  a  woman
 whose  situation appeared to me so much worse
 than my own, that I felt much  encouraged.   She
 had been sick  with  a  fever, and  the doctor had
 given so much poisonous medicine, to break the
 fever,  as he called it, that she was left  in a most
 miserable situation.   Her side and shoulder were
 in a putrid state, and in as bad  a condition as my
 aricle.   My father in  dressing my  wound  had
 drawn  a string through between the heel cord and
 bone, and another between that and the skin, so
 that two-thirds of the  way  round  my ancle  was
 hollow.
  At a place where we stopped on the third night,
 a circumstance had occurred which, from the no-
 velty, I think worth mentioning. A young woman
 who lived in the family had a strong inclination to
 sleep more than what is common, and had express-
 ed a wish that they would let  her  sleep  enough
once.   She went to bed on Sunday night, and did
not wake again till Tuesday morning, having slept
thirty-six hours.  On awaking, she  had no idea of
having slept more than one night, but  began to
make preparation for washing, as was the custom
on Mondays, till she was informed that they had
 washed the day before.  Her health was good, and 
24          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
she never after that required more sleep than other
persons.
  When  we got to the high land there was consid-
erable snow, and we got along much more comfort-
able.   I  had to be carried in on  the  bed  and laid
by the fire, every night, during the journey.  The
people generally where  we stopped, treated me
with  kindness, and  showed much pity  for me  in
my distressed situation;  but they all thought that
I should not live to get through the journey.  The
doctors had advised to have my leg cut off, as the
only means of saving my life, and all those who
saw  me  during our journey expressed the same
opinion;  and I think it would have been done had
I given my consent, but  I  positively refused—so
the plan was given up.   I preferred  taking my
chance with my  leg on, to having it  taken off;
which resolution I have never repented of, to this
day.
  On arriving in Walpole, my father proceeded
immediately to the house of the famous Dr. Kit-
tridge, to have him dress my wound, and get his
opinion of my situation; he not being at home, and
it being  nearly dark, we concluded to put up for
the night, and I was carried in on my bed and laid
by the fire.  The doctor soon came home, and  on
entering  the room where  I was, cried out in a very
rough manner, Who have you here?   His wife an-
swered, A sick man.  The devil, replied he, I want
no sick man here.   I  was  much  terrified by his
coarse manner of speaking, and thought if he was
so rough  in his conversation, what wfll he be when
he comes to dress my wound? but I was  hamoilv
disappointed,  for  he  took  off the dressing with
great care, and handled  me very tenderlv   On
seeing the strings that were in the wound  he ex
claimed,  What the devil are all these halters here 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.
25
fori   My father told him  they  were  put in to
keep the sore open.   He said he  thought the sore
open  enough now,  for  it  is all rotten.  Being
anxious to know his opinion  of me, my father
asked him what he  thought of my situation.—
What do I think? said he, why I think he will die ;
and then looking very pleasantly  at me, said, tho'
I think young man,  you will get well first.   In
the morning he  dressed  my ancle again and gave
me some salve  to use  in future; and my father
asked him for his bill, which was I  think, for our
keeping and attending on me, about fifty cents.—
A great contrast between this and what is charged
at the present time by our regular physicians ;  for
they will  hardly look at a person without making
them pay two or three dollars.   I have been more
particular in describing this interview with Dr.
Kittridge, on account of his extraordinary skill
in surgery,  and the  great name  he  acquired, and
justly deserved, among the  people throughout the
country.  His system of practice was peculiarly
his own, and all the medicine he used were prepar-
ed by himself, from the roots and herbs of our own
country.  He was a  very excentric character, and
uncouth in his  manners ; but he possessed a good
heart, and a benevolent disposition.   He was  go-
verned in his practice by that great plan which is
dictated by nature; and the uncommon success he
met  with, is evidence  enough to satisfy  arty rea-
sonable mind, of the superiority of it, over  the
practice of  those who become doctors by reading
only, with their poisonous instruments of torture.
   We left Walpole and arrived at our home about
noon, and my mother, brothers and  sisters, were
much rejrficed  to see me,  though grieved  at  my
distressed situation; and never was any one more
in need of the tender care of friends than I was at 
26         «JARRATIVE  OF THE  LIFE
 that time.   My mother proved to me the old say-
 ing  that a friend in need is a friend indeed. My
 case was  considered doubtful for some time.  I
 ■was from the first of December to the first of March
 unable  to walk; but by good  nursing and con-
 stant care, I was enabled in the spring to attend to
 the  business at home, so that my father left me in
 charge of the farm, and  went with my brother to
 Onion river again to work on his land.
   On the 9th of February, 1790,1 was twenty-one
 years of age, and my father gave me a deed of one
 half of his farm  in Alstead, consisting of one hun-
 dred and twenty-five acres; and I carried it on for
 three years; and he had the liberty  to take such
 stock as he pleased.  He then made preparations <
 and  removed to Onion river, and left my mother
 and  sister to my care.   Soon after  I took a-bad
 cold, which threw me into a slow fever.  In the
 month of March w^e all had the  measles, and my
 mother had what the doctors called the black kind,
 and was so bad that her life was despaired of.  The
 disease  turned  in and seated on her lungs, and
 she never  recovered her health.'  Several doctors
 attended her without doing her any good: her
 cough was  very severe and her  mouth was sore,
 and she  was greatly distressed.  I attended upon
 her under the direction of the doctors, and  took
 the cough, and had much the samo  symptoms.—
 She continued to grow worse daily; the doctors
 gave  her disease the name of galloping consump-
tion, which I thought was a very appropriate name;
for they are the riders, and their whip is mercury,
 opium, and vitriol,  and they galloped her out of

 13th of May,  1790.                  ^
  I was at this time very low with the saVe disor-
der that my mother died with, and  the doctor often 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.  -          87
 importuned me to take some of his medicine; but
 I declined it, thinking I had rather die a natural
' death.  He tried to frighten me  by telling  me it
 was the la6t chance of getting help, and he thought
; he could cure me; but I told him I had  observed
 the effect his medicine had on my mother, for she
 constantly grew worse under the operation of it,
 and I had no desire to risk  it on  myself.  I have
 always been of the opinion, that if I had followed
 his advice, I should have been galloped out of the
 world as mf mother was;  and I never repented of
 my  refusal to this day.
   After my mother died, I undertook to doctor my-
 self, and made  some syrups of such things as I had
 a knowledge of, which relieved  my cough; and
 with the warm weather,  I  so far  recovered my
 health as to be able to work sometime in June.—
 Being without women's help I was obliged to hiro
 such as  I could get,  which proved a  disadvantage
 to my  interest, and I thought it would be best to
 find  some  person who would take an interest in
 saving my property.  On the 7 th day of July, 17S0,
 I  was married to  Susan Allen.  We were  both
 young, and had great hardships to encounter, but
 we got along very well, and  both  enjoyed  good
 health until our first  child  was born, which was on
 the 4th day of July following.  My wife was taken
 ill on  Saturday, and  sent for  help;  she lingered
along till  Sunday night,  when she  became  very
bad;  her situation was dangerous, and she was in
hand constantly all night, until sunrise the next
morning, when she was delivered: but her senses
were gone.  During the whole night it was one
continued struggle of forcing nature, which pro-
duced so great an injury to the nervous system, as
to cause  strong convulsion fits in about an hour af-
ter her delivery.  Tho  witnessing of this horrid 
28          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
 scene of human butchery, was one great cause of
 my paying attention to midwifery, and my practice
 has since been very successful in it.
   Her fits continued to grow worse; there were six
 doctors  attended her that day and a seventh was
 sent for  but she grew worse under their  care: for
 one  would give her medicine,  and  another said
 that he did wrong;  another would bleed her, and
 the other would say that he did wrong, and  so on
 through the whole.  I heard one of them say that
 his experience in this case was worth fifty dollars.
 I found that they were trying their practice by ex-
 periments; and was so dissatisfied with their con-
 duct, that at night I told  them what  I  thought;
 and that I had heard them  accusing each other of
 doing  wrong; but I was  convinced they had all
 told the truth, for they had  all done wrong.   They
 all gave her over to die,and I dismissed them, hav-
 ing seen enough of their conduct to  convince ma
 that they v/ere doing more hurt than good.
   After they were gone, I sent for Dr.  Watts and
 Dr. Fuller, who were  called root doctors.   They
 attended her through the night, and in  the morn-
 ing about the  same time that they began, the fits
 left her.  She had in the whole, eighteen, of the
 most shocking convulsion fits that had ever been
 seen by any one present. The spasms were so vio-
 lent as to jar the whole house.  After the fits had
 left her  she was entirely senseless, and was ra-
 ving distracted for  three days;  and then became
 perfectly stup.d and lay in that situation for  three
?££ dW,  ft Wjed three days, and then  cried
three days; after wh.ch she seemed to awake like
 a person from sleep, and had no knowledge of what
 had passed, or that she had been sicker fed a chUd
 Ihese  two doctors continued to attend  w  «n«i
used all the means in their power ^Len^en 
OF SAMUEL  THOMSON          29
the nervous system.  She gained very slowly, and
it was a long time before she got about; but she
never got entirely over it.   This sickness put me
back in my business very much, and the expense
was above two hundred dollars.

  In about a  month after my wife had  recovered
from her sickness, she was attacked with the chol-
ic, which required all my attention and that of the
two doctors who attended her before; but all  our
exertions  appeared to be in vain, for the  disease
had its regular course for  several days and then
left her.   These attacks continued once a month,
or oftener, and it was so much trouble to go for the
doctor so often, as I had to  go during these turns,
that I let  a  young man who  studied  with  Dr.
Watts, have a house en my  farm, so as to have him
handy; but 1 soon  found that by having a doctor
so near, there was plenty of business for him ; for
there  was not a month in the year but what I  had
somebody sick in my family. If a child was attack-
ed with any trifling complaint the doctor was sent
for, and they were sure to have a long sickness;
eo he paid his rent and keeping very easy.  This
doctor lived on my farm seven years, during which
time I acquired a  very good knowledge of all the
medicine he made use of, and his manner of curing
disease, which has been of  great use to  me. Find-
ing that I had a natural turn for medical practice,
he  spared no pains to give  me all the information
in  his power ; but I had no thought at that time
of ever practising, except it v\ as to attend my own
family.  During  the first of his practice he used
chiefly roots and herbs, and his success was very
great in curing canker and  old complaints:  but he
afterwards got into the fashionable mode of trea-
ting his patients, by giving them apothecary's drugs 
 30           NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

 which made  him more popular with the faculty,
 but less useful to his fellow creatures.
   My mind was bent on learning the medical prop-
 erties of such vegetables as I met with, and was.:
 constantly tasting every thing of the kind I saw;
 and having a retentive memory, I have always re-
 collected the taste and use of all that were  ever
 shown me by others, and likewise of all that I dis-
 covered myself.  The practice of tasting of herbs
 and roots has been of great advantage to me, as I
 have always been able to ascertain what is useful
 for any particular disease  by that means.  I was
 often told that I should poison myself by  tasting
 every thing I saw; but I  thought  I ought to have
 as much knowledge as a beast, for the Creator had
 given them an instinct to discover what is good for
 food, and what is necessary  for medicine.  I had
 but very little knowledge of disease at this time;
 but  had a great inclination to learn, whenever I  1
 had  an opportunity; and my own experience which
 is'the host school, had often called my attention
 to the subject.
  The herb which I had discovered when four years  ■
 old, I had often met with; but it had never occur-
 red to me that it was of aay value as a medicine,
 until about this time—when mowing in  a  fiold
 with a number of men one day, I cut a sprig of it,
 and gave  to the man next me, who  eat it;° when
 we  had got to the end of the piece, which  was
 about six rods, he said that he believed what I
 had given him would kill him, for he never felt so
 m his life.  I looked at him, and saw that he was
 in a most profuse  perspiration, being  as wet all
over as he could be;  he trembled very much, and
there was no more color in him than a  corpse.—
I told him to go to the spring and drink some wa-
ters he attempted to go and got as far as the wall 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.           31
but was unable to get over it, and laid down on the
ground and vomited several times.  He said  he
thought he threw off his stomach two quarts.   I
then helped him into the house, and in about two
hours he ate a very hearty dinner, and in the af-
ternoon was. able to do  a good half day's labor.
He afterwards told me that he never had any thing
to do him 60 much  good in his life; his  appetite
was remarkably good, and he  felt better than  he
had for a long time.  This circumstance gave ma
the first idea of the medicinal virtues of this val-
uable plant, which I have since found, by twenty
years' experience, (in which time I have made use
of it in every disease I have  met with, to great
advantage,) to be a discovery of the greatest im-
portance.
  In March, 1794, my second daughter was born;
and my wife  had no medical assistance except
what I could give her, with the advice of the doc-
tor who lived on my farm.   After this she was ne-
ver again afflicted with thecholic.   In'the course
of this year the lease of my father's half of the
(arm expired, andVe made a division of the stock.
My  half was five yearlings and half a colt; this
with half the farm, containing  about one hundred
ind  twenty-five acres, was all the property I pos-
sessed, and I was little in debt.   Soon  after,  I
purchased of my father the other half of the farm,
for which I gave six hundred and  thirty-six  dol-
lars payable in stock, one half in two years and
the  other in four.   In order to meet these  pay-
ments, I purchased calves and colts; but it proved
hard for me, as they brought, when the payment
became  due, but little more than the first cost,
ifter having kept them two years; I offered them
to my father, for what hay they eat the last  year
would have sold for, but he would not agree to it. 
 32          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

 I settled with him, however, and paid himacconk
 ing to  contract.   I afterwards  purchased  of a
 neighbor a small piece of land, which incommoded
 me, the  trees shading my house part of the fore-
 noon ;  for which I agreed to pay him seventy-thref
 dollars and thirty-three cents in three years, with
 interest.  This turned out a troublesome affairfoi
 me, for when  I came to pay the interest the second
 year,  the note  was more than  when first given,
 having been  altered ;  and I  refused to pay any
 thing.   Whe« the note became due, I  would pay
 no more than what it was given for, and it was
 sued, and my cattle and horses were attached.  It
 went  through a course of law, and cost us botha
 great deal of expense and trouble;  he lost his note
 and I  recovered damages for his taking my cattle
 and horses.  This was the first time  I had any
 thing to do with the law, and in the whole it cost"
 me about one hundred dollars;  but it was a g< '
 lesson, and has  been worth to me the expense.
   When  my eldest daughter was about two years
 old, she was taken sick, and  had what is called the
 canker-rash.  Doctor Bliss, who lived on my farm,
 was sent for,  and he said  she had the disorder  as
 bad as any one he ever saw.  He tried his utmdst
 skill to prevent putrefaction,  which  he feared
 would take place; but after using every exertion
 in his power  without doing her any good, he said
 he could  do no more, she  must  die.  She waa'
 senseless, and the canker was to  be seen in her
 mouth, nose and ears, and  one of her  eyes waa
 covered  with  it and closed ; the other began to
 swell and turn purple also.   1 asked the doctor if
 he could not keep the canker out of this eye ; but
he  said it would be of no use, for she could not
live    I told  him  that if he could  do no more, J
would try what I could do myself.   I found that'^ 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.           S3
 the canker could not be stopped immediately, she
 would be blind with both eyes.  She  was so dis-
 tressed, for  breath that she would spring straight
 up on end in struggling to breathe.  I sat myself
 in'a chair, and held her in my lap, and put a blan-
 ket round us both; then my wife held  a hot spider
 or shovel between my  feet, and I poured on vine-
 gar to raise the steam, and kept it as hot as I found
 she could bear, changing them as they  became too
 cold;  and by following  this plan for about twenty
 minutes,  she became  comfortable and  breathed
 easy.  I kept a cloth wet with cold water on her
 eyes, changing it as often as it grew warm. I fol-
 lowed this plan,  steaming her every two hours, for
 about a week, when she began to gain.   Her eyes
 came  open, and whet was the worst, was complete-
 ly covered with canker, and was as white as paper.
 I usfd a wash of rosemary to take off  the canker,
 and when the scale came off, the sight came out
 with it;  and it entirely perished.  The other eye
 was saved,  to the  astonishment of all  who saw
 her, particularly  the doctor, who used frequently to
call to see how she did.  He sajd she  was saved
entirely by the plan-1 had pursued and the great
care and  attention paid to her.  She entirely re-
covered from the  disease, with the exception of the
loss of one eye, and has enjoyed good health to this
time.  This was the first of my finding out the plan
of steaming and using  cold  water.   After this I
found  by experience, that putting a hot stone into
a vessel  of hot water, leaving it partly  out of wa-
ter, and then pouring vinegar on the stone, was an
improvement.  Care should be taken not to raise
the heat too fast; and I used  to put a cloth wet
with cold water on the  stomach, at the same time
giving hot medicine to  raise the heat inside; and
when they had been steamed in this manner as long
              C 
34          NARRATIVE OF THE LITE
as I thought they could bear it; I then rubbed them•
all over with a cloth wet with spirits, vinegar, or j
cold water, changed their clothes and bed clothes, I
and then let them go to bed.
   A short  time before this daughter was sick, my
oldest son was born, and was very weakly in con-
sequence of his mother's having what is called a
three months' fever, previous to his birth, which
experience gave me a pretty good knowledge of
the practice of the doctors in prolonging a disease;
for I never could reconcile  myself to the idea, that
a doctor could be of any use  if the fever must have
its course, and  nature had to perform the cure, at
the same time the doctor gets his pay, and the cre-
dit of it.  If the patient's constitution be so strong
as to enable them to struggle  against the operation
of the medicine and the disorder, they will recover;  |
but if not, they run down in  what the doctorffcall
a galloping consumption.  The  doctor proceeded
in this way with my wife,  until I was satisfied of j
his plan, when  I interfered  and dismissed  him.  _
As soon as she  left off taking his medicine, she  :
began gradually to gain  her health,  and  60on got
about.
   When this son was about six weeks old, he was
attacked with the croup, or rattles.  He was taken
a little before sunset with a hoarseness,  was very
much clogged with phlegm, and breathed with  so
much difficulty, that he could be heard all over the
house.  I sent for the doctor, and he attended him
till about ten o'clock at  night without doing him
any good, and then  went  away, saying that  he
would not live till morning.  After he was gone, I
was again obliged to call on  the mother of inven-
tion, and  try what I could do myself; I  searched
the house for some rattlesnake's oil,'and was so
fortunate as to find about three or four drops whieh 
OF- SAMUEL THOMSON.           35
I immediately gave him, and it loosened the phlegm,
and he soon began to breathe easy.   By close at-
tention through the night, the child was quite com-
fortable in the mocningj-  The doctor came  the
aext day  and expressed great astonishment  on
finding the child alive, ar.d'was anxious to know
by what means he mad been relieved from so des-
perate  ^situation". On my informing him, he seem-
ed well pleased with the information, and observed
that he was willing to allow, that the greatest
knowledge trmt doctors ever obtained was either
by accident or through necessity.   So the dis-
covery of  a cure for this desperate disease,  by ne-
cessity, wa%of great use both to ma and the doc-
tor; However, instead of giving me credit for the
information he gained of me, he charged /or his
useless visit.
  l'was in the habit at this time, of gathering and
preserving, in the proper season, all kinds of medi-
cal herbs and roots that I was  acquainted with, in
order to be able at all  times  to prevent as well aa
to cure disease, for I found by experience, that one
ounce of preventive was better than a pound of cure.
Only the simple article of mayweed, when a per-
son has taken a bad cold, by taking a strong1 cup
of the tea when going to bed, will prevent more
disease in one night, with one cents' expense, than
would be cured by the doctor in  one  month, and
one hundred dollars expense  in their charges, apo-
thecary's drugs, and nurses.
  I had not the most distant idea, at this time, of
over engaging in the practice of medicine, mora
than to assist my own family; and little did I think
what those severe trials and sufferings I experien-
ced in  the cases that  have been  mentioned,  and
which  I was  driven to by necessity, were to bring
about.   It seemed as  a judgment upon me, that 
3S          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
  either myself or family, or some one  lived on my J
  farm, which was about seven years.  Since I have '
  had more experience, and become better acquaint*
  ed with the subject, I am satisfied in my own mind
  of the cause.  Whenever any of my family took*
  cold,  the doctor was «ent for, who would alwayf
 either bleed or give  physic.  Taking away  the
 blood reduces the heat, and gives power to the cold,
 which increases the  disorder, and the coldness of
 the stomach causes canker; the physic drives all
 the determining powers from the surface inward-
 ly, and scatters the canker through the stomach
 and bowels, which holds the cold inside and drives
 the heat on the outside.  The consequence is, that
 perspiration  ceases,  because internal heat is the
 sole cause of this important evacuation; and a set-
 tled fever takes place, which will continue as long
 as the cold keeps the upper hand.  My experience
 has taught me, that  by giving hot medicine, the
 internal heat is increased, and  by applying the
 steam externally, the natural perspiration is re- j
 stored, and by giving medicine to clear the stomach |
 and bowels from canker, till the cold is driven out
 and the heat returns, which is the turn of the fe-
 ver, the digestive organs will recover their health
 and action, so that food, which is the fuel that con-
 tinues the fire or life of man,  will keep  the heat
 where it naturally belongs.
  After the doctor, who lived on  my farm, moved^
 away, I had very little sickness in my family  On
 the birth of my second son, which was about two
 years from the birth of the first, we had no occa-
 sion for a doctor; my wife did well, and the child
 was more healthy than the others had been; and I
 have never employed  a doctor since; for I found
from sad  experince, that they made much more
■ickness than they cured.  Whenever  any of my > 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.           37
 family were 6ick I had  no difficulty in restoring
 them to health by such means as were within my
 knowledge. As fast as my children arrived at years
 of discretion, I instructed  them how to relieve
 themselves, and they have all enjoyed good health
 ever since.  If parents would adopt the same plan,
 and depend more upon themselves, and less upon
 the doctors, they would  avoid much sickness in
 their families, as well as save the expense  attend-
 ing the employment of one of the regular  physi-
 cians, whenever any trifling sickness occurs, whose
 extravagant charges are a grievous and heavy bur-
 then upon the people. I shall endeavor to instruct
 them all in my power, by giving them a plain and
 clear view of the experience I have had, tltat they
 may benefit by it.  If they do not, the.fault will
 not be  mine, for I shall have done my duty.  I am
 certain of the fact, that  there is medicine enough
 in the country within the reach of every  one, to
 cure all the disease incident to  it,  if timely  and
 properly administered.
  At the birth of my third son, my wife was again
 given over by the midwife.  Soon after the child
 was born, she was taken with ague fits  and cramp
 in the stomach; she was in great pain, and we
 were much alarmed at her situation.  I proposed
 giving  her some medicines,  but the midwife was
 much opposed to it; she said she wished to have a
 doctor, and the sooner the better.  I  immediately
 sent for one, and tried to persuade her to give my
 wife something which I  thought would relieve her
 until the doctor could come; but she objected to it,
 saying  that her case was a very difficult one,  and
 would  not  allow to be trifled with; she said she
 was sensible of the dangerous  situation my wife
 was in, for  not one out of twenty lived through it,
and probably she would not be alive in twenty-four 
38         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

hours from that time.  We were thus kept in suffr
pense until the man returned and the doctor could ^
not be found, and there was no other within six
miles.  I then came to the determination of hear-
ing to no one's advice any longer, but to pursue my
own plan.  I told my wife that as the midwife said
she could not live  more  than twenty-four hours,
her life could not be cut short more than that time,
therefore there could be no hazard in trying what
I could do to relieve her.  I gave her some warm
medicine to raise the inward heat, and then applied
the steam, which was very much opposed by the
midwife; but I persisted in it according to the best
of my judgment and relieved her in about one hour,
after she had laid in that situation above four hours,
without any thing being done.  The midwife ex-
pressed a great deal of astonishment at the success
I had met with, and said that I had sa\ ed her life,
for she was certain that without the means I had
used, she could not have lived.  She continued to ,
do well, and soon recovered.  This made the fifth'
time I had applied to the mother  of invention for
assistance, and in all of them was completely suc-
cessful.
  These things began to be taken some  notice of,
and caused much conversation in the neighborhood.
My assistance was called for by some of the neigh-
bors, and I  attended several cases with  good suc-
cess.  I had previous to this time, paid  some at-
tention to the farrier business, and had been useful
in that line.  Tins,  however, gave  occasion for
the ignorant and credulous to ridicule me and laugh
at those whom I attended; but  these things had
but little weight with me, for I had  no  other ob-
ject m view but to  be serviceable to my fellow
creatures and I was too firmly fixed in my deter-
mination to pursue that course which I considered 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.
39
was pointed out as my duty, by the experience and
many hard trials I had suffered, to be deterred by
the foolish remarks of the envious or malicious part
of community.
  This last sickness of my wife, I think took place
in the year 1779, and about two  years after, she
had another  son, and did well,  making five sons
she had in succession; she afterwards had another
daughter, which was the last, making eight chil-
dren in the whole that she was the  mother of:—
five sons  and three  daughters.  I mention these
particulars in order that  the reader may the better
understand many things that took place in my fami-
ly which will give some  idea of the experience and
trouble I had to encounter in  bringing up so large
a family, especially with the many trials I had to
go through in the various cases of sickness and
troubles which are naturally attendant on all fami-
lies, and of which I had a very large share.  The
knowledge and experience,  however, which  I
gained by these trying scenes, I have reason to be
satisfied with, as it has proved a  blessing not only
to me, but to many hundreds  who have  been re-
lieved from  sickness and distress, through  my
means; and I hope and trust that it will eventually
be the cause of throwing off the  veil of ignorance
from the eyes of the good  people of this country,
and do away the blind confidence they are so much
in the habit of placing in those who call themselves
physicians, who fare sumptuously every day, living
in splendor and  magnificence, supported by the im-
positions they practice upon a deluded and credu-
lous people;  for they have much  more regard for
their own interest than they have for the health
and happiness of those who are so unfortunate ae
to have any  thing  to do with them.   If this was
the  worst side of the  picture, it might be borne 
  40            NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

  with more patience; but their practice is altogether
  experimental,  to try the effects of their poisons
  upon the constitutions of their patients, and if they
  happen to give more  than nature can bear, they
,  either die or become miserable invalids the rest of
  their lives, and their friends console themselveit
  with the idea that it is the will of God,  and it is
  their duty to submit; the doctor gets well paid for
  his services, and that is an end of the tragedy. It
  may be thought by some that this is a highly colored
  picture, and that I am uncharitable to apply it to all
  who practice  as physicians; but the truth of the
  6tatements, as respects what  are called regular
  physicians, or  those  who get diplomas  from the ;
  medical society, will not be doubted by any one who
  is acquainted with the subject, and will throw aside
  prejudice, and reflect seriously upon it—those whom <
  the coat fits, I am willing should wear it.  There
  are, however, many physicians within my know-
  ledge, who do  not  follow the fashionable mode of
  practice of the day, but are governed by their own
 judgments, and  make use of the vegetable medi-
 cine of our own country, with the  mode of treat-
 ment most consistent with nature; and what is the •!
 conduct towards them, of those who have under-
 taken to dictate to the people, how and by whom
 they shall be attended when  sick?   Why, means
 that would disgrace  the  lowest dregs of society!
 that savages would not be guilty of! are resorted a
 to for the purpose of injuring them,  and destroying
 their credit with the public.   I have had a pretty ;
 large share of this kind of treatment from the fa-
 culty, some of the particulars of which, and  the
 sufferings I have undergone, will be given in de-
 tail in the course of this narrative.
  Sometime in the month of November 1802  mv
children had the measles, and some of'them'had 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.
41
 them very bad.  The want of knowing how to
 treat them gave me a great deal of trouble, much
 more than it would at the present time, for expe-
 rience has taught  me that they are very easy to
 manage.  One of the children took the disease
 and gave it to the rest, and I think  we had four
 down with it at the  same time.   My third son had
 the disorder very bad ; they would not come out,
 but turned in,  and he became stupid.  The canker
 was much in the throat and mouth, and the rose-
 mary would have no effect.  Putrid symptoms made
 their appearance, and I was under the necessity of
 inventing  something for that, and for the canker.
 I used the steam of vinegar to guard against pu-
 trefaction, and gold  thread (or yellow root,) with
 red oak acorns pounded and steeped together, for
 the canker.  These had the desired effect; and by
 close  attention he soon  got  better.   The second
 son was then taken down pretty much in the same
 manner, and I pursued the same mode of treat-
ment, with similar success,;  but the disease had so
affected his lungs, that I feared it would leave him
in a consumption, as was the case with my mother.
He could not speak loud for three weeks.   I could
jet nothing that would help him for  some time,
till at last I gave him several^iortions of the emetic
herb, which relieved him, and he soon  got well.
During this sickness we suffered much  from  fa-
tigue and want of sleep ; for neither my wife nor
nyself had our clothes off  for twelve nights.—
riii6 was a good fortnight's school to me, in which
[ learned the nature of the measles; and found it
o be caifcker and putrefaction.  This experience
mauled ine to relieve many others of this disease,
md likewise in the canker rash ; in these two dis-
irders, and the  small pox, 1 found a looking glass,
n vVch we may 6ee the nature  of eve-y other 
42         . NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

disease.   I had the small pox in the year 1798,
and examined its  symptoms  with all the skill I
was capable of, to  ascertain the nature of the die*
ease; and found that it was the highest stage of
canker and  putrefaction that the human  system
was capable of receiving—the  measles  the next,
and the canker-rash the third ; and other disorders
partake more or less of the same, which I am sa-
tisfied is a key to the whole ;  for, by knowing how '
to cure this, is a general rule to know how to cure
all other cases; as the  same  means that will put
out a large fire will put out a candle.
   Soon after my family had got well of the mea-
sles, I was sent for to see  a woman by the nameof;
Redding, in the neighborhood.  She had been for
many years afflicted with  the colic, and could get t
no relief from  the doctors.   I  attended her,  and
found the disorder was caused by canker, and pur- |
sued  the plan that my  former experience  had j
taught me, which  relieved her from the  pain, and j
so far removed the cause,  that she never had ano- '
ther attack of the  disease.  In  this case, the cure
was so  simple and easily performed, that it be-
came a subject of ridicule  ; for, when she was ask-
ed about it, she was ashamed to say  that I cured
her.  The popular practice of the  physicians had
so much influence  on the minds of the  people, that
they thought nothing could be right but  wha| waa
done by them.  I  attended in this family for seve-
ral years, and always  answered the desired  pur-
pose; but my practice was so simple, that it was
not worthy of notice, and, being dissatisfied with
the treatment I received,  refused to do any thing
more for them.    After this they employed the
more fashionable  practitioners, who  were ready
enough to make the most of a  job, and  they had
sickness and expense enough to satisfy them; for, 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          43
one of the sons was soon after taken sick and wa?
given over by the doctor, who left him to die ; but
after he left off giving him medicine, he got well
of himself,  and the doctor not only had the credit
of it, but for this job, and one other similar, his
charges amounted to over one  hundred dollars.
This satisfied me of the foolishness  of the people,
whose prejudices are always in favor of any  thing
that is fashionable, or that is done by those who
profess great learning, and prefer long sicknesB
and great expense, if done in this way, to a sim-
ple and natural relief, with a trifling expense.
   Soon after this, I was called on to attend a Mrs.
Wetherby, in the neighborhood, who had the same
disorder.   She had  been  afflicted with the colic
for several  years, having  periodical  turns  of  it
about once a month ;  and hafl been under the care
of a number of doctors, who had used all their skill
without affording her any relief, excepting a tem-
porary one, by stupifying her with opium, and giv-
ing physic, which kept her along till nature  could
wear it off, when she would get a little better for
a few days, and  then have another turn.   After
hearing of my curing Mrs. Redding, they sent for
me ; I gave her my medicine to remove the canker,
and steamed her, which gave relief in one hour.—
She had a very large family to attend, having thir-
teen children, and, before she  had  recovered her
strength, she exposed herself, and had another turn.
I  attended  again, and relieved her in the same
manner as before; but she could not wait till she
gained her strength,  and exposed herself again as
before, took cold^and had another turn.  Her hus-
band said I only relieved her for the time, but did
not remove the cause ; and, being dissatisfied with
what  I had done, he sent  for a doctor  to remove
the cause,  who carried her through  a course of 
 44          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

 physic, and reduced her so low, that she lingered
 along for eight weeks, unable to do any thing the*
 whole time;  they then decided that she had tht
 consumption, and gave her over to die.  After the
 doctors had left her in this situation as incurable,
 she applied to me again ; but I declined doing tJny
 thing for her, as I knew her ease was much more
 difficult than it was before she applied to the doc-
 tor, and if I should fail in curing her, the blame
 would all be laid to me, or if she got well I would
 get no credit for  it;  for which reason  I felt  very
 unwilling to do any thing for her.   After finishing
 my forenoon's work, on going home to dinner I
 found her at my house waiting for me, and she in-
 sisted so much on my undertaking to cure her, and
 seemed to have so much faith in my being able to
 do it, that at last I told her if she would come to
 my house and stay with my wife, who was sick at
 the time, I would do the best I could to cure her.
 She readily consented, and stayed three days with
 us;  during which time I pursued my usual  plan*l
 of treatment, giving her things to remove the can-,
 ker, and steaming to produce  a natural perspira-
 tion ; at the end  of three days she went home,
 taking with her some medicine, with  directions
 what to do for  herself, and, in a short time, entire-
 ly recovered her health.   In less than a year  she
 had another child, which  was a conclusion of her '
 having children or the colic, and she  ever after
 enjoyed as good health as any woman in  the neigh-
 borhood ; but this cure was done in so unfashion-
 able a way, that they were hardly willing to ac-
 knowledge it, and they would not apply to me for
 relief when any of their family were sick, till they
 had failed in getting it in any other way.
  In about a year after the above case,  'on of this f
family, a young man about sixteen years dd  was 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.           45
attacked with  a fever ; the doctor was sent for,
who followed the  fashionable course'of practice,
and reduced him with mercury and other poisons,
so that he lingered along for three or four months,
constantly growing worse, till the doctor  said it
was a rheumatic fever, and afterwards that he was
in a decline.   He had taken so much mercury that
it had settled in his back and hip, and was so stiff
that he could not bring his hands lower than his
knees.  By this time the  doctor had given him
over as incurable, and he was considered a fit sub-
ject for me to undertake with.   They applied to
me, and I agreed  to take him home and do the
best I could to cure him.  It was a difficult  task,
for I had in the first place to bring him back to the
same situation he  was in when he had the fever,
and to destroy the effects of the poison, and regu-
late the system by steaming, to produce a natural
perspiration ; by pursuing  this plan,  and  giving
such things as I  could get to restore the digestive
powers, and in two months he was completely res-
tored to health ;  for which I received but five dol-
lars, and this was more grudgingly paid than if he
had giveii a doctor fifty, without doing any good at
all.
  In the spring of the year  1815, I was sent for to
go to Woodstock, in Vermont, to attend a young
woman who was considered in a decline, and the
loctors could not help her.   I found her very low,
not being able to sit up but very little.  I  stayed
xnd attended her about a week, and then left her,
with medicines and  directions what to do, and
■eturned home.  In about a month  I went again to
see her, and found her much better, so that she was
ible to ride to her father's which was about twen-
;y miles.                                     ¥
  All this time I had not formed any idea that J 
 40          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

 possessed any knowledge of  disorder or of me
 cine, more than what I had learned by accidem
 and all the  cases I attended were from necessit
 but the success I had met with, and the extraon
 nary cures I performed, made much talk, andwers
 heard of for fifty miles around.
   I began to be sent for by the people of this part
 of the country so much, that I found it impossible
 to attend to my farm and family as I ought; for the
 cases I had attended, I had received very little or
 nothing, not enough to compensate me for my time;
 and I found it my duty to give up practice altogo-
 gether, or to  make a business of it.   I consulted
 with my wife, and  a<sked the advice  of my friends,
 what was best for me to do ;  they all agreed, that
 as it seemed to be the natural turn of my mind, if
 I  thought myself capable of such an  important un-
 dertaking, it would be  best to let rny  own judg-
 ment govern mc, and to do as I thought best.   I
 maturely  weighed the matter  in my  mind, and
 viewed it as the greatest trust that  any one could
 engage in.  I considered my want of learningani§
 ignorance of mankind, which almost discouraged
 me from the undertaking; yet a strong inclination
 for the practice, of which it seemed  impossible to
 divest my mind ; and 1 had always  a very strong
 aversion to  working on a farm, as every thing
 of the  kind appeared to me to be a  burthen;  the
 reason of which I could not account for, as I  had
 carried  on the  business to a good advantage,  and
 had  as good  a farm as  any in the neighborhood.
 I finally concluded to make use of that  gift whict
 I  thought the Cod of  nature had  implanted in
 me;  and,  if I  possessed  such a gift,  I  had  no
 need of learning,  for no one can learn that s-ift   I
thought of what St. Paul  says, in his  epistle to
the Corinthians, concerning the different  gifts by 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.
47
the same  spirit;  one had the gift  of prophecy,
another the gift  of  healing, another the gift  of
working miracles.  I am satisfied in my own mind,
that every  man is made capacitated for some par-
ticular pursuit of life, in which,  if he engages,
he will be more useful than he would if he happens
to be so unfortunate as to follow a calling or a pro-
fession, that is not  congenial to his disposition.
This is a very important consideration for parents,
not to make their sons learn trades or professions
which are contrary to their inclinations, and the
natural turn of their minds ; for it is certain if they
do, they never  can be useful or happy in following
them.
   I am convinced that I possess a gift in healing
the sick,  because of the  extraordinary success I
have met with, and the protection and support  af-
forded me against the attacks of all  my enemies.
Whether I should have been  more useful, had it
been my lot to have had an education, and learned
the  profession in the  fashionable  way, is  im-
possible for me to say with certainty ; probably
I should have been deemed more honorable in the
world; but honor,  obtained  by learning,  with-
out a natural gift, can never, in my opinion, make
a man very useful to his fellow creatures.   I wish
my readers to understand me, that 1 do not mean
to convey the idea, that learning is not necessary
and essential in obtaining a proper knowledge of
any profession or art;  but that going  to a college
will make a wise man a fool, is what I am ready
to deny ;  or that a man cannot  be useful or  even
great in a profession, or in the arts and sciences,
without  a  classical  education, is  what I   think
no one  will have the  hardihood to  attempt to
support, as it  is  contrary to reason and common
sense.  We have many examples of  some of  the 
 48         NARRATIVE OF THE  LIFE

 greatest  philosophers, physicians,  and  divines,
 the  world ever  knew, who were entirely selfc
 taught;  and who have done more honor, and beei
 greater  ornaments to society, than  a million af
 those who have nothing to recommend them but
 having  their heads crammed with learning, with-
 out sense enough to apply it to any great or useful
 purpose.
   Among the practising physicians; I have found,
 and believe it to be a well known fact,  that those
 who are really great in the profession, and have had
 the most experience, condemn as much as I do, the
 fashionable mode of practice of the present day,
 and use very little medical poison, confining them-
 selves, in their treatment of patients, to simples
 principally, and the use of such things as will pro-
 mote digestion, and aid nature ;  and many of them
 disapprove of bleeding altogether.  Those of this
 description, with whom I have had an opportunity
 to converse, have treated me with all due atten-
 tion  and civility ; have heard me with pleasure,
 and have been ready to allow me credit for my ex^
 perience, and the discoveries I have made in curing
 disease.  The opposition  and abuse that I have
 met with, has been uniformly from those to whom
 I can with propriety give the name of quacks, or
 ignorant pretenders ; as all their merit consists in
 their self-importance  and arrogant  behavior to-
 ward all those who  have not  had  the advantages
 of learning, and a degree at college.   This class
 compose a large proportion of the  medical faculty
 throughout  our  country ;  they have  learned just
 enough to know how to  deceive  the people, and
 keep them in ignorance, by covering their doings
 under  a  language unknown to  their patients.—
 There can be no  good reason given,  why all the
 medical works are kept in a dead  language ex-;
cept it be to deceive  and keep  the  world ignorant' 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.
49
of their doings, that they may' the better impose
upon the credulity of the people; for, if it was to
be written in our own language, every body would
understand it and judge for themselves; and their
poisonous drugs would be thrown into the fire be-
fore their patients wduld take them. The ill treat-
ment  that I have received from them, has  been
mostly where  I have exposed their ignorance by
curing those they have given over to die; in which
cases  they have shown their malice by circulating
all kinds of false and ridiculous reports of me and
my practice, in order to destroy my credit with the
people ; and I am sorry to say that I have found
too many ready to join with them, except among
those  who have been relieved by me from pain and
sickness.  Such ingratitude I can  account for in
no other  way, than  by the readiness with which
the people follow whatever is fashiorrable, without
reflecting whether it be right or wrong.
  After 1 had come  to the determination to make
a husiness of the medical practice, I found it neces-
sary to fix upon some system or plan for my future
government in the treatment of disease ; for what
1 had  done had been as it were from accident, and
the necessity  arising  out of the particular  cases
that came under my care, without any fixed plan:
in which I had been governed<by my judgment and
the advantages 1 have received from experience.
I deemed it  necessary not only as my own guide,
but that whatever discoveries I should make, in
my practice, they might be so adapted to my plan,
as that my whole  system might be easily taught
to others, and preserved for the benefit of the world.
I had no other assistance than my own observa-
tions and the natural reflections of  my own mind,
unaided by learning or the opinions of  others.   I
took nature for my  guide, and experience as my 
  50         NARRATIVE OF  THE  LIFE

  instructor;  and, after seriously considering everj
  part of the subject, I came  to certain conclusions
  concerning disease and the  whole animal enconc-
  my, which thirty years' experience has  perfectly
  satisfied me is the  only correct theory.  My prac-
  tice has invariably been conformable to the gene-
  ral principles  upon which my system is founded,
  and in no instance  have I had reason to doubt the
  correctness of its application to cure all cases of
  disease when  properly attended to: for, that all
  disease is the effect of one general cause, and may
  be removed by one general remedy,  is the founda-
  tion upon which I have erected my fabric, and
  which I shall endeavor to explain in as clear and
 concise a manner as I am capable, with a hope that
 it may be understood by  my readers, and that they
 maybe convincedpf its correctness.
   I found, after naturally considering the subject,
 that all animal bodies are formed  of  the four ele-
 ments, earth, air, fire and water.  Earth and wa-
 ter constitute the solids, and air and fire, or heat,
 are  the cause of life and motion.  That cold, or
 lessening  the power  of  heat, is the  cause of all
 disease ;^ that to restore  heat to its  natural state
 was the only way by which  health could  be pro-
 duced ; and  that, after restoring the natural heat,
 by  clearing the system of  all obstructions and
 causing a natural perspiration, the stomach  woul$
 digest the food  taken in  it, by which means the'
 whole body is nourished and invigorated and heat
 or nature is  enabled to hold  its supremacy; that
 the constitutions of  all mankind being essential^
 the same, and differing only  in the different tern?
peramerrt of the same materials of  which they are
composed; it appeared clear to my mind,  that all
disease proceeded from one  general  cause, and I
might  be cured  by  one general remedy;  that a' 
              OF SAMUEL  THOMSON.           51

 perfect health arises from a due balance oT tem-
 perature from the four elements ; but if it is by any
 means destroyed, the body is  more or less  disor-
 dered. And, when  this is the case,  there is al-
 ways an actual diminution or  absence of the ele-
 ment of fire, or heat;  and, in proportion to  this
 diminution, or absence, the body is affected by its
 opposite, which is cold.  And I found that all dis-
 orders which the human family were afflicted with,
 however  various the symptoms,  and. different the
 names by which they are called, arise directly
 from  obstructed'perspiration, which is  always
 caused by cold, or want of he$t; for,  if there is a
 natural heat, it is impossible  but that there must
 be a natural perspiration.

   Having fixed upon these general principles, as
 the only solid foundation upon which a correct and
 true understanding of the subject can  be founded
 my  next business was to ascertain what kinds of
 medicine  and treatment  would best  answer the
 purpose, in conformity to this universal plan of
 curing disease ;  for it must, I think, be certain, and
 self-evident  to every one, that whatever will in-
 crease the  internal heat, remove all obstuctions of
 tho  system, restore the digestive powers of the
 stomach, and produce  a  natural perspiration, is
 universally applicable in all cases of disease, and,
 therefore, may be considered as a general remedy!

   The first and most important consideration, was
 to find a medicine  that would establish a natural
 internal heat, so as to give nature its proper com-
 mand.  My emetic herb  (No. 1,) I found would
effectually  cleanse  the  stomach,  and would  very
effectually  aid in raising the  heat and promoting
perspiration: but would not hold it long enough
to effect the desired  object, so but that the cold 
52         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
 would return again and assume its power.  It was
 like a fire made of shavings;  a strong heat for a
 short time, and then all go out.   After much expe-
 rience, and  trying every thing within my know-
 ledge  to gain  this important point, I have fixed
 upon the medicine which I  have called  No. 2, in
 my patent, for that purpose ;  and, after using it for
 many years, I am perfectly convinced that it is the
 best thing that can be made use of to hold the heat
 in the stomach until the system can be cleared of
 obstructions, so as to produce  a natural  digestion
 of the food, which will nourish the body, establish
 perspiration and restore the  health of the patient.
 I found it to be perfectly safe in all cases, and never
 knew any bad effects from administering it.
 -  My next grand object was  to get something that
 would clear the stomach and bowels  from canker,
 which are more or less affected by it in all cases of
 disease to which  the human  family are subject.—
 Canker and  putrefaction are caused by  cold, or
 want of heat;  for,  whenever any part of the body
 is so affected by  cold as to overpower the natural
 heat, putrefaction commences, and, if not  checked
 by medicine, or the  natural constitution  is not
 strong enough to overcome  its progress, it will
 communicate to  the blood, when death will  end
 the contest between heat and cold, by deciding in
 favor of the latter.   I  have  made use of a great
 many articles, which are useful in removing can-
 ker; but my preparation called No. 3, is  the best
 for that purpose that has come to my knowledge;
 though many things may be made use of  to good
 effect, all of which I shall give particular  descrip-
 tion of in my general directions hereafter.
  Having endeavored to convey to my readers in
 a brief manner, a correct idea of the general prin-
ciples upon  which I formed  mv  system of prac* 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.
53
 tice, I shall now give some account of the success
 I met with in the various cases that came under
 my care, and  the difficulties and opposition that I
 have had to encounter in maintaining it till this
 time, against all my enemies.
   My general plan of treatment has beerf, in  all
 cases of disease, to cleanse the stomach by giving
 No. 1, and  produce as great an internal  heat as I
 could, by giving No. 2,  and,  when necessary,
 made use of steaming,  in which I  have always
 found great benefit, especially in fevers;  after this
 I gave No. 3, to clear off the canker; and, in  all
 cases where the patient had not previously become
 so far reduced as to have nothing to build upon, I
 have been successful in restoring them to health.
 I found  that  fever was a disturbed  state of the
 heat, or, more properly, that it-wTas caused by the
 efforts which nature  makes to throw of disease ;
 and, therefore, ought to be aided  in its cause, and
 treated as a friend, and not as an enemy, as is the
 practice  of  the  physicians.  In all  cases of dis-
 ease, I have found that there is more or less fever,
 according to the state of  the system, but that  all
 fevers proceed  from  the  same  cause,  differing
 only in the  symptoms; and may be managed and
 brought to a crisis with much less trouble than is
 generally considered practicable, by increasing
 the internal  heat, till the cold is driven out, which
 is the cause of it.  Thus keeping the fountain above
 the stream,  and  every thing will take its natural
 couree.
  During the  year 1805, a very alarming disease
prevailed in  Alstead and Walpole, which  was con-
sidered the  yellow fever, and was  fatal to many
who were attacked by it.   I was called on and at-
tended with great success, not losing one patient
that I attended; at the same time, nearly one half 
54         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

of those who  had the regular physicians died.—
This disease prevailed for about forty days, during
which time I was not at home hut eight nights.  I
was obliged to be nurse as well as doctor, and do
every thing myself,  for the people had no know-
ledge of my mode of practice, and I could not de-
pend upon what any  person did, except what was
under my own immediate inspection. . I pursued
the same general plan that I had before  adopted,
but the experience I had from this practice, sug-
gested to me many improvements which I had not
before thought of, as respects the manner of treat-
ment of patients to effect the  objects I aimed at in
curing the disease, which was to produce a natural
perspiration.   I found great benefit in steamingjn
the manner that I had discovered and practised
with my little daughter;  but I found  by  experi-
ence, that, by  putting a heated stone into a spider
or iron basin,  and the wetting the top of the stone
with  vinegar, was an omnipotent improvement;
and  this simple  method, with a little medicine
of my own preparing, answered a  much better
purpose than all the bleeding and poisonous phys-
ic of the doctors.  While I was attending those
who were sick, and  they found that my  mode of
treatment relieved them from their distress, they
were ready to  flatter  and give great credit for my
practice ; but, after I had worn myself out in their
service, they began to think  it was not done in a
fashionable way;  and the doctors made use of
every means in their  power to ridicule me and my
practice, for the  purpose of maintaining their own
credit with the  people.  This kind of treatment
was a new thing  to me, as I  did not at that time
so well  understand the craft as I have since, from
hard  earned  experience.   The  word  quackery,
when used by  doctors against me, was a very  im- 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.           55
portant charm to prejudice the people against my
practice;  but I  would ask all the candid and re-
flecting part of the peojWe, the following question,
and I will leave them to their consciences to give
an answer':   Which is the greatest quack, the one
who relieves them from their sickness by the most
simple and safe means, without any  pretence to
infallibility "or skill, more than what nature and
experience had taught him, or the one who, instead
of curing the  disease, increases' it by administering
poisonous medicines,  which  only tend to prolong
the distress of the patient, till either the strength
of his natural constitution or death relieves him 1
  I was called upon to attend  a man by the name
of Fairbanks, who lived in Walpole, he was taken
with bleeding at the lungs.  I  found him in a very
bad condition; the family judged he had lost near-
ly six quarts of blood in twenty-four hours. He
was in despair, and had taken leave of his family ;
as they considered there was no hopes of his liv-
ing.  The doctor was with him when I first en-
tered  the house ; but  he  fled at my approach.—
Both his legs were corded by the doctor, and the
first thing I did was to strip off the cords from his
legs,  and then gave medicine  to get  as great in-
ternal heat as I possibly could produce;  got him
to sweat  profusely; then gave  him medicine  to
clear  the  canker; and, in four days, he  was so
well as to be able to go out and attend to his bu-
siness.
  Sometime in October, 1805, I attended a Mrs.
Goodell, of Walpole ; she had been confined and
had taken cold.  The most noted  doctors in the
town had  attended her through what they called a
fever, and she was then pronounced by them to be
in a decline.  After three months practice upon
her, they had got her into so desperate a situation, 
 56        NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

 that they gave her over, and said that her case was
 so putrid and ulcerated, that it was utterly incura-
 ble.  She had, in addition to the rest of her diffi-
 culties, a cancer on her back.  In  this desperate
 situation  it was  thought  by her  friends that  she .
 was a proper subject for me to undertake with.   I
 with a great deal of reluctance undertook with her
 at her earnest solicitation and that of her husband;
 but met with much greater success than I expect-
 ed.  In four weeks she was able to be  about  the
 house and do some work.
  In the same year I was sent for to attend* a wo-
 man who had been in a dropsical way for a number
 of years.  The disease had of late gained with ra-  |
 pid progress.   Her husband had previously con-  j
 versed with me on the subject, and said that he  \
 had applied to Doctor Sparshawk, and others, and
 they had  agreed to  make a trial of mercury.   I
 told him that it would not answer the purpose; he
 said he was afraid of it himself; but the  doctors
 said there was no other possible way.   The doc-
 tor tried his mercurial treatment for several days,
 which nearly proved  fatal; for I was sent for in
 great haste with a request that I would attend as
 soon as possible, as they expected, she would not
 live  through the day.  I found her situation very
 distressing;  she said it appeared to Jier that she
 was full of scalding water.  She began to turn
purple in spots, and it was  expected that mortifi-
cation had taken place.  In the first place, I gave
her a gill  of checkerberry and hemlock, distilled,
which allayed the heat immediately.   This an-
 swered the purpose, tin I could clear the stomach,
 and, by the greatest exertions and close attention
 through the day, I was enabled to relieve her.   I
attended her for about a week, and she  was so  far
recovered as to enjoy comfortable health for twelve
years. 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.
57
   Notwithstanding this desperate case was cured,
  to the astonishment of all who witnessed it, the
  doctors had so much influence over the people, and
  made so many false statements about it, that I got*"-* <r|
  no credit for the cure. -This woman's brother had.^    ;
  said that  her husband wanted to kill he*  or he
  would not have sept for me.  Such kind of ingra-
  titude was discouraging to me; but it didnotprer
  vent me from persevering in my duty.
   A short-time after the above case happened, the
  woman's brother, who made the speech about me,
  was taken very sick, with what was called  the
  yellow fever, and sent for me.  I attended him and
  asked him if he wanted to die.   He said not;  why
1  do you ask that 1   I told  him that I should  sup-
  pose from the speech he made about my being sent
  for to his sister, that he did, or he would not have
  sent for me:  if he believed his  own words.   He
  said he thought differently now.  I attended him
  through the day with my own practice.   To sweat
  him, 1 took hemlocjt houghs, and put a hot stone
  in the middle of a large bunch of thSm, wrapping
  the whple in a cloth, and poured on hot water till
  I raised a lively steam, and then put one at his feet
  and another near his body.  I gave him medicine
  to raise the inw'ard heat for the canker; after at-
  tending him through the day, I went home ;  and,
  omcallingto  see hinrthe next morning, found that
  his fever had turned, and he was qvite comforta-
  ble, so that he was soon about his business.
   I was about this time sent for to s;e a.  child in
  Surrv  a  neighboring  town, who was Uken  very
  sickfand wags entirlly stupid.   I tol I the father
  of the child  that it had the canker a ffl made use
  nf mv common mode of practice for that difficulty.
  BeX sent for to go to Walpole to see two young
  men who had been taken the day before with the 
59         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
 prevailing fever, I  left the child, with directions
 how to proceed with it.   I then started for Wal-
 pole, and found the two young men violently at-
 tacked with the fever.  They had  a brother who
 had been attended by the doctor, for above four
 weeks^for the same disease, and was then just able
 to  sitwp.  It  was thought by all, the.two that
 were attacked last, were as violently taken as the
 other was ;  and they expressed a strong wish that
 they might be cured without so long a ru.n as their
 brother had.  I was as anxious as they were to
 have a short job, and exerted all my powers to re-
 lieve them, which I was enabled to do that night,
 and left them  in the morning quite comfortable!
 so that they were soon able to attend to their work.
 •ihe brother  who had the doctor  was unable to
 work for several months.  The doctor was paid a
 heavy bill for his visits ; but my cure was done so
 quick,  that  it was  thought not to  be  worthy of
 their notrce, and 1 never received a cent from them
 or my trouble.  On returning to the child that  I
 left the day. before, I found that the doctor had
 been there  and told  them that I did not know
 what was  the matter with the child; and had per-
 suaded them to give him the care of it.  He filled
 it with  mercury and run  it down;  after  having
 given as  much  mercury inside  as  nature could
 move, and the bowels grew silent, he then rubbed
 mercurial ointment on the bowels as long as it had
 any effect; after which he agreed that the  chHd
had the  canker very badly ; fut he still persS
 in   he same course till the child was wasted a™
 and died in about two months afterTwi S3
 akensick.  After the child was dead, ts parent  <
de/belt   lhe° ?T ** * U"de-tood theTso*  ' 
             OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          59

  In the spring of 1805, a Mrs.  Richardson was
brought to my house.  She  was  brought in her
bed from Westford, Vermont, about 130 miles; and
was attended by a son and daughter, the one twen-
ty-one, and the other eighteen years of age.  The
mother had lain in her bed most part of the  time
for ten years.  All the doctors in that part of the
country had  been applied to without any advan-
tage;  and  they had spent nearly all their proper-
ty.   I undertook with her, more from a charitable
feeling for the young man and woman, than from
any expectation of a cure. Their conduct forwards
their helpless mother, was the greatest example of
affection of children to a parent, that I ever wit-
nessed.  The young  man stated to me  that his
knother had been a year together without opening
her eyes;  that,  when  she could open  them, they
thought her almost well.  She was perfectly help-
less, not  being able  to do the least  thing; not
even to brush off a fly, any more  than an infant.
She  had  laid so long that her joints had become
stiff.
  I began  with her by cleansing her stomach and
promoting perspiration: after  which, I used to try
to give her some exercise.   The first trial I made
was to put her bed into a wheel-barrow and lay her
on it, when I would run her out till she appeared
to be weary;  sometimes I would make a mis-step
and fall, pretending that I  had hurt me; in order
to try to get her to move by frightening her.   Af-
ter Exercising her in this way for a few days, I put
her in a wagon, sitting on a  bed,  and  drove her
about in that manner;  and, when her joints became
more  limber,  I sat her on the wagon seat.   She
insisted that she should fall off, for she said she
could not  use her feet; but  the driver would some-
times drive on ground that was sideling, aM,rather 
60         NARRATIVE  OF THE LIFE
  than turn over, she would start her feet unexpect-
  edly.   After exercising her in this way some time,
  I put her on a horse behind her son; she at first
  insisted  that she should  fall off; but when I told
  her she was at liberty to  fall, if she chose,  she
  would not, choosing rather to exert herself to hold
  on.  When she  rode  a  few times in this way, I
  put her on the horse alone, and, after a few trials,
  she would ride very well, so that, in the course of
  two months, she would ride four miles out and back
  every day.  She used to be tired after riding, and
  would  lay down and  not move for six hours.  I
  continued to give her medicine to keep up perspi-
  ration,  and  restore the digestive  powers, and to
  strengthen the nervous system.   I attended her in
  this way for three months, and then went with her
  son and daughter to Manchester; she rode  upwards
  of thirty miles in a day,  and  stood  the  journey
  very well.   I never received any thing for all my
  trouble  and  expense of keeping them for three
 months, except what the two young people did,
 more than take care of their mother; but I accom-
 plished what I undertook,  and relieved these two
 unfortunate orphans from their burthen, which was
 more satisfaction to me than to  have  received a
 large sum  of money, without doing any good.  I
 saw this woman three years after at the wedding
 of her son, and she was quite comfortable,  and has
 enjoyed a tolerable degree of health to this time,
 being able to  wait  on herself.
  On my return from Manchester,  I  stopped at

 meeting f^i * ^  °n the Sabbath> T tended
 meeting. In the afternoon, during service, a young
 woman was taken  in a fit and  carried out of thf
 meeting house.   I went out to see her  and found
 that 6he had been subject to fits for some 'me -
She  was much bloated, and very large, weigh ng 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.           Cl
. about three hundred.  A few days after, her friends
 brought her to my house, and  were very urgent
 that I  should  undertake to help  her;  but I told
 them I was satisfied it  would be  a  very difficult
 undertaking, and I did  not feel willing to engage
 in it; but they were  so  urgent, I agreed to do
 what I could for her.  Every time  she took medi-
 cine, when I first began with her, she would have
 a strong  convulsion  fit;  but  I  soon got her to
 sweat freely, and her fits were at an end. By per-
 severing in  my usual plan of treatment, I got a
 natural  perspiration,  and her other evacuations
 became  regular;  she was considerably reduced in
 size, and I never have heard of her having any fits
 6ince.  The cause of her fits was  taking  sudden
 cold, and  all perspiration and the  greater part of
 other evacuations ceased, leaving the water in her
 body.
  In the fall of 1805 I was sent for to go to Rich-
 mond, to  see the family of Elder Bowles, who
 were all sick with the dysentery; and Mrs. Bowles
 had a cancer on her breast. I relieved them of their
 disorders, by my usual mode of practice; and gave
 the woman medicine for the cancer, which relieved
 her.  I had occasion to  visit her again, and the
 tumor was about the size of an egg; but, by fol-
 lowing my prescriptions, it was dissolved without
 causing any pain, and she has been well for twelve
 years.   I then practiced in different parts of Roy-
 alston and Warwick,  and my practising in these
 places, was the way that my mode  of sweating for
the spotted fever, came to be known and practised
by the physicians in Petersham.  I  had discovered
the benefit of  steaming, by trying  it upon my
daughter two years before, and had been constant-
ly practising it ever since; but the  doctors, though
they condemned me and my practice, were  willing 
62          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

to introduce it and take the credit to themselves, 1
as an important discovery.
  After returning home, I was sent for to attend '
a woman in the neighborhood, who had been under
the care of a celebrated doctor, for a cancer on her
breast.  He had tortured her with his caustics, till
her breast was burnt through to the bone;  and, by
its corrosive nature, had caused the cords to draw
up into knots; he had likewise burnt her leg to the 1
cords.  She had been under his care eleven weeks; ,
until she was much wasted away, and her strength [
nearly gone.  In this situation the doctor was wil- )
ling to  get her off his hands, and wished me to
take charge of her.  After some hesitation, I con-
sented, and attended  her  three  weeks,  in  which |
time I healed up her sores, and cleared her of the 1
humor so effectually that she has ever since enjoy-
ed good health.
   While attending upon this case, another woman
was brought  me from Hillsborough,  who  had a
cancer on  the back of her neck.  I dissolved the
tumor, and cured her by applying my cancer bal-
sam, and the common course of medicine, in three
weeks, without any pain;  and  she has ever since
enjoyed good health.
  About this time I was called on to attend a wo-
man in  the town  where  I  lived.   She had been
much disordered for many years,  and  was very
splecny; she had been  under the care of  several
doctors  without receiving any benefit.  I visited
her several times, and  gave general satisfaction;
so mnch so that she allowed that I had done her
more good than all the others  that  had attenfad
her.   A short time  after I had done visiting her,
the old man came out one morning to my house, at
sunrise, and, I being about six miles from home,
he came with all speed  where  I was, and said he 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.
63
wished me to come to his house as quick as possi-
ble, for his wife was very sick. I told him to return,
I would be there as soon as he could.   I soon after
set out, and we both arrived there about the same
time;  and I was very much astonished to find his
wife* about  her work.  I was asked into another
room by the old man and his wife, and he said she
had something  to  say to me.  She then said that
"if I could not attend her without giving her the
love powder, she did not wish me to attend her at
all."  I was very  much astonished at her speech,
and asked what she meant.   She said that, ever
since she  had taken my medicine, she had felt so
curiously, that  she did not-know what to make of
it.  The  old man affirmed to the same,  and he
thought that I had given her love powder, and did
not know what the event might be.
  This foolish  whim of the old man and his wife,
caused a  great  bluster, and was food for those busy
bodies who seem to take delight in slandering their
neighbors; and was made a handle of by the doc-
tors,  who spread all  kinds  of ridiculous  stories
about me during my absence in the summer  of

  In the  autumn,  when I returned home,  I found
that a certain doctor of Alstead, had  circulated
some  very foolish and slanderous reports about me
and the old woman, and had given to them so much
importance, that many people believed them.   I
fotfnd that I could prove his assertions, and sued
him for defamation; supposing that, by appealing
to the laws of  my country, I could get redress; but
I was disappointed in my expectations, for I was
persuaded to leave the case to a reference, and he
had raised such a strong prejudice in the minds of
the people against me, that they were more ready
 o favor a m!n whom they considered  great and 
54          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
 learned, because he had been to college, than to
 do justice  to  me; so they gave the case against
 me,  and I had to pay the cost.  After this, I re-
 fused to attend those people who assisted in in-
 juring me, and gave them up to their fashionable
 doctor.   A  curse  seemed to follow them, and his
 practice; for the spotted fever prevailed in this
 place soon after, and the doctor took charge of those
 who had sided with him against me, and, if he had
 been a butcher and used the knife, there would not
 have been more destruction  among  them.   Two
 men who swore falsely in his favor, and by whose
 means he got his cause, were among his first vie-.
 tims; and, of the whole that he attended,  about
 nine-tenths died. He lost upwards of fifty patients
 in the town of Alstead, in a short time.
   I attended the funeral of a young man, one of
 his patients, who was sick but twenty-four hours,
 and but twelve under the  operation of his  medi-
 cine. He was as black as a blackberry, and swell-
 ed so as to be difficult to screw down the lid of the
 coffin.  When I went  into  the  room  where the
 corpse was, the doctor followed me and gave di-
 rections to have  the  coffin secured  so  as to pre-
 vent the corpse being seen;  and then began to in-
 sult me, to attract the attention of the people.  He
 said to me, I understand, sir, that you have a patent
 to cure  such disorders as that (pointing to the
corpse.)  I said no, and, at the same  time, inti-
mated what I thought of him.  He put on an air
of great importance, and said to me, What can you
know of medicine? you have no learning, you can-
not parse one sentence in grammar.   I  told him I
 never knew that grammar was made use of as me-
dicine; but, if a portion of grammar is so much like
the  operation of ratsbane,  as  appears  on this
 corpse, I should never wish to know the use of it. 
              OF  SAMUELTlfOMSONr^         65

  This unexpected application  of  the meaning of
  what he 6aid, displeased the  medical  gentleman
  very  much; and,.finding that  many of the people
  present had the same opinion that I had, it irrita-
  ted him so  much, that he threatened to horsewhip
  me, but I told him that he might do what he pleased
  to He, provided  he did not poison me with his
  o-rammar.  He did not  attempt to carry his threat
  into execution, so I escaped his whip and his poi-
  son ;  but the people were justly punished for  their
  ingratitude and folly, in preferring death and mi-
  sery, because it was done more fashionably, to a
  mode of practice by which they might relieve them-
  selves in a  simple and safe manner.
   I have been more particular in relating these
  circumstances, in order to show my reasons for re-
  fusing to practice so near home; for I had  been in
  constant practice  amongthem for four or five years,
  and had been very successful, not having lost one
  patient  during the whole time.   My  house had
 constantly been filled with.patients from all parts
 of the country, for which I had  received very little
 pay; myself and family were worn out with nursing
 and  attending on them ; so that I was compelled
 in a measure to leave home to  free myself and fa-
 mily from so heavy a burthen. Besides, I felt it
 more a duty to  assist the people  in tho»e parts
 where I  had been treated with more  friendship,
 and received more assistance through my troubles
 than what  I had  experienced from those whom  I
 had reason  to consider  as under the greatest ob-
 ligations to me.
   In the spring  of the  year 1806, I came to the
 determination to go to New York, for the purpose
 cf ascertaining the nature of the yellow fever, hav-
.inff been impressed with the idea, that this disease
'was similar to that which  had been prevalent in
                    E 
66
NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
different  parts of the -country, only differing in
causes which were local.  1 made  arragements
with a man to take charge of my farm, and, on the
26th of June, started for Boston, where I took
passage for New York,  and sailed on the 3d of
July.  In passing through the Sound, T  was very
sensibly affected by the cold chills I experienced
in consequence of the sea air ; having never been
on the salt water before, this was  new to me;  al-
though the weather was very hot on the land, I
suffered with the cold.  We arrived  at New York
in eight days ; and  the weather  was extremely
hot when I landed.   This sudden change produced
a powerful  effect  on my feelings;  the cause of
which,  I was satisfied in my  own mind, was in
consequence of the cold I had experienced on the
water, having reduced the natural heat of the body;
thus coming into a  very warm atmosphere, the
external and internal heat were  upon  nearly an
equal scale, and when there is an exact balance, so
as to stop the determining powers at the surface,
mortification immediately takes place,  and death
follows.   This is the cause why the fever is so fa-
tal to those who go from the northward into a warm
climate.
   On my arrival, I looked round to find a place to
board, and took up my lodgings with Mr. Kavan-
agh, an Irishman, and a Roman Catholic.  After
spending some time in viewing the city, I applied
to the Mayor and Board of Health, to  ascertain
 whether I could have an opportunity to try the
 effect of my medicine and  system of practice on
 the prevailing fever.  They told  me I could, but
 could get no pay for it by law.  I went to see Dr.
 Miller  who was  then President  of the Board of
 Health, and had some conversation with him upon
 the subject.  He told me the same as the Mayor 
             OF SAMUEL  THOMSON.          67

had, and enquired of me in what manner I expect-
ed to give relief; 1 told him my plan was to cause
perspiration.   He said, if I  could cause them to
sweat, he thought there was a good chance to ef-
fect a cure.
  After spending several days in New York, I
went to Westchester creek,, to procure some medi-
cine.   I thought that I was going to have the yel-
low fever, for I felt all the symptoms, as I thought,
of that disease; my strength was nearly gone, my
eyes were  yellow, and a  noise  in my head; my
tongue was black, and what passed my bowels was
like tar.   I was among strangers, and had little
money. I went to the house of a quaker woman
and asked  her to let me stay with her that day ;
she gave her consent.   I had but little medicine
with me, and could find nothing that I could rel-
ish but salt and vinegar;  I used about half a pint
of salt and double that quantity of vinegar, which
gave  me relief, and I gained so much  strength
that the next day I  was able  to return  to the
city of New York.  On my arrival there, I was so
weak.that  it was with difficulty I could walk to my
boardinf house, which was about forty rods from
the place where we landed.   I  immediately took
Nos. 2 and 3, steeped, and No. 4 ; in a short time
I betran to have an appetite;  the first  food that  I
took°was a piece of 6moked salmon, and some ripe
peach  sauce.   I 60on recovered my strength and
was enabled to be about.  This satisfied  me that
I had  formed a correct idea of thi* fatal disease ;
that it was the consequence of losing the inward
heat of the body, and bringing it to a balance with
the  surrounding  air ; and the  oaly  method  by
which a cure can be  effected, is by  giving such
medicine as will increase the ferer or inward heat,
to such a degree as to get the determining power 
. 68          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
  to the surface, by which means perspiration will
  take place,  which is called the turn of the fever.
  If this is not accomplished, either by medicine, or
  by nature being sufficient to overcome the disease,
  mortification will be as certain a consequence, as
  it would if a person was strangled.  The reason
  why they lose their strength in so short a time, is
  because it depends  wholly upon the power of in-
  ward heat; and as much as they lose that, so much
  they lose their strength and activity.
   I had a good opportunity to prove these facts,
  and  to satisfy  myself, by  attending  upon a Mr.
  McGowan, who had the  yellow fever.  He was
  the teacher ofthe Roman Catholic school, and an ac-
  quaintance of Mr. Kavanagh, with whom I board-
  ed, and who recommended him to my care.  He
  was attacked about noon, and  was very cold, and
 appeared like a person halfway between sleeping
 and waking; he lost so much strength,  that in
 two hours he was unaJble to walk across the room
 without staggering.  I  began with him by giving
 Nos. 2 and 3 to raise the inward heat and clear
 the  stomach, and, in an hour  after getting him
 warm,  he was in  very extreme pain, so much so
 that his friends were alarmed  about him ;  but I
 told them it was a favorable symptom.  After being
 in this situation about an hour, perspiration began
 and he soon grew easy, the next day he was out
 about his  business.  The  effect of these cases is
 exactly similar to a person being recovered after
 having been drowned.  The cold having overpow-
 ered  the  inward heat,  all sensation  of  feeling
 ceases,  and of  course there is  no pain ; but, as
soon as the heat begins to increase so as to con-
tend with the cold, sensation returns, and the pain
will  be very great till the victory is  gained by
heat having expelled the cold from the body, when 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          69
a natural perspiration commences, and nature is
restored  to her empire.
  I will  here make a  few remarks upon the food
taken into the stomach, which is of the utmost im-
portance to the preservation  of health.   While I
was in New York, I book particular notice of their
manner of living.   I observed that they subsisted
principally upon fresh provisions, more particular-
ly the poorer classes of the people, who are in the
habit, in  warm weather, of going to  market at a
late hour of  the  day,  and purchasing fresh  meat
that is almost in a putrid state, having been killed
the night previous,  which being badly cooked and
taken into the stomach, will  produce  certain dis-
ease.   I  am convinced that this is one of the great-
est  causes of those  fatal epidemics which  prevail
in the hot season in our  large seaports.  Sheep
and lambs are often drove a great distance  from
the country, and, having been heated and fatigued,
then cooled suddenly, the fat  turns to  water; and
often, whsn  killed, they  are  in almost a putrid
state, and the meat  is soft and dabby.  Such meat
as this, when brought  into market on a hot day,
will turn green under the  kidneys in two or  three
hours, and, if taken into the stomach,  will putrify
before it  digests, and will communicate the same
to the  stomach,  and  the whole body will  be so
affected bv  it, as to cause  disorders of the  worst
kind.   If people would get into the habit of eating
salt provisions in hot weather, and fresh in cold,
it would be a very great preventive of disease.
One ounce of putrid flosh in the stomach, is worse
than the  effect produced by a  whole carcase on the
air by its effluvia.  Much more might  be said upon
this important subject ; but I shall defer it for the
present, and shall  treat  more upon it in  another
part of the work.  It is a subject that has been.too 
TO         NARRATIVE  OF THE LIFE
much neglected by our health officers in this coun-
try.
  While in the city of New York, I  attended on
an Irishman by the name of Doyle, who had the
fever and  ague.   This  disease gives a complete
view of my theory of heat and cold ; for it is about
an equal balance between the two, heat keeping a
little the upper hand.  He had been afflicted  with
this  distressing disorder about four months ; he
had the fits most of the time every day, and was
very bad.   I began by giving him such medicine
as I  usually gave to increase the inward heat of the
body, which subdued the cold, and gave heat the
victory over it; and, by strictly attending him  in
this  way four days, he  was completely cured.—
Being short of money, I asked him for some com-
pensation  for my trouble ; but he refused and never
paid me a cent; observing that he must have been
getting well before, for no one ever heard of such
a disorder being cured in four day.«.
   A gentleman with  whom I had formed an ac-
quaintance, by the  name of James Q,uackenbush,
who had the care of the state prison warehouse,
finding how I had been treated, invited me to go to
his  house and  live with him, which I thankfully
accepted.   I was treated with much  kindness by
him, for which he has my  most sincere thanks.
   On tho  16th of September I started for home,
and  took  passage on board a  packet for Boston,
where  I arrived  in five days ; and  on  the 26th
reached my home, after an absence of three months,
and  found my family well.   I was often called on
to practice in the neighborhood, but declined most
part of the applications in consequence of the treat-
ment I had  received from them, which  has been
before  related.   In November,  I  went to Plum
Island to collect medicine;  on my wav T rating 0q 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.
71
Joseph Hale, Esq. of Pepperell, and engaged him
to  come  down  with his wagon in about three
weeks, to bring back what medicine I should col-
lect.   I went  by the way of Newburyport; and,
after being  on the island three or four days, col-
lected such roots as I wanted, and  returned to
that  place.    While there, being in  a store, in
conversation with some  persons, there came in a
man  from Salisbury mills, by the name of Osgood,
who  stated  that he was very unwell, and that his
wife lay at the point  of death with the lung fever ;
that  she had been attended by Dr. French, who
had given her over.   One of the gentlemen stand-
ing by, told him that I was a doctor, and used the
medicine of our own country.  He asked me if I
would go home with him and see his wife ; as I was
waiting for Mr. Hale, and had nothing to do,  I
told him I would ; and we immediately started in
the chaise for his home, which was about six miles.
On our arrival, he introduced  me to  his wife as a
doctor who  made use of the medicine of our own
country, and asked  her if she  was willing that I
should undertake to  cure her.  She said that if 1
thought I could help her, she had no objections.   I
gave my  opinion  that I could, and undertook,
though with some reluctance, as I was in a strange
place, and no one that I knew.   I proceeded with
her in  my usual metliod of practice, and in about
fourteen hours her fever turned,  and the next day
she was comfortable and soon got about.
   This cure  caused considerable talk among the
people in the neighborhood, who thought very fa-
vorably of  me and my practice ; but it soon came
to the ears of  Dr.  French, who was very much
enraged to think one of his patients, that he had
given over, should be cured by one whom he called
tt  quack ; and .attempted to counteract the public 
72         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
 impression  in my favor, by circulating a report
 that the woman was getting better, and sat up the
 greater part of the day before I saw her.   But this
 was denied by the woman's husband, and known
 by many to be false.
   While I remained in this place, waiting for Mr.
 Hale to come down with his wagon to carry home
 my medicine, I was  called on  to  attend several
 cases, in all of which I was very successful;  most
 of them were such as had been given over by  their
 doctors.   One of them was the case  of a young
 man, who had cut three of his fingers very badly,
 so as to lay open the joints.  Dr. French had at-
 tended him  three weeks, and they  had got so bad
 that he advised biin to have them  cut off, as the
 only alternative.   The young man applied to me
 for advice;  I told him that if I  were in his situa-
 tion, I should not be willing to have them cut off
 till I had made some further trial to cure them
 without.  He requested me to undertake to cure
 him, to which I consented, and began by clearing
 the wound of mercury,  by washing it with weak
 ley; I then put on some drops, and did it up  with
 a bandage, which was kept wet with cold water.
 While I wTas dressing the wound, a young  man
 who was studying with Dr. French, came in and
 made  a great fuss, telling  the young man that I
 was going to spoil his hand.  I told  him that I was
 accountable  for what I was doing,  and that if he
had any advice to offer, I was ready to hear him ;
 but he seemed to have nothing  to offer, except to
find fault, and went off,  after saying that Doctor
 French's bill must be paid very soon.  I continued
to dress his hand,  and in  ten days he was  well
enough to attend to his work, being  employed in a
nail factory.  Soon after, I saw him  there at work,
and asked him how his fingers  did ; he said they 
              OF SAMUEL THOMSON,           73

 were  perfectly  cured ; he  wished to know what
 my bill was for attending him.  I asked him what
 Dr. French had charged, and he said he had sent
 his bill to his  mother, amounting to seventeen dol-
 lars.  I told him I thought that was enough for us
 both, and I should charge him nothing.  His mo-
 ther was a poor widow, depending on her labor
 and that of her  son for a living.  I remained  in
 this place about  two weeks, and the people were
 very urgent that I should  stay longer; but Mr.
 Hale having arrived, 1 left them, with the promise
 that I  would visit them again in the spring.  We
 arrived at Pepperell, where I remained several
 days with Mr. Hale, who was an ingenious black-
 smith  and  a chemist, having been much engaged
 in the  preparation of mineral medicine.  He had
 an  inquiring turn of mind, and was very enthusi-
 astic in his undertakings;  although he prepared
 medicines from minerals, he acknowledged that  he
 was afraid to use them on account of his knowing
 their poisonous qualities.  I convinced him of the
 superiority of my system of practice, and instruct-
 ed him in the use of my medicine, so that he en-
 gaged  in it, and  soon had as much practice as  h<?
 could attend to ;  being so well satisfied of its gen-
 eral application to the cure  of all cases of disease,
 that he looked no more for it in his mineral  prepa-
 rations.
  In the winter  of 1807, I went with my wife  to
 Jericho, Vermont, to visit  my father and friends,
 who lived there.   While there, I was called on to
see  a number who were sick, among whom  was a
young  man that had been taken with what is call-
ed cramp convulsion  fits.   He was first  taken  on
Sunday morning, and continued in fits most of the
time till Tuesday ; he was attended during this
time by the best doctors that  could be procured,. 
74          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

without doing him any good.  They could not get.
their medicine to have  any effect upon  him ; he
continued in convulsions most of the time, every
part of him was as stiff as a wooden image; after
trying every thing they could, they gave him over.
His father came after me, and just as we entered
the room where the young man was, he was taken
with  a fit.   His feet and  hands were  drawn in
 towards his  body,  his jaws were set,  his head
drawn back, and every part of him as completely
fixed as a statue.   The first difficulty was to get
 him to take any thing ;  his jaws were set as tight
 together as a vice.   I took a solution of Nos. 1,2,
 and 6, as strong as  it could be made, and putting
 my finger in the corner  of his mouth, making a
 space between  his cheek  and teeth, poured some
 of it down;  and as soon as it touched the glands
 at the root of his tongue, his jaws  came open, and
 he swallowed some  of the metlicine; which had
 such  an effect  upon the  stomach, that all  the
 spasms  immediately  ceased.  I left him some me-
 dicine, with directions, and he entirely recovered
 his health.   I  saw him three years  after, and he
 told me that he had not  had a fit since the  one
 above described. I  was convinced from this  cir-
 cumstance, that the  cause of all cramps or spasms
 of this kind, is  seated in the stomach, and that all
 applications  for relief in such cases, should be
 made there;  as it will be of no service to  work on
 the effect as long as the cause remains.
   Before returning home, I was called on by Capt.
 Lyman, of Jericho, to  advise with me concerning
 his son, who had a fever  sore on his thigh, with
 which he had been afflicted for seven years.  He
 had be"en attended by all the doctors in that p».rt
 of the country, to no advantage.   They  had de-
 cided that the only  thing which  could be done to 
             OF SAMUEL  THOMSON.           75

help him, was to  lay open his thigh, and scrape
the bone.  I told him that I did not see how they
could do that without cutting the great artery,
which  lay close  to the bone, where they  would
have to cut.   He said he was satisfied that  it
would not do ; and was very urgent that I should
undertake with him.   1 told  him that  it was im-
possible for me to stay at that time ; but if his son
would go home with me, I  would undertake to
cure him ; to which he consented ; and the young
man returned with me -, which was in the month
March.   I began with him by giving medicine to
correct  and  strengthen the  system;  -bathed the
wound with  my rheumatic drops, or No.  6, some-
times bathing with cold water to  strengthen it;
and after proceeding in this  manner for about a
month, he was well enough to do some work.  He
remained with  me till  August, when he was en-
tirely cured, so that he'was able to return to his
Cither's on foot, a distance of one  hundred miles.
  In the fall of this year, the dysentery, or camp
distemper, as it was called, was very prevalent in
the above named town of Jericho; and was so
mortal, that  all.but.two who  had the disease, and
were atttended by the doctors, died ; they having
lost above twenty in a short  time.  The inhabit-
ants were much alarmed,  and held a consultation
to advise what to do; and being informed by the
young man above mentioned, that I was at home,
they sent an express for  me; and I  immediately
made arrangements to comply with their request.
In twenty-four hours  I started, and arrived there
on the third  day  after, and found them waiting
with great anxiety for me, having  refused to take
any thing from the doctors.   I  had an interview
with the selectmen of the town,  who had taken
upon  themselves the care of the  tick ; they  in- 
76         NARRATIVE OF  THE  LIFE
  formed me that there were about thirty then sick;
  and wished me to undertake  the care of them.  I
  agreed to take charge of them, on condition that.I
  could have two men to assist me ; this was com-
  plied with, and  I commenced  my  practice upon
  thirty, in the course of three days.  The disorder
  was the most distressing of any  that I had ever
  witnessed.   One man had been speechless for six
  hours, and was supposed  to be dying; but on my
  giving him some medicine to warm him, he seem-
  ed to revive like an insect that was warmed  by the
  sun,  after havinglain in a torpid state through the
  winter..  I  had  but little medicine with me, and
  had to use such as I could procure at this  place.
  I found the cause of the disease to be coldness and
  canker ; the digestive powers being lost, the sto-
  mach became clogged, so that  it would not hold
  the heat.   I made use of  red pepper steeped in a
  tea of sumach leaves sweetened,  and sometimes
  the bark and herries, to raise the heat and clear
  off the canker, which had the desired  effect.
   After taking this tea,  those who were strong
  enough, I placed over a steam, as long as  they
 could bear it, and then  put them  in bed.  Those
 who were too weak to stand, I contrived to  have
 sit over a  steam ; and this repeated,  as occasion
 required.  To restore the digestive powers, I made
 use of cherry stones, having  procured a quantity
 of them that had been laid  up, and the worms had
 eaten off the outside, leaving the stones clean.  I
 pounded them fine, then made a tea of black  birch
 bark and by putting them into this hot tea,  sepa-
 rated the meats from the stone part, then-made a
 good syrup, by putting from two to three ounces of
 sugar to one quart of the  liquor ;  this was given,
freely, and  answered a good purpose.   I continued
to attend upon my patients, aided  by  those a#. 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.
77
pointed to assist me, and in eight days I had com-
pletely subdued the disease.  They all recovered
except tvvo, who were dying when I firsfsaw them.
I gave the.same medicine to the nurses, and those
exposed to the disease, as to them that were sick,
which prevented their Jiaving the disorder, /fhe
same thing will prevent disease that will cure it.
After finishing my practice in this place, I was sent
for  and went.to the town of Georgia, about thir-
ty miles distant, where I practised with great suc-
cess for one week,  and then returned to  Jericho.
Those patients whom I had attended, were com-
fortable, and soon entirely  recovered.   The doe-
tors were not  very well pleased with my success,
because I informed the people  how to cure them-
selves, and they have had no need of their assist-
ance  in that disorder since. They circulated re-
ports for twenty miles  round, that I killed all that
I attended; but the people were all  perfectly sa-
tisfied with my practice, and were willing; to give
me full credit for my skill, so their malice towards
me  was of no avail.
  About this time, being in the town of Bridgwa-
ter, Vt. I was called on to see a young man about
18 yea^' of age, who had lost the use of his arm
by a strain;  it had been in a perishing condition
for  six months.  The  flesh appeared t6 be dead,
and he carried his arm in a sling.  His system,
generally, was diseased.  Being unable to stop to'
do any thing for him at this time, he was sent to
my  House.  I began with him in my usual manner,
by giving him warm medicine,  and bathed his arm
with  the oil of spearmint; in about ten days he
was weU enough to uie his arm and do some work;
in ^bout two months he was entirely cured and re-
turned home.
  In the spring of the year, 1807,1 went to Sahe- 
;   NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
bury, according to my promise when there the fall
before.  On my way there I stopped at Pelham;
th» man at whose house I staid, insisted  on my
going to see his  father-in-law, who had the rheu-
matism very bad, having been confined two months.
I attended  him three days,  when he was able to
walk some, by the assistance of a cane ; he soon
got about and was comfortable.    While at this
place,  I was sent  for to a young woman, sick of
a consumption; she had been a long time attended
by a doctor, and seemed very willing for my ad-
vice.  I carried her through a course of my medi-
cine, and the doctor staid to see the operation of
it;  he  seemed well pleased with  my system of
practice, and gave me much credit, saying that I
was  the first person he ever knew, that could make
his medicine do  as he  said it would.  I was sent
for  to attend several  cases of consumption  and
other complaints at this time, in all of which I
met  with success, and gave general satisfaction
to the people.
  After stopping at Pelham  three weeks, in which
time I had  as much practice as I could attend to,
I went  to Salisbury  mills, where I was very cor-
dially welcomed by all those who had berfn attend-
ed by me the season before.  I was called onto
practice in this place and Newburyport, and my
success was so great, that it caused much alarm
among the  doctors and their friends, whrfdid all
they could  to injure me, and destroy  my credit
with the people.   A considerable part  of the pa-
tients who were put under my care, were such as
the doctors  had given over ; and those being cured
by me,  had a  tendency to open the eyes of the'
people,  and give them  a correct understanding of
the nature of their practice,  and convince  them,
that  a simple and speedy cure, was more for their < 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.   "'       79
interest and comfort, than long sickness, pain and
distress; besides having to pay exorbitant doctors'
bills, for tkseless visits and poisonous drugs, which
have no other effect than to  prolong  disease, and
destroy the natural constitution of the patient.
  Among those doctors who seemed  so much en-
raged against me, for no other reason that  I could
learn, than because I had cured people whom they
had given over, and instructed them to assist them-
selves when sick, without having to apply to them,
there was none that made  themselves so  conspi-
cuous as Dr. French.  I had considerable practice
in this neighborhood, and was very sucsessful in
every case; this seemed to excite his malice against
me to  the  highest pitch; he made use of every
means in his power, and took every opportunity to
insult and  abuse me, both to my face and behind
my back.  A few of the inhabitants who were his
friends, joined  with  him, and became  his instru-
ments to injure me;  but a large proportion of the
people were friendly to me, and took great interest
in my safety and success.  The doctor and his ad>
herents  spread all kinds of ridiculous reports con-
cerning me and mv  practice, giving  me the  name
of the old wizzard ;  and that my cures were done
under the power of witchcraft.  This foolish whim
 was too ridiculous for me to undertake to contra-
 dict, and I therefore rather favored  it merely for
 sport.  Many remarkable circumstances took place
 tending to strengthen this belief, and some of the
 silly and weak minded people really believed that I
 possessed supernatural powers.  This will not ap-
 pear so  strange, when we take into view,  that the
 people generally were ignorant of my system of
 practice, and when they found that  I could cure
 those dieases that the doctors, in  whom they had
 been in the habit of putting all their confidence, 
 80         NARRATIVE OF TnE LIFE

 pronounced as incurable ; and that I could turn a
 fever in two days, which would often take themaa
 many months, they were led to believe .there was
 something supernatural in it.
    A man who was one of the friends of Dr. French,
 who had been very .inimical to me, doing ail in his
 power to injure and ridicule me, sent word one day
 by a child, that his calf was very sick, and he want-
 ed me to come  and give it a green  powder and a
 sweat.  Knowing that his object was to insult, I
 returned for answer, that he must send for Doctor
 French, and if he could not cure it,  I would come,
 for that was the way I had to practice  here.—
 It so happened that the calf soon after died, and
 his youngest child  was taken suddenly and  very
 dangerously sick.   Not long  after,  he found ano-
 ther  calf dead in the field, and about the same time
 his oldest  son was taken sick.   These things hap-
 pening in such  an extraordinary  manner, caused
 him  to reflect on his conduct towards me, and his
 conscience condemned  him for trying to injure me
 without cause.   He had the folly to  believe, or the
 wickedness to pretend  to believe, that it  was the
 effect of witchcraft;  and wishing  to  make his
 peace with me, sent me word, that if I would let
 his family  alone, he would  never do or  say any
 thing more to my injury.  This  I readily assent-
 ed to ; and  his children soon after  getting well, -
 though there was nothing very  extraordinary in
 it, as it  might all be easily accounted for,by na-
 tural  causes; yet it afforded  much  conversation
 among the  gossips, and busy bodies  in the neigh-
 borhood ; and  was made use of by my enemies to
 prejudice the people against  me.  Being in com-
pany  with a young woman  who belonged to a fa-
mily  that were  my  enemies, she, to insult  me,
asked me to tell her fortune.  I  consented;  and 
K)V SAMUEL THOMSON.
6!
knowing her character not to be the most virtuous,
and to amuse myself at her expense, told what
bad taken place between her and a certain  young
man the  night before.   She seemed struck with
astonishment; and said that 6he was  convinced
that I was a  wizzard, for it was impossible that I
could have known it without  the  devil had told
me.   She did not wish me to tell her any more.
  I  practised in  this place and  vieinity a few
months, and returned home to attend to my farm
the rest of the season.  While at home, I was sent
for, and attended in different parts of the country,
and  was very successful in my mode of practice,
particularly in  places where the dysentery and
fevers were most  prevalent; never failing in any
instance  of giving relief, and completely  putting
a check to those alarming epidemics, which caused
60 much terror  in  many places in the interior of
thecountry.
  In the  year  1808, I  went again to Salisbury,
anc" on my way there, stoped at Pelham, and at-
tended and gave relief in several cases of disease,
On my arrival at Salisbury mills, where I made it
my home, I was immediately called on to practise
in that place and the adjacent towns. Many came
to me from different parts, whose cases were des-
perate, having been given oyer by the doctors, such
as humors, dropfaies, mortification, felons, con-
sumptions, &c.  Fevers were  so  quickly cured,
and with so little trouble, that  many were unwil-
ling  to believe they had  the disease.  My success
was so great, that  the  people  generally were sa-
tisfied of the superiority of my mode of practice
over all others.   This created  considerable alarm
with the doctors, and those who sided with them.
Dr. French seemed to be much enraged, and hav-
ing failed to destroy my credit with the .people by
  6          F 
'$2         NARRATIVE  OF THE LIFE
false reports, and ridiculous statements of witch-
crafty shifted  his course of proceeding, and at-
tempted to frighten toe with  threats, which only
tended to show the malice he bore merfor no other
reason that I could conceive of, (as I had  never
spoken to him,) than because of my success in re-
lieving those he had given overdo die.  He would
frequently, cause me  to be sent for in great haste
'to attend some one in his neighbourhood, who was
stated to be'Very sick; but  I  saw through these
tricks, and avoided all his snares.   It seemed to
 be his determination, if he failed iAdestroyingmiy
 practice, to destroy me.  Being  in company one
 day at Salisbury village, with Mr. Jeremiah Eaton,
 of Exeter, whose'wife was  undermy carr c--
 dropsical complaint, I was sent for four ti>
 visit a young man at the house of Dr. Fi
 the last time a man-came on horseback in the
 est haste, and insisted that I  should  go ai i
 him.  I asked why  Dr. French  did not  r*
 him?  He answered, that he  had rather ha^
 Being convinced from  the appearance of tl
 that it was an attempt to put some trick upo
 I refused to go, and the man returned.  In a
 time after, Dr. French came into the villag*
 Mr.Eaton, Who was  present when  they  can
 ter me, asked  him what ailed the young m
 his house?  He said nothing;  but that he was as
 we'll  as any  body.  This revealed the whole se-
cret.  Mr. Eaton then asked him why he cauwd
me to be sent for so many times under a false pre-
tence.  He said, to see if I dared to come into his
neighborhood; that he  did  not care how much I
practised on that side of the river; but if I came
on his, he would blow my brains out—that I was a
murderer, and he could prove it.   Mr. Eaton ob-
served, that it Was a heavy  accusation  to  maka 
             OF  SAMUEL THOMSON.           83
           f. •'.! ^.. j  *■> .i .'.;,, .*.*>; ,■  -          i;
against a man,  and that  he ought to be made to
prove his-  words,  or' to  suffer thei consequence;
that his wife was Under my^care, and if I was a
murderer he ought to know  it.  Dr. French again
repeated the  words, with  many threats against
me, and showed the spite and malice  of a savage.
  Mr. Eaton, and others of my friends, considered
my life in danger, and came immediately, to  me,
and related wh it had been said by the Doctor, and
advised me to be on my guard.  I had bo paga his
house every day to visit my patients;  but did not
consider myself safe  in going in the night, nor Mi
the daytime, without some  one with  me.  I con-
tinued in this manner for several days, and finding
his malice towards  me to be great as ever,  and
still continuing his threats, with the advice of my
friends, I was induced to have resort to the  law
for protection. ■  I went to  Newburyport and en-
tered a complaint against  him before a magistrate,  *
who granted a warrant, and he was brought before
him for trial.   My  case  was made out by -fully
proving his words.   He asked for an  adjournment
•for three hours to make his defence*  which  was
granted.  Ho then  brought  forward evidence in
support of his character; and proved by them that
he had always  been a man of his'•word.  The jus-
tice told him that he thought, he proved.tpo much,
and to his disadvantage, for it had  been  fully.pro-  ;.
ved that he had made the threats alleged against
him, and to prove that he was a man of his word,
went to satisfy the court that the complaint was
well grounded.   He was laid under two hundred
dollar bonds  to keep the peace, and appear at the
next court of  common pleas.  He appeared, and
was ordered to pay all the costs, and was dischar-
ged from his bail.  This  was the end of our cqnfcro-  '•*
versy for that time; but his malice continued against 
84          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
me long after; seeking every means to destroy me
and  prevent my practice, that he could devise;
but proceeded with more caution, which caused mo
a great deal of trouble and much suffering, as will
be hereafter related.
   I continued to practice  in  this place, and had
as many patients as I could possibly attend upon,
notwithstanding the  opposition I constantly met
with from the doctors and their friends; for with
all their arts and  falsehoods, they  were notable
to prevent those laboring under complaints, which
they had found could not be removed by the fash-
ionable mode of treatment, from applying to me
for relief,  all of whom were either cured, or re-
ceived great relief by my practice.  Some of the
most extraordinary cases, I shall give a particular
account of, for the information of the reader.
   Mr. Jabez True, the minister of Salisbury, was
afflicted with what the doctors called nettle rash,
or what is commonly called St. Anthony'6 fire.
He stated  to  me that  it was caused by fighting
fire, about twenty-five years before, and that he
had  been subject to a breaking out ever since;
which at certain times was very painful and trou-
blesome, as it felt like the sting of bees, and would
swell all over his body.  He  had applied to all the
doctors in those  parts for their advice, but got no
assistance from  them.  I told him that he  had
heated himself to such a degree, by violent exer-
cise, and being exposed to the fire, that there was
nearly a balance between  the outward and inward
heat, and then cooling too sudden, the inward heat
had fallen  as much below the natural state as  it
Iiad  been  above it before, and the only  way to ef-
fect  a cure, was  to bring him into  the same state
he was in when fighting the fire.  He wished me to
under  take  bis case.  I carried him  through a 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.           85
course of my medicine, and  made  use of every
mean-j in  my power to raise the inward heat, pur-
suing my plan with all zeal for two days; when he
became alarmed,  and said he felt as though he
should die, for he felt the same as he did when ha
was fighting the fire.  I then kept him in that si-
tuation as much  as  possible,  and it went down
gradually,  so as to hold a natural  proportion of
heat.   My plan succeeded so  completely, that he
was perfectly cured,  and has enjoyed good health
ever since.  I attended upon his wife at the same
time, who had been long in  a consumption, and
had been given over.  She was perfectly cured;
and they are now living, in good health, and are
ready to testify to the truth of these statements.
  Previous to my difficulty with Dr. French, as
has been  before mentioned, Mrs. Eaton and ano-
ther woman by the  name of Lifford,  came  to me
at Salisbury mills, from Exeter.  Their complaint
was dropsy, and were both desperate cases, having
been given over by the doctor  who had attended
them.   Mrs. Eaton  was swelled to 6uch a degree
that she could not see her knees as she sat  in a
chair, and her limbs  in proportion.  I felt unwil-
ling to undertake with them, as I considered there
would be  but little chance of a cure; and declined
doing any thing for them, and sent them  away,
stating there was no place where they could get
boarded.  They went away, as I supposed, to go
home;  but they soon returned, and said they had
found a place where they could stay, and a  young
woman had agreed to nurse them.   I undertook
with them very  reluctantly;  but could not  well
avoid it.   I gave  them some medicine, and it ope-
rated favorably on both, especially on Mrs. Lifford;
then gave strict orders to the nurse, to attend them
attentively through  the night, and keep up a per- 
86         NARRATIVE OF  THE  LIFE

spiration;  but  she  almost  totally  neglected  her
duty,  spending her time  with the young people.
Otf visiting them in the morning, 1 was very much
hurt to find my directions neglected.   Mrs. Lifford
was quite poorly, and stated to me that the nurse
had neglected her,  and that she had  got her feet,
out of bed; her perspiration had ceased—and, other
symptoms appeared unfavorable.
   I  attended upen  her through the  day,  and did
all, I could to relieve her, but could not raise a per-
spiration again.  She continued till the next night
about midnight, and died.   My hopes of doing her
any good were small; but think that if she had  not
been neglected by the nurse, there migjjt have been
some small chance for her, as the first operation.of
the medicine was so favorable.  Her bowels were
in. a very bad.state,  and. had been almost in a mor-
tified condition.for  three weeks; and what passed
her, was by force, and very black.             •
   This caused great, triumph among my enemies,
and  Dr.  French tried to have a jury on the body,
but he could not prevail; "for  the  circumstances
were well known to many, and all  that knew any
thing about it, cleared me  from all  blame. ' The
nurse said that I did  all I could, and  if there waa
any  blame, it ought to fall on her, and not oh me.
So they failed in their attempt to make me out a
murderer. Butthiscase was laid up, to be brought
against me at  another time.   This shows  what
may, be. done by  the folly of the people,  and the
malice and wickedness of designing men, who care
more  for their own  interested ends, than for the
health and happiness of a whole community.  The
fashionably educated doctor,  may lose  one half of
his parents without  being  blamed; but if I lose
one out of several hundred of the most desperate 
            OF  SAMUEL  THOMSON.  ■'         8T

cases, most of which were  given over as incura-
ble, it» called murder.
  Mrs. EatoA'remained under my care about three
weeks, in which time she was reduced in size eight
inches, she then returned home to Exeter.—T had
several cases of the  dropsy and consumption  frcmv
the same town  about this time, who were all re-
lieved; all of them were very solicitous for me to
go to Exeter and practise.—As soon as I could get
the patients under my care in a situation to leave
them, I left Salisbury mills, and  went to Exeter,
and  commenced practising in my usual way, and
was applied to from all parts. I  had not so many
to attend as 1 had in some places; but they  were
all of the most desperate nature,  such as had been
given over by the doctors; in all of which I met
with groat success.  Many  of. the cases had  been
attended by Dr. Shepherd ;  he had attended  with
me upon his patients at  Salisbury; was a  very
plain candid sort of a man, and  treated me  with
much civility.  I well remember his first  speech
to me, which was in the following words : "Well,
what are you doing here, are you killing or curing
the people]"  1 replied', you must judge ofthat'for
yourself.—"Well," said he, "I  will  watch  you,-
not for fear of your doing  harm, but for my i own
information: I wish you well, and will do you  all
the good I  can."   I always found him candid and
friendly, without any hypocrisy.  He once called
on me to visit with him, one of his patients in the
town where he lived, who had the rheumatism in
the back and hips.  The doctor had attended him
about two months, and said he had killed the  pain,
but his back was stiff, so that he could not  bring
his hands below his knees.   I attended him  about
forty-eight hours, and then went with him to see
the doctor, which was half a mile; the doctor ap- 
88          iHAKKATIVE OF  THE LIFE
 peared to be much pleased to see him so well, and
 have the use of his  limbs; for he  could stoop and
 use them as well as he ever could.  He  said that
 he was as glad for the young man's sake, as though
 he had cured him himself.  He frequently came to
 see Mrs. Eaton, whom I was attending for the
 dropsy; and expressed  much  astonishment  at the
 effect the  medicine I gave had, in relieving her of
 a disease which he had considered incurable.  At
 one time, when conversing with her upon her si-
 tuation,  and finding her so much better, having
 been  reduced in size above fifteen inches, he ex-
 pressed  himself with some warmth  on the occa-
 sion, saying that it was what he had never seen or
 heard of being done before, and what  he had con-
 sidered impossible to be done with medicine.  Ad-
 dressing himself to  me with much earnestness, he
 inquired how it was that I did it 1  I replied, you
 know, doctor, that the heat was gone out of the bo-
 dy, and  the water had filled  it up; and all I had to
 do was to build  fire enough  in the body to boil
 away the water.   He burst into a laugh, and said
 that it was a very short system.
   While practising in Exeter, I had many  despe-
 rate  cases from the different parts of the country,
 and from Portsmouth.   One from the latter place
 I shall mention, being  different from what I  had
 before witnessed.  A woman applied to me  who
 had the venereal, in consequence, as she stated, of
 having a bad husband, which I believe to be true.
 She had been attended  by the doctors  in  Ports-
 mouth for nearly a year, who  had  filled her with
 mercury, for the purpose  of curing  the disorder,
 till the effects of the intended remedy had become
much  worse than the disease.  Her case was alarm-
ing, and very difficult; she was  brought on a bed,
 being unable to sit up, and seemed to  be one mass 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.           89
 of putrefaction.   I proceeded with her in my usual
 way  of treating  all cases where the system  is
 greatly disordered, by giving medicine to promote
 perspiration; steaming to throw out  the mercury
 and restore the digestive powers ; and  in  three
 weeks she returned home entirely cured.  Another
 woman came to me from the same place, who had
 been  sick five years, in consequence of having the
 same disease, and the doctors had filled her with
 mercury, to kill the disorder,  as they said ; and
 then left her  to linger out a  miserable existence.
 When she stated her case to me, I felt very unwil-
 ling to undertake  with her, apprehending that it
 would be very uncertain  whether a cure could be
 effected, having been of so long standing; but she
 insisted upon it  so strongly, that I could not put
 her off.  After attending  upon  her three weeks,
 however, her health was restored, and she return-
 ed home well ; and, in less than a  year after, she
 had two children  at one birth.   She had not had a
 child for  eight years before.  This disease is very
 easily  cured in the first stages of it, by a common
 course of medicine, being nothing more than a
 high stage of canker, seated on the glands of cer-
 tain parts of the body, and, if not cured, communi-
 cates to the glands of the throat and  other parts.
 By giving mercury, the whole system is complete-
 ly disordered; and, although the  disease may disap-
 pear, it is not cured ; and  there is  more difficulty
 in getting the mercury out of the  body of one in
 this situation, than to cure a dozen of the disease
 who have not taken this dangerous poison.
  While at Exeter, I had  a case of a young  man,
son of Col. Nathaniel Oilman,  who was in  a de-
cline.  He was about fourteen years old, and had
been troubled with a bleeding at the nose.  They
bad made use of such powerful  astringents, with 
&tf           NARRATIVE OF THE LIFP
corrosive sublimate snuffed np the nose, that the
blood vessels'in that part seemed to be shrunk up,
and his flesh much wasted away ; I  carried him
through a course of medicine, and gave an equal
circulation of blood through the body, and stopped
its course to the  head ; then raised a natural per-
spiration, restored  the  digestive powers, and re-
gulated the system, so as to support the body with
food instead of medicine.  In a short time he re-
covered his health, so that he commanded a com-
 pany of militia at the alarm at Portsmouth, during
 the late war.
   My success  while  at this place,  and the many
 extraordinary  cures I performed, gained me great
 credit  among the people ;  but the medical faculty
 became much  alarmed, and made use of every ar-
 tifice to prejudice them against me.   The foolish
 stories about  witchcraft,  which had been made a
 handle of at Salisbury, were repeated here, with a
 thousand other ridiculous statements, for the pur-
 pose of injuring  me, but  I treated them with con-
 tempt, as  not  worthy of my notice, except'in some
 instances,  to  amuse myself with the credulity of
 the  ignorant,  who were foolish enough to believd
 Bach nonsense.   I will relate  onecircumstan.ee;
 for the purpose  of showing  upon  what grounds
 they founded their belief of my possessing super-
 natural powers, and which causedmuch talk among
 the people  at the time it happened.  Mrs. Eaton,
 where I boarded,  had a five dollar bill stolen out
 of her pocket book.  She  made inquiry of all the
 family, who denied having any  knowledge of it.—
 Agirl  who lived in the family, denied it so strong-
 ly, that I thought  she  appeared guilty, which led
 me to believe  that she had taken the money.  I
 pretended that I could certainly discover who stole
 the money, which was  believed by many ; and toM 
             OP SA.m'Wl THOMSON. '         9l

Mrs. Eaton, in presence'of all the family, that if I.
did qpttell who took it by Jthc next day at twelve ,
o'clock, J would pay the amount lost myself.   In
the evening  t had them all called into the room,,
anp.took the bible and read.from the law of Moses
the'penalty  for stealing,  then took the purse  and"
put it into the place, and shut the bpok and gate
it to Mrs. Eaton, with strict injunctions to put'it
under  her pillow,'and let no' ohe  todch it;  and
that the person who, stole the money  could have
no peace nor rest until they confessed  their guilt.
They then all  retired  to lied/  As'soon as  it  was
daylight.inthe morning, the girl came  down stairs
crying, and  went to the bed where Mrs.  Eaton
lay, and confessed that she  took the monev_; say*
ing that she had not sleptrany during the night, as
Isaid would.bothe case.  It will be unnecessary
to inform the reader that this wonderful discovery
was  brought about  by the effect  of a  guilty con--;
science, on a credulous and  weak mind.
   While I  was at Exeter,  a woman brought her
son to  me, who had a  fever  sore, called so, on hi a.
hip;  he had  been in this situation.so long,  without
any  assistance, that his legs had perished, andhe
was so much wasted aWay by the continual dis-
charge of the sore, and his nature was so far spent,
that I  felt perfectly satisfied that a cure was im-
practicable, and  declined  undertaking with  him.
This honest declaration on my part, very much
a^ronted the boy's mother, arid she turned against
me,  and did me all the hurt she could,  because I
would not  undertake to do what I knew was im-
possible for any one to accomplish. She went with
her  son to a fashionable doctor, who saidlie would
cure him  out of spite  to me.   They  continued
with the  doctor  several weeks, till  the  expense
 amounted to about fifty dollars—the lad continued 
 92          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

 to grow worse till he died.  This woman Beemed
 satisfied with having her  son die, after spending
 fifty dollars, because it was done in a fashionable  j
 manner;  but my refusing to  undertake to euro
 him, was sufficient for  her to  circulate all kinds
 of false and ridiculous reports  about  me.  Howe-
 ver strange this may appear, it is no more strange
 than true ; for this is but one out  of many hundred
 similar cases, where I have received injury when I
 was entitled to credit, by being honest and sincere
 in my endeavor to do  what I  conceived my duty
 towards my fellow creatures.
  About this time, among the rest of my troubles,
 I met with a new difficulty with an apprentice that
 I had taken, by the name of William Little, whom
 I had taken  from a state of poverty and sickness,
 cured him, and supported him for two years, until  '
 he  had gained knowledge enough of my medicine
 and system of practice, to be useful to me ; he then
 proved dishonest. While I was absent from horatf,
 he  collected  all the  money he  could,  and sold all
 my medicine, and then went off. On my  return,
 I found my debts collected, and  my medicine gone,
 so  that I was obliged to go  back immediately to
 collect more, before I could attend to  my practice.
 This was the first time I had met with difficulty by
 employing agents ;  but, since then, I have had
 experience enough to satisfy me of the difficulty of
 trusting to other people; having found but very few
of those  I have been under the necessity  of" em-
ploying,  who have  proved  trusty and honest.  I
have suffered much pecuniary loss in this way, be-
sides, in some instances, those I have  assisted and
given instruction to, so as to be  useful in the prac-
tice, have  become my enemies, and   been instru-
mental in injuring me.
  A son of John Underwood, at Portsmouth, wu 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.           93

brought to  me while at Exeter, who had what ia
called a scalt head.   He had been afflicted with it
for nine years.  The doctors had  been applied to,
to no purpose ; and when his father brought him to
me, he agreed to give a generous price if I would
cure him.  Itook charge of him, and, after pursu-
ing my  U6ual plan of treatment three weeks, he
returned home entirely cured, and has  not since
had any appearance of the disease.  This man had
the meanness, in order to get clear of paying any
thing for curing his son, to turn against me and my
practice, although he had acknowledged that 1 had
raved his 6on's  life, and had recommended me to
many others,  whom  1 had relieved ; yet, to get
clear of paying a  trifling sum, according to hia
agreement, he did all he could to injure me; and,
through his influence, many were kept from being
cured.   He was taken sick, and, notwithstanding
he had said so much against my medicine, he ap-
plied to some who had the right of using it,  and
was relieved thereby.
  Sometime towards the  close of the  summer,
while I was at Exeter, I  was sent for  to go 10
Portsmouth, to see a  young man by the name of
Lebcll,  who  was in a very dangerous situation,
supposed by his friends to be in a dying 6tate, hav-
ing been given over by Drs. Cutler and Pierpont,
at ten o'clock that morning.  I  arrived about  two
in the  afternoon.   He had been  attended by .the
two doctors above named, for upwards of a month,
to cure the venereal.  They had filled him with
mercury, so that he had swelled all over with the
poison : the doctors pronounced it to be the drop-
ey.  His legs had been scarrified to let off the wa-
ter ; the disorder and  the mercury had gained the
power, and nature had submitted.   I at ortce pro-
nounced  it a desperate case, and told the French 
.4)4          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

_Cpnsul, who had the charge of him, that I could '
 give no enconragement^that'I  could do him any
 good; but he was very solicitous for me todosorrie-
' thing for him,  I( told him the only chance Was'to
 raise perspiration ;' arid that  twenty-four  hours
 would determine his case ; for he'would either be
 better in that time or dead.  The idea .of perspira-
 tion caused him tb urge me to try; and he'said if I
 could effect it, he would give me one hundred dol-
 lars ; t)ie doctors  had tried for a month and1 could
 not succeed.  I gave him sortie medicine, then'ttut
 on .the. clothes by "degrees until1 he  was 'shielded
 from the air, and he sweat freely in.about an hour.
f The two doctors'were present and seemed astbn-
r ished at my success ; they walked the rodm, talk-
 ed low, and then went out.  I staid with him till
 six o'clock, and the'symptonls seemedto ber'favork-
. ble ; he sweat' profusely and  spit much blooflSKl
 I told the nrirsetokeep him in the same situation
 till I returned—went out and was  gohe aboutan
 hour, and came back again With Mr. UnderWooB.
 Wheri we came into the room, we found that'tne
 doctors had taken him out of bed.a'nd seated him ina
, chair, and  opened  the window against hid.   I told ',
 them that their'conduct would cau'se h|s death, and [
 I would.do no more for  him'; but should give him
 up as thejr patient.
    It appeared'to m'e that they were afraid!should
 cure him, and  thus prove  the superiority'of toy '
 practice over theirs, for they had tried amorrtnti '
 get perspiration, without success, and I had 'doffl J
 it in one hour.   The man fainteel before I letVifcl *
 room.   I , we n't home with  Mr. Underwootf'lhi '
 staid that 'night,' and left them to pursue their'Wi r
 course:, the nian died before mornino\  Instead "
 getting the hundred dollars, as  was agreed, I rie- i*
 vergot a cent for all my trouble of coming flftwi B 
              OF SAMUEL  THOMSON.          B5

 miles, and  returning bank  again on foot.  Besides
 this loss, afterwards when I came to he prosecuted
 by the faculty, the above  two doctors gave their
 depositions against me ; in which, I was informed,
 they sworethatl killed this man,notwithstanding
 they, had given him over to die the morning before
 I sawhim,and-they had taken him out of my hands,
 as above stated.   On  being, informed that they
 were trying to support a complaint against me, J
 got  the depositions of Mr.  Underwood **d others,
 who were knowing to the fa£ts4 to contradict these
 false statements. On finding that I was deter-
 mined to oppose  them, and prove what  they had
 Bworn to be falsi-, they thought proper to drop the
 natter.  But I was informed they had sworn that
 ny medicine was of a poisonous nature, and if it did
 lot  cause  the patient  to  vomit soon after, being
 taken, he would  certainly die.  It is unnecessary
 .or me to contradict this ;  for its.incorrectness and
 ibsurdity is too well known to all who have any
 'knowledge of the medicine I use.
   I was frequently at  Portsmouth to visit  those
 who had been sent to me to be attended upon at
 Exeter.   Sometime in September,  18U8,  when
 here, I was called on  to visit Mr. Richard Rice,
 vho was  sick  with the  yellow  fever,  as  it was
  ailed.  The reason for bis  sending to me  was in
 OfJisequence of having heard  the reports of the
 doctors, that  1  6weat my patients to death.   He
 conceived aindeathat if he could sweat  he should
 be better ;  but they would not allow him to be kept
 warm, taking the clothes off him, and keeping the
 windows and door open—no fire was permitted in
 the  room, while he was shivering with cold.  The
iplan was to kill  the fever, and to effect this with
. more certainty,,  the doctor had bled him, and told
-bissister that he had given him as much ratsbane 
96         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
as he dared to give, and, if that did not answer, ha
did not know what would.
  I  began to give him  medicine a little before
night, and in one hour perspiration took place—
He was so weak that he was unable to help him-
self.  In the morning the doctor proposed to bleed
him, but he was dismissed.   I  was  with  him till
the symptoms were favorable, then left him in  the
care of three persons whom I could confide in.—
After I was gone, Dr. Brackett came into the room
where the patient was, in a great rage, saying that
they were  killing  him ;  for mortification would
soon take place  in consequence of keeping him so
warm.  He was asked by one of those present, in
which case mortification was most likely to take
place, when the blood  is  cold and thick, or warm
and thin.  He suspected some quibble,  aud would
not give an answer ; and it was immaterial which
way he  answered ; for in either case, he had no
grounds to support an argument upon, but  what
might be easily  refuted.   After he had failed in
the interference  with those who had the care of
the patient, he  went to  his wife and other rela-
tions, and tried to frighten them ; but  he did not
succeed, for they were well satisfied with what 1
was doing.
  The patient was much out by  spells, sometimes
imagining himself to be a lump of ice; but my di-
rections were pursued by the person I left in charge
of him during the  night,  keeping up a perspira-
tion  ; in  the  morning  he  was much relieved and
had his right mind.   He had no pain, except in
the lower part of the  bowels ; to relieve which he
was very anxious that I should give him some phy-
sic ; I opposed this, being confident that it would
not do in 6uch putrid cases.   He was so urgent,
however, that I  gave  him some, which operate 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          97
 very soon ;  and the consequence was, that it rein-
 forced his disorder, and threw him into the great-
 est distress.  He asked for more physic, but I told
 him that I would not give him any more, for I was
_ satisfied with the impropriety of giving it in such
 cases, and I  have  never given any since.   It
 checked the perspiration, and drew the determin-
 ing powers from the surface inward, so that  I had
 to go through the same process again of raising per-
 spiration and  vomiting, which was much more dif-
 ficult than at first, and it was with the greatest at-
 tention that I was able to keep  off the mortifica-
 tion  for twelve hours that he was kept back,  by
 taking this small dose of physic..  I kept up the
 perspiration through Friday and Saturday, and on
 Sunday morning when I called to see him, he was
 up and  dressed ;  on asking how he did,  he said,
 "as strong as you are," and took me under his arm
 and carried  me across the room.  On Monday  he
 was down on the wharf attending on his business.
   This cure caused considerable talk in the town,
 and, because it was done so quick, the doctors said
 that there was but little ailed him, and he would
 have got well himself if he had taken the physic
 and been left  alone ; but those who saw  it  were
 convinced to the contrary ; others doubted, and
 said #among themselves., how  can a man who has
 no learning, and never studied physic, know how
 to cure disease.   Mr. Rice, however, gave me cre-
 dit for the cure, and was very grateful for it, and I
 jnade his house  my home, when, in  Portsmouth,
 and was treated  with much  respect.  He intro-
 duced me to his  uncle,  Alexander Rice, Esq., a
 man of respectability and high standing  in that
 place ; who at first could not believe that  so valu-
 ble a  discovery could  be made by a  man without
 an education.  I conversed  with  him upon the
              G 
98        NARRATIVE OF THE LfFE

subject and explained the principles upon which
my system was founded—how every thing  acted
under the nature and operation of the four ele-
ments, and, by one acting upon another, caused all
motion—how the element of fire, by rarifying wa-
ter and air, keeps, the whole creation in motion-
how the temperament of the body, by adding or
diminishing heat or cold, would promote either
life'or death.   After hearing my explanation, he
became satisfied of  its correctness, and confessed
that my natural gift was of more value than learn-
ing.  He then made known to  me his infirmities,
and wished me to take the care of his  family, and
give him and  his wife such information as would
enable them to attend upon themselves and family
incase of sickness.  I readily agreed to this, and
soon after carried some oftlie family through with
the medicine,  and gave  them  all the  information
 in my power,  of the principle,  and the  medicine
 with which  it was done.  Mrs.  Rice undertook
 the management of the  business ; she was a kind
 and affectionate woman, possessing a sound judg-
 ment, without fear.  After  she had gained the in-
 formation, she wished me to attend to carrying her
 through a course of the medicine, for a bad humor,
 called the salt rheum, which she had been long af-
 flicted with ;  she was attended a few times, which
 effected a complete cure.
   Major Rice had  been  for many years subject to
 turns of the gout ; and had been, in some instances,
 confined by it  for six months at a time, and for six
 weeks not able to eit up, much of the time not
 able to lift his hand to his head.   He  had been
 constantly under the care of the most skilful doc-
 tors, who Would bleed and blister, and  physic him,
 till his strength  was exhausted ; after attending
 him in this way through the winter, they said he 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.           99
 must wait till warm weather, before he could get
 about.  When the warm weather came, he would
 crawl out on the sunny side of the house, and in
 this way  he gradually gained his strength. After
 this he was ajfiicted with a violent burning in his
 Btomach, which was almost as troublesome as the
 gout.
   After he  had the right of my medicine, he had
 frequent turns of the gout; but no attack of this
 disease has continued more than twenty-four hours,
 before he was completely relieved ; and  he has
 been but little troubled  with the burning of the
 stomach since. He has told me since, that if  he
 could have been as sure of relief,  when he was first
 subject to the disease, as  he  is now certain of it
 in twenty-four hours, he  would have been willing
 to give all he was worth.  This  family had been
 so much benefitted by the use of the medicine, that
 no sum of money would be any temptation to them
 to be deprived of it.  This man has never been
 lacking to prove his gratitude to me; in the time
 of my troubles, his assistance was of the greatest
 importance to me, and I shall ever be grateful to
 him and his family for their goodness.
  Soon after I went to Portsmouth, I was sent for
 to go to Deerfield, where the dysentary prevailed,
 and had become very alarming.   A young man by
 the name  of Fulsum came after me, and said that
 the doctor had lost every patient he had attended ;
that  seven had died and many were sick ; that his
father and two brothers  were  given over  by the
doctor that morning to die.
  The young man seemed  so anxious, and  was so
much frightened, that I concluded to go with him.
The  distance was  twenty-eight miles.   We start-
ed a  little before night,  and arrived  there about
ten o'clock.   I found the father and the sons as bad 
100           NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
  as  they could be and be alive ;  they were stupid
  and cold.  I told the mother that it was very un-
  certain whether I could help them.  She begged
  of me to save her husband's life,  if possible.  I
  tcdd her that I could not tell whether they were
  dying, or whether it was the deadly effect of opium.
  I gave them all medicine—the two children died
  in about three hours ; but Mr. Fulsum soon grew
  better by taking my medicine.   I had not only the
  sick to attend to, and do every  thing  myself, bat
  the opposition of all the neighborhood: there were
  eight of the family'sick, and, if I went out of the
  house, some person would open the  doors and win-
  dows, which would  cause a relapse ; while per-
  spiration  continued,  they were easy, but as soon
  as they grew  cold,  the pain  would  return and be
  very violent.  In the morning I was preparing to
  come away ; but the father urged me hard to stay,
  promising that I should be  treated in a better man-
  ner than I had been—I consented, and remained
  with them about ten days.  I caught the disorder
  myself, and was very bad ;  on taking the medi-
  cine, the operation  was so violent, that the neigh-
'  bors were much frightened, and left the  house,
  and were afraid to come nigh us, leaving us to die
  altogether.  I soon got better, and was able to
  carry Mr. Fulsum through for the first time,which
  relieved him, and he soon got better.  In the mean
  time a child was brought home sick, that had been
  carried away to prevent it  from  taking the disor-
  der.  It was so far gone that the medicine would
  have no effect upon  it, and it soon died.  All that
  were not in a dying situation before .they took  the
  medicine, were relieved and got well.  I attended
  some that had the  disorder in other families, all
  of whom got well;  fifteen  in the whole recovered;
  and three  died.  Two years after, the death.of 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          101
  these three chjldren was brought against me  on a
  charge of murder.
    All that I ever received for my trouble in these
  cases, was  fifteen  dollars.   There was no credit
  given me for curing the fifteen  out of eighteen,
  when the doctor had lost all that  he attended; and
  although  he had  given  over three to die,  I cured
  one of them twelve hours after.  When I left this
  place, the doctor adopted my mode of practice, as
  far as he knew it, particularly in sweating, and
  about one-half lived.  Notwithstanding all this,
  the doctor, as I was informed, made oath that the
  three children died  in  consequence of taking my
  medicine ;  and the good minister of the parish,# I
  was also informed,   testified to the same thing ;
  though I am confident that neither of them knew
  any thing about me or my medicine.   A judgment
  seemed to follow the  clergyman ; for a short time
  after he had lent his aid in promoting the prosecu-
  tion against me, a circumstance took  place in his
 family, which, had it not been done by a fashiona-
 ble doctor, might have  been called murder.  His
 wife was at times troubled with a pain in her face,
 something like a cramp ; a certain doctor said that
 he could help her by cutting.  He used  the  knife
 and  other  instruments of torture  for four hours,
 which stopped her  speech, and let loose the juices
 that filled the flesh from her breast,  so  that the
 blood and water crowded out of her ears in striving
 for breath.   She remained in this distressed situa-
 tion about seven days, and died.   This informa-
tion I  had  from two respectable men, who were
present at the time of her suffering and death.
  I continued to practise in Portsmouth  and its
yicinity during this autumn, and while there, was
6ent for to go to Salisbury to see a child that had
been attended by a woman for several days, whom 
NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
 I haa given information to, but they said the per-
 spiration would  not hold ; and they wished for
 further information. On seeing the child, I at once
 found that they  had kept about an equal  balance
 between the outward and inward heat ; when they
 Sav® medicine to raise the inward heat, and start-
 ed the determining power to the surface, they at
 the same time kept the outward heat so high as to
 counteract it.  After explaining to them the diffi-
 culty, I raised the child up and poured on  it a pint
 of cold vinegar, and it immediately revived. I ap-
 plied no more outward heat,  but only  to shield it
 from the air, and gave the warmest medicine in-
 w&rd—on the operation of which, the child grew
 cold  and very much distressed.  As soon as the
 inward heat  had  gained the full power, and  drove
 the cold out, the  circulation became free,  and the
 child was relieved from pain and fell asleep ; the
 next day the heat was  as much  higher than was
 natural,as it had been lower the day before; and
 when the heat had  gained the  victory over the
 cold, the child gained  its strength and was soon
 about, perfectly recovered.
  I  had not  practised in Salisbury before, since I
 went to  Exeter, which was'in June ; and -my re-
 turning there seemed to give  Dr. French great of-
 fence.  He had  been  to see the child mentioned
 above, and tried to discourage the people  from
 using my medicine ; and threatened that he would
 have them indicted by the grand jury, if they made
 use of any  without his consent ; his threats, how-
 ever, had very little  effect, for  the people  were
 well satisfied of  the superiority  of my  practice
 over his.  About  this time the bonds for his good
 behaviour were out ; I did not appear against him,
and when the case was called, the court discharg-
ed him and his bail,  on his paying the  coet.  The 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.           103
action was brought on a complaint in behalf of the
commonwealth ; but I had  caused another action
of damage to be brought against him, which was
carried to the supreme court, and tried at Ipswich
the spring following.  I employed two lawyers to
manage my case, and  brought forward two wit-
nesses to. prove  my declaration, who  swore that
the defendant made  the assertion that I was guilty
of murder, and he could prove it.  His lawyer ad-
mitted the fact, but pleaded justification on  the
part of the client, and brought  witnesses on the
stand to prove that  what he had said was true.—
The young woman who nursed  Mrs. Lifford, and
by whose neglect she took cold, swore to some of
the most  ridiculous  occurrences concerning  the
death of that woman, that could be uttered, which
were  perfectly contradictory to every thing  she
had. before confessed to be the truth.  Another
young woman, the daughter of a doctor  at Deer-
ifield,  made a statement to make it appear that I
was the  cause of the death of the three children,
who died, as has  been before related.  I  had no
knowledge of ever seeing this  woman, and have
si nee ascertained that she was not at the house but
once during the sickness, and then did not go into
the room where the sick were ; and her exaggera-
ted account must have been made up of what she
heard others say.
  These  things were a  complete surprise to me,
not thinking it possible that people  could be  in-
duced to make such exaggerated statements under
the solemnity of an oath.   I could have brought
forward  abundance  of evidence, to  have contra-
dicted the  whole, evidence against me, if there
were  time ;  but not expecting the cause would
have  taken the course it did, was unprepared.—
There appeared to be a  complete  combination of 
104        NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

the professional craft against me, both the doctors
and lawyers ;  and a  determination that I should
lose the cause, let the evidence be what it might.
My lawyers gave  up the case  without  making a
plea ; and the judge  gave a very partial charge to
the jury, representing me in the worst point of
view that he possibly could, saying  that the  evi-
dence was sufficient to prove the facts against me,
and  that if I had been  tried for my life, he could
not say whether it would hang me  or send me to
the state prison for life.   The jury of course gave
their verdict against me, and I had to pay the costs
of the  court.
   The  counsel for  Dr. French asked  the judge
whether a warrant ought not to be issued against
me, and I be compelled to recognize to appear at the
next court, to which he  answered in the  affirma-
tive.  This so frightened my friends,  that  they
were much alarmed for my safety, and advised me
to  go out  of the way of my enemies, for  they
seemed to be determined to destroy  me.  I went
to Andover, to the house of a friend, whose  wife
 I had  cured  of a cancer, where I was very cor-
 dially received, and stayed that night.   The next
 day I went to Salisbury mills, and made arrange-
 ments  to pay the costs of my unfortunate  law-
suit.
   In the fall of the year 1808, I was sent for to
go to Beverly, to see the wife of Mr.  Appleton,
who was the daughter  of  Elder Williams,  the
Baptist Minister in  that town, and was very low
in a consumption.  She had formerly been afflicted
with the salt-rheum  on  her hands, and had applied
to a doctor for advice ; he had advised her to make
use of a sugar of lead wash, which drove the dis-
ease to her lungs, and she had been in that situa-
tion for a long time, and very little hopes were en- 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.        105
 tertained of her ever being any better.  I carried
 her through a course of the medicine, with very
 good 6ucces*.
   I remained in Beverly about a week ; and, whrle
 there, became acquainted with Mr. Williams, and
 also Mr. William Raymond, to whom I afterwards
 gave information of my practice,  and he assisted
 me to attend on my patients.  I then returned to
 Portsmouth, where I was constantly called on to
 practise, and had all the most desperate cases put
 under my care, in all of which I  met with- great
 success.
   After staying here about two weeks, I returned
 to Beverly, to see Mrs. Appleton, and other patients
 there, and found them all doing well; was called on
 to attend many desperate cases ; in all of which I
 effected a cure, except one, who was dying before
 I was called on.
   While practising at Beverly, I was called on by
 Mr. I.ovett to attend his  son, who was sick, as
 they supposed,  with  a bad cold ; some thought
 it a typhus fever.  I was very much engaged in
 attending upon the sick at  the  time, and could
 not  go  with him ;  he came after  me  three times
 before I could go.  On seeing him, I found that
"he complained of a stiff neck,  and appeared very
 6tupid,  and had no pain.    His  aunt,  who took
 care of him, said that he would certainly die,  for
 he had  the  same  symptoms  as  his mother, who
 died a short time before.   I gave  some medicine,
 which  relieved him—the next day  carried him
 through a course of the medicine, and he appeared
 to be doing very well.  Being called  on to go to
 Salem,  I left him in the care of Mr. Raymond, with
 particular directions to keep in the house, and not
 expose  himself.  This was on Wednesday, and I
 heard nothing from him,  and knew not but what 
1U0         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

he was doing well, till the  Sunday afternoon fol-
lowing, when I was informed that he was worse.
I  immediately inquired of Mr.  Raymond, and
learned from him that he had got so much better',
he had been down to the side of the water, and re-
turned on Friday night; that the  weather was very
cold (being in the month of December,) that he had
been chilled with the  cold, and soon after his  re-
turn was taken very ill; he stayed with him on
Saturday night, and that he was raving  distracted
all night;  that he  had not given  any medicine,
thinking that he was  too dangerously sick for him
to undertake with.
   I told the young man's father, that it was very
doubtful whether I could do any thing that would
help him, but that I would try  and do all I could.
I found that  the patient was so far gone that the
medicine would have no effect,  and in  two  hours
told him that I could not help his son, and advised
him to call some other advice; this was said inthe
presence of  Elder Williams and  Mr.  Raymond.
Mr. Lovett made answer, that if I could not help
his son, he knew of none who could ; and was very
desirous for me to stay with him all night, which 1
did, and stood by his bed the whole time.  He was
much  deranged in mind until  the morning," when
he came to himself and was quite sensible.   I then
again requested the father to .send  for another doc-
tor, as I was sensible I could  do nothing for him
that would be any benefit.   He  immediately sent
for two doctors; as soon as they  arrived, I left him
in their care.  The two doctors attended him till
the next night about ten o'clock, when he died.  I
have been more particular in giving the history of
this case, because, two years after, it was brought
as a charge against me, for murdering this young
roan.  The father and friends  expressed no dissa.- 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.           107
 tisfaction at the time, in  regard to my conduct,
 except they thought I ought not to have neglected
 the patient so long;  but  it is a well known fact,
 that I attended as soon  as I  knew of his being
 worse, and that the whole cause of this second at-
 tack  was owing to his going out and exposing him-
 self, and could not be imputed as any fault of mine.
   In the latter part of December, 1808, I was sent
 for to attend Elder Bowles, the Baptist minister
 of Salem.  I was introduced to him by Elder Wil-
 liams, and found him in bed, and  very weak and
 low,  in the last stage of a consumption ; all hopes
 of a recovery were at an end—his doctors had left
 him as incurable.  He asked  my opinion of his
 case; I told him that 1 could not tell whether there
 was a possibility of a cure  or not till after using the
 medicine ; being doubtful  whether there was mor-
 tification or not.  He was a man  very much res-
 pected and beloved by his people,  and the  public
 anxiety was very great about him.   He expressed
 a strong desire that I  should undertake with him,
 but I declined  doing any thing until he consulted
 his deacohs and other members of his church, who
 were  his particular friends, and had their advice
 taken ; which being done, they offered  no  objec-
 tion, but wished him to act his  own mind, and
 whatever the result should be, they would be sat-
 isfied.  He replied, that he was  convinced  that
 he could not live in his present situation more than
 a week, and therefore his life could not be shorten-
ed more than that time ; and it was his wish that
 I should undertake to  cure him.   His strength
was so far exhausted, that it was with the greatest
exertions and difficulty that they could get him to
sit up about three minutes a day,  to have his bed
made.
  I gave his friends as  correct an.account  of his 
108        NARRATIVE OF  THE  LIFE
disorder, and the  operation of the medicine, as I
could ; and that I did not wish  to do any thing
which might cause reflection  hereafter ; but they
promised that, let the result be what it might,'they
should be satisfied, and  would not  think hard of
me.  On these conditions I  undertook, and told
them that .one day would decide whether he lived
or died.   I began to give the  medicine in the
morning,  which had a very calm and easy opera-
tion ; the emetic  herb operated  very kindly, and
threw off his stomach a large  quantity of cold jel-
ly, like  the white of an  egg ;  the perspiration
moved gently on,  and was free ;  the internal heat
produced by the medicine, fixed  the determining
power to the surface, and threw out the putrefac-
tion to such a degree, that the smell was very of-
fensive.  Mr. Bowles had a brother-present, who
was a doctor ; he  observed that  he  did not know
whether the  medicine made  the  putrefaction, or
whether it made visible  what was secreted in the
body'; but  he was soon  convinced on that head,
for, when the medicine  had cleaned him, all this
putrid smell ceased.  While the  medicine  was in
the greatest  operation,  the perspiration brought
out  the putrefaction to such a degree, that the
nurse, in making his bed, was so affected with it,
that she fainted  and  fell  on the floor.  I attended
on him for  about three weeks, in which time he
was able to set up two or  three hours in a day;  his
food nourished his  body,  and  his  strength gained
very fast, considering that the season of the year
was unfavorable.  I  gave him  my best advice, and
left directions how to proceed, and returned home
to my family to spend the rest of the winter with
them.  I returned in the  spring to see Mr. Bowles,
and found him so far recovered, as to be able to
ride out, and in good spirits.  He soon gained his 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.           109
 health, and is now well and ready to give testimo-
 ny of the facts, as I have related them.

   In the season of 1809, I suffered much.  In the
 first part of the summer, I attended  many patients
 of old complaints ; in particular, one case that  I
 shall menlion, of a young woman in Kittery,in  a
 consumption.  She had been confined to her house
 four months ; her flesh was exhausted, and  she
 had a violent stricture of the  lungs, which  she
 said seemed as though there  was a string that
 drew her lungs  to her back ;  this caused  a dry,
 hacking cough,  which was very* distressing.   I
 could give her friends no encouragement of a cure;
 but  they and the young woman were so  urgent,
 that I undertook with her.  Her courage was very
 great; she took  the  medicine and followed all  my
 directions with  great  perseverance.   She said
 that she wished  it might either kill or cure,  for
 she  did not wish to live in the situation she was
 then in.   I left her medicines  and directions, and
 occasionolly  visited  her.   My plan  of  treatment
 was followed with much attention and zeal for  six
 months, before I  could  raise an inward heat, which
 would hold more than six hours. She then had
 what was called  a settled fever ;  I gave her medi-
 cines to get as great an internal heat as  I possibly
 could ; this caused much alarm among her friends,
 as they thought  she would certainly die.   I told
 them that the heat holding, which was  the cause
 of the fever, was the most favorable  symptom I
 had seen in her favor. She soon gained her health,
 to the  astonishment of  her friends and acquaint-
 ance.  She continued to enjoy her health  till the
next season, when she  had another turn  of the
fever.  I attended her in my usual way, and raised
the heat till it completely overpowered  the cold, 
 110        NARRATIVE  OF THE LTFB

 when she was entirely cured", and  has ever since
 enjoyed good health.
   During  this summer, a woman  applied to mc
 from a neighboring town, who had the dropsy, and
 brought with her a little girl that had the rickets
 very bad, so that she was grown out of "shape.  1
 carried them both through  a course of medicine,
 attended them for three or four weeks, and then
 gave the woman information how to relieve her-
 self and the girl, occasionally visiting them ; they
 both recovered of their  complaints, and have en-
 joyed perfect health ever since.  This woman paid
 me the most liberally of any that I had attended,
 and has on all occasions manifested her gratitude
 for the  assistance I  afforded her.   Another wo-
 man from  the same  town applied to me, who had
 a cancer on her breast.   She had been under the
 care of several doctors,  who had, by their course
 of practice, made her worse.  I undartook  with
 her, and, by giving medicine to check the canker,
 and promote perspiration, effectually relieved her
 from the disease.   Many  other  desperate cases,
 such as consumptions, dropsies, cancers, &c, most
 of which had been given  over by the doctors, were
 attended by me about this time,  which it will be
 unnecessary for me  to particularize ; all of them
 were either completely  cured, or essentially re-
 lieved,  and  made comfortable by  my system of
 practice.  One case I shall, however, state, being
 rather of an extraordinary nature, to show theab-
 Burdily of the fashionable manner of treating dis-
 ease, by the doctors of the present day.
  A young  lady applied to me who had been much
 troubled with bleeding at the stomach.  She sta-
ted  to me that she had been bled by the doctors
forty-two times in two years ; and  that they had
 bled her seven times in six weeks.  So much blood 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.           HI
had been taken  from her, that  the blood vessels
had contracted, so that they would hold but very lit-
tle blood ; and the heat  being thereby so much di-
minished, the water filled the flesh, and what little
blood there was rushed to her face, while all the
extremities were cold ; this produced a  deceptive
appearance of health, and caused those who judged
by outward appearances, to doubt  whether there
was any disease ;  so that she had not only to bear
her own infirmities, but  the reproaches  of her ac-
quaintances.  I kindled heat  enough in the body
to throw off the useless water, which gave the
blood room to circulate through the whole system,
iustead of circulating as it had done before, only
in the large blood  vessels ; they being much dis-
tended, by  not having heat enough to give it mo-
tion, led the doctors  into the  erroneous idea that
there was too much blood,  and they resorted to
the practice of bleeding, which reduced the strength
of the patient, and increased  the disease.  There
is no such  thing  as  a  person  having  too much
blood, no more  than there is of having too much
bone, or too much muscle or sinews.  Nature con-
trives  all  things  right.  The blood  may  be too
thick, so as not to circulate,  and is liable to be
diseased like other  parts of the body ; but  how
taking part of it .away can benefit the rest, or tend
in any  way to remove the disease, is what I could
never reconcile with common sense.   After I had
carried the woman through a full operation of the
medicine, and got the heat to hold, so  as to pro-
duce natural perspiration, she at once exhibited
a true  picture  of her  situation.  Instead of ap-
pearing to be so fleshy and well as she had done, she
fell away and  became quite emaciated ; but  aa
soon  as the digestive  powers were  restored,  so
that the food could nourish the  body,  she gained 
 1 12        JVAKKAT1VE OF THE LIFE

her strengtn and flesh, and, in  a short time was
completely restored to health.
  I was about this time called to attend a woman
who.was very  severely attacked  with the spotted
fever.   The first appearance of it  was a pain in
the heel, which soon  moved up to the hips and
back ;  from thence  to her stomach  and head ; so
that in fifteen  minutes her sight was gone, and in
less than half an hour she was senseless and cold.
About.this time I saw her, and examined well the
 cause of the disease.  I was well satisfied that it
 was the effect  of cold having  overpowered the
 inward heat.  By confining her from the air, giv-
 ing her Nos. 1 and 2, and keeping her in a mode-
 rate steam, she in  a short time came to her  sen-
 ses ; and the symptoms were exactly  similar to a
 drowned person  coming too, after having life sus-
pended by  being under water.   As soon as the per-
 spiration became free, all pain ceased, and she was
 quite  comfortable ; in twenty-four  hours  the dis-
 ease was completely removed, and she was able to
 attend to her work.
  The same day I  had  another case of a child,
 which the  doctor had  given over.  When I came
 to this child it was  senseless, and I  expected in a !
 mortified state  ; I  gave  it  the hottest medicine 1
 could get, with  the emetic  ; it lay about six hours
 silent, before the medicine had kindled heat enough 1
to cause rhotion  in the stomach and  bowels, when
it began to revive,  and  what  came from it  was
black and putrid ; the bowels just escaped mortifi-
cation. The child was soon well.  These two cases
were both cured  in twenty-four hours.
  When the spotted fever first appeared in Ports- -,
mouth, the  doctors had five cases, and all of them "
died.   I had five cases similar, all of whom lived.
Because my patients did not die, the doctors said 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.         113
 they  did not have the fever.   In this they had
 much the advantage  of me, for there could be  no
 doubt of their's all having it, as death was, in most
 of the cases under their care, on their side, and de-
 cided the question.   I have had a great number of
 cases of spotted fever under my care, and in all of
 them, used  the remains of heat as a friend, by kin-
 dling it so as to produce heat enough in the body
 to overpower and drive out the cold ; and have ne-
 ver failed of success when there was any chance of
 a cure.
  Sometime this season, I was sent for to attend
 Captain Trickey, who was  very sick ; I examined
 him, and was confident that I could not  help him,
 and took my hat in order to leave the house.  His
 family insisted on my stopping  and doing  some-
 thing for him ; but I told them that I thought  he
 was in a dying state, and  medicine would  do  no
 good.  I told his son that, in  all  probability,  he
 would  not  be alive over twenty-four hours, and
 that he had better go for some other help, for I
 could do him no good.  I told his wife that I should
give no medicine myself, but, as they had some in
the house that they knew the nature of, she might
give some of it to her husband ; which  she did.—
Two doctors were sent for—the first one that  ar-
rived bled him, and he soon breathed-very  short,
and grew worse ; the other  doctor came, and said
that his breathing short was in consequence of the
medicine I had given him ;  but by this he did not
gain credit, for all the family knew to the contra-
ry ; and the  woman soon after told me of his speech.
The patient continued until the next day about ten
o'clock, and died.  Soon as he was dead, the doc-
tors and their friends spared no pains to spread the
report  in every  direction,  that I had killed this
man with my screw-auger, a cant name given to 
114        NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
my emetic herb, in consequence of one of my pa-
tients, when under the operation of it,  saying that
it twisted in him like a screw-auger.  This was
readily  seized upon by the doctors, and made use
of for the purpose of trying to destroy the reputa-
tion of this medicine  by ridicule.  They likewise
gave similar names to several other articles of my
medicine, for the same purpose, and  represented
them  as the names  by which I  called them__
They had likewise given  me  several names and
titles, by way of reproach  ; such as the sweating
and  steaming doctor, the  Indian  doctor, the old
wizzard, and sometimes the quack.  Such kind of
management had a great  effect upon the minds of
many weak-minded  people :  they were so fraid of
ridicule, that those whom  I had cured  were unwil-
ling to own  it, for fear of being laughed at for em-
ploying mc.
   The circumstance of the death of the above men-
tioned  Captain Trickey, was  seized upon by the
doctors and  their friends,  and the  most, false and
absurd  representations made by them throuffh the
country, with the intention of stopping my°prac-
tice, by getting me indicted for murder, or to drive
me off; but my  friends made out  a correct state-
ment of the  facts, and had them published, which
put  a stop to their career  for that time. I  conti-
nued my practice, and had a great number  of the
most desperate cases, in most of which I was suc-
°f Ihi T,he ,extraor<*inary cures I had perform-
ed, had the tendency to make many people believe
thai could  cure every one that hadlife mlhem

atnTd orthosesZ^^t^1 ™
ble and they died  wheE^TaTg^nthemany
mftlci;t?i?,the  ^Port was immediately ck-
culatedthat  they were killed by me ; at the  same 
             OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          115

time the regular doctors would lose their patients
every day, without there being any notice taken of
it.  When theirpatients died, if appearances were
ever so much ag?.inst their practice, it was said to
be the  will of the Lord, and submitted to without-a
murmur; but, if one happened to die, that I had any
thing to do with, it was readily reported by those
interested in destroying my credit with the people,
that I killed them.
  I could mention a great number of cases of the
cures that I performed, if I thought it necessary ;
but my intention is to  give the particulars of such
only as will have the greatest tendency to convey
to the reader'the most correct information of my
mode of practice, without repeating any that were
treated in a similar manner to those already given.
I shall now proceed.to give the particulars of one
of the most important circumstances of my life,  in
as correct and impartial a manner as 1 am capable
of doing from  memory; in order to show what I
have suffered  from the persecutions of some of the
medical faculty,  for  no other  reason, as I con-
ceive,  than that they feared my  practice would
open the  eyes of the people, and lessen their im-
portance with them, by giving such information as
would enable  them  to cure themselves of disease
without the aid of a doctor.   And from many other
people  I suffered persecution, who were governed
altogether  by  the prejudices they  had  formed
against me, by the false reports that had been cir-
culated about my  practice, without  having any
other knowledge of me.   Many  of the latter, how-
ever, have since been convinced  of their error; have
a favorable opinion of my system, and are among
my best friends.
  After practising  in those parts through the sea-
son of  1809,  I went home to Surry, where  I  re- 
116        NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
  mained a few weeks, and returned back to Salis-
  bury.   On my way there, I made several stops in
  different  places where I had before  practised, to
  see my friends, and to give information  to those
  who made use of my medicine and practice.  On
  my arrival at Salisbury,  my friends  informed me
  that Dr. French had been very busily employed in
  my absence, and that  he and a deacon Pecker
  who was  one of the grand jury, had been to Sa-
  lem, to the court, and  on their  return, had said
  that there had  been a bill of indictment  found
  against me for wilful murder.  They advised me
  to  go off and keep out of the way  ; but I told them
  I should never do that; for, if they had found a bill
  against me, the  government must prove the char-
  ges, or I must be honorably acquitted.  About ten
  o clock at night, Dr. French came to the place
  where I stopped; with a constable, and mace me a
  prisoner, m behalf of the commonwealth.  I asked
  the constable to read the  warrant, which  he did •
  by this I found that Dr. French was the  only com-
 plainant ;  and the justice who granted the warrant
 ordered me before him to be examined, the next
 morning.   I was then taken by  the  constable to
 Dr. French s  housa, and keepers were placed over
 me  to prevent me from escaping.  While at his
 house and a prisoner, Dr. French  took the oppor-
 tunity to abuse and insult  me in the most shameful
 manner that can be conceived of, without any pro
 vocation on my part. He continued his abuse to
 me till  between  two and  three o'clock, whefte
 took his horse and set out for Salem to geTthein!
 dictment.  After he was o-nnp  T fx„„\i sei-.inein-
 of the consUMe, ,ha,, Sg&ifgl ^Hhe


*UI «. at W^S&Tvg&fig! 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          117
 and he  should  miss the chance of gratifying his
 malicious revenge against me, he went to a brother
 doctor,  who was a justice  of the peace, before
 whom he made oath, that he had probable ground
 to suspect, and did  suspect, that I had, with ma-
 lice aforethought, murdered sundry persons in the
 course of the year  past, whose  names were  un-
 known to the complainant ; upon which a warrant
 was issued against me, and I was arrested, as be-
 fore stated, in order  to detain and keep me in cus-
 tody till the indictment could be obtained.
   In the morning I  was brought before  the said
justice, and he, not  being ready to proceed in my
 examination, the  court  was adjourned till  one
 o'clock, when I was again brought before him, and
 he said he could not try me until the complainant
 was present, and adjourned the court again till near
 night.
  The constable took me to his house  in the mean
 time, and put me in a back room and left me alone,
 all of them leaving the house.  When they  came
 back, some of them asked me why I did not es-
cape, which I might very easily have done out of a
back window ; but I told them I stood in no feaT
of the consequence; having done nothing whereby I
ought to be punished ; that I was taken up.  as a
malefactor, and  was  determined to be convicted as
such, or honorably acquitted.   Just before night,
Dr. French arrived with a sheriff, and ordered me
to be delivered up by the constable to the sheriff;
and, after Dr. French had again vented his spleen
upon me, by the most savage abuse that language
could express, saying that I  was a murderer, and
that I had murdered fifty, and he could prove it;
that I should be either hung or sent to the  state
prison for life, and he would do all in his power to
have me convicted.  I was  then  put  in  irons by 
118         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
the sheriff, and conveyed to the jail in Newbury-
port, and confined in a dungeon with a man who had
been convicted of an assault on a girl six  years
of age, and sentenced to solitary confinement for
one year.  He seemed to  be  glad of company,
and reminded me of the  old saying, that misery
loves company.  I  was not allowed a chair or a
table, nothing but a miserable straw bunk on  the
floor, with one poor blanket which had never been
washed.  I was put into this prison on  the 10th
day of November, 1809, the weather was very cold,
and no fire, and not even the light of the sun or a
candle—and, to complete the whole, the filth ran
from the upper room into our cell, and was so of-
fensive that I  was almost stifled  with the smell—
I tried to rest myself as well as I could, but got no
sleep that night, for I felt something crawling over
me, which caused  an  itching, and not knowing
what the cause was, inquired of my fellow-sufferer;
he said that it was lice, and that there was enough
of them to shingle a meeting house.
   In the  morning there  was just light enough
shone through the iron grate to show the horror of
my situation.  My spirits  and the justness of my
cause prevented me from making any lamentation,
and I bore my Buffering without complaint.  At
breakfast time I was called on through the  grates
to take my miserable breakfast ; it consisted of an
old tin pot of musty coffee, without sweetening or
milk, and was so bad as to be unwholesome  ; with
a tin pan containing a hard piece of Indian bread,
and the nape of a fish,  which was so hard I could
not eat it.  This had to serve us till three o'clock
in the afternoon, when  we had about an equal fare,
which was all we had till the next morning. The
next day Mr. Osgood camefrom  Salisbury  to see
me; and on witnessing my miserable situation, he 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          119
was so much affected that he could scarcely speak.
Ho brought me some provisions, which I was very
glad to receive ; and when I described to him my
miserable lodgings, and the horrid place I was  in,
he wept like a child.  He asked liberty of the jail-
or to furnish me with'a bed,  which was granted,
and he brought me one, and other things to make
me more comfortable.  The next day I  wrote let-
ters to my family, to Dr.  Fuller,  and to Judge
Rice, stating to them to situation.
  The bed which  he brought me I put  on the old
one, and allowed  my fellow-sufferer a  part of it,
for Which he was very thankful.   I had  provisions
enough brought me by my friends for us both, and
I gave him what I did  not want ; the  crusts and
scraps which were left,  his poor wife  would come
and  beg to  carry  to her starving children, who
were dependent on  her.  Her situation and that
of her husband, were so much  worse than mine,
that it made me feel more reconciled to my fate ;
and I gave her all I could spare,  besides making
his condition more comfortable, for which they ex-
pressed a great deal of gratitude.
   In a few days after my confinement, Judge Rice
came tQ see me, and brought with him a lawyer.
On consulting upon the case, they advised  me to
petition to  the Judge  of the  Superior Court to
hold a special  court  to try my  cause, as  there
would be no court held  by law, at which I could be
tried, till the next fall, and  as there could  be  no
bail for an indictment for murder, I should have to
lay in prison nearly a year, whether there was any
thing against me or not.  This  was  the policy
of my enemies, thinking that they could keep me
in prison a  year,  and  in all probability I should
not livethat time, and  their ends would be fully
aaswered.    ■         • - . 
120        NARRATIVE  OF THE LIFE
  I sent on a petition agreeably  to the advice of
my friends, and Judge Rice undertook to attend to
the business, and do every thing to get the prayer
of the petition granted.  He followed the business
up with great  zeal, and  did every thing that could
be done to effect the object,  I think he told me
that he or the  lawyer, Mr. Bartlett, had rode from
Newburyport to Boston, fifteen times in the course
of three weeks on the business.   At length Judge
Parsons agreed to hold a special court  at Salem,
on the 10th day  of December,  to try  the cause,
which was one  month from  the day I was com-
mitted.  My friends were very .attentive arid  zeal-
ous in the cause, and preparation was made for the
trial.
   During this time the weather was  very  cold,
and I suffered from that cause, and likewise from
the. badness of the air in our miserable cell, so that
I had  not much life or ambition.  Many of my
friends came to  see me, and some of  them  were
permitted to come into the cell; but the air was so
bad, and the smell so offensive, that they could not
stay long.  My  friend, Dr. Shepard, came to see
me, and was admitted into our dungeon.   He stay-
ed a short time,  but said it was so offensive he must
leave me ; that he would not stay a week for all
Newburyport.  On thanksgiving  day we   were
taken out of our  cell and put into a room in the
upper  story, with the other prisoners, and took
supper together; they consisted of murderers, rob-
bers, thieves, and poor debtors.   All  of us tried to
enjoy our supper, and be  in as good spirits as our
condition would permit.  The most of their com-
plaints were of the filthiness and  bad condition of
the prison, in.which we all agreed.  Before it was
dark, I and my companion were waited on to our
filthy den again.   There was nothing in the room 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          121
to sit upon higher than  the thickness of our bed ;
and when I wrote any thing, I had to lay on my
belly, in which situation I wrote the Medical Cir-
cular, and several other pieces which were after-
wards printed.
  After I bad been in prison about two weeks, my
son-in-law came to see  me;  I had, before my im-
prisonment, sent for him to come to Portsmouth on
some business, and on hearing of my being in pri-
son,  he immediately came to Newburyport to see
me.   He seemed more troubled about my situation
than 1 was myself.   I felt perfectly conscious  of
my innocence, and was satisfied that  I had done
nothing to merit such cruel  treatment; therefore,
my mind was free from reproach ; for I had pur-
sued the course  of duty, which I conceived was al-
lotted to me by  my Maker, and done every thing
in my power to benefit my fellow-creatures.—
These reflections supported me in my troubles and
persecutions,  and I was perfectly resigned to my
fate.  About  this time a lawyer came into the pri-
son and read mc the indictment, which was  in the
common form, that  I  with malice aforethought,
not having the  fear of God  before my eyes, but
moved by the  instigation of the devil,  did kill and
murder the said Lovett, with lobelia, a deadly poi-
son,  <S:c.;  but feeling so perfectly innocent of the
charges which the bill alleged against me, it had
very little effect upon my feelings ; knowing them
to be false, and that they had been brought against
me by my enemies, without any provocation on my
part.
  In the  morning of the  day  that was  appointed
for me to be  removed  to  Salem for  trial, I was
taken out of  my  cell by the jailor, who gave me
water to  wash myself with,  and I was permitted
to take my breakfast by the  fire, which was the 
122          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
first time I had seen'any for thirty days; and could
not bear to sit near it inconsequence of its causing
me to feel faint.  As soon as  I had eat  my break-
fast, the iron  shackles were  brought and put on
my hands, which I was obliged to wear till I got
to Salem.  The weather  was very cold, and the
going  bad ; we stopped but once on the way, the
distance being about  twenty-six miles.  On our
arrival, I was delivered  over to the  care  of the
keeper of the  prison in Salem, and was confined in
a room in the second story, which was more com-
fortable than the one I had left. I was soon in-
formed that Judge Parsons was sick, and had put
off my trial ten days ; I had to reconcile myself to
the idea of being confined ten days more without
fire.   However, I was not without friends; Elder
Bowles and Capt. Russell came  to see me the first
night, and Mrs. Russell sent  her  servant twice
every  day with warm-coffee, and other things for
my comfort, for which I  have always been grate-
ful ; and  Mr. Perkins, whom I cured  of dropsy,
.sent for my clothes to wash against the  day of my
trial.
   Many of my friends came to Salem to attend my
trial;  some as .witnesses, and others to afford me
any assistance in their power.   A few days before
my trial,  Judge Rice, and Mr.  Bartlett, whom I
had employed as my  lawyer, held a consultation
with me  as  to the arrangement necessary to be.
made ; when it was decided that it would be best
to have other counsel; and Mr.  Story was agreed
upon,  who engaged in my cause.  I had also en-
gaged  Mr. Banister,  of Newburyport, to assist in
the trial;  but  he was of no benefit to me, and af-
terwards sued me for fifty dollars,  at fifty miles
distance, to put me to  great expense.   In order to
be prepared for the trial, my counsel held a co* 
             OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          123

sulfation together, and examined the principal wit-
nesses  in the defence.   Mr. Bowles, Judge Rice,
and several  others, gaye satisfaction  as to the va-
lue and usefulness of the  medicine, and the variety
of cures  that had been  performed with it within
their knowledge. Dr. Fuller, of Milford, N. H.,
was present, and made  many statements in  my
favor, as  to the value of the medicine, and advised
to have Dr. Cutler, of Hamilton, summoned, which
was done.  Every thing was  done by my friends
that was  in their power, to assist me  and give me
a chance  for a fair trial, for which I shall always
feel very grateful.
  On the 20th day of December, 1809,  the Supreme
Court convened to hear  my trial,  at which Judge
Parsons pre'sided, with Judges Sewell and Parker,
assistant  judges.  The case was called obout ten
o'clock in the morning,  and the chief justice  or-
dered me to be  brought from  the prison   and  ar-
raigned at  the  bar for trial.  I was waited on by
two constables, one on the  right and the other on
the left, in which situation I was brought from the
jail to the court house, and placed in the bar. The
courthouse  was so crowded with the .people, that
it was with difficulty we could get in. After I was
placed in the criminal seat, a chair was handed me
and I sat down to wait further orders.   Here I was
the object for this great  concourse of people to look
at; some with pity, others with scorn.   In  a  few
minutes I was directed to. rise and hold up my right
hand to hear the indictment read, which the  grand
jury  had upon their oaths presented against  me.
It was in common form, stating that I had with
malice aforethought, murdered Ezra Lovett, with
lobelia, a deadly poison.   I was then directed by
the court to plead to the indictment, guilty or not
guilty.   I  plead not guilty, and the usual forms in 
124          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

such cases were passed through,  the jury called
and sworn, and the trial commenced.
  The solicitor general arose and opened the case 1
on the part ofthe commonwealth, and made many
hard statements against me, which he said he was I
about  to prove.  He stated that I had, at sundry
times, killed my patients with the same poison.—
The first called to the stand on the part of the gov-
eminent, was Mr. Lovett,  the father  ofthe young
man that I was  accused of killing. He made a to-
lerable fair  statement of the affair in  general, par- j
ticulaxly of coming after me several tirhes before I
could attend; though I think he exaggerated many
things against me, and told over several fictitious
and ridiculous names, which people h§id  given my
medicine,  by way  of ridicule, such as  bull-dog,
ram-cat, screw auger, and belly-my-grizzle; all of
which had  a- tendency to prejudice the court and
jury against me ; and I also thought that he omit-
ted to tell many things in my favor, that must have
been within  his knowledge ; but there was no-
thing in his evidence that in  the least criminated
 me, or supported the charges in the indictment.
   The next.witness called was Dr. Howe, to prove
 that I had administered the poison alleged in the
 indictment.   He stated  that I gave the  poison to
the  said Lovett, and produced a sample of it, which
he said was the root of lobelia.   The judge asked
him if he was positive that it was lobelia—he said
he was,  and that I  called it coffee.   The sampli
was handed round  for the court to examine, and
they appeared to be afraid of it, and, after they had
all satisfied their curiosity, Judge Rice took it in
his hand and eat it, which very  much  surprised
them.   The  solicitor general  asked him if he
meant to poison himself in presence  ofthe court.
He said it would not hurl him to eat  a peck of it, 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          125
which seemed to strike the court with astonish
ment.  Doctor Howe was  then  called at my re-
quest for cross examination, and Mr. Story asked
him to describe lobelia, how it looked when grow-
ing, as he had sworn to it by the taste and smell.
This seemed to put him to a stand, and, after being
speechless for several minutes, he said he had not
seen any so long he should not know it  if he
should see  it at this time.  This so  complete-
ly  contradicted  and did  away all  that he  had
before stated, that he went off the stand quite cast
down.
  Dr. Cutler was called on to inform the court what
the medicine  was that Dr. Howe had declared so
positively to be lobelia ; and,  after examining it,
he said that it appeared to him to be marsh rose-
mary, (which was the fact.)  So far, all they had
proved against me was that I had given the young
man some marsh rosemary,, which Dr. Cutler had
declared to be good medicine.
  Some  young women were brought forward as
witnesses, whom I had no knowledge of ever see-
ing before.  They made  some  of the most absurd
and ridiculous  statements  about  the medicine,
which they said I gave the young man, that were
probably ever made in a  court of justice before—
some of which were too indecent to be here repeat-
ed.  One of them said  that I crowded my  puke
down  his throat, and he cried murder till he  died.
This was well known to be a falsehood, and the
story was wholly made up by my enemies, as  well
as what had been before stated by those women,
for the purpose of trying to make out something
against me.  I had two unimpeachable witnesses
in court ready to swear that I never saw the young
man for more than fourteen hours before he died,
during all which time he was in the care of Dr. 
126          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
 Howe; but, by not having an opportunity to make
 my defence, in consequence ofthe government not
 making out their case against me, could not brin*
 them forward.                               °
   John Lemon was the next,  witness brought for-
 ward  on the part ofthe commonwealth, and was
 directed to state what he knew about the prisoner
 at the bar.   He stated that he had been out  of
.health for two years,  being much troubled with a
 pain in his breast, and was so bad that he-was un-
 able to work—that he could get  no help from the
 doctors—that he applied to me and I cured him  in
 one week; and that was  all he knew about the pri-
 soner  at the bar.  By this time Judge Parsons ap-
 peared to be out of patience, and said he wondered
 what  they had for a grand jury to find a bill
 on such evidence. .The solicitor general said he
 had more  evidence which he  wished to bring for-
 ward.
   Dr.  French was called, and, as he  had been the
 most busy actor in,the whole business  of getting
 me indicted, and had been the principal  cause, by
 his own evidence, (as I was informed,) ofthe grand
 W Ending  a bill against me,  it was expected
 that his evidence now would be sufficient to con-
 demn  me at once; but k turned out  like the rest
 to amount to  nothing.  He was  asked if he knew
 the  prisoner  at the bar?  He said he did.  He
 was then  directed to  state what he knew about
him.   He said the prisoner had  practised in that
part of the country where he lived, with goodsuc-
2,111,  !»« medicine was harmless, being gath-
ered by the children for the use of the families.-
The judge  was about to charge the jury, when
the solicitor general arose and said, that if it was
not proved to  bejnurder,  it might be  found for
manslaughter.  The judge said, you have nothing 
OF  SAMUEL THOMSON.           127
against the man, and again repeated that he won-
dered what they  had  for  a grand  jury.*   The
charge  was given to the jury, when they retired
for  about  five minutes, and  returned into  court
and gave their verdict of not guilty.
  I was then honorably acquitted, without having
had  an opportunity to have witnesses examined,
by whom I  expected to have  proved the useful-
ness and importance of my discovery before a large
assembly  of people, by  the testimony  of about
twenty five creditable men, who were present at
the trial; besides  contradicting all  the  evidence
produced against  me.   After" the  trial was over,
I was  invited to the Sun tavern to supper, where
we .enjoyed  ourselves for the evening.   When
we sat down to  the table, several  doctors being
present, were so offended  at my being  acquitted,
that they left the table, which made, me think of
what the  Scripture says,  that "the wicked flee
when no man pursueth, but the righteous are  bold
as a lion."
  During the evening,  I consulted with my friends
upon the subject of prosecuting Dr.-French, and

  * As the learned Judge could find no law, common  or statute, to
punish the accused, he directed or advised those present to stop this
quackery, as he called if, and for this purpose, to petition the Legis-
lature to make a law that should make it penal for all who  should
practice without license from some medical college; to del.ar them of
law to collccttlicir debts; and  if this should not answer, to make it
penal by fine and imprisonment.
  This hint, tims piven by the Judge, was seized upon first in Mas-
sachusetts ; from tl.cnce it has spread to nearly .all the States in the
Union.  From this source may be traced all those unconstitutional
laws which have been enacted in relation to this subject, and all
those vexatious suits which 1 have had  to attend in  many of the
States;from Massachusetts to ^outh Carolina, more or less almost
every year since.  Hut I have been able to break them down by my
patent being  from higher authority, which Judge Parsons could
not prevent, or perhaps he never thought of.  He however made
his own report, and handed it to the reporter, which is published in
the 6th volume of Massachusetts Reports, and is resorted to by ali
the enemies of the practice, for a defence against the system. 
128        NARRATIVE  OF THE LIFE
  making him pay damages for his abuse to me when
  a prisoner at his house, in saying that I had mur-
  dered fifty, and he could prove it; and having had
  a fair chance, and having failed to prove one, it was
  thought to be a favorable opportunity to make him
  pay something for his conduct towards me, in caus-
  ing me so much suffering, and for the trouble he
  had made me and my friends.   A prosecution was
  agreed upon, and to bring the action  in the county
  of York.  Judge  Rice  agreed to be  my bail, and
  likewise he undertook to pay my lawyers and wit-
  nesses for the above trial, and paid  Mr.  Bartlett
  forty dollars that night.   Mr. Slory was paid twen-
  ty dollars by a contribution of my friends in Salem
  I stayed at Mr. Russel's that night; I had but little
  sleep, for my mind was so much agitated, when I
  came to consider what I had gone through, and the
  risk 1 had run  in  escaping the snares of my ene-
  mies, with  the anxiety of my family till they eot
  the  news of my acquittal, that sleep fled from my
  eyelids, and I  was more confused than when in
  prison.

   •S\er"eXAday ,Iwent  t0 Salisbury, and stopped
  with Mrs. Osgood, where I was first arrested. Mrs.
  Osgood, and a young woman who had been employ-
 ed by me as a nurse, assisted to clean my clothes,
 and clear me of some troublesome companions I
 had  brought with me from  the prison; and, when
 I had paid a visit to all my old friends, who were
 very glad to  see me, I went to Portsmouth, to re-
 cover my health which  was very much impaired,
 by being confined  forty day* in those filthy and
 co d prisons, ,n the coldest part of a remarkably
 cold winter   My friends  attended  upon me and
 carried me through the regular course of medicine
 but the first operation of it had little effect  in con
sequence of my blood being 60 much chme^ 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          129
   it was a long time before I could raise a perspira-
   tion that would hold.  I am confident that I should
   not have lived through  the winter  in prison, and
   believe that this was their plan ; for which reason
   they managed to have,  me indicted for  murder ;
   knowing, in that case, there would be no bail ta-
   ken, and there would be  no court at  which I could
   be tried,  for nearly  a year, I  should have to lay
  in prison that time, and that  I should die there,
  or, in either case, they would get rid ofmeforone
       at least, whether there was any  proof against
      rnot  ; and in that  time the doctors and their
  "">os would be enabled to  run down the credit of
  , iy medicine and my practice into disrepute among
  *hc people ;  but I have been able, by good fortune
      the kind  assistance  of my friends, to defeat
     .plans.
    Most of those that have been instrumental in
   rying to destroy me and my practice, have  had
    is judgment befall them as  a reward for their
 unjust persecutions and malicious conduct towards
 me.  I was credibly informed that Deacon  Pecker,
 one ofthe grand jury that  found a bill against  me]
 went with Dr. French to hunt up evidence to come
 before himself, in order to have me indicted.  A
 short time  after I was put in prison, he had  a stroke
 ofthe palsy,  and has remained so ever since,  one
 halfofhis body and limbs useless. Dr. French'  one
 year after I was acquitted, was brought to the same
 bar in which I was placed, and convicted of robbing
 a grave yard  of a dead body, which it was reported
 he sold for  sixty dollars.   He  lost all his credit
 and was obliged to quit his country.
   In the month of January, 1810, I returned home
 to my  family, and  staid till  I  had in  some mea-
sure recovered my loss of health by imprisonment.
In March 1  returned to Portsmouth, and, after tak- 
130          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

ing the advice of my friends, made  arrangements
for prosecuting Dr. French.  The prosecution was
commenced, and he was summoned before the court
of common pleas, in the county  of  York.   Judge
Rice  undertook the principal management of the
business, and became  my  bail.    The action waB
called to the Supreme Court by demurrer, which
was to set at Alfred, in October.   I  attended with
my  witnesses,  and  expected to have  gone to
trial; and,  after waiting several days,  to know
what the defence was  going to be, the counsel for
the defendant made their  plea of justification.  1
found that their plan was to  prove that I had mur-
dered sundry persons whom  I had  attended, and,
by that means, to make it out that any one had a
right to call me a murderer; and that, for this pur-,
pose, Dr. French had  been to every  place where I
had practised, collecting every case of the  death
of any that I had attended in this part ofthe coun-
try,  and had made out eight cases, all of which
have been before mentioned in this narrative, most
of whom had been given over by the  doctors as
past cure, and the others known to be  desperate
cases.  He had obtained the depositions of all that
were prejudiced against me,  and had collected a
mass of evidence  to  support his defence.  After
finding what their plan was, it  was thought ne-
cessary for me to go to all the places where they .
had  been, and get evidence to contradict  these
highly colored and exaggerated statements, and I
was under the necessity of  requesting the  delay
of the trial one week,  which was granted.  I pro-
ceeded immediately,  and  took the  depositions of
those who were knowing to the facts ; but found
that these were not sufficient, and went again to
Deerfield, and  summoned two  men to appear at ■
jourt and give their verbal  testimony.  When I 
              OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          131

 was ready for trial, the defendant was not ready,
 and got it put off to the next term, which would be
 holden at York the next year.   In the spring, be-
 fore the sitting of the court, I went to the clerk's
 office to find what the depositions were that  were
 filed against me ; and the whole appeared to be a
 series of exaggerated statements, made by those
 who were  governed by their prejudices,  without
 having but very  little, if any  knowledge of the
 facts, more than what  they obtained by hearsay.
 This caused  me to redouble my diligence, and got
 witnesses  to  appear on the stand to contradict
 their  testimony, on each  case they  had alleged
 against me.
   On  the day appointed for the trial, every thing
 was prepared on my part to have a fair hearing.__
 Judge Parsons was on the bench, and seemed, as I
 thought,  to be determined to  have the case  go
 against me; for he appeared to know every thing
 that was to be in the defence beforehand.  I made
 out my case, by proving the words  uttered by the
 defendant, which  were in my declaration.  They
 then  proceeded in the defence, to make  out the
 eight cases of murder, which were alleged  against
 me.   The first was the case of a man by the name
 of Hubbard  Elliot,  who had been dead about two
 years, the particulars of which I have before 6tated.
 The witnesses brought  to support this case, told a
 very lamentable and  highly colored story ; and I
brought on the stand a  very respectable witness,
 who completely contradicted the whole statement.
  The next cases brought up, were the three chil-
dren of Mr.  Fulsum, of Deerfield,the particulars
of which have been before related.   A number of
depositions were  read, which the  defendant  had
obtained of those who had been ray enemies, and
who knew nothing of the matter, more thaa hear- 
 132        Narrative  of the life

 say reports among themselves.   They gave a very
 highly colored  account  of my  treatment of the
 children ;  so  much so,  that it  would appear by
 their stories, that I had taken them in health and
 had roasted them to death ; never adding a word
 about the fifteen I cured, some of whom had  been
 given over by the doctors.   To rebut the evidence
 that was produced, to prove that I had killed those
 children, I brought  on the stand two respectable
 witnesses, who were knowing to all the  circum-
 stances, being present at the time of my attending
 the family.  They gave  a correct and  particular
 account of all the circumstances   as  they  took
 place—ofthe situation of the family when I first
 saw them, and the violence ofthe disorder—how
 the doctors had lost all their patients that had been
 attacked with the disorder before I came—with the
 number that I  cured with  my mode of practice;
 and that the doctors afterwards  adopted my  plan
 and saved a number by it.  The judge interrupted
 them, and read some of the depositions over again;
 but these witnesses stated that they were not true,
 and went on to give some ofthe  particulars ofthe
 opposition I met with in my practice, from  those
 very persons whose depositions had been read,
 when the judge seemed put out,  and attempted to
 stop them, saying that  they had said enough.—
 They said that, having been sworn to tell the truth,
 they felt it theirduty to'do so. They next brought
 on the case of a woman who had died at Beverly,
 that I had attended, and with it the case of Ezra
 Lovett, whom I had been  tried for murdering.  I
 was very glad to have this case brought up again,
 as I wished to have an opportunity to  prove all the
facts relating to it,  which I had been prevented
from doing on my trial, in  consequence of beingac-
quitted without making  any  defence.  The  evi- 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.
133
dence brought forward  to  support this case, was
the depositions of those who had testified against
me on my trial  at Salem ;  they wer§ pretty near
the same as then given.  After thos'e depositions
were read, I  had Elder Williams and Mr. Ray-
mond called on to the stand, who gave all the par-
ticulars of my attending upon the yotmg man, as
has been before related, which completely contra-
dicted all the depositions  they had read in the
case.  The judge interrupted those witnesses and
read the deposition of the girl, who stated that I
crowded my pukes down the patient's throat,  and
he cried murder till he died.  -They both positive-
ly testified that there was  not a word of it true ;
for, when he died, and for twelve hours before, he
was under the care of Dr. Howe, during which time
I did not see him.  As to the woman  in  Beverly,
whom they tried to make out that I murdered, it
was proved by these witnesses that she was in a
dying condition when I  first saw her ; that I stated
it  as my opinion, at the time,  and that my medi-
cine would not help her.
  The next case was that of  Mrs. Lifford, who
died at Salisbury, the particulars  of which have
been before given.  The evidence brought to prove
this case of murder, was the deposition of the wo-
man who nursed  her, and by whose neglect  the
patient took cold, after the medicine had a favora-
ble operation, and appearances were nftich  in  her
favor  ; in consequence of which she had a relapse,
and I could not produce any effect upon her by the
medicine afterwards.  This  woman  confessed at
the time, that she was the only one to blame,  and
that no  fault  ought to be attached  to me : but she   -
was afterwards influenced by  Dr. French, to turn
against   me, and made  threats that she would
swear to any  thing to injure  me.   After her depo- 
134        NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
sition was read, I brought a witness on  the stand
who completely contradicted every thing contained
in it ; but the judge read her deposition to the jury,
and directed them to pay attention  to that "in pre-
ference to the witnesses on the stand.
   The eighth and last case was that ofthe son of
Thomas Neal, of Portsmouth, who  was very vio-
lently attacked, and was  attended by Dr. Cutler.
I was called on at night to attend him, and thought
there was a  possibility of helping  him ; but  the
man with whom he lived would  not consent that
I should do any thing for him, and  I went away,
after telling him that he would be either worse  or
better before morning, and, if he  was worse,  he
would die.  I was called to visit him  in the morn-
ing, and was informed  that he was worse, and that
his master had consented to have me attend upon
him.  I  told  his father it was undoubtedly  too
late ; but he insisted upon it so much, I attended,
and told them the chance was very small for doing
him any good, as I considered it a desperate case.
After being  very hardly urged  by  his  friends, 1
gave him some medicine,  but it  had no effect,  and
about sun-down he died.   The doctor who attend-
 ed him, was brought forward to prove that I mur-
 dered the patient.  If I recollect rightly,he swore
 that the  patient had the dropsy in  the  brain,  and
 that the disorder had turned, and that he was in
 a fair way ito recover ; but I came and gave him
 my poison "pukes, and killed him.  I brought  for-
 ward  evidence who swore to the facts as I have
 before related them,  and  that the  doctor would
give no encouragement  of helping the  patient.—
 The father of the  young man gave his evidence,
 and stated that his  son  was in a dying situation
 when I gave him the medicine ; but the judge in-
terrupted him, and asked him if he was a doctor, 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          135
 to which he answered no.   He then said, the doc-
 tor has stated that his disorder had turned, and he
 was getting  better—are you going to contradict
 the doctor?—and thus managed to do away his tes-
 timony.
  I have thus given a brief sketch of the evidence
 in the  eight cases, which  were  attempted  to be
 proved as a murder, in order to make out justifica-
 tion on the part of the defendant, with my defence
 to the same, in as correct a manner as I am able.
 from memory ; and  am confident that every cir-
 cumstance, as I have related it, can be substan-
 tially proved by  living witnesses.  After the  evi-
 dence was gone through, the lawyers on both sides
 made their pleas, making the case on  my part as
 good and as bad as they could.   The judge then
 gave his charge to the jury, which was considered
 by those  who heard  it, to  be  the most prejudiced
 and partial one that they had ever heard.  He made
 use of every  means to  raise the passions of the
jury, and turn them against me ; stating that  the
defendant was completely  justified in calling me
a murderer, for if I was not guilty of wilful mur-
der,  it was barbarous, ignorant murder ; and even
abused my lawyers for taking up for me,  saying
that  they ought to be paid in screw augers  and
bull dogs.  The  people that were present, were
very much disgusted  at his conduct, and they ex-
pressed themselves very freely upon the subject ;
it was  said by some, that  our courts,  instead of
being courts of justice, had  become courts of preju-
dice. One man said,  he  hoped Judge Parsons
would never have another opportunity to sit on a
cause ; and so it was. for he soon after had a stroke
ofthe palsy, and, as f am informed, died before the
next court met.  The jury brought in their verdict
of justification on the part of the defendant,  and 
136         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

threw the whole costs on me, which amounted to
about two thousand dollars.
  When I found how the  case was going to turn,
I went to Portsmouth, and soon  after  made ar-
rangements to pay the costs.  Judge Rice was my
bail, and undertook to pay all the bills that I had
not paid at the time.  On my settlement with him,
I owed him six hundred dollars, for money that he
had advanced on my  account ; for  which I had no
way to secure him, but by giving him a  mortgage
on my farm, whichl did, and it was put on record,
and never known to any of my friends  till I paid
it up. He charged nothing for all his time and trou-
ble, through the whole of my persecutions and tri-
als, for which, and for his kindness and friendship
on all occasions, I shall ever consider myself under
the greatest obligations.
  Sometime in the spring of the year, previous to
this  trial at York, a young man  came  to me at
Portsmouth, by the name of Alfred Carpenter,from
the town where my family lived ;  he was recom-
mended to me by his neighbors, as  being lame and
poor, and wanted my assistance.  I took him out
of pity, and instructed him in my mode of practice,
under the expectation that it would be a benefit to
him, and thereby he would be able  to assist me in
attending the sick.
  About the first of June, 1811, I received a letter
from Eastport, where I had been the  fall before,
and shown some of my  mode of practice.  Some
of the people in that  place were  so well satisfied
with it, that seven men had subscribed their names
to the letter,  requesting  me to come there and
practise in  the fevers,  which prevailed  in those
parts.  I left the care of my  business  at Ports-
mouth  with Mr. Carpenter,  my apprentice, and
immediately took passage for  Eastport, where I 
              OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          137

 arrived about  the  middle of June.  I  was very
 gladly received by those who had  written  to me,
 and by those with whom I had become acquainted
 when  there  before.   I  agreed to practise under
 the protection of those who had sent for me, until
 I had convinced them of its utility, to which they
 consented, and promised me  all the assistance  in
 their power.  I was soon called on  to practise, and
 had all the  most desperate  cases that could be
 found, in all of which I  met with very great suc-
 cess. The first cases I attended in  presence of the
 committee, were  five  desperate cases of consump-
 tion.  These patients were  all relieved in three
 weeks, and.were all living this present year, 1831.
 While attending these people, I was called upon
 to attend a young man on board a vessel, who had
 his foot bruised to pieces, by a block falling from
 mast head,  weighing thirteen pounds.  It being
 done five days before I saw him, it was  mortified,
 and the  whole body  in convulsions.  I took off
 three toes and set the fourth, and cured him in five
 weeks with my usual practice.  While  attending
 him, I  had to pass a doctor's shop.  A scythe was
 thrown at me, point  foremost, about the distance
 of two rods.  It passed  between my feet without
 doing any injury.   In consequence  of this assault,
 I sent word to all the doctors who had opposed me,
 that, for the politeness with which they had treated
 me, I would compensate them by taking off the
 burden of being called up at night,  and thus break-
ing their rest, and would give them the  chance of
laying in bed until  noon, without  being disturbed
by their patients.  I was called on the  night fol-
lowing to attend a woman in child-bed  I attend-
ed according to my  promise, and let them rest; and
if I had remained there, they might haye rested
until the present time, as I attended to ali branches 
138        NARRATIVE OF  THE  LIFE
in practice. There were, I think, at the time, five
practising doctors on the island, among whom my
success in curing the 6ick caused great alarm,and
I soon experienced the determined opposition from
them, with all the arts  and plans to destroy me
and my practice, that. I  had experienced from the
same class of men  in other  places.  In order to
show some of their conduct towards me, I shall re-
late the particulars of some of the cases I  attend-
ed ;  but most ofthe numerous cases which I had
under my care, were so  nearly similar to those that
have been already given, and my mode of treating
them being about the same, it will be unnecessary
to repeat them.
  I  was sent for to visit Mrs. Lovett, who was the
daughter of Mr.  Delisdernier, at whose house 1
attended her.  She had the dropsy and had been
under the care of one of the doctors till he had given
her  over as incurable.   I went to see her in com-
pany with the doctor ; but we could not agree as
to  the  cause  and  remedy.   I asked him several
questions concerning the  power of the elements,
and the effect of heat on the human system.  He
answered, that the  elements  had  nothing to do
with the case.  After giving him  my  ideas on the
subject, which all appeared new to him, I told him
that the contending powers in this case were be-
tween the fire and water ;  and if I could get heat
 enough into  the body to make the water volatile,
it could not stay in the body. He said  that any
thing warm would not answer for her. I then told
him, if I did any thing for her, I would administer
the  hottest medicine I  could give.   He  said that
 would  produce immediate death.   Finding that
there  would be a disadvantage on my part in doing
any thing for her, as the doctor and I could not
agree,  I left the house.   I was followed by the fa- 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          130
ther and mother and the doctor, who all insisted
on my returning ;  but I told them that, notwith-
standing the doctor had given her over, if I were
to attend her, and  she should die, they would say
that I had killed her. They promised, let the con-
sequences be what they might, no blame should be
alleged against  me.  Upon which I agreed that I
would stop on condition that two  of my friends
should be present as witnesses  to what was said,
and Bee the first process of the medicine,  which
was agreed to, and  they were sent  for, and heard
the statements of the doctor and family.   A  cap-
tain Mitchell, from New York, was also present
and heard the conversation  between me and the
doctor ;  and, being  pleased with  the  principles
that I laid down, which excited his curiosity  so
much  that he expressed  a wish to be present and
see  the operation ofthe medicine, and accordingly
Btayed.
  The doctor pretended to be going away, till after
I had given the first medicine, and appeared to be
very busy going out and coming in, and had much
conversation with  Mrs. Lovett, the husband's mo-
ther, who was the  nurse.  After the first medicine
had done, which operated very favorably,  I gave
directions what to  do, and particularly to keep the
patient in perspiration during  the night, and left
medicine for the purpose;  we then went home.  In
the  morning I called to see  her, and to my sur-
prise, found her sitting with the window up, and
exposed to the air  as much as  possible; on exami-
nation, I found  that no medicine had been used.—
On  enquiry I found that the doctor had been in fre-
quently  to see her  ; and, on  asking why they had
not followed  my directions, the nurse  appeared
very cross, and said she would  not take  any of my
medicine.  I told  them they had not killed her, 
 140         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE          |

 but did not  thank them for their  good  will any
 more than if they had done it.   I was about leav-
 ing the house; as I found my directions would not
 be attended toby the nurse ; but captain Mitchell
 was  very urgent  for me to continue.  I told him
 that  if he would attend upon her and see the medi-
 cine  given, and every thing done according to my
 directions, I would continue ; to which he agreed.
 I left the patient in his care, and he attended hei
 faithfully through the  day; at night I visited her
 and found the swelling began to abate.  He conti-
 nued his care  of her, and in three days she was
 able  to go up and down stairs, and in one week she
 was well.   By  the influence ofthe doctor, the wo-
 man  and the husband all turned against me, and I
 never received  any thing for my trouble but their
 abuse and slander.   The woman's father and cap-
 tain Mitchell, however, gave mc all credit  for the
 cure, and they both purchased a right.
 . About a year after, at a private assembly of wo-
 men, this Mrs.  Lovett, the mother-in-law ofthe
 sick woman, gave an  account ofthe whole transac-
 tion, and stated there was a private interview be-
 tween her and the doctor, and it was agreed to go
 contrary to my  directions, and the doctor said she
 would die in the course ofthe  night; and that he
 should take me up for  murder,  and that she  must
 be an evidence.  This appeared to be almost in-
 credible, that they should be so  void of all humaB
 feeling, as to be willing to have the woman die, in
 order to have the opportunity to take  me up foi
 murder ; but two women who were present when
 she told the story, gave their depositions proving
 the facts as above stated.
   I continued my practice on this island, at Lu-
 beck, and on  the main, paying my most particular
attention to those who sent for me, and  wanted in- 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          141
 formation.  I  practised under their  inspection
 about five weeks, and then  told them that I had
 done enough for a trial, to prove the use of my me-
 dicine, and should do no more till I knew whether
 a society could be formed.  They  expressed  their
 entire satisfaction, and  wished to have a society
 formed; a meeting was called for that purpose, and
 sixteen signed the articles  at the  first meeting.—
 After this a meeting was held every week, at which
 a lecture was  given  for the purpose of giving in-
 formation, andfor the admission of members  ; and
 eight each week was added  during  the summer.
 In the fall I went back to Portsmonthto attend to
 my business there and see  the  society which had
 been formed in that place.
  After staying in Portsmouth a few weeks, to give
 information to  the people,  and  procure a stock of
 medicine, I made arrangements to return to East-
 port; and, sometime in the month of October,  I
 set sail for that place, taking with me my appren-
 tice, and Stephen Sewell.  On my arrival, I intro-
 duced Mr. Carpenter  as my apprentice,  and got
 Mr. Sewell into a school as  an assistant ; in which
 he had fifteen  dollars a month, and all his leisure
time he spent in gaining information ofthe prac-
tice.  I took a small shop and  put into it a  good
assortment of medicine, and  attended to practise
until I had  introduced Mr. Carpenter among the
people.
  While practising here, I frequently heard of the
abuse and scandal towards  me  and my  practice,
from Mrs. Lovett, the old woman before mention-
ed as the nurse of her son's  wife, whom I  cured of
the dropsy.  This old woman  was a singular  cha-
racter, and was called a  witch by the people.  I
have no faith in these kind  of things, yet her con-
duct, and certain circumstances that took place, 
142
NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
I
were  very extraordinary, and puzzled and aston-
ished me more than any thing I had ever met with,
which I have never been able to account for to this
day.
  Mr. Carpenter was attending a  man, where this
Woman often visited, who had  the  consumption,
and his child, which was  sick and had fits.  He
came to me and  said that  the  medicine  he gave
would not have its usual effect ;  that the emetic,
instead of causing them  to  vomit,  would make
them choak and almost strangle.  I attended on
them myself, and, on giving the medicine,  it would
operate on the man, and not on the  child, at one
time ; and the next time on the child, and not on
him.  Sometimes  the child would lay in fits for a
whole night ; and nothing would have any effect
upon it; in the morning it would  come out of them
and appear to be  quite bright and lively.  I had
never known the  medicine to fail  of producing
some effect before, where the patient was not past
recovery.   I can give no  reason  for  this strange
circumstance, satisfactory  to  myself,  or which
would be thought  reasonable by the  reader.  The
 old woman before mentioned, was frequently in
 and out of the house where the man and the child
 were, and seemed  to be very much interested about
 them.  When she was gone, the child would fre-
quently go  into  violent fits,  and when I steamed
it, it was said the old woman would be in great
distress.  It caused much conversation among the
neighbors ; they  believed it to be the power of
witchcraft ; and that the old woman had a control
over the destinies ofthe man and child, and was de-
termined to destroy them in order to get revenge on
 me.  I have  no belief in these things, but must
confess that her strange conduct,  and the extraor-
dinary circumstances attending  the  whol* affair, 
            OF SAMUEL THOMSON.           143

baffled me more than  any thing I had ever met
with before. I was unable to do any thing for these
two. patients, except sometimes by a temporary re-
lief; they continued to grow worse, and, finding it
not in my power to do them any good, I left them,
and they both soon after died.
  Whether the extraordinary  circumstances  at-
tending the two cases above stated, were caused
by a stratagem of the doctors, in which the old wo-
man was made their agent to injure me, by caus-
ing, in some way or other, poison to be administer-
ed to them, in order to prevent my medicines from
having any  salutary effect, is what I do not feel
disposed to assert  as a fact; the many cases, how-
ever, in which I have been certain that such things
have been done by the faculty, and their  enmity
and uniform opposition to my practice, both at
this place and elsewhere, as well as the confession
made by the  old woman, would tend  strongly to
confirm such a belief.
  I could mention a great number of facts in addi-
tion  to what I have said in regard to this affair, if
necessary, which appeared very extraordinary to
mc and all who witnessed them, but think enough
has been  said on the subject, and shall leave it to
the public to decide between us.  There were five
doctors at Eastport when I went there, who had
plenty of business ; but my success  was so great,
and the people became so well  satisfied of the su-
periority of my system of practice  over theirs, that
they were soon relieved from most of their labors ;
and, in a short time  after, three  of them had to
leave the place for want of employment.
  I made arrangements to go back to  Portsmouth
to spend the winter,  and to leave  Mr. Carpenter
with the care of my business and practice at East-
port, under the protection of John Burgin, Esq., a 
 144         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE         ^t

 man who has been particularly friendly to  me on^
 all occasions.  I told him if he would be faithful in
 my business, and in selling medicine, that he should
 have half the profits after the money was collect-
 ed ; and in December I took passage  for Ports-
 mouth.   We had a long and  tedious  passage of/
 eighteen days ; the vessel took fire and our lives*
 were exposed ; but we were fortunate  enough to
 extinguish it without much damage.  I stopped in
 Portsmouth  and practised some time, then went to
 see my  family, where  I remained the rest  ofthe
 winter,  in which time I was employed in collect-
 ing and preparing medicine.  I returned to Ports-
 mouth in the spring of 1812, and,  after making   '
 the necessary arrangements, I set sail  for  F' '
 port, where I arrived about the first day of M
 made a settlement with Mr. Burgin, and paid .-•.
 sixty-three dollars for the board of Mr. Carp^-ivd    j
 and for shop rent; then furnished  the shop v  q u M
 complete stock of medicine, to which I added cor-iS
 dials and spirits, the whole of which  amour'.cd tdB
 above twelve hundred dollars.   There v  < *J'™
 great call for medicine this spring, and  ah   '" r ■,
 practice.                                     "   ,
   After  arranging my business, I concluded  '  re-
 turn to Portsmouth.  A short time before 1. • -
 away, a Mr. Whitney came to me for assh ;
 and purchased a right.  About the same time a Mr.
 McFadden applied also for assistance, who had
 the consumption.   I left them both under the care
 of Mr. Carpenter,  and  immediately sailed  for   i
 Portsmouth, where I arrived in safety.  Soon after
 my arrival there, I concluded there would  be war
 with Great Britain; in consequence of which  I re-
 turned immediately back to Eastport to  settle my   '
affairs in that place.  In a short time after my ar-
rival there the declaration of war came  on, and I 
|^             OF SAMUEL  THOMSON         145

  arranged my business the best way I could, leaving
  Mr. Carpenter with directions, if there should any
  thing happen in consequence ofthe war, so as to
  make it necessary for him  to leave the island,  to
  come to Portsmouth.  Before leaving the place, I
  called on him for some money, and all he could pay
  me was sixty-four dollars,  which was but one dol-
  lar more.than I had paid for his board and shop
  rent.  The people were in  such confusion, it was
  impossible to get a settlement  with anyone.   I
  left  Mr. Whitney and Mr.  McFadden in his care,
  and left the island about the middle of June, and
  arived in Portsmouth in  forty-eight hours,  where
  I remained the greater part of the summer; during
  which time I had constant practice, and formed
  some regulations for the society, which was estab-
  lished there for the  purpose of greater facility in
  communicating information of my system of prac-
  tice  to the people who Wished my assistance.   In
  the fall of this year, I  published my pamphlet of
  directions, as many were urgent that I should not
  leave the  place destitute ofthe  knowledge of  my
 practice and medicine.  Many  persons who had
 been the most urgent for me to give them informa-
 tion, now became the most backward, and com-
 plained  that the restrictions were  too  hard with
 regard to their giving the information to others ;
 some of whom had never done the least to support
 the practice or me.  When  any of them were sick,
 they  were ready enough  to call on  me for assist-
 ance; and if I relieved them quickly, they thought it
 worth nothing,  and they run out against my prac-
 tice, saying I deserved no pay.   This sort of treat-
 ment I have met with from  a certain class of peo-
 ple in all places where I  have practised—I was
 treated with much  attention, when they were in
 danger from sickness; but when I had cured them, 
146        NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE          M

I was thought no more of.   This kind of ingrati-^
tude, I have experienced a pretty large share of,
during my practice.
  In the month of October, having got my business
arranged, and a stock  of medicine prepared, I re-
turned to Eastport.   On my arrival there, I went
to my shop, and found that Mr. Carpenter had gone
home, and Mr.  McFadden  and Mr. Harvey left
sick, and only a boy to take care of them and the
 shop.  Mr. McFadden was very low with aeon-
 sumption, and unable to lie down.  I found there
was no regulation ofthe business in the shop, and
the property I had left, chiefly gone.  I was oblig-
 ed to pay every attention to thesick men that were
 left  in this manner without  assistance; I attended
 Mr. Harvey, and got him well  enougtrtogo home
 in a few days; but Mr. McFadden's breathingnvas
 so difficult, and he was so distressed, that I had to
 be with him night and day for six weeks and three
 days, when Mr. Carpenter returned.  Previous to
 this, I found that Mr. McFadden had  put his farm
 into the hands of Mr. Carpenter as  security for his
 attending him in his  sickness, and as he had no
 relations,the remainder to goto him and me. On
 enquiring into the  business, 1 found that  he had
 taken the deed in his own name, and that all the
 bills and accounts  for his practice and medicine
 in my absence, were in his own name. I asked him
 for a settlement and he refused; T then  asked him
 what he meant by  his conduct; he said he owed   j
 me  nothing and bid me defiance, saying if I chose,   j
 I might take the  steps of the law.  I  could not
 conceive what  he meant by treating me in this
 manner, till after making further inquiry, I found
 that he had formed  a  connexion in a family; that
 he had been advised to take the course he did, and
 as I had no receipt  for the property, or any writ- 
             OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          147

ten agreement to support my  claim, he could do
with me as he pleased, and keep every thing for his
own benefit.   The night after  he returned, and
before  I had  any knowledge of  his intentions, he
had  robbed the  shop of all the accounts, notes,
bills, and other demands, so that I knew no more
about the business than a 6tranger.
  I frequently tried to get a settlement with Car-
penter; but he said he had none  to make with me.
Mr. McFadden died  shortly  after, and Carpenter
came forward and claimed all his property, saying
that it  was  all  willed  to him. I  asked why it
should be willed to him, when I  had borne the ex-
pense and done the  principal part of the labor, in
taking care of him in  his sickness.  He said I must
look to  him for  my pay. I told him that it' was
very singular that my  apprentice should become
my master in one year; but he denied that he was
my apprentice, and  said that he was a partner.
I had said, in order to encourage him to be faith-
ful, and do'well by  me, that he should have half
the profits of the practice, but  I had no idea of
his having the whole of my property, because I
made him this promise.   All  I could say, I found
would have no effect, for the  more I tried to rea-
son  with  him, the  more obstinate and impudent
he was.  He even went so  far  as to say thai; the
shop and all that was in it Was his, and that I had
nothing to do with it; he called a witness and for-
bid-my having any  concern  in the shop.   I  found
there was no other way for me, but to turn him out
and get rid of him in the best manner I could, to
effect which, I applied to the owner ofthe shop and
got a writing, to prove  my claim to the posses-
sion, and immediately took measures to get rid of
him.  He made all the opposition, and gave me
all  the trouble  he  could; he went into  the shop 
 148        NARRATIVE  OF THE JSH.

 while  I  was absent and began to throw the pro«
 perty out into the street;  but  I  soon put a stop to
 his career, and  secured  the  property.  He still
 held all my books and accounts, which put my bu-
 siness into such confusion that I  was unable to
 collect any ofthe demands that were due; and the
 only remedy I had was to advertise him as my ap-
 prentice; and  forbid all persons having any deal-
 ings with him on my account, or settling with him.
 My loss, by  the  dishonest conduct of this man,
 was very considerable, besides  the injury to my
 feelings from his base ingratitude to me, for I had
 taken  hiin from a state of poverty and distress,
 supported him for a long time when he  was of very
 little benefit to me, and had instructed him in my
 system of practice, and given  him all the informa-
 tion in my power.  I had introduced him into my
 practice, and given him  every encouragement to
 enable him not only to assist me in supporting my
 system of practice, but to benefit himself; and af-
 ter all this,for him to  turn against m'e, and treat
 me in the manner he did, was a deeper wound to
 my feelings than the loss of my property.
    After  having got clear of Carpenter, I hired a
 young man whom  I had cured and given informa-
 tion to, and put him into the  shop, and agreed to
 pay *his board  for one year, and then  returned to
 Portsmouth.   As Carpenter had  bid me defiance,
 and threatened to sell my rights and give informa-
 tion to  any one who would buy of him, and,  like
 wise,  I found that there  was another plot got up
 to destroy me; a petition  had been sent on to the
 legislature, to have a law passed against quacke-
ry, in which I was named.   There can be no doubt
but  that the whole  object of it was to  stop  my
practice.  I was at a stand, and much perplexed
to  know what course it was best to steer.   I found 
»
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.
140
  I had enemies on either hand, and was in danger of
  falling by some of them.  Every thing seemed to
  conspire against me, but I had  some friends who
  have never forsaken  me.  My courage remained
  good, and my spirits were never depressed, and it
  appeared to me that the  more troubles I had to en-
  counter, tiie more firmly I was fixed in  my deter-
  mination to persevere to the  last.
   When  I had maturely  considered the subject, in
  all its  bearings, and exercised my best abilities in
  devising some plan by which I could extricate my-
  self  from the dangers which threatened me  on
  every hand, and to prevent those rights, which
  twenty years' labor, with much suffering and great
 expense had given me a just claim  to, from being
 wrested from me—1 finally came to the conclusion
 that there was only one plan for me to pursue with
 any chaiu^ of success, and that was to goto Wash-
 ington  and obtain  a patent  for  my  discoveries,
 and put myself and medicine  under the protection
 of the laws of my country, which would not only
 secure to me the exclusive right to my system and
 medicine, but would put me above the reach ofthe
 laws of any state.
   After coining to the conclusion to  go to the-seat
 of Government and" apply for a patent, I made all
 necessary preparation for the  journey, and started
 from Portsmouth on the 7th of February, and ar-
 rived  at Washington on  the  23d.  The next day
 after  my arrival, I waited on Captain  Nicholas
 Gilman, of Exeter, showed  him  iny credentials,
 and asked his advice, what I must do to obtain my
 object.  He said he thought it could not be made
explicit enough to combine the system and prac-
 tice, without being  too long;  he however advised
me to carry my petition to   the Patent Office,
which was then under the control of-Air. Monroe, 
             ---** -    ^s              J
150        NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE            f|

Secretary of State; I went to the  Patent Office
and  found that Dr.  Thornton was the clerk, and
presented  him with my petition.  He asked.me
many questions,  and then said I must call again:
I called the next  day, and he said the petition was
 not  right; that T must specify the  medicine, and
 what disorder it must be used in; he said that
 those medicines  in general terms to cure every
 thing, were quackery; that I must particularly de-
 signate the medicine, and state how it must be
 used, and for what disease. I then  waited on Mar-
 tin Chittenden, late Governor of Vermont, who was
 at Washington, and asked his assistance;  he was
 from the  same  town where my father lived, and
 readily consented.  We.made out the.specification
 in as correct a manner as we could, and the next
 day I carried them  to the Patent Office, and gave
 them to Dr. Thornton; he complained much about
  its being too short a system, and  put me off once
  more.  I applied again and asked him for my pa-
 tent; but  he said I had not got the botanic names
 for the articles,  and referred me to Dr. Mitchell of
  New York, who was in the House of Representa-
  tives,   I applied to him, and requested him to give
  me the botamc  names of the articles  mentioned in
  my petition.  He wrote them, and I carried them
  to  Dr. Thornton; but he was unable to read some
  of the names, one in particular; he said I must go to
  Dr. Mitchell, and get him to give it in some other
  words, and not  tell him that he  could not read it.
  I went, and the doctor wrote the same word again,
  and then  wrote  "or snap-dragon," which I car-
  ried to Dr. Thornton, and requested  him to put in
  the patent my names,  and record it for himself,
  "snap-dragon,"  or any other name he chose.  He
  then talked about sending me to Philadelphia, to
  Doctor Barton,  to get his names.
   I found he was determined to give me all the 
>
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.
151
trouble he could, and, if possible, to defeat my get-
ting a patent, and I  intimated that I should  go
with my complaint to Mr. Monroe, upon which he
seemed a little more disposed to grant my request,
and said he would do without Dr. Barton's names.
He then went to work to make out my patent, and,
and when he came to the article of myrrh, he found
much fault about that, and said  it was good  for
nothing.   I  told  him that I  paid for the patent,
and if it was good for nothing, it  was my loss.—
After much  trouble,  I got it made out according
to my request; and the medicines  to be used in fe-
vers, cholics, dysenteries  and rheumatisms.  He
then asked me  if I wanted any  additions, and  I
told him to add, "the first  three  numbers may be
used in any other case  to promote perspiration, or
as an emetic,"  which  he did. I then had to go
to the Treasury Office and pay my money and bring
him duplicate receipts. After all this trouble, I
succeeded in obtaining  my  patent according to my
request, which was completed and delivered to me
on the third day of March, eighteen hundred  and
thirteen.
   The next day after I had completed my business,
was the inauguration of the President ofthe Uni-
ted  States, and  I had the curiosity to stay  and
see the ceremonies on that occasion.  After the
ceremonies were  over, I went to the stage office
and found that the seats were all engaged for  a
fortnight; and was obliged to stay  till the 13th
before3!  could get a passage.  I  then took passage
in the stage and came on to Philadelphia, where I
remained°several days for the  purpose of  seeing
Drs. Rush and Barton, to confer with them upon
the subject of introducing  my system of practice to
the world.   I  spent a considerable  time with Dr.
 Barton, but  Dr. Rush was so much engaged,  that
 I  was  unable to have much conversation, more 
152        NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
  than stating my business.  He treated me with
  politeness,  and said that  whatever Dr. Barton
  agreed to, he would give  his  consent, so that mv
  business was chiefly with the latter gentleman. I
  asked  him  many questions concerning my system
  and patent, and requested his.advice of the best
  mode  of introducing it.  He advised me to make
  friends of some celebrated doctors, and let them
  try the medicine, and give the public such recom-
  mendation of it as they should deem correct. I told
  him I  feared if I should do so, they would take the
  discovery to themselves and deprive me of all credit
  or  benefit from my labors;  and  asked  him ifhe
  thought it would not be the case. He said it might
  with some, but he thought there were some of the
  profession honorable enough not to do it.   I asked
  him ifhe would make trial of it himself and give
  it such credit as he should find it to deserve.  "He
  sa-d that if I would trust it in his hands, he should
  be  pleased, and would do justice  to  me and the
  cause.   I  accordingly left some of the  medicine
  with him,  with directions how to use it; but before
 I received any  return from him he died; and Dr.
 Rush also  died sometime previous; by which means
 I was  derived of the influence of these two men,
 which  I am confident would otherwise have been
 exerted in my favor.
  During my interviews with Dr. Barton, we had
 much conversation upon  the  subject of medical
 skill, and he being quite sociable and pleasant, I
 expressed myself freely upon the fasicnable mode
 of practice, used by the physicians  of the present
 day.  He acknowledged there was no art or science
 so.unculUvated as that of medicine. Istated to him
 pretty fully my opinion ofthe absurdity of bleeding
to cure disease; and pointed  out its inconsistency
inasmuch as the same method was madeuseof to 
r
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.
153
 cure a sick man as to kill a well beast.  He laugh-
 ed and said it  was strange logic enough.
   While in the city  of Philadelphia, I examined
 into  the mode of treating the yellow fever; and
 found to  my astonisment that the treatment pre-
 scribed by Dr.  Rush, waste bleed twice a day for
 ten days.  It  appeared to me very extraordinary
 to bleed  twenty times to cure the most fatal dis-
 ease ever known ; and  I am confident that the
 same manner of treatment would kill one half of
 those in health.  This absurd practice being fol-
 lowed by the more ignorant class of the faculty,
 merely because it has been  recommended in some
 particular cases by a  great man, has, I have no
 doubt destroyed more lives  than have'ever been
 killed by powder and ball, in this country, in the
 same time.  Those I met in the streets who had
 escaped the fatal effects of bleeding, mercury, and
 other poisons, carried death  in their countenance ;
 and, on conversing with them, they said they had
 never been well 6ince they had the fever—that they
 took so much mercury and opium, they were afraid
 that they were in a decline.
   After  remaining in  Philadelphia  about two
 weeks, I went in the stage to New York, where I
 obtained  a  passage in a coaster, and arrived  in
 Portsmouth on the 5th day of April.  Immediately
 after my arrival at Portsmouth, J gave public no-
 tice in the newspapers,  of my having obtained a
 patent, and forbade all persons trespassing upon it
 under the penalty of the  law in such cases pro-
 vided; and prepared and  published a  handbill,  in
 which I gave a  description ofthe nature of disease
 on the constitution of man  ; and also the  condi-
 tions of disposing ofthe right of using my  system
of practice; and, taking a number of handbills with
me, set out for Eastport, where I arrived about the 
154
NARRATIVE OF  THE LIFE
•
first day of May. On my arrival, the handbills were
circulated, which caused considerable stir among
the  people,  particularly  with the  doctors, who
seemed surprised that I had obtained a patent.  I
again called on Mr. Carpenter for a settlement, but
could  obtain  none, for his friends advised  him
against it, telling  him that he could  still pursue
the practice  in spite of my patent,  by calling the
medicine by different names.  I furnished my shop
with a stock of medicine, and made an agreement
with Mr. Howe, a\young man that I had employed
since  Carpenter was dismissed, to continue the
practice for me, and take charge of my business at
this place.   My expenses for his wages, board and
 shop rent, were about one dollar per day ; and the
 amount  of the practice and sale  of  medicine  was
about one hundred dollars per month.
   While at Eastport, I met with a loss, which I
 will mention, to show the hard  fortune I  had to
 contend with.  Wishing to send one hundred dollars
 to my friend, Judge Rice, in part payment for what
 I owed him, I took two fifty dollar bills and went
 to the post office and gave them to the  Postmaster,
 with  a  letter directed to  Alexander Rice, Esq.,
 Portsmouth, requesting him to secure them in the
 letter in a  proper  manner, and send  it  on.  The
 letter was never  received in Portsmouth,  and no
 traces of it could be found.  I had suspicions that
 the Postmaster at Eastport destroyed the letter and
 kept the money.   I mada  arrangements to enquire
 further into his conduct ; but, shortly after, he fell
 from a precipice and was  killed, which  put a stop
 to my pursuing the subject any farther; so it turned
 out a total loss to me.
    After settling my business in Eastport, I return-
 ed to Portsmouth, where I stopped but a short time;
 and, taking Mr. Sewell with me, went to Portland 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.
155
  to introduce my system of practice in that place.—
  On my  arrival, I advertised my patent in the
  newspapers, and had handbills printed and circu-
  lated among the  people, giving the conditions on
  which I should practise,  and the  manner of sell-
  ing my family rights, to  those who wished the use
  of my practice and medicine ; and that I shouldat-
  tend to no case except such as wished  to purchase
j, the rights, to give them information, and prove the
  utility ofthe medicine.   I gave the information to
  :'-Lr. Pickett, where  we  boarded, and a  right of
  using the medicine  for  himself  and family ; and
  gave information to several of his workmen.  Soon
  after making myself known, I had a great number
  of desperate cases put  under my charge,  all of
  which were cured or essentially  relieved.   My
  success, in the cases I  attended, most  of which
  were such as had been given over by the doctors,
  caused great alarm among those professional gen-
  tlemen who are styled Regular Physicians; and I
  experienced the same opposition  from them that I'
  had met with  in other places. I was followed by
  them or their spies, and all kinds of false and ri-
  diculous reports were circulated among the people,
  to frighten and prejudice them against me and my
  medicine.
    Soon after coming to this place, I was  called on
  by Captain John Alden to attend his wife, who
  was in an alarming situation.  She was in a state
  of pregnancy, and had the dropsy, and wras then,
  as  she supposed, several weeks  over her time.—
  She had been in  the same  situation once before,
  and was delivered by force,  and  came very near
  losing her life ; the doctors gave it as their opin-
  ion, that if she should ever be so again, she would
  certainly die.   I told him that I did not attend on
  any except those who wished to purchase a right, 
156        NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
 in which case I would give them the information.
 I explained to him the principles upon which  my
 system was founded,  and he purchased a  right ;
 after whieh I attended upon his wife, and found her
 very low; she had not lain  in bed for three weeks,
 being so distressed for breath, when she lay down,
 that she was obliged to get immediately up again.
 I  carried  her  through a course  of the medicine
 every day, for five days, during  which time  she |
 was reduced in size about eight inches.  Her tra-
 vail then came on  natural,  and, in about two hours,
 she  was delivered of a daughter, and they both  did
 well.   She was able to come  down stairs in one
 week, and in two weeks, she was well enough to be
 about the house.   The cure so alarmed the doctors,
 that they circulated a story at  a distance,  where
 the facts were not known, that  I was so ignorant
 of this woman's situation, that I killed her  imme-
 diately; but the woman and  her husband gave me all
 credit for the cure, and appeared very grateful to
 me for it.
  During the summer, a son of Captain Alden was
 violently  seized with the  spotted fever ; he was
 taken very suddenly,  when at the pump after \va-
 ter;fell and was brought into the house senseless.
 I attended him, and,  his jaws being set, adminis-
 tered a strong solution of Nos. 1, 2 and 6, putting
 my finger between his cheek and teeth, and pour-
 ing in the medicine, squeezing it round to the back
 of his teeth; and, as soon as it reached the root of
 the tongue, his jaws came open.   I then  poured
 down more ofthe medicine, and, soon after swal-
 lowing it, his senses came  to him and he spoke.;
 he appeared like a  person waking out of sleep.—
As soon as  the warm effect of  the medicine was
over, he relapsed, and  life seemed to go down with
the heat.  I found that I could not restore him till 
               OF SAMUEL  THOMSON.          157

   1 could rarify or lighten the air.   I laid him across
   the laps of three persons, shielding  him from the
   external air, with a blanket, and put under him a
   pan with a hot atone in it about half immersed in
   hot water.  Whilst over this steam, I again gave
   him the medicine, whichraised perspiration ; and,
   as the heat raised inside, life gained in proportion;
   and, when the perspiration had'gained so  as to be
   equal to a state of health, the natural vigor of life
^and action was restored.
    1 was called on to attend a woman who had a
   relax, and, in a few visits, restored her to health.
   One night, about midnight, I was sent for  to visit
   this woman, in consequence of their being alarmed
   about her, the cause of which I could never learn ;
   for, on my arrival, she was as well as usual.  I re-
   turned immediately home, and was soon after taken
   in a violent manner,  with  the same disease ; and
   was so bad as not to be able to do any thing for my-
   self.   Mr. Sewell attended upon me, and did all he
  could, which had no effect.   I vyas persuaded that
  I should not live three days unless I could get some
  relief.  I had no pain, and every thing I took pass-
  ed through me in two minutes; nothing seemed to
  warm me.  I sent  and obtained some butternut
  bark, boiled it, and took some as strong as it could
  be made : as soon as it began to operate, I followed
  it with brandy and loaf sugar burnt together, till it
  became a syrup; thjs soon put me in pain ;  I then
  followed my general rule  of treatment,  and was
  soon relieved.
    While at Portland, I was sent for to see a Mr.
  Mason, who  was very sick, and it was expected
  that he would not live through the night.  He had
  been attended by the doctors of the town for a sore
  on his nose,  which was much inflamed; they had
  given him so  much salt petre to kill the heat, that 
158
NARRATIVE  OF THE LIFE
theyalmost killed him.  I had the hardest trial to
save  his life of any one I ever attended ; and was
obliged to carry him through a course of medicine
two or three times a week for  three months, be-
sides visiting him every  day.  The  doctors said
he would, certainly die, and, ifhe did, they meant
to take me up for murder.   Every means was re-
sorted to, by discouraging him, and other ways
to prevent his getting well ;. and when he got so
as to be about, and it was decided that he was going#
to recover, under  the operation of the  medicine;
one who  pretended  to  be his friend, gave him a
bottle of pepper vinegar.   I had made a free use
of this article in his case, and he took some of what
was given  him by his friend, and he soon grew
worse.   The man who gave him the pepper%in-
egar  often -enquired how  he did; and,  when told
that he was worse, he would say that I would kill
him.   I could not ascertain the reason of this pa-
tient being affected in the manner he was, till Mr.
Sewell took some of the same, and was immediate-
ly taken in the same manner as the sick man.—
He took medicine and got over it; in a short time
after he took more, and was attacked in a similar
manner.  I then began to mistrust that there was
something in the pepper vinegar, and, on examin-
ing it, was satisfied it  had been  poisoned to
destroy the patient, in order to take advantage of
me.  I was obliged to carry thgm both through a
course ofthe medicine, and they afterwards°had
no such turns.
  This patient, after about three month's close at-
tention, gained so  as  to enjoy a comfortable state
of health.   Phe undertaking was very tedious on
my part.  I should be hardly willing to go through
the same process again "for  any  sum whatever-
The destructive effects of salt petre, is the worst 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          159
of any poison I ever undertook to  clear the system
of.  The only method  I have  found successful, is
to give No. 1,  and JNo. 2, and throw all of it out
ofthe  stomach that  can possibly be done ; and,
by steaming, keep the heat of the  body above it.—
All other poisons can be eradicated by  the com-
mon course of medicine.  I was called on to attend
the sick from all quarters ; but-few of them were
able to purchase  the information ; and many who
had it, have never  paid any thing.  The  people
generally were well satisfied with its utility ; my
friends were very zealous in introducing it among
the  people ; but  my opponents were not slack in
doing  every thing in their power to  prejudice
the public against me and  the  medicine. The
doctors seemed much troubled at the success of
the practice, many having been cured  who were
given over by them.  One woman  who had been
unable to walk for about nine months, after having
been confined,  and  the doctors could not help her,
was attended by  Mr. Sewell, and, ina short time,
restored to a  comfortable state  of health, which
gave them great offence ; and some of them pub-
lished in the newspapers, part of my trial for mur-
der, in order to prejudice the public against me.  I
prepared an answer, but they had so much influ-
ence with the printers, that I was unable to get  it
inserted ; they had the meanness to  circulate the
report that I acknowledged the fact, because I did
not answer their statement.  Thus havethe facul-
ty, by  such unprincipled conduct, managed to keep
the people' blind to the benefit they might receive
from the use of  the medicine, for  the  purpose  of
keeping up their own credit and making them tri-
butary to themselves, without regard to the pub-
lic s'ood.
  This season 1 went to Eastport, and collected 
 160       NARRATIVE  OF THE LIFE

 some money to pay my friend Rice ;  and, thinking
 to make some profit, laid it out in fish, and sent it
 to  Portland, consigned  to my friend  Pickett.—
 When I went there myself, I sold the fish to him.
 I  afterwards made a settlement with  him, and
 took his note for one hundred and sixty-three dol-
 lars, which  he agreed to pay Judge  Rice, as he
 was going to Boston in a short time, and he would
 call on him at Portsmouth for that purpose. I then
 went home to see my family, and, in about six
 months after, returned to Portsmouth; and, on call-
 ing on Judge Rice, found, to my surprise, that Mr.
 Pickett had not paid the money ; that he had fail-
 ed, and there was  no chance for me to get  any
_ thing of him.  So I was again disappointed  in my
 expectations of paying this demand, and it appea
 ed to me that all my  hard earnings would  be si
 crifised to pay the expense of prosecutions.-  M
 friend Rice, however,  was very indulgent, and, ii
 stead of  complaining, did all he  could to encoi
 rage me and keep up my spirits.
   In the fall ofthe year  1813, I started  for Porl
 land to go to Eastport, and took Mr.  Sewell wit
 me, in order to try to get a settlement  with Mi
 Carpenter ; as he knew  all the particulars of the
 agreement between us. After suffering many hard-
 ships, and being at great expense in consequence
 of having  to  go part  of the way by  water, and
 part by land,  owing to  the  war that then exist- ■
 ed, we arrived there  on  the twelfth day of No-
 vember.  On my arrival, I  made inquiry concern-
 ing my affairs with Mr. Carpenter, and ascertained
 what proof I  could obtain to  support  an action
 against him, for the property he had wronged  me
 out of ; and, after making an unsuccessful attempt
to get my account books out of his hands, brought
an action against him for the property left in  his 
             OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          1^1

possession ;  this being the only  way in which  1
could bring him to an account.   After much time
and expense, I at last obtained a judgment against
him, got out an execution, which was levied on
the land he had unjustly got a deed of, and it was
finally appraised to me ; and, after having to get
a writ of ejectment to  get Mr. Tuttle out of pos-
session of it, who  claimed it under the pretended
deed from Carpenter, to  prevent it from being  at-
tached, I at last got the farm, which had cost, in
getting it, more than it was worth.   I had to put
up with the loss of my earnings at Eastportfor two
years, with the loss of medicine sold by Carpenter,
all of which amounted to not less than fifteen hun-
dred dollars.
  I returned to Portland, where I remained to at-
tend to my practice'in the society that had been
formed there, for considerable time; and, after set-
tling and arranging my business as well as I could,
left Mr. Sewell in charge of my affairs there, and,
in January, 1H14, returned to Portsmouth, which
place I  made the principal depot of my medicines ;
having, previous  to my returning from the east-
ward, made arrangements with my agents to sup-
ply them,  and all others who had purchased ther
rights, with such medicines as they  might want,
by their applying to me for them.  I had laid in a
large stock, the value of which I estimated to be
about one thousand dollars.  I went to Boston and
Salem to procure  some  articles that could  not be
obtained elsewhere, in order to complete my stock.
When absent the great fire took place  at Ports-
mouth,  and all my stock  of medicine  was con-
sumed.   This was a very serious loss to me, not
only in a pecuniary point of view, but it d'sarrang-
ed all my  plans, and put itout of my power to
supply those whom I knew depended  upon  me for 
  162        NARRATIVE OF  THE  LIFE

  such articles as were most important in tiie  prac-
  tice.  The season was so far advanced, that it \va,"
  impossible to obtain a new  recruit of most ofthe
  articles ; and I was obliged to collect  a part of
  what had  been sent to different places, in order to
  be able to  supply, in the best manner I could, such
  demands for medicine as I should be called on for.
  In doing this, I was put  to great trouble and ex-
  pense, and, in order  to make myself  whole, was
  under the necessity of raising the price ofthe me-
  dicine fifty per cent.; this caused much grumbling
  and complaint from the members ofthe societies
  in different places,  and was taken advantage of by
  my enemies to injure me all they could.
    I  sent in the estimate of my loss to the commit-
  tee, who had  the charge ofthe money contributed
  by the people in different parts, for the relief of
  the sufferers by the fire, and afterwards  called on
  them, with an expectation of receiving my share;
  but they said that my loss was of such a nature, they
  could not give me any thing, as I should be able to
  collect another supply next season, and  I never
  received a  cent of them.    In addition to my loss
  by the fire, and other difficulties I had to encoun-
  ter, and while I was at Portsmouth, using all my
 exertions to replenish my stock of medicine, and
 assist those who were suffering from disease, and
 needed the  benefit of my practice,  I received in-
 formation from Portland, that the doctors had ob-
 tained one of my books of directions, which were
 published expressly for  the information  of those
 who  purchased  the  right  of using  my system of
 practice, and had some knowledge of it by  verbal
 and other instruction, had printed an edition of it,
 and advertised them for sale for thirty-seven and
 a half cents  a copy.-  They stated in .their adver-
tisement,  that "this imra1iiA.hTp wn-L-  ..Tu:„u nft(j 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.           163
 heretofore been  selling for  twenty dollars, may
 now be had for thirty-seven and a half cents;" and
 sent them to all places where my societies  had
 been formed, and my practice had been introduced,
 for the purpose of putting me down, and prevent-
 ing the  use  of my medicine ; but,  after all, this
 pitiful attempt to do me the great injury which
 they so  fondly anticipated, they gained nothing
 by it, except it was the contempt of all the honest
 part of society, who were knowing to the circum-
 stances.  To put a stop to these  practices, and
 prevent  the  public from being imposed upon,  I
 caused a notice to be published in the Portsmouth
 and Portland papers, cautioning the people against
 buying these books, or making use ofthe medicine,
 and trespassing on  my  patent, under the penalty
 ofthe law in  such cases provided; and also offered
 a reward of fifty dollars  to any one who would give
 information of any doctor, who should trespass on
 my patent, and ten dollars for any one who should
 be found guilty of selling the books.  This put a
 stop to the sale ofthe books, and prevented  them
 from doing me any injury by this trick; for  those
 concerned  in  this  disgraceful manoeuvre,  were
 compelled to acknowldge that my agents  could
 sell more books at twenty dollars, than they could
 at thirty-seven and a half cents.
  I continued in Portsmouth, after the loss I met
 with from  the  fire, informing the  people in that
place and vicinity, until I collected another assort-
ment  of  medicine,  during  which time fifty mem-
bers were added to the society there.  I appointed
Mr. John Looke as my  agent in Portsmouth, and
the society accepted of him as 6uch, to take  man-
agement  of the practice,  and  supply them  with
medicine.  I  agreed  to allow him  twenty-five
per cent, on the sale of rights, and, in eighteen 
164           NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
months he  added about forty  members to the so-
ciety.  He conducted  himselfwith  the greatest
propriety in the performance of all the duties as-
signed him;  and in  this, as well as in all other
concerns which  I had with him, has given me the
highest satisfaction.   I  mention  this  tribute of
praise to his fidelity, the more ready as he  is one
ofthe very few of whom I have put confidence in,
that I have found honest enough to do justice to
me and the  people.  It  has  generally  been  the
case, with those I have appointed as  agents, that
as  soon as they have  been sufficiently  instructed
to  attend  to the practice with success and give
satisfaction to  the people, that they have made it
a matter of speculation; and have, by all the means
they  could devise, attempted to get  the lead of
the practice in their own  hands, and deprive me
ofthe credit and profit of my  own discovery; and
when I have found out their designs, and put  a stop
to their career by depriving them of their agency,
they  have  uniformly turned against me, and done
all in their power to  injure  me and destroy the
credit ofthe medicine.  A further  notice will  be
taken of this  agent  in another place.   This kind
of  conduct has been  a very  serious  evil,  and
caused me much trouble and expense, besides de-
 stroying the confidence of the people in the benefi-
cial effects of the medicine and practice, and keep-
ing back  the information necessary for its being
properly understood  by  them.  This,  however,
has not been the case with all that I have entrust-
ed with the care of my business as agents, for some
of them have been uniformly honest and faithful,
both to me and to those to Whom they have given
the information.
  While Mr. Locke  was acting as my agent at
Portsmouth, h---------*>.-.■•   • •  -  -      ^ 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.         165
 upwright conduct, to some members ofthe society,
 who wanted to reap all the advantages and profits
 without any  labor or expense.   They made com-
 plaints to me of his conduct, and wished him turned
 out; but, on asking them for their charges against
 him, they said he speculated on  the medicine, and
 sold it one third higher than I  did.  I told them
 that I had been obliged to raise the price, in con-
 sequence of my  loss  by fire,  and that he was
 not  to blame for  it.  They, however,  persisted
 in their  complaints,  and after  finding  that they
 could not make me turn against him, they turned
against me.  After making  further inquiries into
 the subject,  I  satisfied myself of their reasons
 for wishing Mr. Locke turned out of his agency.—
 A man  by  the  name of Holman, whom  I had,
 four years previous, cured of a consumption, as
 has  been before  related, and  to whom I had
 given the information and authorized to form a so-
ciety at  Hopkinton, where he had practised three
years without making me any returns, had return-
ed to Portsmouth  and practised  with Mr. Locke as
an assistant.  This man formed a plan to have
Mr. Locke  turned out, in order to get his  place
himself, and had managed so as to gain over to his
side  a  number  of the society,  who joined with
him  in trying to effect  this object.  They made
use of all kinds-of intrigue  to get the control of
the practice  out  of my hands, by offering to buy
the  right for the  county, and  many other ways;
but I understood their designs, and refused all their
offers.
  At the next annual meeting ofthe society, Hol-
man was chosen their agent without my  consent,
 and  I refused to authorize him to give  informa-
tion; for he had deceived me before, by saying, on
 his return to Portsmouth, that he could not form a 
  166         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFT,

  society at Hopkinton, which I had found out to be
  false;  and many  other things in  his conduct had
  caused me to be so much dissatisfied with all he
  did, that I declined having anything further to do
  with him.   He  persisted in practising, and  in
  eighteen months, by  his treacherous conduct  run
  down the credit ofthe medicine and practice'and
  broke up the  society, after it had, during the eigh-
  teen months  previous, got under good way by Mr
  Locke's  agency, and  was in a very  prosperous
  condition. I had good reason to believe that IIol-
  man was employed by my enemies to break me
  up in this place, and destroy the credit ofthe me-
  dicine; for when  I was absent, I ascertained that
  he gave  salt  petre and other poisons,  under the
  pretence  that, by giving  it  the  night  before  it
  would prepare the stomach for my medicine  to be
  taken in  the  morning.  This  was like preparing
  over night to build a fire in the morning, by filling
 the fire place with snow and ice.—After preparing
 the stomach in this way, the medicine would have
 no beneficial effects; and he would then place the
 patient over steam, which caused them to faint —
 In this way he proved, to  the members of the so-
 ciety, that my mode of practice was bad; and thus
 used his influence to destroy the credit of my me-
 dicine in their minds, and make them believe I had
 deceived them.  His practice  turned  out very un-
 successful, and he lost many  of his  patients  He
 had lost more in six months, than I had  in six years
 which I imputed to his bad conduct
  After my return, finding how things were sitna-
ted in regard to the practice; that all the credit I
had gained by seven years' labor, had been destroy-
ed in eighteen  months, led me to make a particu-
lar  inquiry into the cause.   On visiting his pa- 
               OF SAMUEL THOMSON.         46?

 tients,  I found some of the  pills made of salt pe-
 tre, and also some opium pills, which he had been
 in the habit of administering secretly to his pa-
 tients, under the name of my medicine; and  af-
 ter collecting an assortment  of his poison, I  called
 a meeting of the  society, and proved to them that
 he had made use of these poisons, under the pre-
 tence of giving my medicine; and  also, that  he
 had confessed to have given tobacco,  when  called
 on  to administer my  medicine; all  of which sat-
 isfied the society so well  ofthe base conduct of
 theioigent, that  they  immediately passed a vote
 dismissing  him from  his  agency.   A committee
 was appointed to investigate the whole of his con-
 duct, and  publish a statement ofthe same, in or-
 der to do away  the false impression that had been
 made on the  public mind,  and convince them that
 the bad success of this man's practice,  had been
 owing to his own wicked conduct, and not to any
 fault ofthe medicine.  I was never able, however,
 to get this committee to.meet and attend to the du-
 ty assigned them by  the  society, although they
 confessed themselves  satisfied of the truth  of my
 charges against Holman,  and ofthe  injury  I had
 sustained by  his conduct; and,  after waiting six
 months, and finding they were  more willing that
 I should suffer, than that the blame should fall
 where it justly belonged, I left them to their more
 fashionable practice, and withdrew all my medicine
from the place.
  In the spring of the year 1814, I wrote to Mr.
 Howe, my agent at  Eastport, to  leave that  place,
in consequence ofthe  war becoming troublesome,
and come to Portsmouth.  He came up in May.—
 I took him with me and went to Surry, where we
continued .through the summer, and he assisted me
 in carrying on my farm and  collecting an assort-
 ment of pipdirine.  ln \nornst. wp wpnt. to  Onion 
168
NARRATIVE  OF THE LIFE
  River where my father resided, made a visit and
  collected some articles of medicine that could not
  be obtained m Surry.   After my return, Mr. Howe
  went to Portsmouth, and I remained at home till
  after the harvesting was over, then went to Ports-
  mouth to collect medicine, and attended to some
  practice.   Sometime  in  December, I returned
  home, and  found an express had been there  for me
  to go to Guilford, sent  by Mr. Davis, whom I had
  attended the year  before at Portsmouth.   I went
  With all speed, and found his wife sick with a con-
  sumption.   I  attended her a  few days tAive
  them information,  and  sold him the right of using
  the medicine; and also  sold some rights to  others.
  1 then returned to Portsmouth, and sent Mr. Howe
  to Guilford to practise, and  give information to
  those who  had purchased  the rights;  where he
  remained till spring.
   During the time Mr. Howe  was at Guilford, he
  was  very successful in the practice, and made some
  remarkable cures.   Great opposition was- made to
  his practice by the doctors, and all the false repre-
  sentations made about  it that they could invent
  to prejudice the minds of the  people against the
 medicine,  and stop its being introduced among
 them.  After this, another plan was devised  to in-
 jure  me; societies  were formed  in the  manner
 Jl had formed mine, and members  were admitted
 for two dollars; the only information given  them
 was to furnish each member with one of the pam-
 phlets, containing-my directions, which had been
 stolen from a- woman, and published at Portland,
 without my  knowledge.   In this summer, my sys-
 tem of practice in the hands and under the super-
 intendence of those  who were  endeavoring to de-
stroy  me, became popular   in   Guilford, and  the
towns adjacent, and had  become so important that 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.
169
a general invitation was given throughout  the
neighboring towns for the people to come and join
them in the great improvement of restoring  the
health of mankind.   Thus did  these  professional
gentlemen tamper with my rights  and the  credu-
lity ofthe people, for the pitiful purpose of injuring
me, by pretending to sell all my  information for
two dollars, for  which I asked' twenty ; and, in
their hands, called it honorable, scientific know-
ledge.   After  these trespasses  had become open
and general, and the people had  been invited to
join ft, my agent wrote me a letter giving informa-
tion ofthe transaction, and I went there to see it.
On  my arrival, I conversed with those  who  had
purchased their rights  of me or my  agent ; they
informed me of the facts as above related, and  said
they had been solicited to join the  Society  that
had been  formed ;  and  they wished my advice
whether they should  attend  a general  meeting,
which was to be  held in about a fortnight.  I told
them that they had better attend.  They then  ask-
ed me,  if they should be asked  for information,
what they should do about giving it.  I told them
that I thought the  people joined societies to get
information, and not to give it.  I  employed an
attorney to proceed against those who  had  tres-
passed, and have them punished according to law
in such cases provided,  and  returned  to  Ports-
mouth.
  In  the  month of Febuary,  1815, I had an ap-
plication to go to Philade^hia, and introduce my
system  of practice,  and form societies  ui  that
city.   Thinking it  not  proper to go alone, I made
an  engagement  with  Mr. John Locke to go  with
me; and after we  got  every  thing  prepared, he
started on the  7th in  the morning to  go in the
stage, and I chose to go by water, and sailled on the 
170        NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
 same day in a  vessel for New York.  We  had a
 long and tedious passage, and suffered very much
 from the  cold.  We  had a gale  of wind, which
 blew us  off into the  gulph  stream, and we were
 two hundred miles south of our-port.  On getting
 into a more southern latitude, the weather became
 warmer, when we were enabled to get clear ofthe
 ice with which the vessel was much burdened, and
 could set some sail; and we arrived at New York af-
 ter a very rough passage of seventeen days.
   During the passage, one ofthe crew had frozen
 his hands and feet very  badly, and when  he got
 where the weather became warmer, he was in the
 most extreme pain.  He said it seemed as though
 the bones  of his hands  and feet were coming in
 pieces; his suffering was so great  that the tears
 would run from his eyes, and the sweat down his
 cheeks with the pain.   I was requested by the
 captain and crew to do something  to relieve him.
 I agreed to do the best I could for him, in the cold
 and comfortless situation we were in.  There was
 no place to keep afire below, and the weather Was
 so rough that we could seldom keep any in the ca-
 boose on deck.   I  was obliged to  administer the
 medicine according to my judgment in t-he best
 manner  I  could.  In the first place, I procured
 cloths, wet them well  with cold water, and wrap-
 ped his hands and feet as  well as I could in several
 thicknesses, and then wet them again with cold
 water, and put him in his birth covered well with
 blankets, and gave  him the warmest medicine to
 take I.had with me,  and repeated  it to keep the
 inward heat sufficient  to cause a free circulation
 in the limbs, and if his hands and feet grew pain-
 ful, poured cold water on  the  cloths, and continu-
 ed this course of treatment, of keeping the inward
heat above  the outward,  bv raising *v.~ —* and 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.
1T1
 letting down the other, till I got the fountain above
 the stream; and, in about two hours, freed him from
 all pain, to the surprise and astonishment of all on
 board.  When I come to take off the clothe, the
 blood had settled under the nails and under the skin,
 which came off  without any blister being raised,
 and, before we arrived at New York, he was able
 to attend his watch.
   It was said  by the captain  and crew, that this
 was the most remarkable cure they bad ever known,
 and that if he had been attended in the common
 form  he would have lost  his  toes if not his feet;
 besides suffering much pain,  and a long confine-
 ment.   It  will  be necessary  to  remark, that the
 greatness of this cure consisted in it simplicity;
 any person could preform  the same, who had come
 to the years of discretion, by adopting  the same
 plan, and many times be the  means of saving the
 amputation  of"limbs.  There is no mystery  in
 it, the  whole plan  consists in keeping the deter-
 mining powers  to the surface, from  the fountain
 ofthe  body, which  is the stomach; from  which
 all the limbs  receive their support  and warmth,
 and when  you  cannot  raise  the  fountain  suffi-
 cient  to  give  nature  its proper course, you must
 lower the stream, or outward  heat, by keeping the
 heat down on  the limbs,  and raising the  inward
 heat,  when there can no mortification ever run
 from the limbs to the body, any more than a log
 can float against a stream.
  In the case  above stated, before I  began to  do
 any thing for the man, I duly considered his situa-
tion, he had been almost  chilled to death by the
extreme cold weather, so that his limbs had very
little warmth from the body,  not enough to bring
them to their  feeling, until the warmer weather
raised a fever on the limbs faster than in the body, 
172          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
and, in proportion as the heat in theextremetiesis
raised  above that in the  body, by  applying hot
poultices or similar applications, so much will the
whole  system be disordered,  and  the  parts that
have been injured will be extremely painful;  and,
by a continued application of such means, the fe-
ver or outward heat will increase by the current
being turned inward, till mortification takes place,
when the limbs have to be taken  off to t,ave life ;
and, in most cases, the body has become so much
disordered that  they die after all.  This may, ]
am confident, be avoided by understanding my plan
of treatment and pursuing it with zeal, particularly
in all cases of burns or freezes.
   On my arrival at New York, I found Mr. Locke,
who had come in the stage, and had been waiting
for me ten  days.   The next morning we started
in the  stage for  Philadelphia, where  we arrived
that evening, and went  to  a boarding  house and
put up for the night.   In the morning we  went in
search  of Elder  Plummer,  with whom I had en-
gaged  the fall before, to  go to Philadelphia; we
found him in the course of the forenoon,  and he ex-
pressed much joy at our arrival.  He delivered a
lecture that evening, and appointed a meeting at
the same place the next evening, for me; at which
I attended and gave a lecture.  There was a large
collection of people attended this meeting, and  I
gave a full and explicit explanation of the principle
upon which my system  is founded. There were two
medical students  present;  and while I was endea-
voring to give a view of the  formation  ofthe ani-
mal creation out  of the four elements;  that  heat
was life  and cold death; and  that the  blood was
necessary to life, as being the  nourishment ofthe
flesh, and in as  much as it was taken away, so
much was life and health diminished: nn« of them 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          173
interrupted me and  said, that cold was a promo-
tion  of life, and that  bleeding  was beneficial to
preserve life also.   I answered  them by stating,
that admitting his doctrine to be true, an animal
that had all the blood taken from  it and was frozen
would be the liveliest creature in  the world.  This
unexpected retort caused a laugh, and the medical
gentlemen left the room.  I then went on and con-
cluded the explanations I wished to make, which
gave general satisfaction  to. the  people present;
and sixteen signed the articles of agreement that
night, to obtain  the knowledge ofthe medicine
and practice, to which I engaged to give informa-
tion  by lectures.  We  remained there about  a
week, in  which time about twenty bought the
right.
  When we had  completed our business at Phila-
delphia, we went on to Washington, where we re-
mained several days, and had a view of the ruins
of the public buildings, which had been destroyed
by the British, when they tools.possession of that
city  about six months previous.   While at the
Capitol, I had an interview with General Varnum,
and some conversation passed between us  concern-
ing the pipsisway, which had been found useful  in
a case of  cancer, for  which I  attended  his wife,
when practising at Pelham,  in the year 1807. He
said that,  it having  been found so useful in can-
cerous cases, he thought it ought to be published
in the newspapers  or almanac, for the benefit  of
those who were afflicted with this dangerous dis-
ease, and  expressed a wish  that I would do it.  1
told him that I thought it would be better for him
to publish it  than  me, and he consented, and the
next year he  published  it in the  almanac, which
was the  cause of much speculation in this article,
and of which I  shall give an account in another
part of this work. 
174         NARRATIVE OF  THE LIFE
   After staying in  Washington a  few days, wc
 went-to Alexandria, where we remained  about a
 week, in which time I collected some cyress bark,
 which is known there by the name  of poplar, and
 what we call poplar, is by them called quaking asp,
 on account of the constant shaking of its leaves.—
 While at this place, I fell in company with Captain
 Davis, of Portsmouth; and agreed to take passage
 with him and return to that place.  Arrangements
 were made for Mr. Locke  to  return by land ; and
 I directed him to stop  at  Washington and get a
 copy of my patent; then to go to Philadelphia, and
 remain there as long as it should be necessary to
 give information to  those who had purchased  the
 rights, or any that  should wish to purchase them
 in that city, and, after  paying proper attention to
 them, to return to Portsmouth.  I  then went on
 board the vessel and we set sail ; and, after along
 passage, arrived at  Portsmouth about  the same
 time that Mr. Locke did.
   During the summer,  I  visited Eastport, Port-
 land, Charlestown, South-Reading, and other pla-
 ces where societies had been formed, or rights sold
 to individuals, to give information to the people ;
 and, in all places where I  went, found the  book of
 directions, which had been clandestinely obtained
 and published  by the doctors and  others, to  in-
jure me, by stopping the sale of rights, selling at
thirty-seven and a half cents.  I was under  the ne-
cessity of putting an  advertisement in the papers,
cautioning the  people  against  the imposition,
which put a stop to their sale; but great pains were
taken by  my enemies to  circulate  them among the
people ; and this is the way that some of my arti-
cles of medicine  came to be made use of throughout
the country in colds, such as cayenne, ginger, &c
fn 1815,  I published  another prUfJ™ ~r~... uookof 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          175
 directions, and secured the  copy-right ;  but this
 was.re-printed at Taunton, and I advertised it as
 before, and stopped its  progress.
   In the fall ofthe year 1815, I went to Cape Cod
 to procure some marsh-rosemary, and collected  a
 quantity, carried it to Portsmouth, and prepared it
 for use.  This is the last time I have collected any
 of this article, and,-as it becomes scarce, think  I
 shall not make any more use of it.   It is too cold
 and  binding, without using a large share  of bay-
 berry bark and cayenne with it, to keep the saliva
 free.  I have found other articles as substitutes,
 which answer a better purpose, such as  hemlock
 bark, which I have of late made use  of, and  found
 very good, white pond lilly roots, with witch hazle,
 raspberry leaves and sumach  berries; the last ar-
 ticle is very good alone, steeped and sweetened,
 and is as pleasant as wine ; it is good for children
 in cases of canker, especially  in long cases of sick-
 ness when other articles become  disagreeable to
 them.
  In the spring of the year 1816,1 went again to
 Cape Cod for medicine,  and found that the spotted
 fever, or what was called the cold plague, prevail-
 ed there, and the people were  much alarmed, as
 they  could get  no help from the doctors.  I told
 them I had come after medicine where they  were
 dying for the want ofthe knowledge how to use it.
 They were  desirous for  me  to try my practice and
 satisfy .them of its utility.  A young man in the
 next house  to where I  was,  being  attacked with
 the fever the day before, I went to see him, and the
 family expressed a wish to  have me  try my medi-
 cine.  I put a blanket round him and put  him by
the fire ;  took a tea-spoonful  of composition, and
added more No. 2, and as much sugar, put in a tea
cup,  and poured to it a  wine glass of hot watery 
         "" ^~  ^----      )          "IF
 176        NARRATIVE OF  THE LIFE

 when cool enough to take, added a  tea-spoonful of
 the rheumatic  drops; he took  it, and, in fifteen
 minutes, was in a free perspiration ; he was then
 put in bed,  and a hot stone  wrapped in wet cloths
 put to his feet to raise a steam.   I then left him
 in the care  of his friends, with some  medicine to
 be given during  the  night,-they  kept the per-
 spiration free all  night;  and,  in the  morning,
 heat had gained the victory, and the canker was de-
 stroyed, and he was comfortable, and soon got well.
   I attended three other persons  in one house,
 who had been sick a longer time,  and  had taken
 other medicine, so that it was more  difficult tocure
 them.  I steeped No. 3, and poured off half a tea-
 cup full, and sweetened it, and  added half a tea-
 spoonful of No. 2;  when cool enough to take, put
 in one tea-spoonful of No. 1, and gave it to each of
 the patients, repeating it once in fifteen minutes,
 till they had taken it  three times, whether they
 puked or not in that time—kept  a hot stone wrap-
 ped in wet cloths at their feet, to keep up a steam.
 While they  were under the operation of the sweat-
 ing, gave them as much cider or  water to drink ac  I
 they  required.   When  they had done  vomiting, i
 gave milk porridge freely.   As  soon as they hac"
 done sweating,  and their strength had returnel^]
 got them up and steamed them as long as thej  a
 could  bear it; then  rubbed thern over with spirits  *
-water, or vinegar,  changed their clothes, and the)
 went to bed, or sat tip, as  their strength woul<  )
 permit.  I will here remark, for the informatioi  ,
 of the reader, that, when the patient is so bad ai  '
 not to  be able to  sit up, they must  be steamed in
 bed as hot as they'can  bear it; then  set them up in
 bed  and rub as  before  mentioned, and change
 their clothes  and bed clothes. This last direction
 is  important to be attended to ; for, if their own  a 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.         177
 clothes  be changed, without changing the bed
 clothes, they will absorb a part of the filth that hae
 been discharged through the pores, and add to what
 remains ofthe disorder.  This precaution  is all-
 important, in every case of disease, and should be
 paid particular attention to,  in order to guard
 against  taking back any part of  what has been
 thrown off by the operation of medicine.   The
 nurse, or those who attend upon the sick, are also
 in danger from the same cause, and  should be par-
 ticularly careful to guard against taking the disor-
 der, by breathing in the foul vapor from the bed
 clothes, and standing over the patient when under
 the operation of medicine, the  principal effect of
 which is  to throw off,  by  perspiration  and other
 evacuations, the putrefaction that disease has en-
 gendered in the body. To guard against this, take
 some hot  bitters, and keep a piece of ginger root in
 the mouth,  occasionally swallowing  some of it,
 when most exposed ; also,  take a  tea-spoonful of
 Xos.  2 and 3, steeped  in  hot water, when going
 to bed.   One ounce of preventive, in this way, is
 better than a pound of cure when sick.
  After relieving these four cases,  I was sent for
 to attend  a  woman who had been sick for  a long
 time ; I declined attending any  more unless they
 would buy the right—this displeased her so much,'
 because 1 was not willing to practise and cure all
of them for nothing, that she abused  me for declin-
ing to attend her.   Two men bought rights, and
they asked me how much I would take for the right
of the whole town.    I offered  it to them  for the
 •rice of twenty rights ; but  they said that the sick-
 ess had so much abated that the alarm was near-
 f over, and declined my offer.  This disease first
 ppeared in Eastham,the forepart of February, in
 -Inch month twenty-seven died ; in March four-
             M 
 179        NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

 teen; and five in April, making in the whole forty-
 six, in three months, in this place.  I left sonic
 medicine with those who had purchased rights, and
 returned to Boston.
   Within a week after my return from Cape Cod,
 I received a request, by a letter from Eastham, to
 come there as soon as possible; I took a stock of
 medicine and went on there as quick as 1  could  ;
 and, on  my arrival, found that the fever had again
 made its appearance among the people, with dou-
 ble fatality.  I soon found enough to purchase the
 twenty rights, for which I  had offered to sell the
 rightofthe whole town.  I attended on many of
 those who had the disease, in company with  the
 two men who purchased the right of me when here
 before, and instructed them how to carry  the pa-
 tients through  a  course of the  medicine ; and
 they attended and gave information to others.—
 When they could meet together, I  gave informa-
' tion by lectures. Those who got the information,
 attended whenever they were wanted.   I pursued
 my usual mode of treatment, by administering the
 medicine to promote afree perspiration, and, when
 necessary, steamed and gave injections,  cleansed
 the stomach and cleared off the canker.  The suc-
 cess in  curing  this alarming  disease, was very
 great.   I stayed about two weeks, during which
 time there were attended, with my medicine, thir-
 ty-four cases, of whom only one died ; the rest were
 cured.   At the same  time, of those who were
 attended by the regular doctors, eleven  out of
 twelve died, making, in the whole, upwards of fifty
 deaths in a  short time, in this place,  which was
 about one twelfth part ofthe inhabitants that were
 at home.  The truth of the above statement is au-
thenticated by the certificates of the selectmen of
the town, and other respectable inhabitants, which 
              OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          179

 will be inserted in  another part of the work.  Dur-
 ing my stay this time, I attended  the husband of
 the woman who had abused me when here before,
 at the house of his sister ; she came there while  I
 was attending her husband, and treated me in the
 most abusive manner, saying that she would soon-
 er die  than take  any of my medicine, or have
 any thing to do  with  me".  After she had  vented
 her spite to her own satisfaction, she went home,
 was taken sick on the way, and was one of the last
 who died of the fever at this time.  The  people
 generally treated  me with kindness and respect,
 and took great interest  in  my  cause  ; and the
 success of my system  of practice,  in relieving
 them from the alarming disease, gave  universal
 satisfaction.
   I formed those who had  purchased rights, into a
 society, and they chose  a  committee, whom I au-
 thorized as agents to sell rights and medicine ; but
 this caused a jealousy among the rest ofthe mem-
 bers, who said I gave privileges to some more than
 to others-
   I have formed four societies, and given them cer-
 tain privileges ; by allowing them part ofthe pro-
 fits on the sale of rights and medicine ; but as soon
 as there  was any funds, it has always created un-
 easiness among the members.  Some of the ignor-
 ant and selfish, would call for their dividends, as
 though it was bank stock,  instead of feeling grate-
ful for the advantage they enjoyed, by having their
diseases cured, and their minds relieved from the
alarming consequences of disease,  with a trifling
expense.  I have eince altered my plan, and now
have but  one society.    Every  one who  pur-
chases a right for himself and family, becomes a
member of the Friendly Botanic Society, and is eu-
titled to all the privileges of a free intercourse with 
180         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
each other, and to converse with any one who has
bought a right, for instruction and assistance.  In
this way, much  more good  will  exists towards
each other, than where  there is any  money de-
pending.
  I had now been in practice, constantly attend-
ing on  those laboring under disease,  whenever
called on, for about thirty years; had suffered much
both in  body and mind, from  the persecution I had
met with, and my unwearied exertions to relieve
the sick, and to establish my system  upon a per-
manent basis, that the people might become  satis-
fied of its superiority over that which is practised
by those styled  regular physicians ; putting it in
their power to become their own physicians; by
enabling  every  one to relieve  themselves and
friends  from all diseases incident to our country,
by making use of those vegetable medicines, the
products of our country, which are perfectly safe
and easily obtained, and which, if properly under-
stood, are fully  sufficient, in all  cases  of disease
where there  can be any chance of cure, without
any danger ofthe pernicious, and often fatal con-
sequences attending the administering those poi-
sons that the fashionable doctors are in  the habit
of giving to their patients.
   After having discovered a system, and, by  much
labor and  constant  perseverance, reduced  it to
practice, in a manner that had given general satis-
faction to all who had become acquainted with it,'
and having secured the same by patent, in order
that I might reap some benefit from the discovery,
to support me in my old age ; having, by a long se-
ries of attendance on the sick, both as physician
and nurse, become almost worn out, I came to the
determination to appoint some suitable person who
would do justice to me and the cause, as a general 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.           181
agent, and to take the lead in practice, and  give
the necessary information to those who should pur-
chase the  rights, which would enable me to retire
from practice, and receive a share ofthe profits as
a reward for my long sufferings.  After consider-
able inquiry,  I  became acquainted with Elias
Smith, who was recommended as a man in whom I
could confide, and who was every way  qualified as
a suitable  person to engage in the undertaking. I
found him in Boston, and in very  poor circumstan-
ces, having been for many years a public preach-
er; but, inconsequence  of his often changing his
religious principles, and engaging in different pro-
jects, in which he had been unsuccessful, he was
now without a society,  or any visible means of
supporting himself and  family.  He  readily en-
gaged with me, and  promised to do  every thing in
his power to promote my interest, and  extend the
usefulness of my system  of practice.
   I sold him a family right in December,  1816,
and was in his family during the winter for the
purpose of instructing him in the practice, to qual-
ify him to  attend upon the sick, and give informa-
tion to others.  I put the utmost confidence in his
honor, and spared no pains in communicating to
him, without any reserve whatever, all the know-
ledge I had gained by my experience, both by prac-
tice and verbal instruction; under the  expectation
that, when he became sufficiently acquainted  with
the system and practice, I should be rewarded for
my trouble,  by his  faithfully performing his duty
towards me,  according  to his promise.  I  shall
make no remark upon my being disappointed in all
my expectations in  regard  to Mr.  Smith's  con-
duct, and the treatment I received from him,  after
he had  gained a knowledge of the practice  from
me, to enable him to set up for himself; but  shall 
 182       NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

 proceed to give a short account of what took place
 during my connexion with him.
   The first case I attended  with him was in his
 own family.  His  son had the itch very badly, so
 that nearly one half of him was  raw sores.  They
 had tried the usual remedies without any benefit. I
 showed him the use of No. 3, to wash with, to stop
 the smart ofthe sores ; then took some rheumatic
 drops, and added about one fourth part ofthe spi-
 rits of turpentine, and washed him with it; this is
 very painful when applied where  the  skin is off;
 to prevent which,  I  mixed with it  some ofthe
 wash made of No. 3 ;  at the same time of applying
 the above, I gave some ofthe composition, espe-
 cially when  going to bed ; and occasionally gave
 about fifteen ofthe drops shaken together, on loaf
 sugar.  By pursuing this treatment one week, this
 boy was entirely cured.
   The next case, which was the first we attended
 together out of his  house, was a young woman who
 had the ague in her face.   I showed him the whole
 process of curing this complaint; which was done by
 putting a small quantity of No. 2 in a cloth, and
 placing ijt between  her  cheek and  teeth, at the
 same time giving her some of Nos. 2 and 3 to take,
 and in two hours she was cured.
   I was constantly with him in practice from Feb-
 ruary till June; during which  time we attended
 many bad cases with.great success.   A Mrs. Gra-
 ver came to his house to be attended, who had the
 dropsy.   She had been given over by her doctor as
 incurable, and was  so much swelled as to be blind,
 and her body and limbs in proportion.  Mr. Smith
 undertook her case, under my direction, and car-
 ried her through a course of the medicine every day
for nine  days, and then occasionally once or twice
 a week till she was cured.  She was thu* «nend- 
              OF SAMUEL THOMSON.         183

 ed, under my inspection, for three weeks, and  in
 four, was entirely cured ; for which she gave Mr.
 Smith about forty dollars.  In this case, I did a
 great part of the labor, and he got the pay.  About
 the third time of carrying her through a course of
 the medicine, I was absent; her symptoms appear-
 ed unfavorable, and he got  frightened ; a nurse
 woman, to whom I had given information, and who
 had more experience than he had, came to his as-
 sistance, and, by using injections, relieved  her,
 and prevented mortification.   The circumstances
 of this woman proving that she was forward of him
 in information, seemed to fix in Mr. Smith's mind
 a dislike to her ever after, as his subsequent treat-
 ment of her  will show, the particulars of which
 will be hereafter related^
   Another  case was  of a man  who came to his
 house, who was  in a declining way, and had taken
 a great quantity of physic before he came, which
 would not operate.  On  taking my medicine,  as
 soon  as he began to warm, so as  to cause motion
 in the bowels, the physic he had before taken ope-
 rated, and run him down with a relax ;  then the
 dysentery set in, and he suffered  much  pain, and
 had discharges of blood.  I gave Mr. Smith direc-
 tions  to use  injections, to clear his bowels of can-
 ker, and prevent mortification;  but he neglected it
 until  I had told him three days in succession.  He
 then got alarmed and sent for me  ; but, before  I ar1-
 rived, he had given an injection, which had reliev-
 ed the patient.  He remained and was attended
 about three weeks, and went home in a comforta-
 ble state of  health.  This  man paid Mr.  Smith
 about thirty dollars.
   About  the same time, a man by the name of Jen-
nings, applied to Mr. Smith, who had lost the use
of one of his arms by the rheumatism.  He had 
184        NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

been attended by adoctor for nine months, and had
been given over by him as incurable.  His arm
was  perished, and he  was in poor circumstances,
having paid all he had to the doctor ;  he wanted
relief, but said he could  pay nothing for it unless
he was cured, so that he could earn something by
his labor.  Mr.  Smith asked of me if  I  was wil-
ling to assist to cure him on these terms; to which
I agreed.  We  carried him through  a course  of
the  medicine and steaming, twice or  three times
a week,  for four weeks, when  a cure was effect-
ed.  The last time he was carried through was on
election  day, and  he expressed a wish to go on
the common in the afternoon, to which I gave en-
couragement.   The medicine was done operating
about ten o'clock ; he was then steamed and wash-
ed  all over with pepper sauce.  He  complained
bitterly ofthe heat, and threw himself on" the bed;
I took a  tea-spoonful of good cayenne, and put  in
two spoonsful of"pepper sauce, and gave it to him
to take.   This raised the inward heat  so much
above the outward, that in two minutes he waa
comfortable ; and in the  afternoon he went on the
common.  His arm was restored, and he was well
from that time.  He afterwards, as 1 have been
informed, paid  Mr.  Smith forty dollars for the
cure.
  A Mrs. Burleigh came to his house about this
time, who had the rheumatism very badly, so that
her joints were grown out of place ; and I assist-
ed in attending her.   She had  never  taken much
medicine, which made it the easier to cure  her :
as we had nothing to do but remove the disease,
without having to clear  the system of poisonous
drugs ; as is the case  with most of those who ap-
ply for relief in complaints of longstanding.  She
was carried through a course of medicine several 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          185
times and steamed. The last time I attended her,
and gave the emetic three times, as usual, which
raised a lively perspiration and a fresh color, show-
ing an equal and natural circulation ; but did- not
sicken  or cause her to vomit, as  is the case most
generally.   I mention this to show that the emetic
qualities of the medicine will not operate where
there is no  disease.  She was then steamed and
washed, and went out doors, being entirely cured
ofher complaint.
  About the last of April or first of May, a woman
who was a relation ofthe nurse, who assisted Mr.
Smith, and of whom I have before spoken, hired
a room of him and  moved into his house, and the
nurse lived with  her.   She had more experience
than he had ; I put the utmost confidence in her,
and she had, in many instances, proved her supe-
riority in a knowledge of the practice, over him.
A singular  circumstance took place, the particu-
lars of which I shall relate, and  leave the reader
to draw his own conclusions.  Sometime in May,
while I boarded with Mr. Smith, I lost my pocket
book, which contained upwards of thirty dollars
in bank-bills, and notesto the amount of about five
hundred dollars.    I made strict search for it, and
advertised  in the  newspapers, but have  never
gained any information of it or the contents to this
day.  It was  in my coat packet, and  I could
think of no way in  whieh I had been exposed, or
could lose it, except in the house.   I lost  it be-
tween Friday night and Monday morning, during
which time I attended a woman  in his chamber,
and several  times  had my coat off, which appear-
ed to me to be the only time that it could betaken,
or that I could lose it.   The only persons present
in the room, were Mr.  Smith and his wife and
the nurse ;  I had no suspicions of any person at the 
186          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
time.  About ten days after,  being alone with
Mr. Smith, he asked me if I ever mistrusted the
nurse being  dishonest.  I told him no; for, if I
had, I should not have introduced her as a nurse.
He then said that there had been a number of thefts
committed since she had been  in the  house, both
from him and other people, and named the articles
and circumstances.  He further said, that the girl
who lived with him, had said that she thought the
nurse was as likely to take my  pocket book, as to
take the things she had undoubtedly stolen.  The
circumstances which he related, and  the interest
he seemed  to take in my loss, convinced me beyond
a doubt that this woman had taken my property.
During this conversation with  him, he  said that
if she did not move-out ofthe house, he would.—
The consequence was, that the family moved out
of his house, and I dismissed the nurse from having
any thing more to do with my practice.  Since Mr.
Smith has taken to himself the  lead in my system
of practice, he has acknowledged that he has be-
come convinced beyond a  doubt,  that this woman
was not guilty of taking the things which she had
been accused of, without assigning any reason, as
I have been able to learn, for his having altered his
opinion.
   During the time the above circumstances hap-
pened, his son Ira came home,  after being absent
about four years ; but he was not treated with that
affection a  child expects to receive  in a  father's
house, and was sent off to  seek  lodgings where he
could.  About twelve o'clock he returned, not be-
ing able to obtain lodgings, called up a young man
who boarded  with Mr. Smith, and made a bitter
complaint, on account ofthe treatment he received
from  his father,  which he attributed  to the in-
fluence of his  mother-in-law.  He took a r.v.;-i an(i 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          187
 drank from it, and soon after fell on the floor. The
 young man  being alarmed, awaked Mr.  Smith,
 and informed him  ofthe  circumstance; before  he
 got to his son, he was senseless and stiff in every
 joint.  I was in bed  in the house, and Mr. Smith
 came immediately to me, and requested my assist-
 ance, saying that he expected Ira had killed him-
 self. He showed me the phial and asked what had
 been in it—I told him it had contained laudanum,
 I got up as soon as possible, and, on going down,
 met Mr. S. and  the  young man bringing Ira  up
 stairs.  I directed them to lay him  on the hearth,
 and took a bottle  from my pocket, which contain-
 ed  a strong preparation  of Nos. 1, 2, and 6—took
 his head between  my knees, his jaws being set,
 and put my  finger- between his cheek  and teeth,
 and poured in some ofthe medicine from the bot-
 tle; as soon as it reached the glands ofthe throat,
 his jaws became loosened, and he swallowed some
 of it—In five minutes he vomited; in ten he spoke;
 in one hour  he was  clear of the  effects  of the
 opium, and the next day he was well.  After this
 the affection of the father in some measure seemed
 to return; he clothed  him,  took him to Taunton,
 and introduced him into practice as an assistant.
 He did very well until his  mother-in-law  arrived
 there, when a difficulty took place between them,
 and lie went off.  His father advertised him, for-
 bidding all persons trusting him on his account.—
 He was absent four years, when he returned again
 to his father's house, and was received in the same
 cold and unfeeling manner as before—was not  al-
 lowed to stay in the house, but was obliged  to
 seek an asylum among strangers.   He stayed in
 town several days,  became  dejected,  in conse-
quence,  as he said, of the treatment he had met
with at his  father's house, went over to Charles- 
188         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

town, took a quantity of laudanum, and was found
near the monument senseless; was carried  to the
almshouse, where he died.
  The morning after he died, his father came to
see the corpse, and, as I was informed by a  person
who heard it, said, that ifhe had  been present one
hour before  he died, he could have saved his life ;
for, said he," I once administered medicine to him
and  saved his life when  he had taken a similar
dose;" and putting his hand on his  pocket, said,
" I always carry  medicine in  my pocket for that
purpose."   He neither took him  home, nor put in
the  paper the cause  of his death.  The  notice in
the  paper was, " Died suddenly, in Charlestown,
Ira  Smith,  son of Elias Smith, of Boston."
  After Ira went  away the las.t time, I frequently
heard Mrs.  Smith say, that if she could only heat
that Ira was dead, she would be satisfied. The
season before he returned, an account of his death
appeared in the Palladium  ofBoston,  statingthat
Ira  Smith died in Upper Canada.  How this ac-
count originated is  yet unknown, as Ira said he
had never been there.   However, his father seenv
ed to make great lamentation at this  unfortunate
news, and mentioned it in one of his sermons in
Clark Street  In the spring following, I saw Ira
in  New York,  and  informed Mr. Smith's family \
that I had seen him; but he  did not proclaim it in j
the  meeting, as he did the news of his death. Nei-
ther did he  exclaim, in the words of an ancient fa-
ther of a prodigal,  " My son who was dead, is alive,
and who was lost, is found."
  In June following, Ira came  to me, instead of
going to his father's house.   I found him lodging
two nights,  and then got him into business in Col.
House's printing  office, where  he  worked somei
days before he went to  his father's house.   When 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.           189
calling there to see his brothers and sisters, he said
something took place between him and his step-
mother, which so disgusted him that he threaten-
ed, before the  workmen in the office,  to destroy
his own  life.  They laughed  at his pretentions,
but he insisted on doing the deed, which he did in
a few days  after, and thus ended this disgraceful
tragedy.
  I continued with Mr. Smith, as has been before
mentioned, giving him instruction,  till the first of
June, when I appointed him agent, with authority
to sell family rights and medicine.  An agreement
was drawn up and signed by both parties, in which
it was  stipulated that I  was to furnish him with
medicine, and allow him twenty-five per cent, for
selling; and he was to have fifty per cent, for ali
the rights he sold: which was ten dollars for each
right, for giving the necessary information to those
who purchased, and collecting the pay.  His prin-
cipal dependence  at  this time  was upon me and
the practice for his support.  He paid me one-half
of what he received for family rights, as he  sold
them.  The first of July,  1 contemplated going
home to get my hay; but Mrs.  Smith,  expecting
to be confined soon, was very  urgent that I should
stay till  after she was  sick,  which detained me
three weeks.   I stayed accordingly, and attended
her through her sickness, for which they gave-me
great credit and praise at the time.  I then went
home to  attend my farm and  get  my hay ; after
which  I returned to Boston, and, in the fall, went
to Cape Cod, to attend to some business  there.  On
my return to Boston, I found Mr. Smith's young-
est child sick with the quinsey, or rattles.  He
had done all he could, and given it over to die.—
The women had taken charge ofthe child, after he
had  given it up, and had given it some physic.— 
190        NARRATIVE OF TOE LIFE

When I saw the child, I gave some encouragement
of a cure, and they were very desirous for me to
do something  for it.  I told  them they had done
very wrong in giving physic, in cases where there
was canker.   They  observed that there was  no
appearance of canker.  I told them it would never
appear  wlien they gave physic, for it would remain
inside till mortification decided the contest.
   I began with  the child by giving No. 2, which
caused  violent struggles,  and aroused it from the
stupid state in which it had laid, until the moist-
ure appeared in the mouth ; then gave some No. 3,
steeped, and Nos.  1 and 2, to start the canker,
and cause it  to vomit.   This soon gave relief.—
The women  who were present accused me ofthe
greatest cruelty, because  I brought the child out
of its stupid .state, and restored its sense  of feel-
ing, by which means the life ofthe child was saved.
The next morning its mouth was as white as  pa-
per with canker; they were then all satisfied that
I  knew the child's situation best, and that I had
saved its-life.  I considered the child so much re-
lieved,  that the father and mother  would be able
to restore it to perfect health, left it in their care
and went out  of town.  I returned the next day
about noon, and found that they  had again given
it up to die ; its throat was so filled with canker,
that it had not swallowed any thing for four hours.
I was in suspense whether.to do any thing for  the
child  or not; but  told the father and mother 1
thought,' if it  were mine, I would not give it up
yet; they wished me  to try.  I  took some small
quills from a  wing,  and  stripped them,  except
about three quarters of an  inch at the  point, tied
several  of them  together, which made a swab,
dipped it in canker tea,  and began by washing
the mouth, then rinsing it with cold water—then 
             OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          191

 washed with the tea again, putting the swab down
 lower in the throat, which caused it to gag, and
 while the throat was open, put it down below the
 swallow, took  off scales of canker, then rinsed
 again with cold water.  Soon as it could swallow,
 gave some tea of No. 2, a tea-spoonful at a time,
 and it soon began to  struggle for breath, and ap-
 peared to be in great distress; similar to a drown-
 ed person coming  to life.  In its struggling for
 breath, it discharged considerable phlegm from its
 nose and  mouth; I then gave some  more of the
 emetic with canker tea, which operated favorably;
 in two hours it  was able to nurse, and it soon got
 well, to  the great joy of the  father and  mother,
 who said that the life of the child was saved by ray
 perseverance.
   Soon-after this child got well, which was in the
 fall of the year  1817, Mr. Smith moved to Taun-
 ton.  Previous to his removal,  a man from  that
 place by the name of Eddy, applied  to him to be
 cured of a bad humor, caused by taking mercury.
 I assisted in attending upon him part ofthe time.
 Mr. Smith began with him, and on the turn of the
 disorder, they both got frightened and sent for me.
 He had been kept as hot as he could bear, with the
 medicine, for six hours, which increased the  heat
 of the body sufficient to overpower the cold;  the
 heat turned inward and drove  the  cold on  the
 outside.   This  produces  such a sudden change in
 the whole system, that a person unacquainted with
the practice would suppose they were dying;  but
there is .no. danger to be apprehended, if proper
measures be taken and persevered in, by  keeping
up the inward  heat.  In such  cases,  steaming is
almost indispensable ; for which reason  I have
been  obliged to steam the patient in most cases
where the complaint has been of long standing, 
192         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
especially when much mercury has been taken, as
nothing will make it active  but heat.  This man
soon got well and returned home.
  I furnished Mr. Smith with a  stock of medicine,
and in the winter paid him a visit, found him in
full practice, and Mr. Eddy assisting him.  I car-
ried with me a quantity of medicine, renewed his
stock,  and stored the remainder with him.  He
had sold several rights, and was very successful
in his practice, which caused great alarm among
the doctors; they circulated all kinds of false  ai
ridiculous reports about his practice, to break hi
up; but, not succeeding, they raised  a mob,  ai
twice broke open Mr. Smith's house in his absen
and frightened his family.
  In  the spring of this year, Mr. Smith  remov
to Scituate,to preach there and attend to practh
and the  medicine left with  him, I consigned
Mr.  Eddy by his recommendation.  The amou
ofthe  medicine was  about one hundred dollai.,
and I sent him a note  for twenty dollars, which ;u
collected, and afterwards  went away, *and 1  lo i
the whole amount.  During this season, I went .'>
Plymouth to visit some there who had bought!
mily rights, and returned by  the way of Scitual
in order to visit Mr.  Smith, look over his bool
and have some settlement with him.  I had i
him  have medicine as he wanted it, trusting h
to give me credit for what he sold or used.  1 thi
he had given me credit, so that the balance d t.
me at this time, for what he had, was four hu
dred dollars.  He was unable to pay me any thin
and I returned to Boston.
  Mr.  Smith afterwards  removed his family
Boston, and in the fall of the year 1818, he st
that he was not  able  to pay me any money ; I
he would let me  have such things as he coi 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.         193
spare.  I was disposed to be as favorable towards
him as I could, and took what he chose to offer at
his own price.   He let me have two old watches,
atone hundred dollars, and an old mare at eighty,
which was for medicine at cash prices.  1 gave
him all the chance of selling- rights and medicine,
in hopes that he would be able  to do better by me.
I often requested him to deliver lectures on my
system of practice, as this had been a favorite ob-
ject with me in appointing him agent;  but never
could prevail with him  to  do any thing in  that
way.  Another important arrangement I had made
with him was, that  he was  to assist me in prepa-
 ing for the press, a work to contain a narrative
 fmy life, and a complete description of my whole
 ystem.  I  had written it in  the  bast manner I
 ould, and depended on him to copy it off and pre-
 are  it  in a correct manner  to be printed; but  he
 ut me off from time to time, and was never ready
 3 attend to it.  All this time I never, had any sus-
 icion of his having a desire to  wrong  me,  by
 snrpino- the whole lead ofthe business, and  turn-
 \g every thing to his own advantage.
  I continued to keep medicine at his house, which
. e had free access to, and took it when he pleased,
 iving me credit for it according to his honesty.—
 'here were two or three thousand dollars worth
 L a  time  in the  house.  He charged me  three
 jllars per  week for  board, for all the time that
  was at his house;  after  he returned from the
.ountry; and he had  given  me  credit for  only
eighty dollars for medicine  the year past.   On a
 ittlement  with him, at  this  time, (1819,) he
 wed me about four hundred dallars ; I asked him
 ir a due bill for the balance, but he refused to  give
 ne__and said that Mr. Eddy had  received two
 undred dollars worth of medicine, for which he
               N 
 194        NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

 had received nothing, and  he ought not pay for
 it.   I agreed to lose one half of it, and  allowed
 one hundred dollars, the same as if I had received
 cash of him.  I took a memorandum from his book
 of what  was due  me, which was all I had for se-
 curity.  In the fall ofthe year 1820, I had ano-
 ther settlement  with Mr. Smith, and he owed me
 about four  hundred dollars, having received  no
 money of him the year past'.  He told me that all
 the property he  had was a horse  and chaise, and
 that if I did not have it, some body else would.  I
 took the horse and chaise at three hundred dollars
 and the hundred I agreed to allow on Mr. Eddy's
 account, made us, according to his accounts, about
 square, as to the medicine  he had given me credit
 for.  He made out a statement of fifty seven fami-
 ly rights that he had sold, at twenty dollars each;
 twenty-three of which he had never paid me any
 thing for; his plea for not paying me for them, was,
 that he had not received his pay of those who had'
 bought them.   His agreement  with me was, that
 he should account  to me ten dollars  for each ritrht
 sold,  and he was to have ten  dollars each for col-
 lecting the money and giving the neccessary infor-
 mation to the purchasers.
  In  the winter of 1819, I went to Philadelphia,
 and previous  to  my  going, made  arrangements
 with  Mr. Smith, to publish a new  edition of my
 book of directions.  We revised the former edi-
 tion and made such additions as we thought would
 be necessary to give a complete and full descrip-
 tion of my system, and  the manner of preparing
 and using the medicine; and I directed him to se-
cure the  copy right according to law.  I left the
whole care with him,  to arrange the matter and
have it printed.  On my return to Boston, in March,
he had got it done, but in a manner very unsatis* 
OF SAMUEL TH03ISON.          195
 factory to me, for he had left out twelve pages of
 the most useful  part  of the remarks  and direc-
 tions, and it was otherwise very incorrectly  and
 badly printed.   I asked him the reason of this,
 and he said that  a part ofthe copy had been mis-
 laid, and the printer had not done his work well.
 I had no idea at  the time,  that he had any design
 in having this  pamphlet printed in the  manner it
 was; but his subsequent conduct would justify the
 belief, that  he had, previous to this,  formed a plan
 to usurp the whole of  my system of practice, and
 turn every thing  to his own advantage; for he has
 since attempted to satisfy the public that my sys-
 tem was no system; and has brought forward this
 very book,  which was printed under his own in-
 spection, and arranged  by  him, as a part  of his
 proof that I was incapable of managing my own
 discoveries, and  of  communicating  the necessary
 information in an intelligible manner, to make.my
 system of practice useful  to those  who purchase
 the rights.   It is a well known fact, that some of
 the most essential parts ofthe directions were to
 be verbal; and I allowed him  ten  dollars each,
 to give the proper instruction to all those to whom
 he sold "the  rights.
  Another circumstance that I have  recently found
 out, goes to show a dishonesty in design,  to say
 the least of it.  He deposited the title page ofthe
 above mentioned pamphlet, and obtained a certifi-
 cate from the clerk, in the name of Elks Smith,
 as proprietor; and caused it to be  printed in the
name of Samuel  Thomson,  as author and proprie-
tor.  What his intentions were in thus publishing
a false certificate, I shall not attempt  to explain,
 but leave the reader  to judge for  himself.  If  I
 had  been taken away, he possibly might have
come forward and claimed under it a right to all 
19G        NARRATIVE OF  THE  LIFE

my discoveries, and eventually to substitute him-
self in my place as sole proprietor.  From that
time he  neglected the sale  of rights, and turned
his attention mostly to the practice, and preparing
his own  medicine.  During the summer  of 1820,
he employed Mr. Darling to assist him in practi-
sing and preparing medicine, and while with him,
they prepared thirty eight  bottles of the rheuma-
tic drops, which, by agreement, he was to have of
me; he  also directed him to take the materials
from  my stock,  which was in his house, and pre-
pare  twenty-five pounds of composition, and this
was kept a secret from me.   The reason he gave
Mr. Darling for not having  medicine of me ac-
cording to his agreement, was that he owed me so
much now that he was afraid he should never  be
able to  pay me.  I  thought  that his  taking the
preparing and selling my medicine to himself was
avejy singular way to pay and old debt.
   In  May, 1820,  Mr.  Smith collected  together
those in  Boston who had  bought rights of me or
my agents, and formed them into a society, under
a  new name; he wrote a constitution, which they
signed; and the members paid one dollar entrance,
and were to pay twelve  and a  half cents .per
month assen.tment, for which he  promised them
important iristr-uctions and cheap medicine.  He
was appointed president and treasurer, and after
he had obtained their money, the meetings were
discontinued, and  the society was broken up in
the course* of nine  months.   In this he appears to
have taken the lead of all those who have purcha-
sed the rights of me,  and made them tributary to
himself.
   In November* I returned  from the country and
found that he had advertised,  without  my know-
ledge or consent, in-the Herald, a periodical work 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          197
published by him at that time, "proposals for pub-
lishing by  subscription,  a book  to contain the
whole ofthe system  and practice  discovered by
Samuel Thomson, and secured to him by patent—
the price to subscribers to be five dollars--—By Elias
Smith."  This mostly stopped the sale of rights;
for no one would purchase a right of me or my
agents,  at  twenty  dollars,  when they had the
promise of them at five.   I went to him to know
what he meant by his donduct, in  issuing these
proposals; he plead innocence, and said he had no
improper design in doing it.
  I was now under the necessity of doing some-
thing in order to counteract what had been  done
by Mr. Smith, in publishing the above proposals;
and came to the determination  to issue new pro-
posals foj.- publishing a narrative of my life, as far
as related to my practice, with a  complete de-
scription  of my system of practice in curing  dis-
ease, and the manner of preparing and using the
medicine  secured to me  by patent; the price to
subscribers to be  ten dollars,  including the right
to each of using tbe same for himself and family.—
Mr.  Smith undertook to write  the  proposals and
get them printed; after they  were struck  off, I
found he had  said  in them, by  Samuel  Thomson
and Elias Smith; all subscribers to  be returned
to him.  I asked him what he  meant by  putting
his  name  with mine 1  He said in order  to get
more subscribers.  I said  no more about it at that
time, and let them be distributed.
  When I settled with him the last time,  I as'ked
him  what  he would charge to  prepare my manu-
scripts for the press—he said he thought we were
to write it together.   I asked him what made him
think so?   rfe  said  because his name was on the
proposals with mine.  I admitted this ; but told 
198        NARRATIVE OF  THE  LIFE
him  the reasons he  had assigned for putting his
name to it without my consent or knowledge.   He
then  intimated that he  thought he was to  be a
partner with me;  i asked him what I ever had of
him, to entitle him to an  equal right of all my dis-
coveries.
  To this he made  no  reply; but said he  would
write  it, and we would agree upon a price after-
wards.  I told him no—I  must know his price
first.   He said he could not tell within  fifty  dol-
lars.   I then told him we would say no more about
it.  This  conversation,  together with his conduct
in regard to the proposals,  convinced me beyond
all  doubt, that his design was to destroy me  and
take the whole business to himself.  I felt unwil-
ling to trust him  any longer,  and took all my
books and manuscripts from his house.   His sub-
sequent conduct towards me, has fully justified all
my suspicions, and left no  room  for a doubt, that
his intentions were to take every advantage of me
in his power, and usurp my whole  system of prac-
tice.—My system of practice, and the credit of my
medicine, were never in  a more  prosperous condi-
tion, than when I began with Mr. Smith, to in-
struct  him in a knowledge  of ali my discoveries
and experience in  curing disease; and appointed
him  agent.   The people,   wherever it  became
known, wore every day becoming convinced of its
utility,  and the medicine was  in great demand—
family rights sold  readily, and every thing seem-
ed to promise complete success in diffusing a gen-
eral  knowledge of the practice among all classes
of the people; but, under  his management,  the
whole  of my plans  have been  counteracted, and
my anticipations in  a  great measure  have been
frustrated.  His  conduct towards me, in his at-
tempt to take the lead of practice out of my hands, 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          199
and destroy my credit with the public, has not on-
ly been a serious loss to me, in  a pecuniary point
of view, but the people at  large are deprived  of
the blessings that might be derived from a correct
knowledge of my discoveries, and by not having
it in their power to relieve themselves from sick-
ness and pain with a trifling expense, and gene-
rations yet unborn must suffer thereby.
  I tried to get a settlement with Mr. Smith, for
the medicine he had prepared and sold, and, also,
for  the  rights he  had not  accounted to me for,
with the affairs that remained unadjusted between
us; but could not get  him to do any thing about
it—and finding there was no chance of  obtaining
an honorable settlement with him,  about the first
of February, 1821, I took all my medicine from
bis house, and discontinued  all connection or con-
cern with him. I was then, after waiting about four
years for him to  assist me in writing, which was
one of  my   greatest objects in appointing  him
agent, obliged to  publish a pamphlet, in which I
gave some ofthe  principles upon which my sys-
tem was founded, with explanations and directions
for my  practice, and also to  notify the public  that
I had  appointed  other agents, and  cautioned all
persons against trespassing  on my patent.
  He continued to practise and prepare  medicine,
bidding me defiance.   I made several attempts to
get an  honorable  settlement with him, without
success.  I employed three persons to go to  him
and offer to settle all our difficulty by  leaving it
to a reference ; but  he refused to do any  thing ;
continued to  trespass, and made  use  of every
means  to destroy my character, by abusive and
false reports concerning my conduct, both in re-
gard to my practice  and private character. Find-
ing that I  could  get no redress from him, I put a 
200         NARRATIVE OF  THE  LIFE
notice  in the paper, giving notice that I had de-
prived  him  of  all authority as my agent;  and
cautioning the public against receiving any medi-
cine or information from him, under any authority
of mine.   He redoubled his diligence in trespass-
ing, and  prepared the medicine and advertised it
for  sale under  different names from what I  had
called  it.  I found there was no other way for me
to do, but to appeal to the laws of my country for
justice, and brought an action against him, fora
trespass  on  my patent, to be tried at the Circuit
Court, at the  October  term,  1821. . The  action
was continued to May term, when it  was called
up, and the  Judge decided that the specifications
in my patent were improperly made out, not being
sufficiently  explicit to found  my action upon.  In
consequence of which,  I became non-suited, and
stopped all  further proceedings against him, till J
could make out  new specifications and obtain a
new patent  from the government.
  Mr. Smith has lately published a book, in which
he has given my system of practice, with direc-
tions for  preparing and using the vegetable medi-
cine secured to  me by patent, and  my  plan  of
treatment in curing disease as far as he  knew it.
In the w^ole of his work,  there  is not one prin-
ciple laid down, or one idea suggested, except
what is taken from other authors, but what he has
obtained from  my written or verbal instructions;
and still he  has the effrontery  to publish it to the
world  as his own discovery, without  giving  me
any credit whatever, except he has condescended to
say, that "Samuel  Thomson  made some imper-
fect discoveries of disease and medicine, but has
not reduced  any thing to a regular system."  This
assertion will appear so perfectly ridiculous to all
those  who have  any knowledge of my practice, 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.         201
 that I shall forbear making any comment upon it.
 It is  true he ha* made alterations  in the names
 of some of the preparations  of medicine; but the
 articles used, and the manner of using them,are the
 same as mine.  It is also a well known  fact,  that
 he  had no knowledge of medicine, or  of curing
 disease, until I instructed  him ;  and,  if what he
 says be true, the effect has been  very remarkable,
 insomuch as his magnetical  attraction has drawn
 all the skill from me to himself, by which he has
 taken  upon himself the title of physician, and left
 me nothing but  the appellation  of Mr. Thomson,
 the imperfect projector.
  I have been more particular in describing  Mr.
 Smith's conduct, because it has been an important
 crisis  in the great plan for which I  have spent the
 greater part of my life, and suffered much to bring
 about—that of establishing a  system of medical
 practice, whereby the people of this highly fa-
 vored country, may have a knowledge of the means
 by which they can at all times relieve themselves
 from disease by a perfectly safe and simple  treat-
 ment, and thereby avoid a heavy expense, as  well
 as the  often dangerous consequences arising from
 employing those who make use of poisonous drugs
 and other means by which they cause more  dis-
 ease than they cure; and in which I consider the
 public as well as myself have a  deep interest.  1
 have andeavored to  make a correct and faithful
 statement of his conduct and the  treatment I have
 received from him; every particular of which can
 be substantiated by indisputable testimony, if ne-
cessary.  I now appeal to the public, and  more
particularly to all who have been benefitted by my
discoveries, for their aid and countenance, in  sup-
porting my just rights against all encroachments,
and securing to me my claims  to whatever of me 
202
NARRATIVE OF THE LI1 B
rit or distinction I  am honorably and justly enti-
tled.  While I  assure them that I am not to be
discouraged or diverted from my grand object by
opposition,  or the  dishonesty  of those  who deal
deceitfully with me;  but shall persevere in  all
honorable and  fair measures to accomplish that
for which my life has principally been spent.
               ADDITIONS.

                November, 1825.

  Since the first edition of my  narrative was pub-
lished, some circumstances have occured, which
I think worth relating, and shall, therefore, conti-
nue  to give the reader an  account of all those
tilings relating  to my system  of practice, and the
success it has met with, up to  the present time.
  After having failed in my attempt to obtain jus-
tice  by prosecuting  Elias Smith for trespass,  as
has been before  related, I found  it  necessary to
adopt some new plan of procedure, in order to meet
the violent opposition I have in all cases met with
from not only the medical faculty,  but from most
of those who belong to what is called the learned
professions.  Judge Story decided  that the action
could not  be sustained, because the specifications
in my patent were not so explicit as to  determine
what my claim was.  He said it contained a num-
ber of recipes, which no doubt  were very valuable;
but I did not say what part of it I claimed asmy
own  invention.  How far this opinion was govern-
ed by a preconcerted plan to prevent me from main-
taining my claim as the original inventor of a sys-
tem of practice, and proving its utility in a court
of justice, it would not be proper  for me to sayj 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.
203
 but I have an undoubted right to my own opinion
 on the subject;  besides  I had from very high  au-
 thority at the time, that this was the fact, and that
 I should  always find all my efforts  to support  my
 claim, frustrated in the same manner.   When I
 obtained  my patent, I  had good legal advice in
 making out the specifications ; besides, it was  ex-
 amined and approved by the Attorney General of
 the United States ; and it was said, at the time of
 the trial, by several gentlemen learned in the law,
 to be good ; and that the very nature and meaning
 of the patent was, that the compounding and  using
 the articles  specified  in the  manner therein  set
 forth, was what I claimed as my invention.
   There was, however,  no other way for me,  but
 to obtain another patent ; and, immediately  after
 the  above decision, I set about getting one that
 would meet the objections that had  been  made to
 the first.   In making new specifications, I had  the
 assistance  of several gentlemen of the law and
 others, and  every precaution was  taken to havo
 them according to law ; but  whether my second
 patent will be more successful than  the first, time
 must determine.   It embraces the  six  numbers,
 composition or vegetable powders, nerve powder,
 and the application of steam to raise perspiration ;
 and to put my claim beyond doubt, I added,  at  the
 end, as follows, viz :  " The  preparing  and  com-
 pounding  the  foregoing vegetable  medicine, in
 manner as herein described, and the administering
 them to cure disease, as here mentioned, together
 with the  use of  steam  to produce perspiration, I
 claim, as  my own invention."  My second patent
 is dated January 28, 1823.
  In obtaining a patent, it was. my principal  ob-
ject to get the  protection of government against
 the machinations  of my  enemies,  more than to 
204         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
take advantage of a monopoly ; for, in selling fa-
mily rights, I convey to the purchaser the informa-
tion gained by thirty years' practice, and for which
I am paid a sum of money as an equivalent.  This
I should have a right to, if there were no patent in
the case.  Those who purchase the right,  have all
the advantages of my experience, and also the right
to use  the medicine secured to me by patent, and
to the  obtaining  and preparing  it for themselves,
without  any emolument to me  whatever.  And,
in all the numerous cases where I have sold rights,
there have been very few instances where any ob-
jections have been made to paying for them, where
notes have been given, and  these  were by  those
who had been persuaded  by men  opposed to me
and my practice, and who had interested views in
doing me all the injury they could; but where suits
had been commenced to recover on notes given for
rights, it has been decided  that the demand is
good in law, and the plea set up,  of no value  re-
ceived, is not valid; because the information given,
and the  advantage  received, is a valuable consi-
deration, without any reference to the patent right-
In all cases where a person possesses valuable in-
formation from his own  experience  or ingenuity,
there can be no reason why he should not have a
right to sell it to another, as well as any other pro-
perty ; nor why contracts  made  in such  cases
should not be binding, provided there is no fraud or
deception used.
  When a proper time arrives, I shall avail myself
of my patent right,  for the purpose of preventing
the  people  being  imposed  upon  by those  who
pretend to practise by my system, having no  au-
thority from me, and not having a correct know-
ledge of the subject; but are tampering with all
kinds of medicine, to the  injury of their  patients 
             OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          205

and the great detriment of the credit of my sys-
tem of practice; for, when  they happen to be suc-
cessful, they  arrogate to themselves  great credit
for the cure ; but, when the patients die, it  is all
laid at the door of my system.   The  doctors  are
ready  enough  to  avail themselves of such cases,
and to publish exaggerated accounts of them, to
prejudice the minds ofthe people against me.—
Whenever I again make an attempt to vindicate
my rights, by appealing to the laws of my country,
I am determined if possible, to take such measures
as shall give me a fair chance to obtain justice.  All
I ask, is to have a  fair opportunity to prove my
medicine to be new and useful, which  is all the law
requires to make the patent valid.  In doing this,
I shall spare  no expense  to have  the  most able
counsel in the country engaged, and shall not stop
at any decision against me, till carried to the high-
est judicial tribunal  in the country.
  It is a matter qf much gratulation to me,  and a
balm for all my sufferings, that my system of prac-
tice is fast gaining  ground in all parts ofthe coun-
try.  The people, wherever it is introduced, take
a lively interest in  the cause,  family  rights sell
rapidly—and  all who purchase give - much credit
to the superior and  beneficial effects  of the medi-
cine overall others.   The prejudices of those who
have been opposed  to it, socm to be  fast wearing
away before the light  of reason and common sense.
A number of gentlemen, eminent for  their scienti-
fic researches and usefulness in society, have  be-
come  advocates for the cause ;  and, although they
may not  be perfectly  converted, so as to give up
all "their former opinions, yet they allow  that  the
system  is ingenious and  philosophical, and the
practice new and safe.
   In introducing my  new mode of practice to the 
206          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
people of this country, I have never sought the pa-
tronage or assistance ofthe great; and  the success
it has met with, has been owing altogether to its
own merit.  There has  been no management or
arts used to deceive or flatter the vanity of any one;
but, in all cases, I have endeavored to convince by
demonstrating the truth,  by the most  plain and
simple method of practice, to effect the object aim-
ed at,  and to  cure disease by such means as I
thought would cause the least trouble and expense.
This probably has been one ofthe greatest causes
ofthe opposition I have met with from the  peo-
ple; for  they  have so  long been  in  the habit of
being gulled by designing men, and the ostenta-
tious  show of  pompous  declarations and high-
sounding words, backed by the recommendations
of those who flattered and deceived them, that no-
thing brought forward  in a plain and simple dress
seems worthy of notice.  If I had  adopted a more
deceptive plan  to suit  the follies  of  the times, I
might have been more  successful; but I am satis-
fied I should have  been less -useful.
  There is one  thing I think cannot be  a matter of
doubt—that I have been the cause of awakening a
spirit of inquiry among  the people of this coun-
try, into the medical practice and the  fashionable
manner of treatment in curing disease, from which
great benefits will be derived to the community.—
Many new contrivances and plans have been intro-
duced by different men, to produce perspiration,by
steam and other methods, by the use of vegetables,
which unquestionably have taken their origin from
my practice.  When I began to make use of steam,
a great deal of  noise was made about  it through-
out the country, and I was called the sweating and
steaming doctor, by way of ridicule. It was even
stated, by the doctors, that I steamed and sweated 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          207
my patients to death.   This no doubt led some
ingenious men to investigate the subject by expe-
riments; and, on discovering that it was  useful in
restoring health  to the afflicted, particularly in
scrofulous complaints, introduced different contri-
vances to apply steam to the sick.  Jennings' va-
por bath was highly recommended and considera-
bly used a few years ago;  but  it has been found
not to be  safe in  cases  where there  is  a high
state of inflammation, withoutthe use of my medi-
cine to first produce an equilibrium in the system.
A man by the name of Whitlaw, has lately intro-
duced what  he calls his medicated vapor bath,
which has made considerable stir among the medi-
cal faculty.
  It seems that this Mr. Whitlaw, from  what I
can learn of him, by his publications, about six
years ago went from this country to England, and
there introduced a new system of practice, and be-
came celebrated in curing all kinds of scrofulous
complaints and diseases ofthe glands, by means of
his method of applying steam,  and the use of de-
coctions from xVmerican vegetables.  How he got
his knowledge, or  what first  induced him to fix
upon this plan, I know not; but i-t seems, as far as
I can understand  him, that he has adopted my sys-
tem of practice as far as he  has been able to get a
knowledge of it.  He says something about gain-
ing his knowledge from an Indian in this country ;
but this is too stale to require any notice.  One of
the great  principles upon  which  my  system is
founded, is, that  all diseases originate  in obstruc-
tions in the glands, and, if  not removed,  become
Bcrofulous ;  and the  only  remedy  is  to  remove
the obstructions by raising perspiration by steam
and hot medicine.  In  all my practice, for  near-
ly forty years,  there has  been  nothing that   I 
208        NARRATIVE  OF THE LIFE
have succeeded more completely in, than the cure of
scrofulous complaints, such as salt rheum,  St. An-
thony's fire,  scalt heads, cancers, king's  evil,
rheumatism and  consumption.
   It appears  that  the above gentleman  has met
with great success in England, and that he  has had
the support and patronage of many ofthe first men
in the kingdom, who have liberally contributed to
the support of an asylum for the cure of the  poor,
and his success has given universal satisfaction.—
And it also appears that  he has met with abus"
from  the  medical faculty, both there and  in thi
country.  This was to be expected, and is the bes
evidence of its utility.   It gives me muchpleasun
to think that I have been instrumental in introduc
ing anew system of medical practice, by which 1"
feel confident so much benefit will be derived,  by
relieving  in a  great measure,  the sum of hu-
man   misery.'  But  I  think those  gentlemen
who gained any  knowledge from my practice,  for
which 'I have suffered  so much  for introducing,
ought, in justice, to allow me some credit for the
discovery.
   It has been my misfortune to meet with not only
opposition  in my  practice,  but to suffer many
wrongs from some with whom I have had  deal-
ings, and this in many cases where those who have
attempted to injure me  were among those whom
I consider under obligations  to  me.  I have re-
lated a number of cases  in the course of my narra-
tive ; but  the  disposition in  many still seems to
continue.   In selling family rights,  I have always
been as liberal to  purchasers as they could wish,
particularly where I was convinced  their  circum*
stances made it inconvenient for them to pay the*
money down ; and have been in the habit of taking
notes payable  at a  convenient time.   This has 
               OF SAMUEL THOMSON.         209

 occasioned  mc considerable loss; but, in most ca-
 ses, the purchasers have  thown  a disposition to
 pay if in their power; have treated me with a pro-
 per respect, and have been grateful for the favor ;
 with these  1 have  been satisfied, and no one has
 had reason  to  complain of my want of generosity
 towards them.   There has been  some, however,
 who have taken  a different course; and have not
 only refused to  comply with their  contract, but
 have, notwithstanding tjiey have continued to use
 the medicine, turned against  me, and  have tried
 to do me all the harm  in their power.  Such con-
 duct has caused me some considerable vexation and
 trouble.
   At the time I failed in my attempt against Elias
.Smith, in conr.equence ofthe decision against the
 correctness  ofthe specifications of my patent,  as
 has been  before related, I  h?d a number of notes
 for rights sold,  among them were two against a
 person, who had previously expressed great zeal
 in  my cause, for  a right for himself and one of his
 friends.  During tlie pending of the trial, he took
 sides with Smith; and  after the  decision, came to
 the conclusion, or, as I suppose, was told by  Smith,
 that the notes could not be collected  by  law, and
 •°fii6cd to pay them.   I did not wish to put him to
    , and therefore  let the business rest, in hopes
    vould think better of it,  and pay me according
    jntract;  but, after waiting until the notes were
 •., rly  outlawed, and he still refused to pay, I put
.-•iv.'of  them in suit, and the action was tried be-
     the Boston  Police Court.  The defence, set
   ,vas, that the contract was void, in  consequence
ul,the failure ofthe patent;  and also that there was
  ; value received.
   'he  trial  was before Mr. Justice Orne, and was
   ■laged  by.Mr. Morse for the plaintiff, and Mr. 
Merrill for the defendant.   On this trial, as on all
others in which I have been engaged, there seemed
to be the same fixed prejudice against me and my
system of practice.   The defendant's lawyer open-
ed the defence with all the old slang about quack-
ery, alluding  to the report of my trial for murder,
and that  he was going to  make out  one of the
greatest cases of deception and fraud ever known;
but when he came  to hear the evidence in support
of  my claim, and  the g.reat credit given  to my
medicine and practice by many  respectable wit-
nesses, he altered  his tone very much, and  I hope
became  convinced  of his  erroneous impressions;
and seemed to abandon this part ofthe defence,
placing his dependence on the question of law, as
to the failure of the  patent.  This question the
judges seemed not  willing to decide  alone, and the
 case was continued for argument before the full
 court, on this"point.
   The  case was argued before the three judges,
 who all agreed  in the opinion that the decision of
 the circuit court  did not effect the patent right;
 but  was a mere suspension, in consequence of an
 informality  in  the  specifications,  which did not
 debar me from recovering according to the con-
 tract.  After this  decision,  another  hearing was
 had, and  another attempt made to prove that the
 defendant had not  been furnished by me with the
 necessary" information to^ enable him to practise
 with safety; but in  this he failed altogether; for it
 was proved that  he had the privilege of being a
 member ofthe friendly Botanic Society, and  that,
 also, all the advantages that others had, and that
 he did not improve it, was his own  fault. Jt was
 also proved that he had been in the  constant prac-
 tice of using the medicine in his family, and pre-
 pared and offered it for sale to others.  In the 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON. '         211
 course  of the  examination, Elias  Smith  was
 brought  forward by  the  defendant to prove, as I
 presume, that I was not capable of giving  infor-
 mation  on my own  system of practice; but his
 testimony was so  contradictory, to  say  the least
 of it, that it  did more harm'than good to the de-
 fendant's cause.  There  was also a doctor of the
 regular order introduced in the defence ; but he
 seemed to know nothing  about the practice or the
 case before the court, and  of course his evidence
 amounted to  very little, as  his opinion upon a sub-
 ject that he knew nothing about, was not of much
 value, "and was very properly objected to by the
 plantifFs counsel.
  . In the  course of the trial, a great number of gen-
 tlemen of undoubted  veracity,  were  brought for-
 ward  to prove the utility of my system of practice,
 who gave the most perfect testimony in its favor.
 Several stated that they were  so well convinced
 of its  superiority over all others, and they were
 so well  satisfied with the  benefits  they had  de-
 rived  from its use, that  no sum of money what-
 ever would induce  them to  be deprived of a know-
 ledge  of  it.  Among the  witnesses, an eminent
 physician of Boston, who had,^on all occasions,
 been very friendly, and shown a warm interest in
 support of my system  of practice, voluntarily came
 forward and gave a very  fair and candid statement
 in favor of its utility, the value  of my discoveries,
 and the  important additions  I  had  made to the
 Materia  Medica.
  The Judge took several days to  make up his
judgment,  and finally decided in my favor, giving
 me the full amount of my claim; thus settling  the
principle, that obligations given for  family rights
were good in law.   This was the first time I ever
had a chance to prove the  utility of my medicine 
 212        NARRATIVE OF THE^ElFE

 and  system  of practice before  a  court  of law;
 having always before been prevented by some man-
 agement ofthe court.

   A  knowledge  ofthe vegetabe medicine that I
 have brought into use in curing disease, which the
 faculty call, my "novel mode of practice,"  is fast
 gaining ground in all parts ofthe  United States;
 but in no part of it of late, has it been  more  com-
 pletely successful, than in the Stateof New York,
 notwithstanding  the virulent opposition the doc-
 tors in that State have made to its progress. They
 have succeeded in  getting a law passed by their
 Legislature, to put a stop to quackery, as they call
 all practice, except  by  those who  get  a diploma
 from some  medical  society established by  law;
 depriving all others  ofthe right of collecting their
 demands for medical practice ; and they have also
 gone one step further than any other stale, by ma-
 king it penal  for any one who is not of the regu-
 lar order, to sell medicine  to the sick; imposing a
 fine of twenty-five dollars on all who offend; thus
 taking away from all  who are  so unfortunate  as
 to be  sick,  all the right of determining for them-
 selves, who they shall employ to cure them, or
 what medicine they shall make use of.  The Med-
 ical Society of Pennsylvania made an attempt to
 get a similar law passed  in that State; but the
 good sense  of Gov.  Sliultz  put  a, stop  to  it, for
 which he is entitled  to  great praise.  After they
 had managed to get it through the Legislature, he
 refused to sign it,, and  returned the bill with his
 reasons; the principle of which was, that he con-
sidered it altogether  unconstitutional; and it is to
be hoped that the enlightened statesman and scho-
lar, now Governor of New York,  will use his in-
fluence to  stop the interested and  monopolizing 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.         213
 schemes of the medical faculty in that important
 and enterprising State.*
   The remarkable extension of the practice in the
 State of New York, was in a great measure owing
 to accident; and proves, what  I have found to be
 the case in many other places, that where  it has
 met with the greatest opposition from the faculty,
 the spread of a knowledge  of its utility,  has been
 the most rapid and permanent.   In the year 1821,
 my son, Cyrus Thomson, who had settled in Ohio,
 was passing through the State of New York, on a
 visit to his friends.  While in Manlius, he stopped
 to see a man  whom I  had authorized to practise,
 and,  while there, was requested by him to go and
 see two patients he had been requested to attend ;
 both  of them had been given over by the doctors
 as incurable.   One  of them was  found to be past
 help, very little was done for her, and  she soon
 after died.   The  other was cured by the use of
 the medicine.  The death of the above person was
 taken advantage of by the  doctors, who circulated
 a report that she was  murdered by the  medicine
 that had been given her.   This produced a strong
 excitement among the  people, who knew nothing
 about the facts; a warrant was obtained, through
 the influence ofthe doctors,  and my son and the
 other man were  arrested.  My son was  thrown
 into prison, and the other was put under bonds of
.a thousand  dollars, to appear  at the next court.
 The first, however, after laying in jail about three

  *The law above alluded to, was passed December, eighteen hun-
 dred and twenty seven, and its repeal recommended at an  extra
 pession  in March following, by a committee, two of whom were
 members of the committee that recommended the passage of the
 law in December previous.  Owing to a press  of business, (as is
 Generally the ca<n at extra sessions,) it was not finally acted on un-
 til the  nest regular session of  1828-9, when it was repealed. 
214         NARRATIVE OF  TIIK  LIFE

days, was enabled to give bonds also,  for his ap-
pearance.
   Being thus prevented from pursuing his journey,
he set himself down in the town where the above
occurence took  place, and  went  into practice.—
The persecutions ofthe faculty gave him friends,
and it led the people to inquire into their conduct;
and being satisfied of his motives, did all they
could to protect  him and increase his practice.—
His success has been greater than  in  any other
part  of the  country,  the  practice having  spread
over  a country  of more than two hundred miles
in extent;  and his  success in curing disease has
been  very great, having  lost but six patients out
of about fifteen  hundred.   This caused the faculty
to follow up their  persecutions, in  order to drive
him out ofthe country; but he is too firmly estab-
lished in the good opinion ofthe people, for them
to effect their object.   I have another son establish-
ed in the practice at Albany, who has been very
successful in introducing the knowledge of it there;
and a number of gentlemen ofthe first respectabi-
lity, are taking  a strong interest in promoting its
success.
   A writer has  lately came forward and published
a  series of numbers  in the Boston Patriot, under
the title of "Eclectic," who appears well qualified,
and seems disposed to do me and my system of
practicejustice,  by laying before the people a cor-
rect view of the case.
   I shall now bring this narrative of those events
and circumstances that have taken place  ih my
life, in which the public are interested, to a close;
having stated every particular that I thought wor-
thy of being recorded, in as  concise and plain a
manner as  I was capable; and am not without a
hope,  that  mv  endeavors tr> nmrnnlq tl.r. ^ublic 
            OF SAMUEL THOMSON.           215

good, will be duly appreciated.   Some certificates
and statements of cases that have been attended
under my system of practice, from those who have
been my agents, or who have  purchased  family
rights, and have had long experience in the effect
produced by a use of my medicine, are subjoined.*
They furnish much useful information on the  sub-
ject and will convey a more correct  view ofthe
success which has attended the administering my
medicine, and following the mode of treatment re-
commended  by  my  mode of practice, than could
be given in any other manner.  Reference has been
made to some of them in the course ofthe forego-
ing narrative, and their publication in the work
seemed necessary, to convey a correct knowledge
of my statements therein given, to show the safety
and success with which various diseases have  been
cured by others, who have had no other knowledge
of the  medicine than instructions received  from
me; and will, I trust, be  sufficent to satisfy every
reasonable person, how easy it would be for one to
be possessed ofthe means of curing themselves of
disease, without being under the necessity of call-
ing the aid of a physician.
          FURTHER ADDITIONS.

                 August, 1831.

  In the year 1825, "The Friendly Botanic So-
ciety  in  Boston,"  being destitute  of  a practi-
tioner, wished  me  to appoint an agent, whom I
♦These certificates are very much condensed. 
216         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
 thought  competent to take the  lead  in  practice,
 and sell  my medicine.  I recommended Mr. John
 Locke, of Portsmouth, as has been before related,
 in whom I had put the utmost confidence. He was
 sent for  by  the committee, and moved there in the
 summer  of  that same year.   I  gave him twenty
 dollars,  ard others ofthe committee, and mem-
 bers, gave him something handsome for his encou-
 ragement.  I agreed to furnish him with all the
 medicine either used or sold by him,.at stipulated
 prices, to give advice when needed, to furnish
 liim  with books  for the sale of family rights, and
 to  give  him ten dollars for every right sold; and,
 for the medicine, I was to wait one yearr before
 demanding  payment.   At the end ofthe year, my
 principal agent, Col.  House, and the three com-
 mittee, looked over Mr.  Locke's account, in my
 absence, and reported to me, that, in their opinion,
 Mr. Locke had not made as much as he ought,- and
 proposed for me to give him the  privilege of mak-
 ing the medicine used in his practice.   I  indulged
 them in this proposal, and granted their requestfor
 one year.  But,  availing himself of  this inch of
 indulgence  he took the liberty to prepare and sell,
 for his own  profit, to alt that should call on him for
 medicine.
  At the end of this year, in my absence,  my prin-
 cipal  agent,  as committee, gave him liberty to
 proceed in the manner he had  done.  I continued
 to give advice as usual  through the year, frequent-
 ly calling on the committee to revoke the liberty
 they had  given Mr. Locke, to prepare and sell me-
 dicine, for his  own profit, without  rendering me
 any account.  In those two  years, by  my assist-
 ance, and that of my agent and  committee, Mr.
Locke seemed to be well established in the busi-
ness, and boasted of his great successs, not having 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON          217
 lost a patient in two years.  But, at the same time,
 he seemed to lose sight that I had been of any be-
 nefit to him, and rather paid his whole  attention to
 the committee.
  In all this time I had never thought  or mistrust-
 ed that there was a plot laid against me, either by
 him, my agent, or the committee, or with all com-
 bined, until  about the end of the second year;
 which now seems too obvious.   Having recently
 returned  from the West,  I was at Mr. Locke's
 house, and showed him a  newspaper which con-
 tained an account of the masonic  outrage at Ba-
 tavia.  After reading it, he flew  into a great pas-
 sion,  and accosted me as  though I had made the
 story.  I tried to  argue the case with him; but in
 vain.   He called me by as many hard names as he
 could  well think of, and  occasionally, the words
 "lie"  and "fool"  were in  the compound.  I did
 not think that I had merited such treatment, hav-
 ing rendered my  service and advice gratuitously
 for two years.  He seemed to be so independent, ha
 said  he wanted  nothing  of me,  nor cared  any
 thing  for me.   I  retorted that  I wanted nothing
 of him except an honorable settlement.  This settle-
 ment  never  came to  a close until the fall ofthe
 year 1830, and then only in part.
  He  rendered an account of upwards of forty
 rights which he had sold, and for which he settled
 by my deducting  about one quarter of my share;
 but as for the medicine which he had prepared and
 sold for his own benefit, he  refuses to give me any
 account thereof.   So  much for this inch of indul-
 gence.  Such conduct appears to me  to be rather
 hard,  especially  after all  I and the  society had
done for him, to enable him to assist me in my old
 age.   But, instead of this, with the assistance  of
 the committee, and my principal agent, they have 
218        NARRATIVE OF  THE LIFE
taken the lead of the business out of my hands- as
far as they were able.
  I have tried repeatedly to get a settlement with
Col. House, my principal agent, but cannot effect
it.  He has paid me nothing for the large number
of rights sold in about ten years, nor will he render
any account.  I know not how many books he has
sold, as he took them whenever he wanted, in my
absence.  When I called on him last to settle, he
said he had lost his account of credit.  Here is
the result  often years  agency!  Besides which,
I lent him and his partner, ten years ago, two hun-
dred dollars, one of which he has paid in printing,
the other he refuses to pay. I might mention many
other circumstances which would go to show a de-
cided hostility against me, and a determination to
raise Mr. Locke, if possible, at my expense; but I
forbear, for they have neither built him up, nor put
me down.   I have paid no attention to all this op-
position;  but have  kept on in a straight forward
course, attending to the preparing of good medi-
 cine, and supplying all those who wished for it.
   I have though^mucLon the opposition and abuse
 I have met with here, from those whom I consider-
ed  my best friends, and what  I could have done
to merit  in their estimation.   I will not  under-
take to say  how far masonry has been concerned
in  these  transactions,  but certain I am,  that it
commenced  with  Mr.  Locke,  on  my innocently
showing him a newspaper which contained an ac-
count  of a masonic outrage.  I thought no more
harm in this, than as though I had shown  him a
paper which contained an account ofthe murder
of Mr. White.  Did Mr. Locke resent this be-
cause  be was a mason?   And why did  my  agent
and committee, from this time, possess such sym-
pathy for him, and conspire against me, insomuch 
            OF SAMUEL THOMSON.            219

 that when an Infirmary was talked of, they would
 not subscribe a cent, unless Mr. Locke could be at
 the  head of it!   I think that  my  agent and two
 ofthe committee are masons,  and that Mr. Locke
 is a mason; if so, four out of five against me were
 masons, and whether masonry has had  any effect
 on the conduct  of these gentlemen, I shall leave
 the reader and the public  to draw their  own con-
 clusions.  It is to be hoped that  the good people
 who belonged to the  society, which the  President
 and  committee have suffered to be broken up, by
 not calling the annual  meeting for the  choice of
 officers, agreeably to the constitution;  the good
 people who took  no part in the  above transactions,
 and who have had no part in the destruction ofthe
 society, will make every effort for its resuscita-
 tion,  hoping that it will die no more; but that it
 will live to be useful to the sick and infirm, and be
 an ornament to generations yet unborn.
  It  is expected  that arrangements will be made
 for the delivery of Botanic Lectures, when the so-
 ciety will fevive and put on  strength  until the
 learned, as well as the unlearned, shall join to re-
 volutionize the medical world.
  I shall not go  into any  other particular details
 of agents, but only take a general view in the west-
 ern part ofthe United States.
  Since my  last  edition was printed  at  Boston, I
 have been six  times in and through  the  State of
 Ohio.   In  the  year 1825, I appointed  Charles
 Miles as agent  in Ohio, and  furnished  him with
 seventy-tvvo books for family rights.   On.  his way
 home, he purchased a number of counterfeit books
 of David Roo-ers, of Geneva;  I understood  about
one hundred,  more  or less.  He went  down into
 the central part  ofthe State,  and in the course of
eighteen months, sold about ten thousand dollars 
220        NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
worth of rights, and imposed on the inhabitants at
a great rate.   Some he sold for seventy-five dol-
lars,  some twenty-five, others twelve,  and he
would leave but one book for four rights.  When
he came round again, he  would borrow my book
and leave  the other, and  sell my book again to
another set of four or five; and  so continued until
he had sold all mine, and nearly all the others. In
the fall of 1826, Horton Howard caused a letter to
be sent- to  me, giving an  account of Miles' con-
duct,  and requesting me to come on and see about
it. I arrived in January, 1827, and, following after
Miles, I found his conduct as bad as had been stat-
ed.  I showed, by publishing handbills and other-
wise,  that he had no authority from me to do as he
had done.   I  revoked his agency and  pacified the
rage ofthe people as well as I could, by restoring
the family right to  those to whom he had so impro-
perly  sold it; and,  besides this,  I lost  a great part
of what he owed me.
   In  January  of the  same year, I made Horton
Howard agent for the  Western countTy, with au-
thority to print my book, and in three and a half
years  he printed about  six thousand  copies, and
sold about four thousand  rights, with the assist-
ance of his  sub-agents, amounting in all to about
eighty thousand dollars.*   I tried at several dif-

  *Wre think Dr. Thomson is a little mistaken; there was three edi-
tions exclusive of the German.  The first was an edition of one
thousand, the second two, and the third three. Makin" in all six
thousand copies.  We received but one thousand seven hundred
and thirty rive  sets of English Books; consequently  Howard hog
disposed of two thousand five hundred and sixty-five sets  The
German edition was calculated for five hundred, of which we re-
ceived four hundred and forty-six sets, leaving fifty-four sets of the
German books; which added to -12(S5, would make 4319 amount-
ing to 80,420 dollars; one half of which, sunposing they had all
been sold by Howard's sub-agents' [which was not the case bow-
evar, as  Howard sold a great number himself, und took the whole 
             OF  SAMUEL THOMSON.          221

 ferent times to get an honorable settlement with
 him, until August, 1830, at which time he utterly
 refused to give me an account from the beginning.
 I then had but one alternative, either to bring an
 action against  him in the court of chancery, or
 else take what he was willing to give.   I  chose
 the latter, by  which I sacrifised  about seven-
 eighths of what should have been coming to me.—
 I took his notes for four thousand dollars in two
 annual payments, two thousand dollars each year.
 I revoked his agency in two days afterwards, Au-
 gast 9,' 1*30, and appointed  four  other agents in
 his stead, and took about two thousand copies of
 books, and left them with my other agents.
  The practice has sprea"d rapidly in the southern
 and western states, which has so much alarmed the
 doctors that they have succeeded in getting laws
 passed in almost all  the states, to  prevent  the
 spread of my practice.   This  has  caused  me a
 great  deal of trouble and expense, and has been of
 no great  benefit to them.  It has been like  whip-
 ping fire  among  the  leaves, which only tended
 to spread it the  farther.  The  law  is  most  se-
 vere in South Carolina, where a suit  was attended
 two years ago.   The  fine is five hundred dollars
 for  each  offence, besides  imprisonment.  This-
 violent outrage roused the patriotic spirit of the
 people, insomuch that the doctor who brought the
 complaint dared not come before the court to sup-
 port it, and requested of the court leave of absence,
 which was granted him.  The defence was made
 on the ground of the  patent, and  by proving the

■mount of twenty dollars for them] would amount to 43,210 dol-
lars  Then let us allow 8000 and odd for all necessary expenses,
rwhich is more than it should lie] and we have 17,500 each, for Dr.
Thomson and Horton Howard.—Query, how much did Dr. Thorn-
•on Bet  1                                *• P' * Co- 
222         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
 utility of the medicine; and the case was decided
 in favor of the defendant.  If persecution must
 take place, let the persecutors go the whole ex-
 tent of their power, as  in  the present case,  and
 the rights ofthe people will be defended.  Had I
 not obtained  a patent, the people could not have
 defended their rights; but must have  bowed down
 to the power ofthe doctors, they having the  law
 on their side, as to a dragon.
   But the dernier, resort of the doctors will be to
 get my practice into their own  hands, and  under
 their  own management, if possible.  Finding that
 1 should succeed in my Botanic practice, certain
 individuals of them have set up what they call a
 reformed college, in New York, where they have
 adopted my  practice as far  as  they could obtain a
 knowledge of it from  those who had bought  the
 right of me, and would forfeit their word and hon-
 or to give them instruction.  And finding that  the
 Botanic practice gained very fast at the West,
 they have established  a  branch of their reformed
 college in Worthington, Ohio.   I saw Dr.  Steel
 last winter, who  was the President of this Insti-
 tution.  I was introduced to him by Mr. Seely, a
 member of the Senate,  and Dr.  Steel was intro-
 duced  to me as President of said college. I asked
 him if he were President of thart reform in New
 lork,  which  was stolen from  Thomson.   This
 seemed to  strike him  dumb on the subject.  At
 the same place, a few evenings after, I was intro-
  u    t0. °ne  of the Practitioners  of  this reform,
 who studied  and was  educated at the  college in
 I\ew York, and was one ofthe instructors at Wor-
 thington.  Tasked him ifhe ever saw any  of  my
 books  in the college in  New York.  He said he
had accidentally seen  one.  I  replied,  then you
accidentally confess that  my books were studied 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          223
in that college.  I then  asked him whether they
used the lobelia.   He said they did.  I then named
the cayenne, rheumatic drops, bayberry, and nerve
powders.   He confessed they used  them all in
manner and form, as I had laid down in my book.
I am therefore satisfied, that if my medicine were
taken  from  them, their  institution would not be
worth one cent.  But  to have bought the right,
would be too mean for such dignitaries; but to steal
it from  a quack, was  much more honorable! !
Every honest man who  hears any of the doctors
speak  of those colleges with approbation, ought to
upbraid them with these facts.
  In 1827, while instructing II. Howard, of whom
mention has been made  above,  I was  introduced
to Governor Trimble, and gave him  a right. .'He
had a consumptive wife, whom  the doctors could
not  help.  I gave him a sample of medicine, and
what  instruction I could.  He  went  home, and
finding her worse, and  no person understanding
the medicine within fifty miles, he took the book
and carried her  through  a course, and repeated it;
and she soon got well.   His wife and nurse cured
two other women with the same sample of medi-
cine I gave him.  The enemies of the practice
said that they would advertise him as a steam doc-
tor.   He said they need not take that  trouble, for
he would do it himself.
  The practice has  gained a respectable standing
in nearly all  the states  in the Union,  and also  in
Canada.  A  man by the name of Henry S. Law-
son, has published my Guide to Health, in Buffalo,
and sold them in  Canada; and thus made a great
speculation from my discoveries.
  In  1829, Mr. Samuel Robinson delivered  before
the members ofthe Friendly Botanical Society, in
Cincinnatti,  Ohio, "a course of fifteen lectures on 
224         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
 Medical  Botany, denominated  Thomson's New
 Theory of Medical Practice."   He is entitled to
 much credit  for this  service done the system.—
 Those lectures were delivered without  my know-
 ledge, being at  the time a thousand miles from
 that place. Horton Howard obtained them, while
 acting as my  agent, paid for them out  of my mo-
 ney, secured the copy right in his own  name, and
 printed an edition of them, which he sold for his
 own benefit.  This book gave a great spread to
 the sale of rights.  I have since secured the copy
 right in  Boston, and printed  an edition of two
 thousand  copies, which are selling from  fifty  to
 sixty-two and half cents a copy.  They  contain
 much information relative to the practice oi medi-
 cine, as taught in medical colleges, and found in
 medical authors; not to be found elsewhere in  so
 small, and cheap  a work.
   During the agency of Horton  Howard,  to wit,
 in July, 1829, while I was at Columbus,  he return-
 ed from  the  South, and was so  unwell  that he
 wrote to his wife at Tiffin, about eighty-four miles,
 that, if she ever wished to see him alive, to come
 without  delay.   I attended him the  next day
 through  a course of medicine,  and relieved him,
 insomuch that I have not heard  of his being s}ck
 since.  His wife arrived in about four  days, when  '\
 finding him about the  house, and  well, took him
 round the  neck and burst into tears.   I retorted
 in her behalf, saying, "you are not half so  bad as
 I hoped you would be."  This tended  to dry her
 tears,  and it passed  off with a laugh.   The next
 day  we all calculated  to go  North, towards the
 Lake.  The day  before we  were to start, about
 twelve o'clock, he had word that  his son-in-law
 Samuel Forror, was at  the point of death, and re-
quested that some of the family would come  as 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          225
soon as possible.   Mr. Howard and wife conclud-
ed to go, and insisted on my going with them.  I,
with much reluctance, consented.  We started at
three o'clock on  Friday,  with  two horses and  a
wagon, and arrived there on Saturday about sunset,
a distance of eighty-six miles.   Dr. Howard drove
all the way, night and  day, notwithstanding he
was calculated  to  die about five or six days be-
fore.  We found Mr. Forror  very sick; but one
ofthe patent doctors was there.   I gave him but
little that night, merely a pinch  of  cayenne, as
snuff; and, as he had  the catarrh, and  was much
stuffed on the lungs,  in the morning, Sunday,  I
carried him through a course  of  medicine, which
roused the opium that remained in his system, into
action, as tliough it  had been just taken.   He
tumbled and thrashed about in hisfrenzy, for about
four hours, when he became composed.  He was
then steamed, when the medicine operated, which,
together with the heat, aroused the physic into ac-
tion, which run  him hard with a relax.  I  tried
to restore the digestive powers, but could not, on
account of his not being clear.   I was obliged to
carry him  through a second course in thirty-six
hours, instead of going forty-eight, as I had  cal-*
culated.  We began  with him at dark.  But, as
soon as  the medicine took hold of the opium,  it
renewed  its operation,  which  continued   eight
hours.
  His  relatives stood on their feet, about ten in
number, expecting to see him die before morning.
I lay down on the floor until  the flounce began to
abate.  During six hours, there was  not one se-
cond that tie was still.  He continually called for
water, and drank about ten quarts in the course'of
the  night.  About three o'clock  in the morning,
he began to be a little stiller, resting two or threes 
226        NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
seconds at a time.  He began to inquire who those
black people were  which he fancied were there,
and what they were  there  for, and many other
similar expressions, which showed that his senses
were  returning, but were not yet regular.  1 then
told Mr. Howard and the family, that they had bet-
ter goto bed, and I would attend him, with one of
his sisters, the remainder of the night.  The me-
dicine then began to operate, after the opium had
all been distilled  off.  He vomited powerfully
about eight times, when he appeared to be clear
of disorder.  I filled him well with milk porridge,
and was in readiness to steam him when the fami-
ly arose.  He was  steamed, ate baeakfast, and
rode out in  the course of the day.   I prepared a
syrup for his relax, of the blackberry root bark,
made  into  a strong tea, as  strong as the  same
quantity of bark pounded would make; I then add-
ed peach or cherry  stone meats pounded; then
added one  pound of loaf sugar and one pint of
brandy, which made two junk bottles of syrup,  to
drink on the way.  On Wednesday,  about ten
o'clock,  Mr. Howard  and wife, Mr. Forror and
wife,  and myself, started for Columbus,  and staid
at Waynesville that night, about fourteen miles.
He-stood the ride well, as air and  exercise, when
the disorder is removed,  are as necessary for pa-
tients as their food.   He was persuaded to stay
on Thursday.  On Friday we travelled to Charles-
town, about thirty miles ; and  arrived at Colum-
bus on  Sunday about  noon.    In the  afternoon,
Governor Trimble paid him a visit,  taking great
interest in his welfare.   Mr. Forror was a noted
man in the State,  being a surveyor, and superin-
tendent  of  the Dayton  Canal.   The Governor
seemed highly pleased at the unexpected recovery
of the man, and the more  particularly when I told 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          227
 him that it was just one week that day, since I ad-
 ministered to him, on a supposed" dying bed, and
 that he had since been conveyed eighty-six miles in
 a wagon, and  was able  to walk  about, and was
 clear.of disease.  He stayed at Columbus but two
 days, when he went on with Mr.  Howard  to Tif-
 fin, about as much farther, and arrived safe in four
 days, his health still gaining.   I stayed there with
 him about four days, and then  started across the
 woods to New Haven.  He paid  me twenty-five
 dollars ; but I would not have taken the risk again
 for five hundred.  In fact, it was risking my own
 life to save his.
  Thus  I  have given a  few  prominent  items,
 though but a small proportion of my experience,
 sufferings,  perplexities and  difficulties, since the
 second edition of this work was published. But
 much of that which operated to my disadvantage
 as an individual, served to extend  the knowledge
 nfthe system.  This gives me consolation in the
 midst ofall my trials ; and, considering the Botan-
 ical Practice as being now well established, I think
 it is time, and I should rejoice, could I be permitted
 to retire from  the field  of contest and war, with
 either learned  ignorance or legal opposition.
  I have collected about three hundred weight of
 the golden seal in the year past,  and nearly three
 tons of cayenne, from the island of Madagascar.—
 I have sent to the Southern  States nearly  twenty
 barrels,  floured,  which is a great help in the agues
 ofthat country.
  And here it is proper to remark, that great im-
 positions are practised,  with what is called the
 American cayenne.   The doctors have declared
 it to be poison,  and destructive to health, and I
 think they  have  made it as bad  as they have re-
presented  it to be.   It appears to be mixed with 
228       NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

some red paint or mineral.  When burnt, it leaves
about  two-thirds ofthe quantity of the blackest
substance.  When taken inwardly, it produces a
violent vomiting, iuid ought  to  be shunned as a
mad dog.  There  is but little  or none  sold at the
groceries, for ordinary purposes, but of this kind.
One way to detect the poison, is to try it by burn-
ing.  If it be pure, there will be a proportion of
ashes, as of other vegetables, and of alight color ;
if it be bad, the ashes will not only be black,  hut
there will be double, and perhaps treble or quadru-
ple the quantity there should be, for the quantity
burnt.
           A BRIEF SUMMARY
Of the Cet tificates  and Statements which accom-
           nied the former Editions.
  The system and practice of Dr. Samuel Thom-
son having been so long before the public, and the
numerous certificates given in the two first  edi-
tions of his Narrative being so well understood, it
is thought not expedient to give them here in full,
but only the substance of them abridged ;  and, in
lieu thereof, to add some new and  more recent
cases.—Editor 3d Boston Edition.
  Ofthe cases already published, it is proper to
mention that ofthe Dysentery, in Jericho, Ver-
mont, in October, 1807, where but two out of twen-
ty-two lived, that were under the care ofthe regu-
lar physicians.   Dr. Thomson was sent for, 130
miles  ; he arrived in five days ; in three days,
thirty were committed to his care, and, in eight
days, by  the use of his  medicine, the  town  was
cleared of the disease,  with  the loss of two only, 
             OF SAMUEL THOMSON.         229

who  were past cure before he saw them.—Testi-
fied by John  Porter.  A case of  salt sheum,  of
thirty years standing, cured in Portsmouth, May,
1813.—Certified by Elizabeth  Marshal.  The case
of spotted fever, in Eastham, county of Barnstable,
Mass., where  upwards of forty had died by the 1st
of May, and. but few lived who had the fever.  Dr.
Thomson was  called on for assistance ;  sold the
right of using medicine to several  individuals,
who, in one month, relieved upwards of thirty who
were seized with this violent disease, with the
loss of but one.  And, at the same time and place,
with  those who were attended by the regular phy-
sicians, eleven out  of twelve  died.—Testified
by Philander Shaw, Minister, of Eastham ; Obed
Knowles,  one of the Selectmen;  Samuel Free-
man, do.; Harding Knowles, Justice of the Peace;
and  Joseph  Mayo, Agent for  the Society, and
Postmaster.   A case of rheumatism of long stand-
ing,  and  many others ;  about twelve of a  con-
sumption ; one of mortification ; one of a dropsy^
one of numb palsy, and others of divers diseases.—
Testified by Alexander Rice,  Kittery, November
80, 1821.
  Five cases of consumption, supposed to be des-
perate, were relieved in  the course of three weeks,
and all of them restored to  health.  A case of the
dropsy, considered hopeless, was cured  in one
Week.__Testified  by John Burgin and  Solomon
Rice, Eastham, July 20,1821. The character and
respectability of the  above  witnesses,  are  con-
firmed by J. R- Chadbourne, Justice of the  Peace.
The  case  of  Seth  Mason,  Portland,  whose  case
was truly a desperate  one, and his recovery ex-
ceeded  all expectation,  Also, the case of Mrs.
Sally Keating, ofthe same place, who, after being
doctored a whole year by  the first physicians in 
230        NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
Portland, had been given over as incurable.  She
was  recovered  to an excellent state of health.—
Testified by S. Sewell, Scarborough, Jan. 1,1821.
Several other similar cases are testified by S. Sew-
ell, not necessary to be here particularized. A num-
ber of cases, in several of which, the patients were
given over as incurable by the regular physicians,
were all relieved and cured by Dr.  Thomson, as
testified by James Time, elder ofthe Baptist church
in Salisbury,  December 20,  1821.
   The case of Elder Bowles was a very extraordi-
nary one.   He  was supposed to be in the very last
state  of a  consumption, and was  cured.  John
Lemmon was also  cured of a consumption ;  Isaac
Perkins' wife was cured of a dropsy, of a desperate
nature ; all of which cures are testified by Wil-
liam Raymond ; who  says,  " all  these  cures I
was  well   knowing to, having been done at that
time ;" which statement is also confirmed by Rev.
E. Williams, not only as it regards Elder Bowles,
but also as it regards Ezra Lovett, on  account of
whose death  Dr. Thomson  was indicted for mur-
der, and tried for his life, about a year afterwards ;
but he  was honorably  acquitted, without having
an occasion, or  even an opportunity of making his
defence. Mr. Lovett was first relieved, then ex-
perienced a relapse of his disorder, in consequence
of taking cold by walking out some distance on a
very cold  day,  in  the  month of December.  Dr.
Thomson was sent for ; but, on seeing him, he im-
mediately  expressed doubts  of his being able to
help him.   He  gave him medicine, which had no
effect,  and two respectable physicians  were sent
for, and came, under whose care  he was twelve
hours before he  died.   Yet, such was the malice
and prejudice ofthe Doctors, that they seized upon
this case, and tried to make it out murder,  in or- 
            OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          231

derto destroy both Dr. Thomson and his practice.
Next follows a long statement of the disease, and
the manner of treatment, by Thomson's system
and directions, and  the benefit received under the
administration of his medicine ; by Stephen Neil,
Esq., of Elliot, Maine.  A similar  statement  by
John Raitt, ofthe same place, Elliot, Nov. 23,1821.
The case of Mary Eaton, which was a  dropsy, and
had been pronounced hopeless by a consultation of
four doctors.   She continued, however, under the
care of Doctor Sheppard, until he said her  com-
plaint was beyond the  reach of medicine, and that
she could not continue  over three weeks.   At this
time,  May, 1808, she says,  " I  went  to  see  Dr.
Thomson, and, in three weeks, I was reduced about
fifteen inches in size.   I returned home, and have
gained until this day ; and am now enjoying a bet-
ter state of health  than  I had before  enjoyed  for
sixteen years.'-'   (Signed) Mary Eaton, Exeter,
November 20, 1821.
  Anextraordinary case of asthma, of Mrs. Hannah
Coleman,who had applied to six physicians.without
receiving any  beneficial effect, by using Dr. Thom-
son's medicine, she was enabled  to lay in bed and
rest comfortably for twelve years ; as testified by
her husband, Ephraim Coleman.  Mewington, De-
cember 3, 1821.
  A young  man  in Roxbury,  who, from  some
cause  unknown, had taken ratsbane,  with the in-
tention of destroying himself, was so relieved that
the next morning he was  quite comfortable. Dr. P.
who  had  been called, said there was no more
chance for him to live, that there would  be  if his
head was cut off.   After  he was relieved, Dr. P.
called to see him, and expressed great astonish-
ment that he was alive, saying that there was  not
one case in a thousand that a man could live under 
232        NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

similar  circumstances.   Testified by Elijah Si-
mons, who administered  the  medicine that gave
relief, and  who  says, "I  attended him three
or four  days, and he is now so far recovered as
to walk about the room." Roxbury, February, 23,
1821.

           Additional  Testimony.

   Although there is no real occasion to add any
more testimony, by way of certificates ; yet, as my
case is more recent, and my  name may have some
weight, I feel it a duty I owe to the public, as well
as to Dr. Thomson, testate it, which I do as editor
ofthe present edition* of Dr. Thomson's works,
eighteen hundred and thirty-one.
   I have for many years been opposed to, and lat-
terly prejudiced against every thing which savor-
ed of quackery,  which prejudices were greatly
strengthened by having been once egregiously im-
posed upon by  a  quack-doctor, (I  forbear giving
his name for his relations' sake, though he is now
living,) of whom I bought the skill, as  he said of
 curing cancers  ; but which proved to be a gross im-
position on the public ; hence, after trying the ex-
periment on  several, without effect,  though  it
 would effectually remove tumors not cancerous, I
 declined the practice altogether, lest my trouble,
 together with  what I had paid for the skill, be-
sides experiencing the mortification of having been
 thus duped by a man void of principle  and moral
 honesty.
   It was under these feelings, that the  Thomson-
 ian system was first recommended for my daughter,
 who had what  had been first called a white swell*
* Third Boston Edition. 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.        233
 ing, then a fever sore, but lastly, by Dr. Thomson
 a mercury sore, on her arm, in the elbow joint, for
1 nearly four years.  The best encouragement she
 could get from the best physicians, was, either to
 have it amputated to save life, or  (which was the
 advice of Dr. Warren) to lay by entirely and not
 to use it.  She thought she should  be in a manner
 useless to herself, without her  arm ;  for  it was
 her right arm ; and, if she were not to use  it, she
 might lose it almost as well as not.  Under these
 impressions, she was induced to try theThomson-
 ian system, under the  direction  of Mrs. Holman.
 It was soon found to have a salutary effect.  In a
 very few weeks it was better than  it had been be-
 fore for more than three years.  A great part of
 the time her arm had  been so stiff that she could
 not raise her hand to her hoad.  It  is now entirely
 well, and her general health much  improved ; bet-
 ter than it has been for a number of years ; for she
 had been sick every few years with fevers, or with
 what was called the liver complaint, ever since she
 had the typhus fever in 1812, when she was but a
 child. The favorable result of the medicine on
 her, softened the prejudices very  much, which I
 had, till then, entertained against it; though  they
 were not entirely removed, nor  was  she entirely
 well, when  I   was attacked with the fever and
 ague, which I considered but a presage to the re-
 turn of the fever I had last fall, which I caught in
 travelling on the Erie Canal, and from which I did
 but just recover.  After the second attack with the
 ague, I was taken down with the bilious fever, and
 was more violently seized than I was last fall j
 and  had I received the  same treatment which I
 did then,  I have no idea that I could have recover*
 ed  as my fever,  at that time, run  twelve days be-
 fore itformed a crisis; and then it was three weeks 
234          NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

after that, before I was a"ble to be about.  But,
under  the Thomsonian  system, the  crisis was
formed in just about forty hours from  the time I
commenced taking the medicine ; at which time, I
lay, as I have been informed, for I could not mea-
sure the time, seven or eight hours, in an entire un-
conscious state; after which I  fell into a  sweet
sleep, and awoke in the morning free from all fe-
ver, and have had none since.
  After about ten days, however, the chills  re-
turned, and without any fever, which I had regu-
larly, every other day, for four or five weeks.   To
wear out  these, I pursued the regular courses of
medicine, every few days, no*t omitting injections,
as often as I  felt any occasion  for them, till they
left me entirely, and I  am now happy to say, that
I am not aware  that I have any disease about me,
or that I  ever enjoyed  better health.   All, there-
fore, that my life is worth to me, and all that I am
now enjoying, or shall  hereafter enjoy, 1 must  im-
pute, in the<^rst instance, to the Thomsonian sys-
tem, together with the skill and faithfulness with
which it  was applied; which, it is but justice to
say, in the most critical moment, the medicine that
apparently saved my Tfe, was applied  by Mrs.
Holman ; for, although Dr. Thomson had been sent
for in  the night, yet, before he arrived, the danger
was in a manner over.
   Whether the relapse I took was in consequence
of taking cold,  or in consequence of the mercury
and other poisons which I had formerly taken,  and
from which my system was not entirely cleansed,
I shall not undertake to say ; the Doctor says  the
latter ; I have only stated the facts as I experienc-
 ed them ; and, should  it be the means of giving
others confidence to try the system,  in the most
 difficult cases, it will answer the object I have in
 view, in thus msi-i'""  *v------               wni 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.         235
It is true, the pain of the disease, or ofthe opera-
tion of the medicine, or of both, was, at first, most
excruciating ;  but this did not discourage me from
trying it again when I took the  relapse ; and the
operation became more and more mild, as the dis-
ease went off, till it was attended with but Very
little inconvenience.
                    ABNER  KNEELAND.
               SUPPLEMENT.
 BAD  CONSEQUENCES OF STOVES IN  TIGHT ROOMS.

  I visited a friend in Vermont, whose daughter
 was.unwell; her bed was near a large stove in the
 kitchen, where the work in the house was done.—
 While the doors were frequently opened, during
 the day, there appeared no bad effects from the dry
 air; but at evening, when the house was shut, the
 young woman  grew much distressed, and, about
 ten o'clock, she had a violent convulsion fit, which
 occurred at intervals  through the night.   I was
 satisfied  that the stove was the cause, or the  dry
 air from it ;  but I could  not convince the family
 that such was the fact. I tried to have her removed
 out of the room, and I succeeded in the course of
 the day.  Her senses were gone, and her recollec-
 tion did  not return for some days. The cause  I
 attribute to the water being dried  out  ofthe air,
 and her glands grew dry  by inhaling the dry gas.
 In a healthy state, we throw out moisture with the
breath, and inhale more  from the  atmosphere.—
This keeps the  lungs refreshed with moisture.
When they grow dry, it causes fits.
  I will here name another case, for further illus-
tration or proof of this supposition.   Mr. John M. 
236        NARRATIVE OF  THE  LIFE

Williams, of Baltimore,  had a  child taken sick
about three o'clock in the morning. They got up,
made a fire in the stove in tbe kitchen, and, after
administering to the child, put it in the cradle near
the stove.  They then proceeded to prepare their
breakfast, and, when it was ready, I came into the
room, in which I could scarcely get my breath  ; it
was  so warm.  All set round the table. The child
in the cradle began to groan  at every breath, and,
after continuing so for a short space, went  into  a
convulsion fit.   The family were much alarmed.
I told them the fit was caused by the stove. I open-
ed the door, the child was  carried to it, the  cry
was, what shall we  do?   I told them to give it
some of the 3d preparation.  They tried to give it;
but they  spilled it m the bosom, as the jaws ofthe
child were set.   I told them to  give me a spoon.
I put my finger between the cheek and teeth,  and
poured in the liquid, and crowded it  back  to the
throat, which  let  the jaws loose and the child
swallowed enough to make it vomit.   The fit  was
off,  and I ordered it into my chamber, where there
was a fire.  It had no more  fits.   I followed  it with
medicine, and  carried it through that  forenoon.
The senses ofthe child did not return till noon.
The next day it was well ; so efficacious was the
course pursued.  One of the neighbors said,  that
he was glad the case happened;  not on account of
the  child, but for the benefit of all present ;  for,  if
I  had not been there, they would not have  known
the cause of the fit. Had the child remained in the
room, the probability is, it would  not have lived
till noon.  And the cause being unknown,  no re-
medy would have been known for others in a simi-
lar predicament.
   There are similar cases from burning charcoal
in a  tight room, in which case it sometimes hap- 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          237
pens that no sensible effect is experienced, till the
senses ofthe person affected is gone ; others com-
ing into the room, have found such persons dead or
Ben6eless.  As this is most generally the effect,  it
makes these cases the more alarming  ; and people
ought to be more careful against sueh  exposures.
Men who work- in  furnaces in cold weather, and
who often drink  too much  ardent  spirit, and
then crawl away under the roof to find a warm
place,  have  often suffered the same consequences
by death.
  Not many years ago, I was informed that, in the
hospital, the doctors  had kept  the rooms for the
sick to a certain warmth, by stoves regulated by
the thermometer, so that one sick person  should
have the same  heat as another.   This would not
answer for all, even  in  a  state of health.  This
plan, as I understand, did not succeed.  The pa-
tients  died very fast, insomuch  that  the disorder
was called the plague.  They  might  have truly
said, perhaps, the plague ofthe doctors!   I  under-
stand that they pulled down all the  stoves, and
substituted fire places, from which time the plague
ofthe stoves, if you please, " was stayed."  And
should the plague ofthe poisons, and the bleeding,
be stayed also, the  people would  have a greater
cause  for rejoicing than the Russians had  at the
defeat of Bonaparte,  at the burning of Moscow—
And, should the fatal practice of bleeding and poi-
soning cease, and the people die  with age, the only
cause  of  death, casualties excepted, naturally in-
cident to man, then would death have a greater
respite than it has since the time the great butch-
er  Sydenham,  first introduced the  murderous
practice  of bleeding into the  world.  A  certain
writer says, " During the course of one hundred
years more died by the lancet alone, than all who 
238         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

perished by war  in the same period."  Another
writer says, "the lancet has slain more than tlu
sword, and mercury more than powder and ball."
 Value of Guards or Sentinels, in War and Peace
 and the danger of their Signals being neglected.

  Guards and sentinels have  been  the principals
 of safety ever since human beings learned the art
 of war ;  and it is to this art of safety we are pro-
 bably  indebted  for our independence..  By this
 means was  the  treachery of Arnold detected, and
 the  plots of our enemies defeated.   And even in
 time of peace, when the enemy is either conquered
 or driven out, forts and breastworks are still ne-
 cessary that they  may  be  in  readiness in time of
 war.
  Many  useful lessons  may be  learned from the
 Apocryphal part ofthe Bible,  where we find some
 which, I think, are as useful as any  other parts__
 For this  purpose, I would refer the reader  to the
 thirteenth chapter of Judith.
  In this chapter may  be  found the result  of si-
 lencing the guard and sentinels, whereby, through
 thedeceitand influence of one woman, the destruc-
 tion of the whole army of about  160,000 soldiers,
 was effected.  No other possible means could have
 subdued them.   See the account.
  I have  referred to this chapter to show what  in-
 calculable mischief may arise from such neglect;'
 with a view at the same time to  awaken  the peo-
ple from their drowsiness, and arouse them to dou-
ble their diligence in placing their guards and sen-
tinels,  or else stand themselves, to guard  their
rights and liberties, which are  in as  much danger 
0F SAMUEL THOMSON.          239
of being destroyed ultimately, if not speedily, as
the great army under Holofernes, was, but a short
time previous to their destruction.   And yet the
people seem to rest as safely as did the army to
which I have just alluded.
  There is a power and influence as much to be
guarded against now, as there was then, and the
vigilance of all our guards will not be more than
sufficient to protect the people.  Let them watch
the secret workings  of our enemies, especially
those who appear as friends to our faces, and see
what they are about in the dark.  Remember the
light sayings and dark doings  of Judith.   While
the army thought they were in safety, sudden de-
struction came upon them.
  Look!  See the rapid strides of our enemiesthe
doctors.  Behold all their secret workings  among
the Legislatures of the different States!  And the
people have no sentinels to guard themselves.
  I think we never had more  need  to be  on our
guard than at the  present time.  The people are
crammed  with their poison drugs, and the law says
they shall not examine and judge for themselves.
The  effects are  pains,  lingering sickness, and
death.  When dead,  the  doctor  often  takes the
whole, or nearly the whole,  ofthe little property
remaining ; and the   widow  and orphans  become
subjects ofthe poor house, or go out as servants.
The question is, Who is to be blamed ]   All are
to be blamed.  The doctors for deceiving the peo-
ple, and the people for being  deceived by  them.—
But what must now be the remedy ]  Where it is
not too late, the remedy must be the same as it
should have been in the first place.   But see.
  Let us enquire, in  the first place, what are the
sentinels, both external and internal, which nature
has placed  to guard  the  body from injury ?  And 
240         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
how are these sentinels displayed ?  We will su
pose  the danger is first  perceived by a certa
sound, or some trifling noise-  This of course
first perceived  by the ear,  which says, " Eye
look!"   The call is instantly obeyed; and, if the
appears to be danger, and flight is thought to 1
the best  mode of escape, the whole body is sum-
moned,  and  says,  " Legs,  carry  me  as  fast as
you can."  These orders are obeyed as regularly
as though a  general gave  the  command.  The
senses of seeing, hearing, tasting and smelling, are
the sentinels^ which, with the nerves and muscles,
constitute the whole army,  either for defence or
retreat, and they are  subject to  the  command of
each other.
  The sentinels of the internal structure, or those
which are to judge of what is to be swallowed,  be-
gin with the eye, and, if it be pleasant  to the eye,
it passes to the  nose,  the  next sentinel \ if  the
pass be right, that is, if the flavor be agreeable,
it goes to the  taste ; where, if nothing disagree-
able is perceived, it is carried from the tonguek
to the swallow.  Here are two roads, the one to..'
convey the food to the stomach, the other to con-
vey the air to the lungs ; the business  ofthe senti-
nel here, is to prevent either from takingthe wrong
road; for, should either, and especially the food take
the  wrong road, it  is thrown back with a great
explosion.
  When  the food is received into the stomach it un-
dergoes a general inspection.  If any thing tret
sonous, that is,  uncongenial  to health, is found i
it, an uneasiness is almost the immediate cons<
quence, perhaps pain and sickness, and it is ofte
sent back without consulting any ofthe guards i
sentinels, for its general orders.   And,  if the gei
eral gives orders for any to  pass or repass,  wit 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.           241
 o:", being hailed by the sentinels, such orders must
    ...- red. And if the general loses his headland
   • -■-by his  \vh0h3 army is defeated, it is no fault
      truardsand';6entinels, as in the case of Judith '
    Molofernes.
   Nature has placed all the guards and sentinels
 in.the body, which are necessary for its safety and
 protection ; and the mind is so constituted, that it
 is capable of judging of all the signals which these
 sentinels give ;'t>ut the devil, which is only ano-
| ther name for imposture and fraud, that is learned
 ignorance, falsehood and  art, are always at va'ri-
tance with simple and  natural principles ; the same
 as .honesty  and  dishonesty  are opposed to each
 other. Now, of what use is such reasoning to the
 ;. Dpi:   None, until they can be brought back to a
 i Mi.;no ifate of nature.   Here  the devil, or false
 -.'•.:,rnii':;. under the name of doctor, with his elegant
  , a-  ■<  1 powdered head, comes in and upsets the
11'  -,.  , stem of plain simple truth, and introduces
    ;.  ..-ued falsehood.   Tells the people that those
     •  r-which nature has set in  the body are all
|        arningis the  only true guide ; and urges
rtnein to chrow by all their natural ideas, and hear
 to learning, popular customs a.id fashions; and then
Nthey  will bs respected by the  popular classes.__
 Pay us, and we will attend to your most important
 conurns.   Attend  to your labor in buildino-  our
'houses, and  making our rich clotliing and furni-
 ture ; cultivate the soil ; raise the fatted calf, the
 poultry, and the flour, to foed us ;  and we will doc-
 tor your bodies.   You must not attempt to doctor
? yourselves, for you have not sufficient learning__
 Now  look,  follow laborers, and see to what a con-
'diifon this learned craft 1ms brought you  at the
' present day.  The learned doctor has knocked down
 all your natural sentinels, a;id  has passed the poi- 
242         NARRATIVE  OF THE LIFE
 son down your throats as though it was as innocenf,
 as  breast  milk is for  the  infant,* until  you arcS
 dying of like swarms off rats, and  with the same
 poison.  Then, in addition to the poison, he draws
 out your blood, to cure, as does the  butcher the
 blood ofthe beast, to kill; and which often produces
 the same effect.   This is what you have gained by
 suffering the doctor to knock down  all  your natural
 sentinels,  and to  substitute learned' fools, whose
 senses are below the  grade of the beast.   When
 the beast tries his food, by  the sentinel of the eye
 and nose, he is never deceived.  Nature  always
 tells the truth.  And, when wild beasts go accord-
 ing to the dictates of nature, they are more  success-
 ful in  raising their offspring, than are mankind in
 raising theirs by art.   For the beasts will neither
 eat poison themselves, nor force it down the throat
 of their offspring.   But mankind, by the prejudice
 of false learning, will  both  eat poison  themse^tn,
 and force it down the throats of their children,
 till they, by this means, execute death upon them ;
 in their own arms.   This  is  done by giving wine ■
 poisoned with antimony, or  the tartrite ofantimor
 ny, called tartar emetic.   So much  is mankind;
 reduced below the grade ofthe beast  by the force]
 of education.   Were parents to take a lesson from!
 a child two years old, and abide by it, it would be]
 of greater use in the rising generation than  all that j
 ever came  from the  college by the craft  I have
 named.  It will be remembered that a child of two
years  old is troubled and makes a mournful com-
plaint at the sight  of blood,  from the slightest

 *I was, not long since, in conversation with a youne doctor who
in the heat or rather fury of his conversation, aaid,  » I can Drenare
arsenic so that it will be  milder, and  more nourishing in thei sto
machofan infant, than breast milk \»     "u""ajiin= in tne sto-
                                     H- PLATT. 
                OF  SAMUEL  THOMSON.          24-_

    wound, even if he feels no smart from it; or when
    taken by a doctor from another.  His senses tell
    him that there is something  wrong in it, and ap-
    plies to those whom he thinks his friends, to reme-
    dy the evil.  The child  is not only afraid ofthe
    blood but als<J ofthe doctor who takes it.  Should
 .  parents, from this lesson, learn to keep the doctor
    away, and to keep the blood in the body, where it
    belongs, for the preservation of life and health, for
   the space of twenty years, then visit the grave-
   yard, and examine the monuments ofthe dead, and
   fsee if three-fourths  ofthe  inhabitants died  unde-'
   thirty years of age; this, I  think, would strike con-
   viction to the deluded world.
     I return to my text.  The sentinels of life and
|  ^preservation, as before mentioned, in the brute an-
      • ,.  .o-er deceive them.   There is none found
         ,   oison, either accidental or done on pdr-
            eir  sentinels have been true to them.—
           -nong  the  dupes of learned ignorance,
        •  -  7 allow their sentinels  to be knocked
 [  down by  the  doctors, and poison to be crammed
 £down their throats ; for, unless  the general  gov-
  ernment ofthe stomach should so condemn his pre-
 scriptions as to throw the  poison back in spite of
 Jrhim, the patient must suffer ; his sufferings may be
   long, but generally fatal ; and his body wTll be car-
 ried out by the sexton, in a coffin,  as was the head
   of Holofernes in the bag,  by  Judith.  Neither is
•   tl.is the greatest evil, caused by  these  artificial
   monsters in human shape.   How often do we s>e
   our children  sacrificed by  being born artificial1^
   instead  of naturally 1 aided by the pincers of the
   assassin, instead ofthe skilful hand of the  mid-
  wife.   All their art,  is to force nature, instead or*
  assisting her.   These are  some  of  the effects o*
  learning, which terminate  in  death.  . But ther* 
244         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

are others never  to be forgotten.   Cripples and
invalids, dragging out a  miserable life, reduced
almost to a state of starvation,  for those who sur-
vive their unnatural practice.   Besides a tribute
oi twenty dollars for destroying the comfort of a
wife and the life of a child !   Yet the  eyes  of the
people are blinded by the sound ofthe  word  learn-
ing and learned doctor.
  Were it possible for mankind to be brouo-ht back
to their proper grade; and at the same time to ex-
ercise all  their natural faculties, and have  their
sentinels, which have been knocked down by the
doctor restored, so as to be as good as those  ofthe
beasts,  so that the sentinel ef the eye and nose
would regulate their food and medicine, and pre-
vent any poison being taken either by themselves
or their children,for four generations, the people,
I think, would improve in stature and vigor, and
become " mighty men of renown;"  such  as v,.,
read of in olden times, before the poison doctors
had destroyed tho natural senses of our race ; or at
least, so perverted them that they cease to be sub-
servient to their natural use.   But,  on the contra-
ry, should the hood-winking system be continued,
and the people continue  to degenerate, in  every
sense,if the word, so far as their health and bodily
faculties are concerned, for four generations to come,
as they have for two generations past, they will
become more like a race of monkeys than like hu-
man beings.
  Fr .m tliis source of poison may be  traced those
hereditary and family consumptions we hear  so of-
ten mentioned.   If traced  b?,ck,  it will be  found
that the firmly consumption began with the fami-
ly doctor; and so  it will continue as  long as you
employ one.  A treatise on the family doctor may
be found on another page of this work. The family 
             OF SAMUEL THOMSON.          $-.0

consumption was made with thosafamiliss to whom
the doctor gave the pever when lie spread it through
the village. Those  who did not die were left worse
than  dead.  The poison left in the  system caused
them to linger out  a miserable life in pain and tor-
ment ;  and  the  doctor  gets clear by stating that
they  had all died of the family consumption.  If
you wish to keep clear ofthe family consumption,
keep clear ofthe family doctor.
          OUR FAMILY DOCTOR.
   Few families, particularly in cities and villages,
 think they can do without a family doctor.  But of
 what use is a  family other than his own, to a doc-
 tor, unless there be sickness ?   Hence it is for the
 interest ofthe doctor, if the family are not sick, to
 make them so.  The family doctor-has too often an 'j.
 opportunity of doing this  with impunity, without
 detection, and without even exciting suspicion.—
 Even contagion is spread abroad which might have
 been cured by an old, or even a young woman at home.
  " Behold how  great  a  matter a little fire kin-
 dleth!"—James  iii. v.  For example : A child is /
 taken with the belly-ache.  The family doctor is I
 sent for, who  pronounces its disorder to be worms,
 gives calomel  and jalap  to destroy them,  which re- [
 duces the child very much:  The next visit, bleeds
 to lay the fever, then gives it a fever powder com-
 posed of nitre, opium  and camphor, once in two
 hours. The patient now lays in a stupid, senseless  J
 posture, with crimson spots on the cheeks, denot-
 ing putrifaction.
  The doctor is again sent for  in haste,  who now
pronounces it  to be the  putrid  fover.   The bleed-
ing is repeated and the fever powder continued___
The nerves become canvulsed, and the  doctor  is 
  2"H>        NARRATIVE OF THE-Z.IFU

  again sent for, who pronounces the disorder to be
  the putrid nervous fever, and  that it has become
  contagious: the child dies, the  family, worn out
  with fatigue, and  being much alarmed, begin to
  heepme sick, and, by the time  the  corpse of the
  dii'ld is interred, are all down  with the disorder.
,  The doctor now has  much employ, the neighbors
!  ire called in to watch, the putrifaction runs high  ;
■  the neighbors, one after another, take the disorder,
  iiiid return home sick ;  the doctor is called, busi-
|  ness gains rapidly in consequence  of the same
|  treatment, until the fever has  gone through the -
I  whole village.  All thank the  doctor for his inces-
j  sant attention and  kindness ; and he boasts of won-
\  derful success, having lost but fifty out of one hun-
  dred Hffifcl fifty .'  His bill is paid with the greatest
  ^atisfaetioh.  By this time the doctor can build his
  aouse without setting down  " to count the cost."
  [Pause!]
    What is1 the cause of all this  village sickness?
  jiemember the text.   " Behold how  great a mat-
  -.;• a little  fire kindleth."  A child w.-:s taken with
  the holly-ache ; and, had no doctor  been  known,
;  the mother, with one gill of pepper and milk, could
|  have cured'the child, and saved all this slaughter
;  ofthe scodrg-e cf a family doctor.
';    Is not thil:  the cause of the spread of so many
'  contagious disorders  which prevail unaccounted
  for 1 °If so, learn wisdom ofthe evils which others
  endure ; study the  nature of disease  and how  to
  remove  it, and never trust your own  life, nor that
I  of a child,'in the hands of what is called a family
; -physician.

            ,   TO  THE PUBLIC.
    A proposition to  revolutionize the practice of me-
I  dicine, by  introducing a system of contract between 
OF S'MUEL THOMSON.
247
  the doctor and his  patients, whereby the present
  system will be changed, and the  people will  pay
  for their health, instead of sickness, (which is the
  present practice.)   And first, it is proposed to pe»
  tition the Legislatures ofthe several States, where-
!  in, for the benefit of the  high and scientifically
  mighty ones, laws have been passed, impairing the
f  validity of contracts,* to be graciously pleased and
  condescend to give  us the (unconstitutional no
  doubt) privilege of making our own contracts.  Do
  not startle, gentle reader, we have not this mon-
  strous power, we only have proposed to petition for
  it; but whether the honorable Legislatures  will
  entrust us  with  this  equal  privilege  is  uncer-
  tain;  nevertheless,  we propose to  petition for it.—
  Having gained our Jirst proposition by a speciafjaci
  ofthe  legislature,  we  next propose to  enter  into
  contract as physician and patient, upon the follow-
  ing plan, viz: the physician is to agree  and cove-
  nant with individuals and  families,  to  keep them
  in their usual good  health  for a certain length of
  time, say one "3ar, for  a specified sum, as the
  parties may agree.   And the physicians are also to
  agree, that in  case  if failure on their part,  they
  will forfeit and pay  to the patient the sum of
          cents per day, for each and every day's
 sickness of the  patient; provided  the  physician
 is called on, and the patient follows  his directions.
   Let  the foregoing plan  be carried into  effect,
 and I venture the assertion, that nine-tenths ofthe
 sickness and  consequent woe  and  misery  which
 now  distorts and distracts  the  human species

  * We are happy to announce that this  odious law is repealed in
 Ohio.  In 1H-20, a petition for its repeal was presented, and was
 moved to be rul'errud lo the Committee on the Penitentiary. This
 was deemed to he a capital joke, at the time, but it  roused an in-
 sulted community, and petitions poured in by thousands, the suc-
 ceeding sessions, until tiie privileged order were forced to yield 
248         NAREATIVE OF  THE  LIFE
  would be banished from among us.   The physi-  j
  cian would find it for his interest to keep the peo-  i
  pie not sick but well, for which purpose he would  I
  watch over them—would instruct them in the use  I
  of .his medicines, and keep a stock by them, that  I
  they might use as occasion should require, on the
  first appearance  of  disease, for, if his attendance  ■
  is required, he loses his time, his medicines, and  j
         . cents per day.  This surely will  exclude  J
  any wish or chance  for  deception on  either  side,  1
  for  no physician  will wish for employment  upon
  the foregoing terms, nor will  any person consent  j
-  to follow his directions for the  sum of       cents,  i
  unless disease renders it necessary.   This is not  .
  all; whenever such contracts are made, the people  j
  would have no cause to fear the administration of
  poisonous minerals, or the laqcet ; for there is no
  practitioner so ignorant as not  to know that the
  person who takes a good dose of mercury, antimo-
  ny, salts, &c, is rendered unfit for ordinary busi-
  ness for one day at  least; and who suffers his "life's
  blood" to be  drawn, suffers his life to be taken in
  tbe same proportion.
     These ideas are given to the public, with a wish  ,
  that they may benefit themselves thereby.
                        SAMUEL THOMSON.   \
               CONCLUSION.

                TO THE PlTiMC.
  Friends of Humanity !  You have seen, by the
foregoing narrative, the labors, the trials, the per-
secution, as  well as the anxieties  and vexations
which  the author has experienced in bringing his
System of Medical practice to the state of perfec- 
OF SAMUEL THOMSON.
249
tion to which it has arrived ; and also in laying it
fairly  before'the public;  trials that  would have
broken down many hearts, and worn out  long  be-
fore this, many constitutions.
  You have seen the system growing into practice
in spite of all opposition ;  not only against the in-
veterate hate ofthe doctors, but also against legal
enactments ; and that it  is calculated to  put to
silence, and even to the blush, every species of op-
position with all those who shall  give  it a fair
trial.   You have alao seen those,after havmgtest-
edthe virtues ofthe system, and proved its value,
who have been not only ready to rob Dr. Thomson
of his hard  earned  reputation, a"d fair meed of
praise, but also to build themselves up at his  ex-
pense.   All this you have seen, and much more.—
And now it remains to  be seen whether either you
or the public, will any longer patronize, any longer
uphold or countenance, either directly or  indirect-
ly, such iniquity, such ingratitude, such shame-
faced hypocricy'.  How much better a person must
feel to  act in an open and honorable way.   And
were you sure that  you could purchase the same
thing, of those who have  no  right to sell it, and
might even use it with impunity, would you,forthe
sake of a few dollars, obtain it clandestinely,  and
thus rob  the patentee of his just right!  It may be
thought, perhaps, that IV. Thomson  has already
become rich by the patent, and, therefore, can well
afford to  sustain these losses.   Were this the fact,
it is no good reason why  he  should be  robbed.—
But you  must consider the immense expense he
has been at, and  is still liable to bear,  to defend
his system  of practice against legal enactments
and  unfounded complaints;  together  with  the
losses  he has sustained by unfaithful agents. This
is a constant drawback upon his income.   The de-
fence of  his legal prosecutions, and those of his 
250         NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

agents, in far distant  and remote States, as  well
as in almost every State in the Union, as in South
Carolina, not long since ; his answers to various
slanders  by hand bills, the only way, at  one time,
that he could  obtain any thing  from the press in
his  favor, even for pay ;  and his various travels
from the  Eastern to the Western States, and  from
the North to the South ; all, all  these, and much
more,  are constant outgoes upon what should, and
did the public duly appreciate the value of his sys-
tem, otherwise would be his fair and honest gains.
But he has one consolation :  his system  will  live
to bless mankind, and his name will live with it, yea,
be hailed with gratitude, when Dr.  Thomson  shall
be no more. Cold comfort this; when the subject or
object of their gratitude  shall be  in his grave!
Yet even this  is better than nothing ; and to know
now, or to be-firmly persuaded  that such will be
the fact, must afford  some  present peace, yea, a
heart-felt satisfaction. But I hope that it is not too
late to do the subject of this Narrative justice, even
in some measure, at least, now  while he lives, to
make the eve of his life as comfortable and happy
as human nature, in a person of his years,  is sus-
ceptible  of being ; and I  can  assure him and the
public that, whatever I can do to  bring about an
event so just,  and at the same  time so desirable,
shall be faithfully and cheerfully performed; for all
that my life is now worth, either to  myself or my
family, or  the public, I  consider that I and  they
are wholly indebted to the Thomsonian System of
Practice. And it is with much pleasure that I here
once more have the opportunity of acknowledging
the gratitude, and pledging the faithfulness of his
and the public's humble servant.
               •*-    ABXER KNEELAND,
       General Agent for Dr. Samuel Thomson, Boston, Mass. 
CONTENTS
NARRATIVE OF  SAMUEL THOMSON.
                       Pages.
    Commencement of Nar-
     rative         -        13
    Embarrassment in writ-
     i.iL'nis own life        14
   i9 liivil. and Parentage    14
    Early impressions  4    IS
    1,'iuition to parents      15
    Pious deception         15
    Early propensity to know
     names of herbs     •    1G
    Emetic herb, discovery of 17
    i'a'l'ur's severity        18
    1 j si 1 :e to work on a farm 19
    Fii'-mr embraced  Uni*
     fvors:i!isra      -        20
    11 is wait of learning,    21
177^ rid cut on ancle
    Extraordinary case of
    sleep  •
    Dr. Kitteridge   -
I7i)0 Death of his mother
    Undertook to doctor him-
    self  -        -27
    His  marriage to  Susan .
     Allen          ■        2*
1701 His wife taken ill        27
    First child born July 4th 27
    Wife extremely sick    27
    She was  attacked with
    cliolic '
    Test ofthe emetic herb
21
1794 Si ' ond daugliter born  .  31
Given over to die
Steamed and restored
Eldest son born -
                        Pages.
     Attacked with croup    34
]7')3 Second son born         36
1799 Third son born -        37
     His wife has ague and
      cramp        -        37
1801 Various sicknesses and
      troubles      -        39
18C2 Ciiildren had the measles 40
     Effects of the emetic herb 41
     Case of the cholic       42
     Mrs. Wetlierby -        43
    Case of young man  in
      fever         -        44
1805 Sent for to go to wood-
      stock, Vt.     -        45
     Determination to prac-
      tise medicine  -        49
     Theory established       50
     Numbering the medicine 51
      Alarming disease,  Al-
      stead and Walpole      53
     Attends several bad cases 55
     Case of child and two
      young men    -        57
     Case of Mrs. Richardson 59
        of an elderly woman  60
        of a young woman in
         a fit      -        60
     Elder  Bowles' family, '
      cases in       -        61
     Cu;- ij of a cancer         62
180C A  foolish whim         63
      Reasons for declining
      hoine practice .-        63
     The funeral of a young 
252                    CONTENTS.
                        Pages.
     man  -        -        64|
    Grammar used as medi-
     cine  -        -        Cl|
    Determined to go to New
     York -
1806 Attack of yellow fever
    MrGowan's case of yel-
     low fever
    Remarks on food
    Doyle's case, N. York
    Quacken' usli's invitation 70
     Return to Bo3ton       70
    Dr. French   -        71
    Case of Mrs. Osgood and
     others
     Younj m:in's  cut lingers
1807 Visit to  Jericho, Vt.
     Case of a fever sore
    Cases of Dysentery  or
     cramp distemper
     Went to the  town  of
     Georgia
     Return to Jericho
     Evil reports circulated
    Peris'iedarm restored
     Case of consumption  ,
     Insult to Dr. French's
     friend
  ■   Asked to te'l a fortune
1808 Enmity  of Dr. French
     Dr. French charges Dr.
      Thomson with murder
     Resorts to law for safety 83
     Case of St. Anthony's fire
     "  of dropsy  -       85
     "  of dropsy and con-
          sumption  -
     Acquaintance with Dr.
     Shepherd
     Case of venereal
      "  of a young man at
          Exeter
       "  of superstition
       "  of  fever sore  de-
          clined
      "  disl ouesty of Win.
          Little
      "  sralt head  -
      "  of Mr; Eehell
     Enmity  of Drs.  Cutler
      and  Pierpont
     Case of yellow fever
87
It
                        Pagci
    Dr. Rrackettand morti
     fication       -       fj
    Consequenee of giving
     physic        -       J
    Alexander Rice, Esq.
     convinced     -       V
    Case of salt rheum      9
     "  ofthe gout -       t
    Gratitude to Miijor Rice  «
    Case of Mr.  Fulsum at
     Deerfield
    Vio'ent operation of
     medicine
    Case of fashionable tor-
     ture
    Outward  and  inw.ird
     heat, balance  of
    Case of an unfortunate
     law suit
     "  of Mrs. Appletan
     "  of Ezra Lovett
     "• of E der Howies in
         consumption     10
1809 "  of a young woman Til .
     "  of dropsy and rick-
         els        -       lit]
     "  of a young lady
         bleeding at the sto-
         mach     -       lid
      "  of spotted  fever   Hi
      "  ofCapt. Trhhcy  11'.
      "  of an indictm. mi for
         murder   -       1U
      "  of prosecution  by
         Dr. French
    Dr. Thomson  put  in
      irons
      "     "      prison
    Petitions  for a special
      court        -       119
     The thanksgiving sup-
      per  -     '   -        120
     Removed to Salem  for
      trial         -        121
     Visited by friends      122
     Commencement of trial 123
     Honorably acquitted   127
     Prosecutes  Dr. French
1810 Kindness  of  Mrs.  Os
      good
     Success ofthe  practice
llfl
117
118
128

 / 
CONTTENTS.
153
                        Pages,
    The doctors know best   134
    Justification of Doctor
     French       -         135
>811 Alfred Carpenter       136
    Journey to Eistport     116
    Case of a bruised foot   137
    Bytbe tlirown from  a
     doctor's shop          137
    Case of Mrs. Lovett with
     the dropsy    -         138
     "  of old Mrs. Lovett   142
1812 Base  conduct of  Car
     penter       -        146
1813 Goes to Washington for
     pi.mt       -        149
     Li... i-cs Washington, ar-
     rives at Pliiladelpl ia  151
     Finds Drs.  Barton and
     Rush friendly         152
     Dr. Rush in  ycl'ow fever 153
     Arrives at I'oilsmouth  153
     Loss at E;;stpO't       154
     Case of Mrs. Alden     155
      "  ofspotted fever    156
     A violent relax         35:
     Bad effects of saltpetre  15
 1814 Loss by  fire in  Forts-
      mouth        -        10:
     Joim Locke appointed
Ague in the face        182
Dropsy, Mrs  Grover    182
Decline, relax and dys-
 entery                183
Rl eumatism   -        183
A singular circumstance 185
Cuse of Ira Smith       186
fcSmith appointed agent  189
Case of qtiinsey and rat-
 tles   -                189
                       193
                       202
                       203
                       207
                       207
                       209
Ho'ci
Case
•n's conspiracy
 f.'rs. Davis, con
     sumiilicn
    Trcsp; ss on t' e patent
1815 Goesto I'hilrdelp! ia    lO'J
    Frost bitten lim' s       It
    Arrives at Philadelphia  1 -
    Delivers a lectu-e       1 ■ -
    Goes to Wis.in ton    Xj\
      "   to Alexandria     Hi
    Return to Portsmouth  174
1816 Spotted  fever at  Cape
      Cod
     How to guard against
      disease
     S.totted Fever at  East-
      Iv.m
     Of fernilv i ights
     E'K.si-luilll
[817 Instiiicted  in the prac-
   1818 Pad conductor Smith
       New plan of procedure
       New patent ol tained
       Medicated vapor bath
       Of Mr. Whitlaw
       C;scath,w
       Tee practice in  the
         State of New York    213
        Imprisonment  i_f  C.
         T. oinson    -       213
   1819 Agency of Jo'm Locke 215
         "  of Co'. Havre      218
         "  ofCh ares  Miles   219
         "  of Horton Howard 220
        Tl c practi. e in tue south-
         ern States     -       £21
        Rcfo med co'Ie^c at New
         York       ■'•"-       222
           " *  " Wort' in/ifon 222
 C       Convers;>lion wit' Dr.   .
lii.j      Steel, President of tl'e
         rolle :er.t Wo:! ington 222
         Conv<-rs tio t witi one
         ol't. e pr ctitmncrs     £.C2
         Introduction  to  Gov'r
         Trim' e      -        223
         '•   Gov. TiTmMe's wife : 23
         Ro v-son's Lc  turcs    223
         C;;se Of Kctoi Howard 224
175
181
A itch
 "  oi  ir;.much Fort o;  £24
Cayenne pepper        227
American pepper      227
Certificate    -        128
Knec'avd's tcs'imony  222
B  d '•onc.jquenrcs  of
 s'oves in tig! t roon s  2P5
V.v'tu: of guards and sen
 tines        -        o?8
r. miiy 'octor        245
/  r:'o;iositiiiiito-evo'a-
 Hoi.^e t e i-rutticc   248
Conr.:i',s on ■?'        iy-8 
 
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3L70 
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