USA > California > Los Angeles County > History of Los Angeles county, Volume I > Part 38
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"5th. Those coming from malarious sections of the country, with sys- tems depressed by the dregs of fever, are especially benefited. It is a common custom with the people here to go down to various pleasant points upon the sea coast and camp out for weeks upon the beach, enjoying the surf bathing. There are also well furnished and well kept hotels at different localities by the sea. This seaside life is especially beneficial to persons suffering from the various forms of malarial poisoning.
"6th. The open-air life which is here possible, and the great variety of fresh vegetable foods to be had at all seasons, help to break up the dyspeptic troubles which make life a burden to so many overworked men. "7th. Many persons suffering from asthma have derived much benefit from the climate. The capricious character of the malady-no two persons suited to the same surroundings-make it difficult to give advice in most countries to the sufferer, because of the limited range of elevation and climatic differences from which to choose. Here, however, within a circle of a hundred and fifty miles one may find spots below the sea level, at the sea level, or with an elevation of 10,000 feet above it ; spots with nightly a heavy fog, and spots that never know the presence of a fog ; places swept by an almost constant breeze and others sheltered from all wind; the odors and gases of asphaltum and petroleum springs, or the air of the mountain pineries ; the scent of the orange blossom, or the balsamic odor of the plants of the desert. Differences of elevation, which elsewhere one travels a thousand miles to find, here he finds within a radius of fifty miles.
"8th. Some cases of chronic rheumatism are benefited by the climate. Certain hot mineral springs and iron sulphur springs have gained quite a reputation in such affections. The climate of the coast line, however, has rather too much fog. Such cases do better in the portion of the country back from the sea and among the mountains. There are points along the
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line of the Southern Pacific Railroad, as it crosses the Colorado Desert, where the hot, dry air, both night and day, and the warm springs for bathing, offer the very best climatic requisite for the relief of such affections.
"9th. Chronic kidney and bladder troubles find in the mild climate, with its possibility of constant outdoor life and the equable winter and summer temperature, the surroundings best suited to at least stay the course of the disease.
"10th. Cases of nervous prostration, and all the innumerable train of tormenting ills that come to an overtaxed or deranged nervous system, may hope for relief by a residence in some one of the many pleasant spots that dot the land. The warm, clear day tempts to the outdoor life, and the cool night gives the refreshing sleep so needed in this class of maladies. Strangers speak almost invariably of the restful slumber of the night.
"In conclusion, there are a number of facts which have an important bearing upon the subject of Southern California as a health resort, and yet are not in themselves directly questions of disease. Among these may be mentioned exemption from the epidemics of yellow fever, which visit the Gulf States ; ease of access, the country being tapped in all directions by branches of the Southern Pacific Railroad. It is an agricultural and business center, with business openings for a largely increased population. It is the educational center of a large scope of territory, with its institutions of learning solidly established. It is well supplied with churches, and offers all the advantages of the best society. Food is abundant, varied and cheap, so that the expense of living is not great. And finally, it is not across the ocean or upon some foreign shore, where the invalid is an alien or a stranger, but within our own land, under our own flag, and among our own people."
We feel that great credit should be given these physicians who framed this very able, scientific document. And we are reproducing it fully in this book for the reason that it is important, and that it is just as true now as it was the day it was written. After all, sunshine is a great doctor and climate is great medicine if it be kindly climate. Certainly these devoted physicians who set forth with such patience and discernment the climate of Los Angeles rendered the whole world a valuable service.
It may be that in these times the climate of Los Angeles is more cele- brated. Surely it is far better known than it was a half century ago. We all know, at any rate, that wise physicians in the East and in the northern latitudes of our country habitually send their patients to Southern California.
Los Angeles lies between God's two great sanatoriums, the desert and the sea. Countless thousands who have come here sick both in body and in mind have found health and happiness.
Wherefore, the medicine men being now as always really the chief men of any community, it will be interesting to see what there is to know about them as far as Los Angeles is concerned.
Mr. H. D. Barrows of Los Angeles, whose contributions to the Southern California Historical Society have been so valuable, gives the following interesting account of some old papers, particularly a fee table of the year 1850, with remarks on some of the Los Angeles physicians of the period, whom he personally knew :
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"In turning over to the Historical Society the accompanying brief his- torical document, (which I lately received from Ex-Sheriff Wm. R. Row- land,) containing the signatures of four early physicians of Los Angeles, I have thought that some account of two of the signers whom I knew quite well, would be of interest to the members of our society.
"The document referred to, which Ex-Sheriff Rowland found among old papers of the Sheriff's office, was a public notice or 'Aviso' of the scale of charges (in Spanish) by the doctors of that period, (January, 1850) for their professional services, as follows :
AVISO.
"A la junta de la Facultad de Medicos de Los Angeles, Enero 14th, 1850, la seguienta lista de precios era adoptado :
Art. 1. Por una prescrip- cion en la officina. .. $ 5.00 Art. 2. Por una visita en la ciudad de dia. . 5.00
Art. 3. Por una visita en la ciudad de noche. . 10.00
Art. 4. Por una visita en el campo par cada legua. ..
5.00
Art. 5. Por una Sangria. 5.00
Art. 6. Por cada aplicacion de Ventoses 10.00
Firmamos nuestros nombres al antecedente :
(Firnados.)
CHAS. R. CULLEN. A. I. BLACKBURN. J. W. DODGE. GUILLERMO B. OSBOURN.
(Translation)
NOTICE
At a meeting of the Medical Faculty of Los Angeles, January 14, 1850, the following list of prices was adopted :
Art. 1. For an office pre- scription $ 5.00
Art. 2. For a
day visit within the city. 5.00 Art. 3. For a night visit within the city. 10.00
Art. 4. For a visit in the country, for each league .. 5.00
Art. 5. For bleeding. 5.00 Art. 6. For cupping 10.00
We subscribe our names to the foregoing :
(Signers) CHAS. R. CULLEN. A. I. BLACKBURN. J. W. DODGE. WM. B. OSBOURN.
"Dr. Guillermo B. Osbourn, one of the signers, who was a native of New York, came to California in 1847 in Col. Stevenson's regiment. He established the first drug store in Los Angeles in 1850, which was suc- ceeded in '51 by that of McFarland and Downey. Daguerreotypes were first taken in Los Angeles by Dr. Osbourn and Moses Searles, on Aug. 9, 1851. In fact Dr. Osbourn's versatility was something remarkable. It is not easy to recount all the official positions he filled, or the numerous important public functions he performed. In those early days immediately after the change of government, by means of his rare intellectual ability, together with his knowledge of the Spanish language, he made himself a very useful citizen in various capacities.
"When, as often happened in that period, an acquaintance with Spanish was a necessity, he often acted as Deputy Sheriff. In 1853 he was appointed Postmaster of this city by President Buchanan. In 1855 he projected
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the first artesian well in Southern California, at the foot of the hills not very far from the present junction of First Street and Broadway. It reached a depth of about 800 feet in June, 1856, being still in blue clay, when it was abandoned for want of funds.
"In 1852 fruit grafts of improved varieties had been introduced by Mayor J. G. Nichols. In 1855 Dr. Osbourn imported from Rochester a grand collection of roses and other choice shrubbery as well as many varieties of the best American fruit trees, which up to that time were almost unknown here. He was the first, too, in October, 1854, to ship East, fresh Los Angeles grapes, which were exhibited and commanded admiration at a meeting of the business committee of the New York Agri- cultural Society at Albany. And it is worthy of mention in this connection that as, late as November, 1856, when Matthew Keller sent a like specimen, it was almost doubted at the U. S. Patent Office 'if such products were common in California.'
"Henry Osbourn, a son of the doctor by his first wife, was for years and until recently, an interpreter in our local courts. He lost his life through an accident not very long ago.
"Dr. Osbourn's second wife, who was a native Californian, is, I believe, still living in this city.
"Dr. Osbourn with all his versatility, was not always overscrupulous as to the means he sometimes employed in carrying out his schemes. He once recounted to me, without even a semblance of self reproach, how he took an active part on a certain occasion in a political contest. Some time in the early '50s, when an election was on for a State Senator, and San Ber- nardino was a part of Los Angeles County, he was exceedingly anxious to carry the precinct of Agua Mansa, which was mostly settled by Mexicans, who knew very little or no English. So he went to the Padre who had more influence in his parish than any other person, and used his most suave methods of electioneering with the Padre in behalf of his candidate; and then to clinch the matter, he asked the Padre to pray for the repose of the soul of his mother -- who was then alive and well in New York State. And on the next feast day the wily doctor was on hand at the church and on his knees, joining the Padre and his flock, in praying for the repose of his mother's soul. He added with just a shade of exultation, that his candidate was elected.
"Drs. Blackburn and Dodge, two other signers of the accompanying document, I was not acquainted with.
"Dr. Chas. R. Cullen I knew intimately, as he was my room mate for a considerable portion of the time, from my arrival in Los Angeles in 1854, till he left for his home in Virginia in the latter part of '56.
"Dr. Cullen was a native of Virginia and a graduate of Brown Uni- versity. He and his brother John came to California soon after the dis- covery of the mines. The doctor was a cultivated and genial gentleman whom all who made his acquaintance could not help liking. The Spanish speaking portion of our community were especially attached to him, both as a sympathetic friend and as a physician ; and for years after he went away I remember that if his name was mentioned in the presence of those native Californians who had made his acquaintance, they would invariably manifest pleasure at the recall of his memory and would exclaim: 'Ay Don
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Carlos ! donde esta el?' or, 'Que buen hombre era !' or similar expressions of kindly feelings towards him.
"When the San Francisco Bulletin was established, Mr. C. O. Gerber- ding (father of several persons of that name in California, and also, I believe, of Mrs. Senator Bard), was the business manager, and James King of William was the brave and accomplished editor. Mr. Gerberding and Dr. Cullen had been old friends in Richmond before they came to California ; and as the management of the paper desired to have a perma- nent resident correspondent at Los Angeles they entered into an engage- ment with Dr. Cullen to fill that position, paying him at the rate of ten dollars a column. Late in November, '56, Dr. Cullen concluded to return East, and stopping on his way at San Francisco, it appears he recommended me, without my knowledge, as his successor as correspondent of the Bulle- tin ; and accordingly he wrote me at their request, asking me to keep up the correspondence, on the same terms, etc., which I did for several years thereafter, writing generally by each semimonthly steamer, giving a general resume of current events in Southern California.
"Before I had any connection with the paper the assassination of James King of William had given the paper much prominence, and it had already become the leading journal of the Pacific Coast. It was very ably edited, ostensibly by a brother of James King of William, but in reality by Mr. James Nisbet, a Scotchman, one of the most industrious and the finest literary journalists whom I ever had any acquaintance with.
"In 1857 I made a trip East, and I went to Richmond to visit Dr. Cullen. Dr. Charley Cullen was then located and practicing his profession near Hanover Court House, a very few years afterwards the locality of terrific fighting in the Civil War.
"In after years I kept up a more or less intermittent correspondence with the doctor, till his death several years ago.
"Dr. Cullen was a thoroughly conscientious man and a religious man- in which he differed widely from Dr. Osbourn, whose only church affilia- tion, so far as I knew, was that serio-comic episode at 'Agua Mansa.'
"When the late Dr. J. C. Fletcher came to Los Angeles, Dr. Cullen wrote me asking me to hunt him up, which I did, and found him to be a very cultivated and widely-traveled gentleman.
"Dr. Cullen and Dr. Fletcher were classmates and graduates of Brown University."
And in an interesting account of pioneer physicians of Los Angeles by the same writer, most interesting sketches of Drs. John Marsh, Richard S. Den and John S. Griffin are given, as follows :
The first three educated physicians who practiced their profession in Los Angeles for longer or shorter periods, of whom we have any record, were :
Dr. John Marsh, who came here in January, 1836;
Dr. Richard S. Den, who arrived in California in 1843;
Dr. John S. Griffin, assistant surgeon, U. S. A., who arrived in 1846. A brief account of each of these trained physicians and surgeons ought to be of interest to the present generation.
Doctor Marsh was a native of Massachusetts, and a graduate of Har- vard College and also of its medical school. He came to Los Angeles by
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way of Santa Fe. In the archives of this city, Translations, Vol. 2, p. 113 (session of the Ayuntamiento or Town Council, of 18th February, 1836), the following record is found : * * A petition from a foreigner, Don Juan Marchet (John Marsh; the sound of sh at the ending of a word is unknown in the Spanish tongue), a native of the United States of the North, was read. He asks that this illustrious Ayuntamiento consider him as having appeared, he de- claring his intention of locating in this city, and also that he is a physician and surgeon. The Ill. Ayuntamiento decided, in conformity with the law of April 14, 1828, as follows: Record and forward the certified copy, reminding said Marchet (Marsh) that he cannot practice surgery until he has obtained permission from the Ayuntamiento." * * (Minutes * of this meeting were signed :) "Manuel Requena, Pres .; Tiburcio Tapia, Rafael Guirado, Basilio Valdez, Jose Ma. Herrera, Abel Stearns, Narcisco Botello."
At page 117 of archives (session of 25th February, 1836) this minute occurs : ** * * A petition from Mr. Juan Marchet (Marsh) asking to be permitted to practice his profession, was read. The Ill. Body decided to give him permission to practice his profession, as he has submitted for inspection his diploma, which was found to be correct, and also for the reason that he would be very useful to the community."
His diploma being in Latin, it is said that, as no one could be found in Los Angeles who understood that language, the document had to be sent to San Gabriel for the mission priest to translate, and which, as noted, was found correct.
He entered upon the practice of his profession, but as money was an almost unknown quantity in the old pueblo, he had to take his fees in horses, cattle and hides, a currency exceedingly inconvenient to carry around. So, early in 1837, he abandoned the practice of medicine, quitted Los Angeles, and went north to find a cattle range. Yerba Buena, now San Francisco, at the time the letter was written, contained two houses. He located on the Rancho Los Medanos, near Monte Diablo, where he lived until he was murdered by a Mexican in 1856. A letter written by him descriptive of California, and published in a Missouri paper in 1840, was instrumental in causing the organization in the spring of 1841 of the first immigrant train that crossed the plains to California.
This is the letter :
"Yerba Buena, March 27, 1837. "J. M. Guinn :
"Dear Sir :- I have been wandering about the country for several weeks and gradually becoming acquainted both with it and its inhabitants. This is the best part of the country, and in fact the only part that is at all adapted to agriculturists from our country. Nothing more is wanted but just and equal laws and a government-yes, any government that can be permanent and combine the confidence and good will of those who think. I have good hope, but not unmixed with doubt and apprehension. News has just arrived that any army from Sonora is on its march for the con- quest and plunder of California. Its force is variously stated from two to six hundred men. This, of course, keeps everything in a foment.
"I have had a choice of two districts of land offered to me, and in a
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few days I shall take one or the other. A brig of the H. B. Co. (Hudson Bay Co.) is here from the Columbia with Capt. Young (who has come to buy cattle) and other gentlemen of the company. I have been at the head- waters of the Sacramento and met with near a hundred people from the Columbia ; in fact, they and the people here regard each other as neighbors. Indeed, a kinder spirit exists here and less of prejudice and distrust to foreigners than in the purlieus of the City of the Angels.
"It is my intention to undergo the ceremony of baptism in a few days, and shall shortly need the certificate of my application for letters of natur- alization. My application was made to the Most Illustrious Council of the City of Angels, in the month of January, last year (1836). I wish you would do me the favor to obtain a certificate in the requisite form and direct it to me at Monterey to the care of Mr. Spence. Mr. Spear is about to remove to this place. Capt. Steele's ship has been damaged and is under- going repairs, which will soon be completed. I expect to be in the Angelic City some time in May.
"Please give my respects to Messrs. Warner and W. M. Prior and all 'enquiring friends.'
"Very respectfully, "Your ob't. servant,
"JOHN MARSH."
Dr. R. S. Den was born in Ireland in 1821. After receiving a thorough education as a physician, surgeon and obstetrician, he was appointed surgeon of a passenger ship bound for Australia in 1842. From thence he came via Valparaiso to Mazatlan, where he received with delight news from his brother Nicolas, from whom he had not heard for some years, and who was then living at Santa Barbara. Resigning his position as surgeon, he came to California, arriving at San Pedro August 21, and at Santa Barbara September 1, 1843, at the age of twenty-two years.
In the winter of 1843-44 Doctor Den was called to Los Angeles to per- form some difficult surgical operations, when he received a petition, signed by leading citizens, both native and foreign, asking him to remain and practice his profession. And so, in July, 1844, he returned to Los Angeles. From that time on, until his death in 1895, he made his home here, with the exception of a brief period in the mines, and about twelve years, from 1854 to 1866, in which he had to look after interests of his stock rancho of San Marcos, in Santa Barbara County.
A much fuller account of Doctor Den and his long and honorable career in Southern California during the pioneer times, may be found in the "Illustrated History of Los Angeles County," published in 1889, pp. 197-200, which also contains a steel engraving and good likeness of Doctor Den.
In the Medical Directory of 1878 the following paragraph appears. "It is of record that Dr. R. S. Den, in obedience to the laws of Mexico relating to foreigners, did present his diplomas as physician and surgeon to the government of the country, March, 14, 1844, and that he received special license to practice from said government."
The document here referred to, Doctor Den, in the latter years of his life, showed to me. It was signed by Governor Micheltorena; and, as it was an interesting historical document, I asked that he present it to the
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Historical Society, which he promised to do. At his death I took con- siderable pains to have the paper hunted up, but without success. His heirs (the children of his brother Nicolas) apparently had but little idea of the historical value of such a document and therefore it probably has been lost.
Dr. John S. Griffin, who for nearly half a century was an eminent citizen and an eminent physician and surgeon of Los Angeles, was a native of Virginia, born in 1816, and a graduate of the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania. After practicing his profession some three years in Louisville he entered the U. S. army as assistant surgeon, serving under General Worth in Florida and on the the southwest frontier. As I presented the Historical Society a condensed sketch of Doctor Griffin's life on the occasion of his death, three years ago (published in the society's Annual of 1898, pp. 183-5), I would here refer members to that sketch; and for further details, to the account that I wrote, taken down mainly from his own lips, for the Illustrated History of this county of 1889, pp. 206-7, which latter is accompanied by an excellent stipple steel portrait of Doctor Griffin. There are many citizens of Los Angeles and in fact, of California, still living who knew Doctor Griffin well and esteemed him highly. His death occurred in this city August 23, 1898.
Of other physicians and surgeons who practiced their profession in Los Angeles in early times, there were Drs. A. P. Hodges, the first mayor of the city, and A. W. Hope, who was the first state senator from the first senatorial district ; and Doctors McFarlane, Downey (afterwards governor of the state), Thos. Foster, T. J. White, R. T. Hayes, Winston, Cullen, and others ; and during the '50s and '60s and later, many others too numerous to mention.
Mr. Barrow's friend, Mr. Moulton, who came to Los Angeles in 1845, informed him that he knew two other doctors who practiced here for a short time between '45 and '49; one of them a Frenchman, who went to San Diego with Doctor Griffin to assist him in treating the wounded soldiers, and who, Doctor Griffin said, was a first-class surgeon; and an American named Keefe. The Frenchman's name has been forgotten.
From "California Pamphlets," on page 42 of the Centennial History, we excerpt the following item, which is of interest in connection with the above :
For physician in 1850 has W. B. Osborne, A. P. Hodges, W. W. Jones, A. W. Hope and Overstreet; in 1851 John Brinckerhoff, Thomas Foster and J. P. McFarland; in 1852, James B. Winston and others. Dr. J. S. Griffin returned to reside here in August, 1854. Dr. Richard S. Den was a physician esteemed highly, prior to 1843. Doctor Osborne was a native of New York, came to California in 1847, in Colonel Stevenson's regiment. He put up the first drug store in 1850, which was followed by that of McFarland and Downey in 1851. Our first daguerreotypes were taken by him and Moses Searles, August 9, 1851. He often acted as deputy sheriff- impossible to recount his various functions ; a most useful man anywhere --- friendly among his neighbors, of intelligence and public spirit. He was the projector of the famed artesian well near the hill on the west side of the city. It reached the depth of 780 feet, but was abandoned by the com- pany for want of funds. The third drug store was that of A. W. Hope, September, 1854 ; the fourth of Dr. Henry R. Myles, in 1860; then Winston
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& Welch-Dr. J. C. Welch; then Dr. Theodore Wollweber, 1863. The first dentist was J. W. Gaylord. Dr. J. C. Welch died August 1, 1869; he was a native of South Carolina. Doctor Hope was born in Virginia ; died in the year 1855.
On page 273 of the publications of the Historical Society of California is an account of some eccentric characters of early Los Angeles, one of whom, named William Money, among numerous other accomplishments, was also a "doctor" and an author of a medical work as well. Particular attention is called to his statement published in a newspaper of Los Angeles in 1855 that his book, "The California Family Medical Instructor," con- tained a list of 5,000 patients who had been under his care, of whom only four to his knowledge died while under his treatment-a statement suffi- ciently suspicious to make one think him related to some of the originators of modern-day "isms."
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