USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Dedham > History of Dedham, Massachusetts > Part 33
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The "safety" bicycle which made its appearance in 1888 was of tremendous importance to women. It did not take long to devise a safety bicycle for women when the new type appeared. For the protection of long skirts a wire-net mesh was provided to make sure that the skirts could not get entangled in the chain. Soon after 1888 many women were seen riding bicycles on Ded- ham streets.
DEDHAM POLO CLUB. This club was formed in 1887 with Samuel D. Warren, Herbert Maynard, Frederic J. Stimson, Perci- val Lowell and William F. Weld as charter members. Although the membership was limited to twenty-four, yet the club has in- cluded many members who have filled important places in the world. Over the fireplace in the dining room hung the club coat- of-arms in colors of red, green and gold. The design was by Mr. Frederic J. Stimson, and showed a quartered field with crossed mallets and balls, a snorting pony, and a recumbent player in the quarterings. The club motto, "Tombe mais Remonte," was in- scribed on the face of the shield. The first polo game in Massa-
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chusetts was played in Dedham in 1887. The members at first leased the rooms in the westerly part of the High Street club house. In 1894 the club completed the purchase of the building and the grounds. The first play was on the Nickerson Meadow and this ground served for some three years, until the Rodman field opposite the old club house was procured. In 1891 Mr. Samuel Warren opened to the club a beautiful new polo field on his estate, Karlstein, bordering the Charles River. The location was ideal and the grounds all that could be wished-ideal not alone for the teams that fought out many a game on its greens but from the point of view of the village folk who could view the games both from the field and from the river-in the latter case resting off shore in their canoes. For sixteen years polo playing went on at Karlstein, many visiting teams trying out its fine turf. Here Harvard College teams came to practise for several years. Lead- ing matches with the "yellow shirted players bending low over their mounts" never lacked an audience, and have often been wit- nessed by thousands of spectators, many of whom had an appre- ciation of the game. In 1904 the Dedham Polo Club joined the United States Polo Association and were active away from home playing at Meadow Brook, Myopia, Rumford, Saratoga, Narra- gansett Pier and Brooklyn, winning a majority of these matches. In 1900 the first team of Messrs. Allen Forbes, E. M. Weld, W. H. Goodwin and Joshua Crane, Jr., won at Brooklyn, New York, in the presence of an enormous crowd, the Senior Championship of the United States. Besides holding annual horse shows in Ded- ham, the Club, each year, sent entries to the larger Horse Shows. At one New York Show, Dedham sent on three ponies and carried off all the prizes for polo ponies that year-a great event for Dedham. The game today is kept alive largely through the un- selfish interest and enthusiasm of B. Nason Hamlin and W. Cam- eron Forbes, who bring out young new players in their determina. tion to continue Dedham's unbroken years of polo.
NORFOLK HUNT CLUB. This Club was organized and hounds purchased in 1885 with Joseph Balch of Dedham, Master. A seventy-five acre farm on Center Street in Dover which had been used as an "Experimental School" under Dr. Fernald was purchased in 1891. A Club House, kennels and other buildings were erected and this beautiful estate became the home of the
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Norfolk Hunt Club. The annual reception given to the farmers over whose acres the hounds ran was an event to which they looked forward with pleasant anticipation for many years.
ANIMAL RESCUE LEAGUE. This League was founded in Boston by Mrs. Huntington Smith in 1899. Going about the streets in the poorer sections of the city, Mrs. Smith saw so many sick, deserted, unwanted animals wandering the streets, and feel- ing it would harden children's hearts to see such sights daily, and being obliged to pass by on the other side because of a lack of a shelter, Mrs. Smith interested herself in the matter with the re- sult that the Animal Rescue League of Boston was established with a membership of one hundred and ten. In 1907 property was purchased on Pine Street, Dedham, and a Branch of the League established for the care of poor, worn-out horses, a hu- mane work which has continued through the years.
ATHLETIC SPORTS. Franklin Square, the very attractive spot of green in the midst of the town has been the scene of many ball games in the past. However, as the game developed, larger fields were required. Sixty-five years ago the boys had a base- ball club which was known as the "Winthrops" who played on a pasture lot beyond Mr. White's house on East Street. Ball play- ing was frequently enjoyed upon the fields of owners who were willing to allow public use to be made of such land. A record is here given of a game that took place at a time when the ball was thrown at the runner between the bases to put him out. The score is here appended-that the present generation may know what a real ball game was like in the early days of the game. Thayer 4 runs, 2 outs ; Kelley 4 runs, 1 out; Hurley 3 runs, 3 outs; D. Rafferty 5 runs, 1 out; B. Coleman 5 runs, 1 out; T. Rafferty 4 runs, 2 outs; 6 innings. Masks were not invented then, so a cap pulled well down over the eyes had to do duty for a mask.
VELOCIPEDES. When the velocipede excitement struck Dedham, a little room in the Masonic Hall Building was hired and became a velocipede rink, where the youth of the town tried to ride these new wracking contraptions whose wheels had only an iron tire and every jounce was very distinctly felt up the spine of the victim who assayed to learn the thing. Later Temperance Hall became a velocipede rink and here many leading citizens
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rode round and round to the music of a piano and cornet; later roller skates took the place of the velocipede.
ITALIAN ORGANIZATIONS. The first Society was organ- ized July 10, 1905 under the name of Principe Piedmonte, its ob- ject being to benefit the sick and establish a death fund of $200.00 among its members. The following are recorded as members of this Society: Luigi Porazzo, Pres., Michele A. Massarelli, Dom- enico Mazzoca, Pasquale DiMarzo, Celestino Coccia, Onofrio Cam- panelli, Cosimo Salemme, Michele Colombo, Celestine DiStaula, Giovanni Nolfi, Nicola DiPietro, and Antonio Colombo. After six months the Society disbanded because of the death of its presi- dent-Luigi Porazzo. On August 13, 1915 the Society was re- organized largely through the efforts of Ralph Nolfi who was chosen its President. The Dedham Italian Societies July 16, 1920 joined the National organization known as the "Sons of Italy in America." This was made possible through the efforts of Joseph Carpino, Carlo Civita, and Joseph Iadonisi. The order is non-sec- tarian, non-partisan. Its members, however, swear to uphold the Constitution and laws of the United States, to respect the duly constituted authorities and to support patriotic institutions and ideals.
THE DEDHAM BOYS JUNIOR LODGE NO. 48 was organ- ized under the Lodge motto: Liberty-Equality-Fraternity, Oc- tober 12, 1933 with the following charter members: Michael Cocci, James Barbuto, and John Capozzi. Louis Cieri was appointed Supervisor and Michael Araby as Assistant Supervisor.
The Junior Division of the Massachusetts Grand Lodge of the Order of the Sons of Italy in America was created that the child- ren of Italian ancestry may become better acquainted with the ideals of their forefathers and so that they, who are the men and women of tomorrow, may carry on with credit to the race, from which they derive their origin, and at the same time become good American Citizens.
THE FLORENTINE CLUB. This club was organized under the motto "Sempre Avante" (always leading forward) on Monday evening, October 1, 1934 by women of Italian ancestry living in Dedham. The purposes of the club are social, civic, and charitable. The social life of the young people will have special attention, and
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in charitable work, needy Italian residents will have first atten- tion. In its civic work it will endeavor to interest its members in the conduct of governments. The following constitute the first board of officers: President, Miss Carmela DeFalco; Vice-presi- dent, Miss Esther Mucciaccio; Treasurer, Mrs. Angela Callelo; Corresponding Secretary, Miss Teresa DeBenedictis; Recording Secretary, Miss Louise Campagne.
CHAPTER XXII THE PROFESSIONS
INTHE first doctor was Henry Deengain, who signed the Dedham Covenant September 10, 1636 and had an early house here. He is also found in Watertown, Boston and Roxbury. He prob- ably made his later home in Roxbury where he died December 8, 1645. In his will made December 8, 1645, he gave to the school at Dedham "£3 to be paid out of his house and lands there."
In the absence of a doctor the Rev. John Allin not only visited the sick, but probably gave advice in illness as in most early com- munities the minister was the only doctor the people had. For many years women exclusively superintended the birth of child- ren. Doctors did not practise obstetrics during the first century and a half. The remedies first used in sickness were the simples carried by Joshua Fisher, the village inn keeper.
The second physician was Dr. William Avery, who in 1680, donated £60, for the support of a Latin School in Dedham. He removed to Boston. His practise in accordance with the times was probably "ridiculous and distressing." We of the 20th century who have at our command, physicians and surgeons, who by education and training have the best scientific knowledge, with skill in its administration, cannot realize the conditions which existed in the early settlement of Dedham. Doctors had no knowl- edge of anatomy or physiology, their practise consisted of a mix- ture of superstition, philosophy and astrology. The remedies used were often revolting. Governor Winthrop's favorite remedy for the plague, small pox, all sorts of fever, poison, either by way of prevention or after infection was as follows: In the month of March take live toads, as many as you will, put them into an earthern pot so it will be half full, cover it over with a broad tile, or iron plate, then overwhelm the pot, put charcoal around it, and in the open air set it on fire and let it burn out and extinguish itself. When it is cold take out the toads and in an iron mortar pound them very well until they become a black powder. Of this give a dram, and let the patient sweat. For prevention half a
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dram will suffice. Moderate the dose according to the strength of the patient.
The founders of Dedham were subject to the diseases common to New England, coughs, colds, lung fever (pneumonia), slow fever, measles, scarlet fever, typhoid fever, dysentery, scurvy and small pox .* Tuberculosis soon developed in the New England cli- mate. In coming to the new World the pioneer settlers did not wholly desert the customs in which they had been brought up. To them God was constantly and directly supervising the affairs of men. They connected every calamity with their present sin. So fast days proclaimed by ecclesiastical or civil authority were common in Dedham for many years. As late as the ministry of the Rev. Jason Haven fast days were observed on account of his sickness. August 29, 1775 was a "Parish Fast on account of the mortal dysentery." Dr. Ames' Diary contains many records rela- tive to prevailing diseases. During the prevalence of small pox in 1776, a Public Fast was held on August 1st.
Some of the diseases mentioned above, especially small pox and typhoid fever, through preventative medicine have been largely wiped out in our present civilization. Small pox for cen- turies was a terrible scourge. At the period when Dedham set- tlers left England hardly an adult person was seen or heard of, who had not had small pox. After the introduction of inoculation in England, in 1717, it made rapid progress. People preferred to have a doctor deliberately give them a mild form of the disease as a protection against a severe attack. In 1731 a law was passed in Massachusetts to prevent persons concealing small pox and requiring a red cloth to be hung out in all infected places.
Inoculation of small pox was introduced into America during the small pox epidemic ** in Boston in 1721, through the efforts of the Rev. Cotton Mather and Dr. Boylston although some op- posed it because it "interfered with God's plan." The city then had a population of eleven thousand, there were five thousand nine hundred and eighty-nine small pox victims during the epi- demic, of whom eight hundred and ninety-four died, a proportion of about one to seven. Dr. Nathaniel Ames of Dedham was an ardent advocate of inoculation and was himself inoculated in
* Eight died of small pox in 1776; and 8 of dysentery in 1795.
** The Selectmen declined to call a special town meeting on November 27, 1721, because of the small pox and the fear of further suffering from the disease.
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1764. Small pox was epidemic in Dedham in the summer and fall of 1776. On July 7, Dr. Ames was licensed by the Selectmen to inoculate for small pox. On July 8 he went to Boston and pro- cured "variolas matter" and on the same day commenced the practise of inoculation which he continued for many months. Among those whom he inoculated were his brother Fisher-the statesman, and many prominent citizens including several physi- cians and hosts of people from within and out of the state. On July 26th the Selectmen established a hospital which was in charge of Dr. Ames. By September patients were coming by the coach load from Providence, where it is presumed inoculation was not practised as Dr. Ames agreed on September 23, 1777 to open a hospital at Narragansett. Among his patients was a daughter of Governor Sessons of Rhode Island. Many citizens of Dedham died from the disease* including Ebenezer Battle and Samuel Shuttleworth. On September 3rd the Court then in session sus- pended the hospital and eight days later licensed the houses of Fisher, Colburn and Battle for the practise of inoculation. Dr. Ames immediately turned to Needham for the location of a hos- pital, but seems to have failed to get the approval of the authori- ties. As there was a constant arrival of patients by the coach load from Rhode Island, and some even from Connecticut, it is pre- sumed that the inhabitants found the presence of a hospital ob- jectionable. On February 14, a committee of the town waited on Dr. Ames and requested him "to cease the practice of inoculation." Small pox was prevalent in Dedham in 1792 and the town again licensed inoculation. Dr. Ames records, "Six houses of small pox patients to visit daily is so fatigueing that I cannot turn out to my women patients at night."
In 1796 Dr. Jenner of England discovered vaccination, which soon entirely took the place of inoculation. Vaccination was first made known in America by Dr. Benjamin Waterhouse of Cam- bridge, one of the early officers of the Marine Hospital Service. He obtained some vaccine virus from England and vaccinated his
* Doctor John D. Fisher of Dedham while visiting those who had the small pox and varioloid diseases at Paris, procured a French artist to execute paintings at the bedside of the patients under his immediate care, to illustrate the appearance of these diseases in all their stages. He engaged to furnish physicians with a copy of the paintings, by publishing a series of engravings made from the original paintings. The most eminent physicians recommended this work as most needed and of great usefulness to practitioners; a service which reflected great credit to so young a man as Dr. Fisher.
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own son on July 8, 1800, thus performing the operation in this country for the first time. Vaccination spread rapidly in America. Dr. Ames was an early follower of Dr. Waterhouse. On October 19, 1800, only one hundred and three days after the first vaccina- tion in America, Dr. Ames vaccinated L. Parsons and Samuel Gay "with kinepox which," as he records, "in six days works like small pox, headache, soreness of axilla, inflamed arm, etc., etc., prevents taking small pox. I have full faith." On October 31, 1800, he wrote, "The people are yet infidels in the blessing of cow pox or kine pox. They cannot yet realize the security against small pox." When Dr. Jeremy Stimson settled in Dedham in 1807, he adver- tised that he would inoculate for the cow pox and that he had "fresh and good matter." Physicians took the virus, on the point of quills, from the arms of healthy children.
Epidemics of influenza prevailed throughout the colonies at various times from which Dedham was not exempt. In 1747 in- fluenza raged and again in 1761 and 1781. It was soon observed to leave a tendency to the development of pulmonary consump- tion. One of the great causes of the spread of disease were flies and mosquitoes with which the inhabitants had to contend. No one dreamed of these as highly dangerous carriers of infection. Our present method of preventing the spread of typhoid, and the group of fevers which flourish in the summer and fall, depends upon our knowledge of the bacterial origin of these diseases. There were few bath tubs in Dedham families before the period of the Civil War. Bathing during the winter months as late as 1850 was thought actually dangerous.
Dr. Nathaniel Ames, senior, is the third doctor of whom we have knowledge. He was born in Bridgewater in 1708 and settled in Dedham in 1732. He married Mary Fisher, a granddaughter of Joshua Fisher, who inherited the tavern property which was afterwards known as the Ames Tavern. Dr. Ames probably gained his medical knowledge through a preceptor as was the custom of the times. His practise was largely in bleeding and purging. The distinguished Dr. Rush wrote that "the higher grades of fevers depend upon the morbid and excessive action of the blood vessels. The effect of blood-letting is as immediate and natural in remov- ing fever as the abstraction of a particle of sand is, to cure an in- flammation of the eye, when it arises from that cause."
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Dr. Ames was a man of acute and active mind and in connec- tion with his practise was the author of Ames Almanacs which he published for forty years. He had high standing as an al- manac-maker and had the honor of a call from Benjamin Frank- lin, on October 12, 1763.
Dr. John Sprague who graduated from Harvard in 1737 was a Dedham physician and had the distinction we are told of being one of the nine graduates of Harvard to become physicians pre- vious to 1750. He was in practise here in 1792.
Dr. Nathaniel Ames, junior, succeeded his father in the prac- tise of medicine and was a successful physician for more than a half century. He united school teaching with his early practise and later was the clerk of Dedham Courts. Dr. Ames graduated at Harvard in 1761, and his course probably included some in- struction in medicine. He commenced his practise as a physician August 17, 1761 with the following entry in his diary "Began the Practice Phy. by bleeding a Taylor in the Foot." Although physi- cians in his day knew nothing of urine analysis or of blood exam- ination and many other things common in the practise of today, yet, he recognized the fact that the practise of medicine was some- thing more than the giving of drugs. He wrote in 1764, "If the Art of Physick consisted in the knowledge only of medicines & their virtues then any Apothecary would be the best Physician." In Dr. Ames day temperature was not recognized unless severe. The physician judged a patient's condition by feeling of the pulse. While most of the medicines given were harmless in their nature, they were extremely violent in their action. Dr. Ames probably knew little of the structural changes produced by disease and nothing at all in regard to the chemical and functional alterations resulting from disease. He was out-spoken against quacks and with other physicians took steps to promote regular practise. February 11, 1766 he records: "Dr. Lincoln called to apologize for stooping so low as to practise with a certain quack named Ephraim Ware who came as soon as my Father dyed & endeavored to suc- ceed him in ye practise of Physk in Dedham." Dr. Ames was sensitive to criticism. In 1766 he wrote: What a Stock of Patience need I have, calmly to hear the false & slanderous Report of hav- ing put a little Hyberniam into a Salivation in a Pleurisy not being able to draw off any blood in V. S. altho she bled 3 times as freely
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as I desire any Person to in the same circumstances. Dr. Ames built and occupied the house now owned by the First Church of Christ Scientist on High Street in 1772. The late Erastus Worth- ington said of Dr. Ames: He was a man of uncommon acuteness as an observer, a student of varied tastes, fond of investigation, especially in scientific matters, of a quaint humor, strong in his prejudices and altogether a man of great originality and force. Dr. Ames died July 22, 1822, at the age of 81. The practise of medicine in Dr. Ames' day was not a remunerative profession. November 22, 1779 he made an entertainment and got in return eighteen loads of wood in which ten engaged in cutting. In the feast the following supplies were used, one sheep, three geese, four fowls, three quarts of rum, with beer and cider. As the years went by the profession had an increasing number of com- petitors including, in the early years of 1800, three or four physi- cians.
Dr. Jeremy Stimson practised his profession here during a period of more than sixty years. He was born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, where his father was an esteemed physician. Dr. Stimson graduated at Harvard College in 1804 and doubtless stud- ied the theory of medicine with his father. The degree of doctor of medicine was not conferred by Harvard until 1811. Dr. Stim- son did not therefore receive his degree in course, but the honor- ary degree of M. D. was conferred upon him by Harvard College in 1852. He was a leading and successful practitioner in Dedham and vicinity during the term usually allotted to two generations of men. He was esteemed in his profession as a physician of excellent attainments, skillful and of sound judgment, qualities which brought him in frequent service in consultation. He was a man of kind heart and warm sympathies.
In 1852, when cholera raged in New York, with several hun- dred deaths, Dedham took early measure to prevent the spread of the disease in the town. At a meeting held on August 4, the citizens voted, "that it is the duty of each citizen and householder to see that his premises are thoroughly cleaned, and that they and each of them be requested to attend to that subject accord- ingly." Voted, that a committee of six be chosen to examine the premises of the citizens and house holders of this village, and such others in other parts of the town as they may think neces-
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sary, with the consent of the occupants, and see that the fore- going vote be carried into effect so far as practicable.
Early in eighteen hundred Dr. Jesse Wheaton, a native of Dighton, was a practitioner in Dedham. He entered into business relations with George Dixon in the manufacture of proprietors medicines of which "Wheaton's Itch Ointment" was widely adver- tised. Dr. Wheaton later had a residence, office and drug store on Court street.
Dr. Elisha Thayer was born in Braintree, September 15, 1785. His father was a stone cutter by trade which occupation he fol- lowed for many years. Dr. Thayer remained at home working with his father until he attained his majority. It is said he ham- mered the steps of the Norfolk County Courthouse in the town where he afterwards practised as a physician. Dr. Thayer spent four years in studying for his profession with Dr. Jonathan Wales of Randolph. In 1815 Dr. Thayer having practised for several years in Vermont, settled in the South Parish and in 1819 removed to Dedham Village where he purchased the practise of Dr. Nath- aniel Ames. He practised his profession until 1833 when he was appointed the Dedham postmaster by President Jackson. Dr. Thayer was fond of music and his descendants through two gene- rations have distinguished themselves as musicians in Dedham. While in Randolph, he organized a band and has the distinction of being the first band master in Norfolk County.
Dr. Danforth P. Wight was born in Dedham, February 8, 1792. He graduated at Harvard in the class of 1815. After re- ceiving medical training he spent some years in Maine, but subse- quently practised his profession in Barnstable, Massachusetts. In 1842 Doctor Wight returned to Dedham where he continued to practise until 1864 when he returned to the home of his ancestors on High and Westfield streets. He was a man of exten- sive observations and always retained an interest in the current events of the times. In his profession Dr. Wight was judicious and attentive and his very presence was a panacea for imaginary ills. He compiled the genealogy of the descendants of Thomas Wight, one of the early Dedham proprietors.
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