History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 53

Author: Durant, Samuel W
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Fariss
Number of Pages: 920

USA > New York > Oneida County > History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 53

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Thus it was that homoeopathy regarded the forces of human organisms in their normal or abnormal conditions. It did not propose to create or destroy, only to modify and control. Homeopathy simply implied, in its true philo- sophical interpretation, the conservation of the entire forces of human organism in medical practice, just as the philoso- phy of forces in the material universe claims the conserva- tion of every grain or fraction of a grain of the material analyzed by the chemist, just as the dynamization of drugs implies the conservation of their specific forces as distinct individualities, whether carried to the tenth or ten-thou- sandth potency.

It implied, also, the correlation of the forces of dynamized drugs to those of human organisms in disease.

It was a very uninviting field for allopathic thought to explore. But, be it remembered, there was no visionary idealism justly chargeable upon the pioneers of homoeopathy

in Oneida County. They were most emphatically matter- of-fact men. They did not regard practical homoeopathy as a mere do-nothing affair, as affirmed by its opponents,- like the expectant system out-cropping some years before from allopathy.

It involved the stern necessity of an intelligent compre- bension of the fundamental laws of life forces in human organisms, in their abnormal as well as normal conditions. It was, consequently, a very exhaustive labor the liome- opathic practitioner had to perform in treating his first cases of acute diseases. No previous experiences in allopathy, no thought, however intensified (subjectively ), could meet the exigencies of the occasion, independent of therapeutic antecedents verified by the homoeopathic law of cure.

Hence the early practitioners in Oneida County generally carried with them in their daily visits to the sick Hull's "Jahr," or some other standard work of that character. It is, therefore, proper to suppose that many, if not all, the early advocates of this system of medical practice were sound philosophical thinkers. Like the pioneers of home- opathy all over the country, most of them were from the allopathic ranks and were graduates of allopathic colleges.

The pioneers of homoeopathy had but few books,-no current literature, no State patronage, and no richly-en- dowed institutions to commend them to popular favor ; but were dependent entirely upon the healing effects of their medicines, and the truth of the laws by which they were administered. From these effects people were led to be- lieve that the laws of homoeopathy were deduced from facts as immutable as the laws of God, and that its plii- losophy was as profound and certain as the philosophy of the laws and forces of organic matter. The philosophy and practical details of the new system, briefly narrated above, but only partially developed and imperfectly under- stood at that time by the pioneers of homoeopathy, indicate the quality of mental activity and moral stamina which the exigencies of the new era demanded.

It is due, therefore, not merely as a matter of etiquette to the pioneers of homoeopathy, but to truth, science, and philanthropy, to respect and highly esteem these men for their intelligent manliood, and to make some historical records of their early labors and their persecutions in this conflict of true medical science with the errors of past ages.

The new philosophy of the forces of dynamized drugs, independent of quantitative appreciation, having been ac- cepted as the basis of practical homoeopathy, it was boldly and fearlessly affirmed that these forces had a potency in subduing acute disease-inflammation for example-in human organisms never before realized, never before at- tained by the most heroic allopathic treatment. .

The details and generalization of homoeopathic thera- peutics were soon assumed as postulates of the new law of cure, and this, too, with but limited post-factum confirma- tion in the matter of personal observation. The inference is plain, therefore, that more than mere professional popu- larity was at stake; for if these assumptions were but visionary idealities, as affirmed by allopathists, then human life would be largely sacrificed by this great folly and fool- hardiness. To treat discases, especially of the inflammatory

# Prepared by C. E. Chase, M.D.

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type,-such as in common parlance are called pleurisies, in- flammation of the bowels, lungs, etc.,-without general and local blood-letting, without cathartics, without calomel and antimony, was regarded by many allopathists as an indictable offense before our civil tribunals, legitimately involving a ver- dict of guilty of manslaughter. But this virulent antagonism to howœopathy was not confined to the allopathic medical profession, neither exclusively to the unlearned or ignorant. Men of more than ordinary literary culture, men who were acute thinkers and sound logical reasoners, were frequently its most bitter opponents. It may seem incredible, in view of the present status of homeopathy, that in some localities of this county the conventional proprieties of even refined and intelligent communities were barely sufficient to pre- vent open violence upon homoeopathic physicians. It may seem incredible that the spirit of persecution against the early advocates of this system was closely allied in character to that of religious intolerance in the seventeenth century, as recorded in history. It may seem still more incredible that vigilance committees were gravely hinted at in sotto voce for the protection of those whom allopathic physicians said must be bled, and take physic, or die.

Probably no physician in this county has a larger expe- rience in these matters than Dr. Munger, of Waterville. Nevertheless, the population embraced in Dr. Munger's circle of professional business was highly intelligent, in- cluding many persons of more than ordinary literary cul- ture and civic popularity. Many of this class (his patrons while an allopathist) were for a time bitter opponents of the new philosophy of infinitesimals.

As a matter of history, however, it is due to Dr. Munger to say that he boldly, fearlessly, and successfully met the issue single-handed for a time, and was instrumental in converting many from the error of their allopathic ways and, like other bomcopathists later in the field, in saving a multitude from death.

Whether Dr. Munger, Dr. Humphrey and son, Dr. Wells, Dr. Raymond, Dr. Stewart, and others, at an early period of their therapeutic experiences, were fully aware of the profound and abiding philosophy of the dynamization of drugs, especially the conservation of their specific forces in high potencies, as recognized at a later period, may be questioned.

In the winter of 1843-44, Dr. E. Humphrey opened an office in Utica for the practice of homoeopathy. In 1844- 45 he was joined by his son, Frederick Humphrey. The details of their successful labors in that city will be found narrated in their biographies on a succeeding page of this sketch.

Drs. Raymond and Stewart formed a copartnership and opened an office in Utica about 1850, and were associated in business until the death of Dr. Stewart. Drs. Hum- phrey and Wells commenced practice in partnership in 1851, and continued together two years. Dr. Pomeroy formed a partnership with Dr. Wells, in Utica, in 1853. They were together two years, after which Dr. Pomeroy remained in Utica until 1861, when he removed to Detroit, Mich., where he is now in practice. Pure homoeopathy, key-note and the conservation of the specific individuality of the powers of dynamized drugs in high potencies, was

prospectively accepted by them at an early period of their medical practice. It may be due in some measure to Dr. Munger's early experience in this direction that others, later in the field, werc greatly strengthened in their faith in the efficiency of drugs in the higher potencies.

The rapid change in public sentiment in the city of Utica which followed the above partnership was due, de facto, to their curing a multitude of sick people. But the reasons why they were thus successful so early, when homeopathy was comparatively unfledged, must be attrib- uted, in large measure, to their exhaustive study of the pathogenesis of drugs, and their intelligent comprehension of the recently-discovered law of cure. Dr. Stewart's early decease placed upon Dr. Raymond the responsibility and labor of practically demonstrating the truth of the new law of cure, unaided by the counsels and wisdom of his estimable partner.

Dr. Stewart, of Clinton (from the allopathic ranks), greatly excelled in diagnosis and pathology. He was ret- icent and unaggressive, kind and gentlemanly in his inter- course with his professional brethren. With his ample store of antecedents as a basis for subjective thoughts, especially in matters of diagnosis and pathology, it was somewhat hazardous for one to express an opinion widely different from his, under a prospective verification by an- topsy. In illustration of his peculiar mental characteristics and professional abilities, the following-some of his early experience in homoeopathy-is offered not merely as a just tribute to his memory, but as confirming the idea of the general intelligence of the pioneers of homoeopathy in Oneida County.

The sudden death of Mr. R., of Paris, Oneida County, which followed the administration of a single dose of medi- cine (five pellets, sixth centesimal) by Dr. Stewart, in bis early practice of homoeopathy, created for a time the wildest excitement in the allopathic ranks of this locality. The facts, briefly stated, are the following: Mr. R. had been under allopathic treatment six or eight months for various assumed chronic difficulties. At times the liver was deemed at fault, then the stomach, then the nervous system " was run down." Then " Mr. R. had no particular disease about him ; spring or early summer, with its mild weather, and journeying, would bring him up all right." Under these circumstances Dr. Stewart prescribed for him in May, giving him a single dose of medicine at nine o'clock P.M. In about half an hour after Dr. Stewart left, Mr. R. said to his wife (after somewhat laughing chit-chat about little pills), " I will now turn over on my right side and go to sleep, and see what will come from the little pills by morn- ing." He did so, but his wife soon noticed an important change in his breathing and general appearance ; her hus- band was apparently dying; respiration was laborious, and the entire surface of the body was livid. He died the next day.

It would require a good-sized octavo volume to record all the anathemas, threats of prosecution for manslaughter, and general abuse meted out to Dr. S. by allopathic phys- icians aod the enemies of homoeopathy in general. The wicked, contemptible swindle, homeopathy, was used up. In this hurricane of indignation Dr. S. maintained his

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characteristic reticence ; uttered no speech in his defense, merely assuring friends and foes that he gave Mr. R. only a single dose of medicine, containing not more than the one-hundred-thousandth part of a single grain of any mate- rial except the sugar of milk, used as a vehicle. He de- manded a post-mortem examination of the body. The writer of this article was present and assisted in the autopsy.

The homeopathic physicians present were Drs. Stewart, Stebbins, and Bishop. The allopathic physicians were Drs. Babcock, Bligh, Knight, Budlong, Barrows and son, and. May. Dr. Babcock requested Dr. Stewart to state bis views in regard to the cause or causes of the sudden death, and also to name the drug he had administered,' Dr. Stewart declined to name the drug, as Dr. Babcock had questioned the truth of his assertion that the dose was an infinitesimal one.

Dr. Stewart would commit to writing his diagnosis and pathological views, in his first and only visit, if all other physicians who had been 'consulted would do the same. The proposition was accepted, and the record was made by Dr. Stebbins. Dr. Bligh, his attending physician, stated that for some weeks before Dr. Stewart was called he had given him but little medicine; thought him improving slowly ; had been dyspeptic; there was some fault in the liver ; hut the man was better when he saw him last. . He did not think there was any local disease of a serious char- acter, and expected that warm weather would restore hint to comfortable health. He was strongly of the opinion that Mr. R. would have been living, and as well as when he saw him last previous to his death, but for the dose of homeopathic medicine Dr. Stewart had administered.

The written opinions of the other allopathic physicians were substantially the same. Dr. Stewart believed there had been for a long time a quantity of purulent matter contained in a membranous sac, occupying some portion of the left cavity of the chest, or in some way confined within certain limits, so that respiration had not been seri- ously obstructed thereby. In regard to the direct cause of his sudden death, Dr. S. thought that on Mr. R. turning over in bed, as reported, soon after taking the medicine, this sac or membrane was ruptured ; consequently the larger portion of matter therein contained was diffused through the general cavity, thereby producing the symp- toms as reported, and causing his death. Furthermore, that the left kidney was seriously discased; to what extent could not be positive ; possibly in a state of suppuration. After these preliminaries the post-mortem examination followed.

On making the necessary cuttings for uncovering the lungs a large quantity of purulent matter escaped, so offen- sive that every physician instantly left the room except Dr. May and Dr. Bishop. The quantity was estimated at three pints. On reaching the left kidney, that organ was found suppurated, having the appearance of a semi-transparent sac full of purulent matter. With extreme caution this sac or suppurated kidney was removed without rupturing. The contents were like cream. As this report was not designed to describe, in minute detail, the various phe- nomena revealed in the examination, this simple statement

of leading facts in the case must suffice for a more elaborate description of morbid phenomena.

The first homoeopathic medical organization in existence in Oneida County was the Old Central New York Homce- opathic Medical Society, the first meeting of which was held at Mechanics' Hall, Utica, in June, 1849 ; present Drs. Samuel Stewart, Leverett Bishop, J. L. Kellogg, E. A. Munger, N. Stebbins, F. Humphrey. At this meeting a society was formed, and a committee was appointed to draw up a constitution and by-laws. The second meeting was held at Lennebacker's Hall, Utica, January 7, 1850 ; pres- ent, Drs. E. A. Munger, S. Stewart, L. Bishop, J. L. Kel- logg; L. B. Wells, N. Stebbins, F. Humphrey, Lyman Clary, E. T. Richardson. At this meeting the constitution was adopted. The subsequent meetings were held at Syra- cuse for several years, until it was reorganized. It now holds quarterly meetings at Syracuse.

The Oneida County Homoeopathic Medical Society was organized October 20, 1857. The homoeopathic physicians of the city of Utica held an informal meeting at the office of Dr. L. B. Wells, October 6, 1857, for the purpose of taking the preliminary steps for the permanent organization of a county homoeopathic medical society. It was decided to invite the homoeopathic physicians of Herkimer County to unite with their professional brethren of Oneida County in organizing a society, and Dr. Thomas F. Pomeroy was requested to issue a call for a meeting to be held for that purpose, at the mayor's office, in the city of Utica, Tues- day, October- 20, 1857; present, Drs. Pomeroy, L. B. Wells, J. C. Raymond, and W. H. Watson. In compli- ance with this a call was issued to the homeopathic physi- cians of both counties. ·

First Meeting of the Society .- The first meeting was held at the mayor's office, in Utica, October 20, 1857, the following physicians being present : Drs. John A. Paine, L. B. Wells, J. C. Raymond, W. H. Watson, Thomas F. Pomeroy, H. E. Dykeman, of Utica; E. A. Munger, of Waterville; H. M. Paine, of Clinton ; and W. B. Stebbins, of Little Falls. On motion of Dr. Watson, a temporary organization was effected by the appointment of Dr. J. A. Paine as chairman.

Dr. J. C. Raymond stated the object of the meeting to be the formation of a county homoeopathic medical society, in accordance with an act of the Legislature, passed April 13, 1857.

Drs. Watson, Raymond, and Munger were appointed a committee to prepare a constitution and by-laws for the society.

Dr. E. A. Munger was the first president, Dr. Stebbins the first vice-president, and Dr. Pomeroy the first secretary and treasurer. -

The biographies of the early pioneers of homoeopathy in Oneida County are full of interest, but we have space for only a short abstract of them. The physician who had the honor of first introducing homeopathy into Oneida County was Dr. Erastus Humphrey. He was born at Canton, Conn., in 1784, and received his diploma from the State Medical Society of Connecticut in 1808. He was asso- ciated with his preceptor, Dr. Solomon Everest, for two years, and then removed to Marcellus, Onondaga Co., N. Y.,

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in 1810. He at once assumed a prominent position in the profession in that county, and from thence removed to Auburn, Cayuga Co., N. Y., in 1823. Here he enjoyed a large practice, and was regarded as one of the most in- fluential and skillful medical men of his day. He was several years president of the Cayuga County Allopathic Medical Society, and was for some years surgeon of the Auburn State-prison. In 1840, Dr. Horatio Robinson came to Auburn, having some knowledge of homoeopathy, and a stock in trade consisting of a small round paper snuff-box, in which were eleven vials of homoeopathic pel- lets, caeh vial about the diameter of a goose-quill and -one and one-half inches in length ; also a copy of Dr. Epps' " Domestic Homeopathy." He explained to Dr. Humphrey what he had heard and some things which he had seen of the new practice. He failed, however, to in- spire Dr. Humphrey with any confidence in the system, and the subject was dismissed for a time. Dr. Humphrey having urgent business in New York, and Dr. Robinson being entirely without business, the latter was left tem- porarily in charge of the business of the former during an absence of three weeks, without any intimation that. homeopathy would be introduced or experimented with. No sooner, however, had Dr. Humphrey left than Dr. Robinson, having sent to Dr. A. Beigler, then practicing homeopathy in Albany, for another book, Dr. J. Jeans' " Practice of Homeopathy," and a new stock of medicines, opened fire on all comers with the little pills. When Dr. Humphrey returned, it was to find a crowd of patients at his office, and homoeopathic pellets in great demand on every side. Among the patients, he had left two children of an influential family, who had been carried through scarlet fever according to the usual mode of practice, and had been left in a very low condition from the sequelæe of that disease. They had now been under homoeopathy, as thus crudely practiced, for three weeks, and yet, instead of dying, they had actually improved, and were getting well.

Here was a fact that served as a starting-point for Dr. Humphrey, who thence was led to investigate and adopt it in his practice, and from that period never again gave a dose of allopathic medicine in his life. He very soon in- troduced the practice into the hospital of Auburn Stato- prison, of which he was then surgeon, and his report to the State-prison inspector the following year served to direct public attention still further to the new system.

In that report, which is believed to have been the first introduction of homoeopathy in any public institution in this country, he showed that the average number of deaths in the hospital of some 700 to 750 convicts from year to year had been twelve to fifteen. That for a year under home- opathic treatment the deaths had been but five, and for the last seven months of that year there had been no deaths; thus establishing the fact that homoeopathy was not only useful among children and nervous women, but among con- victs and stalwart men as well.

Dr. Humphrey was at that day the most eminent medi- cal convert who had embraced the homeopatbic faith in that section. His large experience, his wide professional and social influence, and his able forensic powers, made

him one of the champions of the new faith whom it was hard to match and difficult to overcome.

He went to Syracuse in 1842, being the first to open a homeopathic office in Onondaga County.

In 1843 he removed to Utica, Oneida Co., being the pioneer of homoeopathy in that city. He remained in practice in Utica until 1847, when he removed to New York, being succeeded by his son, Dr. F. Humphrey, and Dr. Samuel Stewart. He died in 1848, from the effects of a sunstroke, while engaged in the effort of founding a homeopathic hospital.

Dr. Erastus A. Munger was born in Copenhagen, Lewis Co., N. Y., Feb. 12, 1813. He commenced the study of medicine with Dr. S. G. Haven in Waterville, and having attended one course of lectures in the Fairfield Medical College, and a private course in Auburn, in the spring of 1834 he obtained a license from the Allopathic Medical Society, of Oneida County, and commenced practice in Sanquoit. In the fall of the same year he entered the Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, and graduated in March, 1835. He immediately commenced practice in Waterville, and, excepting a few months, that has been his field of labor for, thirty-five years. He became convinced of the superiority of homoeopathic practice in 1843,, and early in the fall announced himself a convert to that system. Among Dr. Munger's more particular professional friends were Drs. Palmer, N. Stebbins, of Waterville ; Stewart, of Clinton ; Kelly, of Bridgewater ; Barker, of Madison ; and Brown, of Marshall, each of whom, believing he was sacrificing a good practice, as well as his professional rep- utation, used every argument in their power to dissuade him from his purpose, and where argument failed, ridicule, and even abuse, in some cases, was resorted to; but stand- ing firmly by his convictions, he had the satisfaction, within two or three years, of welcoming every one of them into the homoeopathic ranks.

Dr. Munger helped to organize the Oneida County Home- opathic Medical Society, and was its first president. He was elected president of the New York State Homoeopathic Medical Society in 1864. In 1872 he was appointed by the Regents of the University a member of the State Board of Medical Examiners, but was obliged to resign, from being unable to attend the stated meetings of the board.

Leverett Bishop, M.D., was born in Guilford, Conn., in 1791, and removed to Paris, N. Y., in 1808. He began the study of medicine in 1812, and in 1815 received a diploma from the censors of the Oneida County Allopathic Medical Society. He was commissioned by the Governor of the State of New York as regimental surgeon at Sacket's Har- bor in the fall of 1814, before receiving his diploma. He spent one year practicing in the vicinity of the Oneida Indians, and in 1816 removed to Sanquoit, Oneida Co., where he has been professionally engaged ever since. He was elected president of the county society in 1859.

He first became favorably impressed with homoopathy through Dr. Babcock and Dr. Douglass, of Hamilton, in the winter of 1843-44. He next received aid from Dr. E. Humphrey, who furnished him with an outfit of home- opathic medicines and books. From this time he never

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in a single instance used the crude drugs to which he had become accustomed during twenty-five years' practice as an allopathic physician.

He is still living at Sanquoit, and has never been pre- vented from attending to his professional business by sickness more than a day or two at any one time.

Frederick Humphrey, M.D., son of Dr. E. Humph- rey, was born at Marcellus in 1816. For some time he was engaged in the duties of the Methodist ministry, but in 1841 he became acquainted with homoeopathy, and in the winter of 1844-45 he came to Utica, and engaged in practice with his father. In 1847 he formed a partner- ship with Dr. Samuel Stewart, of Clinton. He is the author of several valuable works on medical subjects, and in 1853 was elected Professor of the Institutes of Homoo- pathy and of Theory and Practice in the Homoeopathic Medical College of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia. He fermed a partnership with Dr. L. B. Wells in 1851, and in 1853 removed to New York.

During the eight years of his practice in Utica he had the satisfaction of seeing the system of homeopathy firmly built up and established in that city and vicinity ; a large number of the most influential families became its adherents and supporters. The power and influence of old-school physicians was broken, his own practice became the most extensive and lucrative in the community, and the system was placed on a vantage-ground eminent and secure.

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History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 53

Author: Durant, Samuel W Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Fariss Number of Pages: 920

Author: Durant, Samuel W
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Fariss
Number of Pages: 920