The practice of medicine has evolved so dramatically over the past two centuries; we are sometimes stunned by what our forefathers endured during the time of illness. Not the least of which is the father of our country George Washington.

During the eighteenth century or during and since the American Revolution, medical practice had its own specialties. For instance, child birth was almost exclusively handled by female lay person called a midwife. Many practitioners were not medical school graduates and some had no education at all. In fact, barbers often performed minor surgeries or applied splints to broken bones! Barbers also pulled teeth and did amputations with a tool of their trade, a razor. Others were a medical doctor’s assistant who learned the practice only by experience being directed by the trained physician. Even with medical school credentials (many of which were imported from England), some of their beliefs or theories might have caused more harm to the patient than good.

During Washington’s time, congressional recess was for a very necessary reason. And that reason was not to just go home and perform appearances in which to be reelected. It was because they must return home to care for their farms and family. Making a living was most important and government salary (if any) was not necessarily a burden on the taxpayer. This is because their farm or business must continue and their duty in the congress was virtually a contribution for the betterment of the country and the preservation of the rule of law.

In 1779 after the victorious end of the American Revolution, George Washington traveled by horseback to his home in Mount Vernon. The trip took a toll on this great man for he braved severe cold and rain. Washington’s farm was a substantial amount of land and crops which he controlled and supervised with great fervor. Though suffering from a very sore throat and fever he continued his farming duties until he fell very ill.

With great respect for Washington, the overseer came to his aid promptly. With a lancet or knife-like instrument he opened the president’s vein for the purpose of bleeding. This was quite a common practice in those days to eliminate ‘humors’ or the four fluids of the body contained in the blood. Those were phlegm, choler, black bite and of course, blood. It was believed to be a relief of fevers and is conducive to the general character of healthful recovery.

Experts were consulted and further bleeding was required, they thought. After collecting an estimated ninety six ounces of blood over the next few days, the father of our country George Washington died.

Medicines were often concocted from herbs and botanical plants suggested by ancient Indian remedies. Some are said to work well and others might curtail the experiment with almost instant demise. Subsequently, the original apothecary came into play. This was simply a person who chose plants or elements for the appropriate relief of the individual case. May apple, snakeroot, ginseng and witch-hazel were some of these. Even today, some of these remedies still prevail such as chalk, or calcium for heartburn and calamine for skin rashes.

An amusing story came from a distant relative, Doctor Bruner of Angleton, Texas. During the nineteenth century Dr. Bruner was summoned to a sick bed several miles away. Horseback was his only transportation so he had to endure one of the coldest winters known in those days. His feet were always cold so he rubbed his bare feet with red pepper. The family of the sick person expressed their amazement when Dr. Bruner showed up with his lace up shoes hanging over the saddle and his bare feet in the stirrups.

We continue to discover amazing results from plant remedies. Ironically, many of these were, and still are, found in the mysterious jungles of the Amazon River.

-Bob Jamison is a columnist for several publications. jbobalong@yahoo.com

George Washington’s birthday is February 22. If you happen to be in the neighborhood of Alexandria, VA on February 20, you can celebrate at his 280th birthday party at Mount Vernon Estate.