In difficult and laborious enterprises and marches, eating sparingly will enable you to bear them with less fatigue & less danger to your health.įlannel should be worn constantly next to the skin, especially in wet weather.
It should be obviated by the same remedy. Want of appetite is likewise a sign of approaching indisposition. When you feel it take one or more of the purging pills. Unusual costiveness is often a sign of approaching disease. Io these pre ventatives of disease may be added a gentle sweat obtained by warm drinks, or gently opening the bowels by means of one, two, or more of the purging pills. Also fasting and diluting drinks for a day or two will generally prevent an attack of fever. When you feel the least indisposition, do not attempt to overcome it hy labour or marching. Not long after the President had done so, Rush wrote back to say that he had furnished Lewis with “some inquiries relative to the natural history of the Indians,” and “a few short directions for the preservation of his health.” The latter present an interesting lesson in personal hygiene as it obtained early in the last century: Rush to advise Lewis on medical matters relating to the expedition. Living in the era of depleting remedies-purges, vomits, sweats, blisters-and of the bloodletting lancet, which was still by far the most-used medical instrument, Jefferson had good reason to distrust doctors.
Being often closer to disease and disaster than to doctors, he found it imperative to know such things.Īs Jefferson originally planned it, the expedition was too small to include a doctor but his willingness to entrust medical matters to Lewis and Clark was no doubt also inspired by his own lack of sympathy with the physicians of his day.
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Like Lewis, he carried in his head the usual frontiersman’s storehouse of medical information: how to set a broken limb or remove an imbedded bullet, how to cope with croup, dysentery, and a wide range of other ailments. Clark also had medical training of sorts. Lewis shared his mother’s interest in herbs and herb therapy and had acquired much of her knowledge. Lewis’ mother was a well-known Virginia herb doctor who had her own herb garden, grew and dispensed her own simples, and ministered regularly and faithfully to the sick of Albemarle County. This decision may have been made easier by his familiarity with Lewis’ family background. Rush also suggests that the President, who planned each step of the expedition with almost preternatural care, gave no serious thought at any time to engaging the services of a physician, being content to let Lewis and Clark handle whatever ills and miseries might befall the party. To lead this parly he had selected Captain Meriwether Lewis-who would, in turn, ask William Clark, the brother of George Rogers Clark, to share the demanding duties of command.
He will be in Philadelphia about 2 or 3 weeks hence & will wait on you.Īs Jefferson stated to Rush, he had just obtained from Congress the necessary authorization to send a party to explore the unknown reaches of the Missouri River and to find a route to the Pacific. For this purpose I ask the favor of you to prepare some notes of such particulars as may occur in his journey & which you think should draw his attention & enquiry. … It would be very useful to state for him those objects on which it is most desirable he should bring us information. Lewis my secretary will set out on it immediately & probably accomplish it in two seasons. Benjamin Rush, professor of the Institute of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the foremost American physician of his day:ĭear Sir: I wish to mention to you in confidence that I have obtained authority from Congress to undertake the long desired object of exploring the Missouri & whatever river, heading with that, leads into the Western ocean. On February 23, 1803, Thomas Jefferson wrote the following letter to Dr.
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