Genealogical notes of Barnstable families - citizen hylbom blog

8 GENEALOGICAL NOTES OF BARNSTABLE FAMILIES.
whim." The pathology of disease no one UDderstood better than
he, and that was the secret of his success. The great art of the
physician is to judge rightly, to read the character of the disease
in its symptoms. He that can do this is a good physician, foi' a
very simple man can prescribe safely if he know certainly the
character of the disease.
He prepared his own medicines, employing Mr. Edward
Childs to do the labor. For days and weeks together Mr. Childs
used the pestle and the mortar under his direction.
In politics he was doubtful— he took sides with neither the
whigs nor the tories. He avoided conversation on political sub-
jects, and no one could say with certainty to which party he belonged.
He suffered much pecuniarily by the depreciation of continental
money. One spring during the Revolution he sold a cow
for $30, and in the fall paid the whole sum for a goose.
Some years since 1 collected many curious anecdotes illustrative
of his character, but I have mislaid the paper and cannot now
recall them to memory. Dr. Thacher relates several : On a hot
day after chasing a flock of sheep, he sweat most profusely, and
pulling off his wig he said : "This is not strange, for 1 have more
wool on my back than the whole flock of sheep."
Mrs. Davis, widow of his brother, and another lady, proposed
making him a visit; greatly agitated at the proposition, he replied
: "Madame, I cannot have you here, 1 an sick, and my
wife is sick—I have no hay or corn for your horses ; and I have
no servants in my family, and I had rather be chained to a galley
oar than to wait on you myself."
Whenever anything vexed him the latter part of the above
quotation varied to suit the circumstances, was a common saying
with him. He usually repeated it in this form : '•! hud rather be
chained to a galley oar than to suffer such vexation."
He had a great coat made from seven calf skins, tanned and
prepared for the purpose by Mr. Joseph Davis, which he wore in
stormy weather. Huge cowhide boots, home made breeches, coat
and waistcoat, lined with baize, a shirt of the same cloth, and a
red buff cap. was his usual dress. If such an apparition should
now appear, he would be called insane. Clothed in this strange
and uncouth dress, no physician in Massachusetts ever had a more
extensive practice, and no one ever secured so completely as he
did the confidence of his patients. That he should have secured
the practice of the whole County, as stated by Dr. Thacher, and
as his will confirms, seems almost incredible, yet there is no doubt
of the fact. At that time obstetrics was not included in the practice
of the regular physician. A class of persons, known as midwives,
absorbed all that practice, many of whom were eminent in
their day.
Dr. Hersey could not have secured the practice of a region of