The Midwest pioneer, his ills, cures, & doctors - University Library ...

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special use of students he published in Cincinnati in 1834
a synopsis of his lectures, Notes of Lectures on the Theory
and Practice of Medicine, delivered in the Jefferson Medical
College, at Philadelphia. A third edition appeared in Philadelphia
in 1840.
In 1850 Dr. Drake published the first volume of his
A Systematic, Historical, Etiological and Practical Treatise,
on the Principal Diseases of the Interior Yalley of North
America as They Appear in the Caucasian, African, Indian,
and Esquimaux Varieties of Its Population. Drake's work
was, as he said, "an attempt to present an account— etiological,
symptomatical, and therapeutic— of the most important
diseases of a particular portion of the earth. ."
. .
To present such a complete account it was necessary for the
causative physical factors of diseases to be studied— the
character of soil, climate, temperature, and food in various
regions. Likewise habits of the people had to be examined,
and finally the prevailing diseases and treatments had to
be investigated.
As early as 1822 Drake had sent out an appeal to physicians
of the Middle West and South requesting information
on geographic and medical conditions peculiar to their particular
locality. Questions such as were sent by a committee
(Drs. Samuel Brown, Richardson, and Drake) to "Physicians
of the Western and Southern States and especially to
those of Kentucky" serve as a sample of Drake's early
method of coverage:
"1. At what time did the late epidemic commence and
terminate Was it preceded or succeeded by any unusual
forms of disease Did it appear to spare any particular
class of persons, or those of a certain age, or sex, more than
another
"2. What were its characteristic symptoms — Did they
vary in the progress of the epidemic Did they in any instance
manifest identity with those of the Yellou/ Fever
of our maritime Cities of the West Indies
What were the
morbid appearances upon the dissection of those who died
"3. What was the most successful plan of cure Was