History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

104 History of Medical Practice in Illinoisdaily for those of an inflammatory nature. The theory of its supposed successwas simple, namely, that the removal of blood carried from the body theinjurious agents of varying nature that were responsible for the symptomsof many diseases. The Illinois physicians of that period, as did all others,applied this mode of treatment almost universally as they had acquiredthe technic from the earlier doctors of the East. Dr. Samuel D. Gross, oneof our greatest surgeons of the last century, has commented on the methodsuccinctly as follows: 4"General bleeding may justly be regarded as standing at the head of the listof constitutional remedies for inflammation, as it is at once the most speedy andefficient means of relief. The blood is usually drawn from one of the larger veinsand is permitted to flow until a decided impression is made on the system. Itsvalue was not overestimated by the older writers when they designated it as thesummum remedium in the treatment of inflammation, and yet, strange to say,blood letting, notwithstanding the high rank which it has always occupied as anantiphlogistic agent, has of late fallen very much into disrepute, particularly onthis side of the Atlantic, where it once had so many advocates. A great changehas come over the profession in this respect within the last fifteen years, and issteadily gaining ground. . . . More quarts of blood were formerly spilt than ouncesnow. If we formerly bled too much, too frequently, too copiously, and too indiscriminately,it is equally certain, at least to my mind, that the operation is notoften enough resorted to at the present day. Many a deformed limb, blind eye,enlarged spleen, and crippled lung bear testimony, in every community, to thejustice of this remark. . . . The late Dr. Francis of New York while laboring undera violent attack of croup and tonsillitis was bled to the extent of nearly twogallons and a half in a few days. Such cases are remarkable as showing the wonderfulpower of endurance of the system, but they are not to be held up as examplesfor imitation of the practitioner."Infant mortality was appalling during the pioneer days. The diarrhealdiseases were largely to blame. There were many ideas concerning itsorigin. Some said it was due to paralysis of the nervous system by the severesummer heat; others supposed it to be entirely due to indiscretions in diet,neurosis, summer complaint or cholera infantum. In 1871, over 70 per centof totals deaths in Chicago occurred in children under five years of age. 1The year 1877 was a momentous one in Illinois medical history in threerespects. During that year the first lectures on bacteriology were given atthe State University at Urbana; the first workable law was put into effectregulating the practice of medicine, and the State Board of Health wasestablished. It will be recalled that the Illinois Territorial Government hadpassed a law in 1817, controlling the practice of medicine. Again in 1819,the new State Legislature passed a similar law for the same purpose butit was repealed at the next session. Another attempt in 1825 to providesatisfactory legislation was made but it met the same fate. From 1825 until4Gross, Samuel D.: A System of Surgery. Vol. 1. Henry C. Lea, Philadelphia, Pa. 1866.