History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

262 History of Medical Practice in IllinoisDavid Prince of Jacksonville who stated: "I have taken some pains toascertain Dr. Phillips' claims for patronage as an optician and can unhesitatinglyrecommend him to those needing spectacles, or who are aboutto need them. I have also witnessed his treatment of chronic inflammationof the eyes and can assure the public that while his treatment is safe, it ismore than usually successful." Most interesting of all, however, is the firsttestimonial: "As far as my acquaintance with Mr. John Phillips extends,I regard him as a worthy gentleman, and very competent in his profession."This somewhat qualified and cautious endorsement is signed byA. Lincoln, President of the United States.In spite of favorable reviews of Mr. Dr. Phillips' book published in theChicago Medical Journal, Chicago Medical Times, Chicago Tribune andthe Prairie Farmer, the nature of the published testimonials would throwsome doubt on his ethical standing in the profession, which had expelleda member from the State Society for advertising in 1852. Thorough searchhas not revealed much further information as to the author of the book,who would appear to have come to Chicago the same year as Dr. Edward L.Holmes. Examination of the Chicago City Directories for the period revealsthat John Phillips was listed in various directories as "optician,""oculist and optician" and "oculist" from 1859 until his last listing in 1893,the only other information gleaned from that source indicating that he hadbeen born in England.In a paper on "The History of Ophthalmology in Chicago" deliveredbefore the Chicago Ophthalmological Society in 1917, Dr. Casey A. Woodmade the following comments: "... while early ophthalmology quiteproperly boasts of its prophets and martyrs who kept the faith yet it hadalso its Chevalier Taylors who, picturesque though they were, treated thepractice of medicine as simply a commercial proposition. We had such inthe early history of Chicago and I am tempted to refer to one who, while heshall be nameless here, is probably known, at least in a traditional way,to some of you. This man, half oculist, half optician, chose Chicago as hisheadquarters and made more or less regular journeys into the outlyingcountry for the purpose of fleecing the not unwilling inhabitants. He wasno peddler of cheap glasses but an aristocrat who moved about in firstclass style. He generally traveled from place to place in a coach-and-four,accompanied by all the equipment that properly goes along with thatmeans of locomotion. Occupying the best rooms in the best hotels and hisvisit heralded by effective advertisements, he was able to sell glasses madefrom his 'special form of quartz pebbles' whose action on the eyes was notonly mystic but marvelous. The frames of these wonder-working spectacleswere especially prepared for his patients and were engraved in the higheststyle of art. He generally advised his non-presbyopic patients to wear three