Commonplace book, 1789., 1789. Digital
Scope and Contents
Contains text entitled "A Short Compendium of the Theory and Practice of Physick by way of question and answer," describing various organs and their functions. This may be an original work by Hastings or a transcription from a medical textbook. A section follows with prescribed treatment for specific patients but not their diagnoses. Also included is a note to Seth Hastings from Washington, D.C., on 24 June 1789, regarding a treatment for a Mehitable Blakely. She was taking cantharides, a substance obtained from the Spanish fly and generally used as an abortifacient or a stimulant in early medicine. The final section is a transcription of "Letters on the Malignant Sore Throat Distemper," written by Jacob Ogden (1721-1780) in 1769 and 1774.
Dates
- Creation: 1789.
Language of Materials
Collection is in English.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research. Access requires advance notice. Contact Public Services for further information.
Extent
0.31 cubic feet (1 letter size document box and one half legal size document box)Creator
- From the Collection: Hastings, Seth, 1745-1830. (Person)
- From the Collection: Hastings, Seth, 1780-1861. (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Center for the History of Medicine (Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine) Repository
The Center for the History of Medicine in the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine is one of the world's leading resources for the study of the history of health and medicine. Our mission is to enable the history of medicine and public health to inform healthcare, the health sciences, and the societies in which they are embedded.