DR. HOLYOKE. The Medical Society of this District have
rendered an appropriate tribute of respect for the memory of
their venerated associate, the late Dr. E.A. HOLYOKE, by
publishing an elegant little volume, containing a memoir of
the deceased, prepared by a Committee of the Society, and a
few of his writings. We have selected from the latter the
following articles, which will interest the reader. The
first is an account of Dr. Holyoke's habits of life, diet,
&c., furnished by him in a letter to one of his friends; the
others are a historical memorandum and a fragment of the
Doctor's poetical effusions.
_To ---- ---- ---- Williamsville, Person County, North
Carolina._
SALEM, Oct'r--1828.
SIR,--I received yours of the 20th ult. on ye 30th, wherein
you wish me to give you some Account of my Mode of Life,
&c.--In answer to which I would first mention that I was
providentially blessed with an excellent Constitution--that
I never injured this constitution by Intemperance of any
kind--but invigorated it by constant Exercise, having from
my 30th to my 80th Year walked on foot (in the Practice of
my Profession)--probably as many as 5 or 6 miles every day,
amounting to more than a _million_[A] of miles, and tho'
sometimes much fatigued, the next Night's refreshing Sleep,
always completely restored me. In early life, between 20 and
30, I used to ride on Horse back, but being often pestered
by my Horses slipping their Bridles I found it more
convenient to walk.
As to my Diet, having been taught to eat of any thing that
was provided for me, and having always a good Appetite, I am
never anxious about my food, and I do not recollect any
thing, that is commonly eaten, that does not agree with my
Stomach, except fresh roasted Pork, which tho' very
agreeable to my Palate, almost always disagrees with me; for
which however I have a remedy, in the Spirit of Sal Amoniac.
Eight or Ten drops of Aqua Ammonia pura in a wine glass of
Water, gives me relief after Pork, and indeed after anything
else which offends my stomach. As to the Quantity, I am no
great Eater, and I find my appetite sooner satisfied now
than formerly;--there is one peculiarity in my Diet which as
it may perhaps have contributed to Health I would mention; I
am fond of Fruit, and have this 30 or more years daily
indulged in eating freely of those of the Season, as
Strawberries, Currants, Peaches, Plums, Apples, &c., which
in summer and winter I eat just before Dinner, and seldom at
any other time, and indeed very seldom eat any thing
whatever between meals.--My Breakfast I vary continually.
Coffee, Tea, Chocolate, with toasted bread and butter, Milk
with Bread toasted in hot weather, but never any meat in my
Life--seldom the same Breakfast more than 2 or 3 days
running. Bread of Flour makes a large portion of my Food,
perhaps near 1-2. After Dinner I most commonly drink one
glass of Wine--plain boiled rice I am fond of--it makes
nearly 1-2 of my Dinner perhaps as often as every other
Day--I rarely eat Pickles or any high seasoned
Food--Vegetable food of one kind or other makes commonly 2-3
or 3-4 of my nourishment--the condiments I use are chiefly
Mustard, Horse radish and Onions. As to Drinks, I seldom
take any but at meal times and with my Pipe--in younger Life
my most common draft was Cider, seldom Wine, seldom or never
Beer or Ale or distilled Spirits--But for the last 40 or 50
years, my most usual drink has been a Mixture, a little
singular indeed, but as for me it is still palateable and
agreeable, I still prefer it--The Mixture is this, viz. Good
West India Rum 2 Spoonfuls, Good Cider whether new or old 3
Spoonfuls, of Water 9 or 10 Spoonfuls--of this Mixture
(which I suppose to be about the strength of common Cider) I
drink about 1-2 a Pint with my Dinner and about the same
Quantity with my Pipe after Dinner and my Pipe in the
Evening, never exceeding a Pint the whole Day; and I desire
nothing else except one glass of Wine immediately after
Dinner the whole day. I generally take one Pipe after Dinner
and another in the Evening, and hold a small piece of
pigtail Tobacco in my mouth from Breakfast till near Dinner,
and again in the Afternoon till tea; this has been my
practice for 80 years--I use no Snuff--I drink tea about
sunset and eat with it a small slice of Bread toasted with
Butter--I never eat any thing more till Breakfast.
I have not often had any complaint from indigestion, but
when I have, abstinence from Breakfast or Dinner, or both,
has usually removed it; indeed I have several times thrown
off serious Complaints by Abstinence.--As to Clothing, it is
what my Friends call thin; I never wear Flannel next my Skin
tho' often advised to it, and am less liable to take cold,
as it is called, than most people--a good warm double
breasted Waist-Coat and a Cloth coat answers me for winter,
and as the season grows warmer I gradually conform my
Covering to it. As to the Passions, Sir, I need not tell you
that when indulged, they injure the Health; that a calm,
quiet self-possession, and a moderation in our Expectations
and Pursuits, contribute much to our Health, as well as our
happiness, and that Anxiety is injurious to both.
I had a good Set of Teeth, but they failed me gradually,
without Pain, so that by 80 I lost them all.
Thus, Sir, you have, blundering and imperfect as it is, an
answer to your Requests, with my best wishes that it may be
of any service to the Purpose for which it was made--But
must rely upon it that Nothing I have written be made public
in my Name.[B] Wishing you long Life and many happy Days,
I am Yours, &c.
E.A. HOLYOKE.
P.S. I forgot to speak of my repose. When I began the
practice of Physick, I was so often call'd up soon after
retiring to Rest, that I found it most convenient to sit to
a late Hour, and thus acquired a Habit of sitting up late,
which necessarily occasioned my lying in bed to a late Hour
in the Morning--till 7 o'cl'k in Summer and 8 in Winter. My
Business was fatiguing and called for ample repose, and I
have always taken care to have a full proportion of Sleep,
which I suppose has contributed to my longevity.
_Recollections & Memorandums of Past Events._
The first thing that I entirely remember was the funeral of
Aunt Oulton, which was on July 18, 1732.
The first Aurora Borealis I ever saw, the Northern or rather
Northeast Sky appeared suffused by a dark blood-red colored
vapour, without any variety of different colored rays. I
have never since seen the like. This was about the year
1734. Northern lights were then a novelty, and excited great
wonder and terror among the vulgar.
In 1737, Square Toed Shoes were going out of fashion; I
believe few or none were worn after 1737. Buckles instead of
Shoe Strings began to be used about the same time, but were
not universal in the country towns till 1740 or 1742. Very
broad brim'd Hats were worn as early as I remember. My
father had a beaver whose Brims were at least 7 inches;
which when he left off, I remember I used to wear in the
Garden, or in a shower, by way of Umbrella. They were all
cock'd triangularly. And pulling them off by way of
salutation was invariably the Fashion by all who had any
Breeding.
Boots were never worn except on horseback, or snowy or rainy
weather. They frequently had large broad Tops that reach'd
full half way up the Thigh. But Boots did not come into
general use till the close of the revolutionary war.
Funerals were extravagantly expensive. Gold Rings to each of
the Bearers, the Minister, the Physician, &c., were
frequently given when the family could but ill afford it.
White gloves in abundance, burnt wine to the company, &c.,
&c. This extravagance occasioned the enacting sumptuary
laws, which though they check'd did not entirely suppress
the complaints till the commencement of the revolutionary
war.
In 1749, it was reported the train band list of the town of
Marblehead was equal to that of the town of Salem. The
difference is now very great. I suppose Salem has at least
twice the number of Marblehead.
[1749.][C] The Houses (in Salem) were generally very
ordinary. The first handsome house was built by Mr. Jno.
Turner, then Col. Pickman, then Mr. J. Cabot, &c.
There was but one ropewalk, and that was on the neck, inside
the gate. But one tavern of any note, and that was an old
house at the corner now occupied by Stearns' brick store.
The Houses for public worship were only the old (first)
church--the eastern parish--the secession from the first
church--the Friends' meeting house, and the Episcopal
church.
The number of Inhabitants was estimated at between 5 and
6000.
The Commerce of this town was chiefly with Spain and
Portugal and the West Indies, especially with St. Eustatia.
The Cod fishery was carried on with success and advantage.
The Schooners were employed on the fishing banks in the
summer, and in the autumn were laden with Fish, Rum,
Molasses, and the produce of the country, and sent to
Virginia and Maryland, and there spent the winter retailing
their cargoes, and in return brought Corn and Wheat and
Tobacco. This Virginia voyage was seldom very profitable,
but as it served to keep the crews together, it was
continued till more advantageous employment offered.
There were a few Chaises kept by gentlemen for their own
use, but it was no easy matter to hire one to go a journey.
_Salem Observer._
[A] This seems to have been a slip of the pen; the following is his own
calculation, made in 1823, and which from his great degree of
exaggeration falls short of half the actual amount. "If from my age of
20 to 80 years I have walked 5 miles a day, which is a moderate
calculation, I must have gone in that 60 years,
109,500 miles.
And in the first 20 & last 15 years, 38,325