_Quacks._
We are not without plenty of ignorant and impudent pretenders at the
present day; but the celebrated Mrs. Mapp, the bone-setter of Epsom,
surpasses them all. She was the daughter of a man named Wallis, a
bone-setter at Hindon, in Wiltshire, and sister to the celebrated "Polly
Peachem," who married the Duke of Bolton. Upon some _family quarrel_,
Sally Wallis left her professional parent, and wandered up and down the
country in a miserable manner, calling herself "Crazy Sally," and pursuing,
in her perambulations, a course that fairly justified the title. Arriving
at last at Epsom, she succeeded in humbugging the worthy bumpkins of that
place, so decidedly, that a subscription was set on foot to keep her among
them; but her fame extending to the metropolis, the dupes of London, a
numerous class then as well as now, thought it no trouble to go ten miles
to see the conjuror, till at length, she was pleased to bless the afflicted
of London with her presence, and once a week drove to the Grecian
Coffee-house, in a coach and six with out-riders! and all the appearance of
nobility. It was in one of these journeys, passing through Kent-street, in
the Borough, that being taken for a certain woman of quality from the
Electorate in Germany, a great mob followed, and bestowed on her many
bitter reproaches, till madame, perceiving some mistake, looked out of the
window, and accosted them in this gentle manner, "D----n your bloods, don't
you know me? I am Mrs. Mapp, the _bone-setter!_" Upon which, they instantly
changed their revilings into loud huzzas.
_Wadd's Mems., Maxims, and Memoirs._
_Dr. Radcliffe._
Among the many singularities related of Radcliffe, it has been noticed,
that when he was in a convivial party, he was unwilling to leave it, even
though sent for by persons of the highest distinction. Whilst he was thus
deeply engaged at a tavern, he was called on by a grenadier, who desired
his immediate attendance on his _colonel_; but no entreaties could prevail
on the disciple of Esculapius to postpone his sacrifice to Bacchus. "Sir,"
quoth the soldier, "_my orders are to bring you._" And being a very
powerful man, he took him up in his arms, and carried him off per force.
After traversing some dirty lanes, the doctor and his escort arrived at a
narrow alley--"What the D----l is all this," said Radcliffe, "your colonel
don't live here?"--"No," said his military friend,--"no, my _colonel_ does
not live here--but my _comrade_ does, and he's worth _two_ of the
_colonel_,--so, by G----d, doctor, if you don't do your _best_ for _him_,
it will be the _worst_ for _you!_"
_Duels._
Many medical duels have been prevented by the difficulty of arranging the
"methodus pugnandi." In the instance of Dr. Brocklesby, the number of
paces could not be agreed upon; and in the affair between Akenside and
Ballow, one had determined never to fight in the morning, and the other
that he would never fight in the afternoon. John Wilkes, who did not stand
upon ceremony in these little affairs, when asked by Lord Talbot, "How many
times they were to fire?" replied, "just as often as your Lordship pleases;
I have brought _a bag of bullets and a flask of gunpowder_."
_William Hunter._
Dr. William Hunter used to relate the following anecdote:--During the
American war, he was consulted by the daughter of a peer, who confessed
herself pregnant, and requested his assistance; he advised her to retire
for a time to the house of some confidential friend; she said that was
impossible, as her father would not suffer her to be absent from him a
single day. Some of the servants were, therefore, let into the secret, and
the doctor made his arrangement with the treasurer of the Foundling
Hospital for the reception of the child, for which he was to pay
190l.--The lady was desired to weigh well if she could bear pain without
alarming the family by her cries; she said "Yes,"--and she kept her word.
At the usual period she was delivered, not of one child only, but of twins.
The doctor, bearing the two children, was conducted by a French servant
through the kitchen, and left to ascend the area steps into the street.
Luckily the lady's maid recollected that the door of the area might perhaps
be locked; and she followed the doctor just in time to prevent his being
detained at the gate. He deposited the children at the Foundling Hospital,
and paid for each 100l. The father of the children was a colonel of the
army, who went with his regiment to America, and died there. The mother
afterwards married a person of her own rank.
_John Hunter._
Hunter was a philosopher in more senses than one; he had philosophy enough
to bear prosperity, as well as adversity, and with a rough exterior was a
very kind man. The poor could command his services more than the rich. He
would see an industrious tradesman before a duke, when his house was full
of grandees, "you have no time to spare," he would say, "you live by it;
most of these can wait, they have nothing to do when they go home." No man
cared less for the profits of the profession, or more for the honour of
it. He cared not for money himself, and wished the Doctor [his brother
William] to estimate it by the same scale, when he sent a poor man with
this laconic note:--
"Dear Brother,--The bearer wants your advice. I do not know the
nature of the case. He has no money, and you have plenty, so you are
well met."
"Yours, J. HUNTER."
He was applied to once to perform a serious operation on a tradesman's
wife; the fee agreed upon was twenty guineas. He heard no more of the case
for two months; at the end of which time he was called upon to perform it.
In the course of his attendance, he found out that the cause of the delay
had been the difficulty under which the patient's husband had laboured to
raise the money; and that they were worthy people, who had been
unfortunate, and were by no means able to support the expense of such an
affliction. "I sent back to the husband nineteen guineas, and kept the
twentieth," said he, "that they might not be hurt with an idea of too great
obligation. It somewhat more than paid me for the expense I had been at in
the business."
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