Page:A History of the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania.djvu/18

 as late as 1775, we find, in the “Pennsylvania Magazine” for April, the history of a malignant fever, attended with some new symptoms, in Sussex County, Delaware, by the Rev. Mr. Matthew Wilson, of Lewestown. The two avocations, however, occasionally interfered with each other, as is illustrated by the following incident: In a neighboring State, a theological physician was in the midst of his usual Sunday services when a message was conveyed to him that a negro girl was dangerously ill and needed his medical attention. Having no other means in the pulpit of giving his directions, he seized a hymn-book and wrote upon the fly-leaf, “Let the wench be blooded, and wait until I come.” The book is now in the possession of the clerical grandson of the clerical doctor, who in his day was an influential personage.

It must not be supposed that from the very commencement of the settlements there was the highest degree of skill, or consummate learning. The colonists, in the infancy of their establishments, were apparently satisfied with a moderate amount of professional competency. It is recorded that “Jan Petersen, from Alfendolft, was employed as barber (as surgeons were then denominated) on South River (Delaware) at ten guilders per month from the 1st of July, 1638.” At a little later period, we are told by Gordon that the salary of a secretary in New Sweden was eight dollars a month, of a barber ten, and of a provost six. He adds: “We must not infer from comparison of the wages of the secretary and barber, that the latter was most valued, though most appreciated. The first had doubtless the most honor, though the second had a greater compensation in base lucre.” When the Swedish possessions had passed into the hands of the Dutch, the Director of the colony at New Arnstel (afterwards New Castle), Aldricks, writes “that our actual situation is certainly very distressing by an ardent prevailing fever, and other diseases, by which the large majority of the inhabitants are oppressed and broken down; besides that, our