A MEDIC FORTYNINER: DR. REUBEN KNOX. 1849.
(Life and Letters of Dr. Reuben Knox. 1849-’51.) Edited by Charles W. Turner. McClure Press, 1974.
Preface to Analysis
Dr. Rueben Knox took to the trail
MATERIA MEDICA
Bathing
“Bathing the swollen part freely in whiskey and salt would be of service.”
For swelling due to rheumatism or infection?, p. 60
[Knox, 1849]
Blue Mass Pills
“some iron and Blue Mass Pills”
“Some iron and Blue Mass Pills I think you have on hand which I think the best for you if debilitated.”
for debilitation, p. 60
[Knox, 1849]
Butt’s Compound
“The Iodide of iron as mixed in Butt’s Compound Extract or Sandy’s…”
p. 60
[Knox, 1849]
Cantharides
cantharides Hair Tonic recipe [p. 43]
[Knox, 1849]
Carbonate of Iron
best precipitated carbonate of iron
“Quicksilver, 3 or 4 drachms of best precipitated carbonate of iron stirred briskly with an ounce of conserve of Roses.”
Iron Pills recipe, p. 43
The common carbonate of iron, that is powder,
“The citrate of iron for the children may be mixed one grain to each teaspoonful of water…The common carbonate of iron, that is powder, mixed with a little ginger sometimes answers a better purpose.”
citrate of iron, p. 60
[Knox, 1849]
Cayenne/Capsicum
Tincture Capsicum Hair Tonic recipe, p. 43
[Knox, 1849]
Cholera
This account of a case involving a Mr. Mason, who practiced homeopathy, is given, followed up with a description of the disease:
“I was called in haste to see him about 8 1/2 the night previous, as he was said to have a fit–found him with all the symptoms of the last stages of cholera strongly marked and although every exertion was made his pulse continued to sink until it became entirely imperceptible, although the vomiting and purging were checked in about one hour after I saw him. We were detained there half a day and farther on another half day so that we only travelled 4 days of that week.”
[pp. 48-49. June 16, 1850, “Camp 30 miles east of Scott’s Bluff”]
This letter continues with vivid descriptions of the cholera patients, some dead or near-dying, and he recounts briefly his attempts to treat them but gives no hint of the remedies he was giving the pioneers.
The next letter was written from “”Bitter Water” in camp near a cool spring Sabbath noon 23rd June 1850.” [p. 50-1] This letter signifies the high religious faith this doctor had and signifies his recognition that the cholera may be only under His control, and not the control of the doctors.
[Knox, 1849]
Cholera remedies–see Homeopathic Pills
Cinnamon
cinnamon
“2 drachms of the iron to 8 ounces of water, adding a little cinnamon or mint if desirable.”
citrate of iron, p. 43
[Knox, 1849]
Citrate of Iron
“2 drachms of the iron to 8 ounces of water, adding a little cinnamon or mint if desirable.”
citrate of iron, p. 43
“The citrate of iron for the children may be mixed one grain to each teaspoonful of water…The common carbonate of iron, that is powder, mixed with a little ginger sometimes answers a better purpose. Give what will lie on the point of a beaker (3 or 4 grains) or syrup.”
citrate of iron, p. 60
“citrate of iron if weak or feeble”
Follows the iron and Blue Mass Pill suggestion for debility.
Citrate of iron, for a “weak and feeble” state, p. 60
“citrate of iron as mixed for Betty…”
for treating James Bryan, p. 60
[Knox, 1849]
Climate and Weather
Monday Morning, September 23rd [1850]: Regarding Franklin:
“He appears in fine spirits and talks more of his future plans and wishes…He is in th emost perfect and robust health you can imagine, and has been greatly improved PHYSICALLY by his mountain life and exposure.”
p. 60
See Cholera, and Homeopathic Pills
[Knox, 1849]
Cod Liver Oil
“codliver oil”
For treating an undisclosed ailment, p. 66
[Knox, 1849]
Conserve of Roses
conserve of Roses
“Quicksilver, 3 or 4 drachms of best precipitated carbonate of iron stirred briskly with an ounce of conserve of Roses.”
Iron Pills recipe, p. 43
[Knox, 1849]
Ginger
ginger
“The citrate of iron for the children may be mixed one grain to each teaspoonful of water…The common carbonate of iron, that is powder, mixed with a little ginger sometimes answers a better purpose.”
citrate of iron, p. 60
[Knox, 1849]
Homeopathic Pills
“homapathetic remedies”
“After leaving Ft. Kearney where I wrote you we had a gloomy time indeed as the next day brought us in comtact with the cholera, which was and still is very severe along the route, the heavy dews, dense fogs and flooding rains so constantly occuring predisposes the system very strongly to this disease as it is impossible for any of us to keep dry at all time, and many are wet from morning till night and night till morning. For the week after writing you I think we had an average of 3 or 4 drenching rains every 24 hours and the roads were awfully muddy. On the morning of the 6th Mason, who had been ill with diarrhea 2 or 3 days, and relying upon his boasted homapathetic remedies, died.”
[Recount of an event, June 16, 1850, “Camp 30 miles east of Scott’s Bluff” p. 48]
This account of the case is followed up with a description of the disease:
“I was called in haste to see him about 8 1/2 the night previous, as he was said to have a fit–found him with all the symptoms of the last stages of cholera strongly marked and although every exertion was made his pulse continued to sink until it became entirely imperceptible, although the vomiting and purging were checked in about one hour after I saw him. We were detained there half a day and farther on another half day so that we only travelled 4 days of that week.”
[pp. 48-49. June 16, 1850, “Camp 30 miles east of Scott’s Bluff”]
[Knox, 1849]
“his favorite homopathic remedies”
Dr. Knox writes:
“We have encountered a great deal of cholera along the road from Ft. Kearney to this place…Have some 15 or 20 cases in my train, none of who have proved fatal except Mason who was relying upon his favorite homopathic remedies until [he] perfectly collapsed.”
This is followed by details regarding the geography of cholera incidence, noting “there is much less sickness ahead.”
[Note from Ft. Laramie, June 20, 1850 (p. 52-3) Knox, 1849.]
Identification of Mason and the source of his knowledge of homeopathy:
According to the editor of Knox’s letters, Mason was hired to lead the train. They departed the St. Louis area, providin insigyht as to where Mason developed his faith in homeopathic remedies.
Therefore look at history of homeopathic schools in the St. Louis and the jump-off sites.
[Knox, 1849]
Iodide of iron
“The Iodide of iron as mixed in Butt’s Compound Extract or Sandy’s…”
[Knox, 1849, p. 60]
See Tincture of Iodine.
Iodine–see Iodide of iron, and Tincture of Iodine.
Iron
IRON
“infuse a good stock of IRON into the constitution”
p. 22
iron
“2 drachms of the iron to 8 ounces of water, adding a little cinnamon or mint if desirable.”
citrate of iron, p. 43
[Knox, 1849]
See Carbonate of Iron, Citrate of iron, Iodide of iron.
Mercury [Quicksilver]
Quicksilver
“Quicksilver, 3 or 4 drachms of best precipitated carbonate of iron stirred briskly with an ounce of conserve of Roses.”
Iron Pills recipe, p. 43
[Knox, 1849]
Mint
mint
“2 drachms of the iron to 8 ounces of water, adding a little cinnamon or mint if desirable.”
citrate of iron, p. 43
[Knox, 1849]
Nitrate of Silver
nitrate of silver pills
“The man from Galena who has been unable to work for a year or more and had inflammation of the bowels for two years…”
nitrate of silver pills, p. 42
[Knox, 1849]
Salt
“Bathing the swollen part freely in whiskey and salt would be of service.”
For bathing recipes, perhaps for rheumatism or infection, [Knox, 1849, p. 60]
Sandy’s [Compound? Sarsaparilla?]
“The Iodide of iron as mixed in Butt’s Compound Extract or Sandy’s…”
p. 60
[Knox, 1849]
Tincture of Iodine
Tincture of Iodine
“a few grains of nitrate of silver, say 15 or 20 to an ounce of Tincture of Iodine.”
“…applied cautiously to the corn alone will generally cure.” p. 43
See Iodide.
Weather and Climate
See Climate and Weather.
See also Cholera, and Homeopathic Pills
Whiskey
“Bathing the swollen part freely in whiskey and salt would be of service.”
For bathing recipes, perhaps for rheumatism or infection,
[Knox, 1849, p. 60]
RECIPES
HAIR TONIC RECIPE
“1/2 ounce each of Tincture Capsicum and cantharides, 1 ounce of Tinct. of Galls and 6 ounces of Bay Rum. or Rose Water, or half of each as you please.”
[p. 43]
[Knox, 1849, p. 60]
IRON PILLS RECIPE
“The Iron Pills I gave you are composed of 1 drachm Quicksilver, 3 or 4 drachms of best precipitated carbonate of iron stirred briskly with an ounce of conserve of Roses.” [p. 43]
[Knox, 1849, p. 60]
ANALYSIS OF DR. KNOX’S LETTERS.
Brian Altonen, MPH, MS 