Brian Altonen, MPH, MS

John Kennedy Bristow practiced medicine when nearly all of the alternative or “irregular” forms of medicine were out there for him to learn. 

So exactly what sort of doctor was John Bristow?

The following materia medica suggests he was  Eclectic.   The fact that his medicines include several Thomsonian medicines, more so during his first two years of practice, suggests he was initially trained in this philosophy and continued to practice it for years to come.  A review of the ledger and vade mecum also suggest this was probably his first medical education, followed by education in Eclectic medicine, mostly in some informal fashion since he no longer returned to school.  Still later in his life, his interests took on the popularization of gymnastics and exercise, and the earliest forms of weight-lift training to establish a strong following in the United States.  Bristow engaged in this form of preventive health care due mostly to the influences of his brother-in-law, who served during the Civil War and upon his return helped finance and initiate this new healing philosophy. 

A review of the census data for 1850 shows John Bristow was residing with a physician who was training his in this practice.   This mentor was Edmund G. Browning, who had just learned Thomsonian a year or two earlier and was fully devoted to this healing faith due to his strong Christian like philosophy and long term goals in life.  In 1852.  John Kennedy Bristow and Edmund Browning became a part of the overland trains to Oregon.  Once in Oregon, Bristow reinitiated his work as a doctor in 1857.  Browning from that point on served his new community almost solely as a healer of the soul, devoted to the Baptist faith.   Both Bristow and Browning shared their anti-allopathic nature throughout their life together.  Due to their sanative interpretation of health and disease, and the role of the doctor in the healing process, neither ever really took on any of the practices of allopathy or promoted the allopathic teachings. 

A LISTING OF MATERIA MEDICA FOR BRISTOW’S RECIPE BOOK

–A–

Alcohol

Alder (Alnus serratula)

Alantin

Aloe

Alum

Ammonia/Ammonium

Aqua Ammonia

Asafoetida  (Ferula assafoetida)

–B–

Balmony (Chelone glabra)

Balsam Copaiba (Myroxylon copaifera)

Balsam Fir

Bandages and Compresses

Bayberry    (Myrica spp., i.e. Myrica gale L., M. cerifera L.,    M. carolinense Mill.; Alternatively: Sweet Bay/Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis L.))

Beef Gall

Beeswax

Belladonna (Atropa belladonna L.)

Beth Root   (Trillium spp.)

Bitter Apple

Bitter Hickory    (Carya spp., esp C. amara, C. porcina;    Hicoria glabra (Mill.) Brit.))

Bitter Root (var.)     

Bittersweet

Black Briar

Black Cohosh  (Caulophyllum thalictrioides)

Black Oak  (Quercus spp., esp. Q. nigrum)

Black Pepper (Piper nigrum)  

Black Root (Leptandra virginica (L.) Nutt. (Culver’s Root)) 

Black Snakeroot

Blood Root (Sanguinaria canadense)

Bloodwort (var.)

Blue Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa)

Blue Flag (Iris spp., esp. I. florentina L., I. versicolor L.)

Blue Scullcap     (Scutellaria spp., esp. S. lateriflora L.)

Bluestone (Cupria sulphis?)

Blue Vervain  (Verbena hastata)

Blue Vitriol (Cupria sulphis)

Boneset (Eupatorium perforatum)    

Borax

Brandy     

Brown Sugar

Burdock (Arctium lappa L.; A. minor Schk.()

Butter

–C–

Camphor (Cinnamomum camphora (L.) T. Nees & Eberm)

Canella alba

Capsicum (Capsicum spp., esp. C. fastigiatum Bl., C. frutescens L.)

Carbonate Ammonia

Carduis benedicta (Holy Thistle/Blessed Thistle (Centaurea benedicta))

Castor Oil

Catechu (Areca catechu)

Cayenne (Capsicum spp., esp. C. fastigiatum Bl., C.   frutescens L.)

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.; alt. Anthemis cotula)

Cherry (Prunus/Cerasus spp.)

Chlorite Potash 

Chlorate Potassium

Chloroform

Cicuta (Cicuta maculata L.; Cicuta virosa L. (European      variety))

Cider

Cloves (Eugenia aromatica (L.) O. Kze., not Berg.)

Colchicum Seed (Colchicum autumnale L.)

Columbo     (Jateorrhiza palmata; Alternatively Frasera     carolinensis (American Colombo))

Composition (powder)

Compound spirit lavender  (see Lavendar) 

Consumption Root (id?)

Currier’s Oil

Crabapple

Cramp Bark (Viburnum opulus)

Cream of Tartar/Tartar

Crossvine (Tecoma radicans; alt. Bognonia crucigera L.)

Croton Oil (Croton tiglium L.)

Culver Root; Culver’s Physic (Leptandra virginica (L.)      Nutt.)

Cypripedium (Cypripedium spp.)

–D–

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis)  

Dogwood (Cornus spp., esp. C. florida L., C. canadensis L.)

–E–

Elaterium

English horse bean (Parkinsonia aculeata? Aesculus sp.?)

Essence/Essential Oils

Essence/Essential Oil of Anise

Essence/Essential Oil of Coffee

Essence/Essential Oil of Lemon

Essence/Essential Oil of Pennyroyal

Essense Peppermint

Essence/Essential Oil of Sassafras

Essence/Essential Oil of Spearmint

Essence/Essential Oil of Tansy

Essence/Essential Oil of Wintergreen

Ether, Sulphuric

Extractum

Extract of Belladonna

Extract of Blodgetti

Extract of Carduis (benedicta)

Extract of (Ext.) Cicuta

Extract of Cinchona

Extract of Colocynth

Extract (fluid) of Spigelia

–F–

Feather

Fir

Flannel

Flaxseed

Fluid Extract of Spigelia

–G–

Gelseminum

Gentian

Gin   (see Holland Gin)

Ginger

Glycerine

Goldenseal  

Grapevine 

Greek Polemonium?

Ground Ivy

Guaiac  (see Gum Guaiac)

Gums

Gum Aloes 

Gum Ammoniac

Gum Arabic

Gum Camphor

Gum Guaiac

Gum Myrrh

–H–

Holland Gin=

Honey

Honeysuckle  See Lubin’s Extract of…

Hops

Horehound

Hydrastin(e)  (see Goldenseal)

Hydriate Potash (?)

Hypophosphites

–I–

Ictodes

Indian Turnip

Iodide/Iodine medicines

Iodide of Lead

Iodide of Potassium

Iodine

Ipecac

Iron  

–L–

Lady Slipper

Lard

Laudanum

Lavendar, Compound Spirit (of)

Lead

Leather

Lemon

Lime

Linen

Linseed Oil  (see also Flaxseed)

Lint

Liquorish

Loaf Sugar  (see Sugar)

Lobelia

Logwood

Lubin’s Extract of Honeysuckle

–M–

Macrotin

Mandrake

Marshmallows

May Apple

Meconin

Milk, (Sweet)

Mint

Molasses

Morphine   

Mullein

Muriatic Acid    

Mutton

Myricin

Myrrh  

–N–

Nervine

Nitrate of Potash

Niter

Nitric Acid

Number 6

Nutmeg

–O–

Oils, Aromatic/Essential

Oil of Chenopodium

Oil of Cloves

Oil (of) Hemlock

Oil of Lavendar

Oil Monarda

Oil Oreganum (Oil of Oregano)

Oil Peppermint 

Oil sassafras    

Oil Spike

Oil of Terebinth

Oil Turpentine   (see Spirits Turpentine, Turpentine)

Oil of Wintergreen

Oils, Seed

      Oil, Croton

Oils–see Sweet Oil

Oregon Grape

–P–

Papaver/Poppy

Partridge Berry

Peach

Pennyroyal

Pepper

Peppermint (see Spirit of Mentha piperita)     

Peru Bark   (see Quinine)

Pleurisy Root

Podophyllum peltatum

Podophylline

Podoph. Peltatum             

Podophyllium Peltatunm (sic) 

Poke Root

Poplar

Potash Salts (see Nitrate of Potash)

Prickly Ash

Prussiate of Iron

–Q–

Quassie    

Queen of the Meadow

Quinine

–R–

Red Lead

Red Precipitate

Red Raspberry

Rhubarb    

Robins plantain

Rose water

Rosin

Rum

Rusty iron (see iron)

Rye

–S–

Sage

Salt

Saltpeter

Salts of tartar  )see Tartar, Tartaric Acid)

Santonine  An

Sassafras

Serviceberry

Smartweed  

Soap

Sour Dock

Sorrel

Spearmint

Spigelia (see Fluid Extract of Spigelia)

Spignet

Spikenard

Spirits

Spirits Turpentine

Sugar      

Sugar Lead

Sulphate (of) Zinc

Sulphur    

Sulphuric Ether

Sumack

Sweet Milk

Sweet Oil

Sweet Spirit of Nitre

Sweetened Water

Syrup

Syrup of Mentha piperita (Peppermint)

–T–

Tallow

Tamarack (Larch)

Tannin

Tansy

Tar

Tartar

Tartaric Acid  (See Tartar)

Tinctures

Tincture of Catechu?

Tincture of Cayenne

Tincture (of) Myrrh

Tincture of Lampti?

Turpentine

–U–

Unicorn

Uva Ursi   

–V–

Valerian

Valerian, Greek

Venice Turpentine

Vinegar    

Virginia Snake Root

Vitriol

–W–

Wafer Ash  

Wahoo

Water

Wax

Whiskey

White Dogwood (bark)

“white of one egg”

White precipitate

White sugar

White lard

Whitethorn 

White Vitriol

Wild Cherry

Wild Ginger

Wild Rose

Wild Sage

Willow

Wine

Wintergreen

Witchhazel

–Y–

Yarrow

Yellow Dock

“Yellow of an egg”

Yellow Parilla?

–Z–

Zinc