HISTORY OF HOMîOPATHY
AND ITS INSTITUTIONS IN AMERICA
By William Harvey King, M. D., LL. D.
Presented by Sylvain Cazalet
CHAPTER XXXIVBy Thomas Lindsley Bradford, M. D.
HOMîOPATHY IN MISSISSIPPI.
The Planting of Homťopathy in Mississippi by Dr. Davis - His Early Experiences - Growth of Hahnemann's System of Medicine in the State - The State Medical Society - Reminiscences and List of Early Practitioners.
Homťopathy was introduced in Mississippi about 1847 by Dr. Augustus Frederick Davis, a native of Kentucky, born in Washington, Mason county, in 1802. He graduated from Transylvania University in 1824, and began practice in Augusta, remaining there nine years. In 1833 he settled for practice in Natchez, but having soon become disgusted with the old school methods, he dropped it, went to Cincinnati in 1846, and under the guidance of Dr. Pulte took up the study of homťopathy. In 1847 he returned to Natchez, where he soon established a large practice according to the law of similars.
Such was the beginning of homťopathy in this state, and from it the later growth of the school here has developed. At no time, however, has the number of its practitioners exceeded eleven, in 1878, and in 1904 there were only four homťopathic physicians within the borders of Mississippi. But, notwithstanding the lack of numerical strength a state medical society was formed in 1889, under the name of the State Homťopathic Medical Society of Mississippi, and incorporated during the same year. Its constituent members were Drs. Eugene A. Guilbert, H. J. Coleman, J. C. French, A. O. Hardenstein, B. D. Chase, H. P. Cook, H. Bewlay and Jesse R. Jones, which represented about the strength of the profession in the state at that time.
As near as can be determined, the earliest homťopaths in the state were Dr. Davis, the pioneer, in Natchez ; Dr. Brown in Jackson ; Dr. W. C. Wren in Woodville ; Dr. J. B. Smith in Camden ; Dr. F. K. Hammond in Aberdeen ; Dr. H. J. Coleman in Rodney ; and Drs. Fegarden and W. J. Gibson in Fayette.
In relating his early experiences both as an allopath and as a homťopath, Dr. Davis said : "I landed here (Natchez) on the third of May, 1833. Cholera was prevailing as an epidemic. Having had some experience in the treatment of it in Kentucky I was better prepared to meet it than were the resident physicians. My success was such that in less than a year I had a large and lucrative practice. In 1837 we had yellow fever as an epidemic and I was taken down with it in September. I took a little calomel and quinine for two days, then abandoned medicines and let nature, untrammeled, do her own work. In a few days I was convalescent. Although I continued practice my faith in drugging was terribly shaken. In 1846 I had abandoned old school teachings and after a careful examination of the homťopathic system, I adopted it and announced to the public that I would treat diseases to the best of my ability in accordance with the homťopathic law. I was the first physician located in the lower valley of the Mississippi that proposed practicing homťopathy, with the exception of one in New Orleans, who died after a few months' residence. In 1853 Dr. William H. Holcombe came to my neighborhood to take charge of the family of Mr. Marshall, a large planter. He was stricken down with yellow fever and after his recovery his wife had the disease. I took them to my home, and afterward associated the doctor with me in practice." Dr. Davis died in Natchez, January 12, 1885.
The second of the pioneers of homťopathy in the state was Dr. William Henry Holcombe, who went to Natchez in 1852 and became Dr. Davis's partner. He removed from the state in 1855.
So strong was the confidence of the people in the skill of Drs. Davis and Holcombe that in 1854 they were appointed physicians and surgeons to the Mississippi State Hospital at Natchez, which was a large and well endowed institution. This is said to be the first hospital in the United States that passed from allopathic to homťopathic control. Dr. Kirby in an editorial at the time said that the trustees felt justified in the act by the successful treatment of yellow fever by the new school of medicine.
Another early practitioner in Natchez was Dr. Walter Stewart. He probably located there as early as 1855. He died in Natchez is 1863, at the age of forty-one years. Another homťopathic practitioner in the city previous to 1860 was Dr. J. Foster.
Dr. Martin Gilman introduced homťopathy in Port Gibson as early as 1853. He graduated from the New York University in the spring of 1846, and began practice is Jefferson county, New York. In 1848 his cousin, Dr. John Gilman, then practicing homťopathy in Columbus, Ohio, urged Dr. Martin to visit him and to investigate the new system of healing. He went, and became convinced. In 1849 he located in Lexington and accepted the chair of chemistry is the Memphis Medical Institute, and later held the chair of obstetrics. In the spring of 1853 he located in Port Gibson, where his success in the treatment of yellow fever won for him a distinguished reputation. He removed to Vicksburg in 1859.
In 1858 Dr. A. O. H. Hardenstein, who had been for several years an extensive traveler, located in Vicksburg, introducing homťopathy in that part of the state. He was a native of Greece, but was educated in Germany, receiving his medical diploma at the University of Berlin. In 1828 his duties took him into Russia to study the treatment of cholera, and an investigation of allopathy as applied to this disease proved that more than seventy-five per cent of the cases proved fatal. While in Russia he was led to investigate homťopathy by observing the cures wrought by the wife of a missionary, who had been a pupil of Hahnemann. On his return to Prussia he also became a student of Hahnemann and adopted his system. In 1836 he settled in New Orleans ; in 1840 went to Kentucky, and in 1849 to California. He practiced many years in Vicksburg, and died in that city, October 15, 1880.
Homťopathic physicians in Mississippi previous to 1870. The date preceding the name indicates the year the physician began the practice of homťopathy. The character * indicates that the practitioner originally was of some other school ; the character x indicates that the physician practiced medicine before the date given.
1857 Brown, Dr. x Jackson
1870 Chase, B. D. x Natchez
1870 Coleman, H. J. x Rodney
1847 Davis, Frederick A.* Natchez
1857 Fegarden, Dr. x Fayette
1857 Foster, J. x Natchez
1857 Gibson, W. J. x Fayette
1849 Gilman, Martin * Port Gibson
1857 Harper, T. J. x Vicksburg
1830 Hardenstein, A. O. H. * Vicksburg
1870 Hammond, F. K. x Aberdeen
1851 Holcombe, William H. * Natchez
1857 Smith, J. B. x Camden
1857 Stewart, Walter x Natchez Stewart, A. P.
1870 Wren, W. C. x Woodville
Copyright ę Sylvain Cazalet 2003