Every Man His Own Physician

Overview

Written by English physician John Theobald, M.D. and published in 1764, Every Man His Own Physician is a popular 18th-Century medical recipe book. It’s subtitle is: Being, A Complete Collection of Efficacious and Approved Remedies, for Every Disease Incident to the Human Body. With Plain Instructions for their Common Use. Necessary to Be Had in All Families, Particularly Those Residing in the Country. It was likely used as a substitute for the opinion of a physician, surgeon, or apothecary in England, and it contains an exhaustive list of remedies for various ailments. This specific copy of Every Man His Own Physician is notable for its unique binding, pins, and extensive annotations from various hands. It is housed in the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books, and Manuscripts at the University of Pennsylvania.

Historical Context

Medicine in 18th-Century England

In the mid-18th Century, England was developing its medical prowess, awareness, and education. Generational knowledge of disease outbreaks, infections, and treatment was critical in these advancements. Past epidemics like the Black Death and the Great Plague of London had decimated a significant portion of the English population in the 14th and 17th Centuries, respectively. While these events were detrimental to the lives of millions of Europeans, they also taught the surviving populations important information regarding the spread of infectious disease and its treatment. Contagion theory, the belief that some diseases could be transmitted from person to person by contact, was gaining in popularity and acceptance in the early 18th Century, yet physicians could not reach a consensus. Germ theory would not be widely accepted until the 19th Century.

Additionally, organized medicine was still in development. Hospitals existed throughout England but small towns often had less access to them. Instead, many small English towns and cities were serviced by privately practicing, often uncertified surgeons. Medical schools provided a rich liberal arts education and a wealth of medical knowledge to physicians but they were expensive. Uncertified surgery was a profession that was often passed through a family, and the entirety of a surgeon’s education often came from their parent’s instruction. These surgeons’ services were less expensive than trained physicians’ but their education and services were not as exceptional; many small towns still did not have access to many surgeons. Thus, small towns in 18th-century England had relatively poor medical treatment and relied on familial practices and remedies. People in large cities like London enjoyed increased access to hospitals, physicians, and surgeons.

Understanding Every Man His Own Physician

Examining the title page, one can discern several important pieces of information about Every Man His Own Physician. Firstly, this book was published in 1764. At the bottom of the page, the Roman numerals “MDCCLXIV” are listed; this translates to 1764. The book also seems to have been published in London, England, as denoted by “L O N D O N” running across the bottom of the page. The book was published by W. Griffin. It is said to have been printed in “Fetter-Lane,” which is a street in London. There isn’t any clear evidence that this book is copyrighted. However, under the author’s name on the title page, the following statement is printed: “Compiled at the command of his Royal Highness the Duke of CUMBERLAND.” It is likely that the Duke of Cumberland commissioned the printing of this book and thus it is “licensed” by him.

This book resembles a modern codex. Its bibliographic format is quarto. The signatures “B” and “B2” are followed by two blank pages and are then followed up by “C” and “C2.” Since the groupings are organized into four sheets and the book is relatively small, it must be quarto. The pages are about six inches by nine inches and there are multiple groupings that make up the entire book.

The object is bound with a wooden headpiece and it is likely the original binding from 1764. Both the front and back covers have a greenish-blue, wavy design on the outside of the wood that could have been painted on. The spine is brown and has five hubs running down the side. The front cover is completely separated from the spine. Both the front and back covers have some of the original design of the wood chipped away and the actual wood fibers have been revealed at the corners of the covers. It is notable that a blank page was interleaved in between each printed page, meaning that page 1 appears on the recto side of a page, 2 on verso,” and then the following recto page is an unprinted page. Also, the index comes before the first page of content even though its page numbers are listed as 50 and 51. This may have been a mistake in the binding. The interleaved unprinted pages and the misplaced index may serve as evidence that an owner of the book purchased it unbound, collected blank pages to interleave in between the intended sequence of pages, and put the index before page 1.

The book’s index, which comes right before the content of the book begins, as well as page numbers, which run along the upper right-hand corner of recto pages and the upper left-hand corner of the verso pages, contribute to the book’s navigation system. The numbers run from 2 to 48. It is also of note that the second and third pages of the index have the numbers 50 and 51 respectively. The page number of the first page of the appendix, 41, is printed in the middle of the page and is listed as “(41).” This system of page numbers along with an index that identifies the diseases mentioned on each page creates an accessible method for finding the remedy to an ailment quickly. The reader of this book is likely looking for an immediate solution to a potentially urgent, even life-threatening problem. The index and page number system anticipates this type of reader and thus allows easy navigation through the book’s contents.

After the title page, the book has two prefaces. The first is the preface to the original book and the second is the preface to the second edition. This is the third edition of the book. The prefaces essentially describe the purpose of the books, which is to provide medical remedies for ailments when one is unable to see a physician, and they also inform the reader that these are not actual cures to their diseases; they are not going to extinguish a disease but will reduce its effects. The first preface has the text “J. THEOBALD” at the end of the passage, indicating that J. Theobald, the author of the book, wrote it. Then, the second preface has the text “THE EDITOR” at the end of the passage, indicating that the editor of the second edition wrote it.

There is also an index that provides a table of contents for each of the diseases and ailments mentioned in the book. There is no indication as to who wrote the index so I am led to believe J. Theobald, the author, wrote it. Finally, there is an appendix at the end of the book that explains how to make some of the medicines and remedies mentioned in the book. There is no indication as to who wrote the index so I am led to believe J. Theobald, the author, wrote it.

The book has presumably been owned by at least four different people as there are many notes and additional pages of notes inserted that have different handwriting styles. It is unknown who owned it. There is no clear evidence as to when Penn acquired this book.