Difference between revisions of "John Till, the Somerset Doctor"
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==Signature Treatment== | ==Signature Treatment== | ||
| − | Till's signature treatment was to apply a | + | Till's signature treatment was to apply a poultice or "plaster" of Kerosene and Croton Oil, |
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which -- through the caustic and painful inclusion of croton oil -- was believed to draw out infection by causing huge pustulant blisters to appear on the skin. The poultice was applied to the large surface of the back, allowed significant time to cause caustic burning to the skin, causing it to appear "like raw beef"<ref name="wischistorical">[http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/odd/archives/002761.asp John Till and his Miracle Plaster"], Wisconsin Historical Society website, 8/18/2007.</ref>. Cotton was sewn into the back of a shirt, to adsorb leakage, and after several days of healing either the person was cured, or the treatment was applied again. | which -- through the caustic and painful inclusion of croton oil -- was believed to draw out infection by causing huge pustulant blisters to appear on the skin. The poultice was applied to the large surface of the back, allowed significant time to cause caustic burning to the skin, causing it to appear "like raw beef"<ref name="wischistorical">[http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/odd/archives/002761.asp John Till and his Miracle Plaster"], Wisconsin Historical Society website, 8/18/2007.</ref>. Cotton was sewn into the back of a shirt, to adsorb leakage, and after several days of healing either the person was cured, or the treatment was applied again. | ||
==Meline Cloutier, Patient and Benefactor== | ==Meline Cloutier, Patient and Benefactor== | ||
| − | Near death from an infection, Meline Cloutier was brought to John Till in 1905 for treatment. Till's painful poultice worked, and Cloutier repaid Till by offering her and her husband's farm as a base of operations for curing all those that | + | Near death from an infection, Meline Cloutier was brought to John Till in 1905 for treatment. Till's painful poultice worked, and Cloutier repaid Till by offering her and her husband's farm as a base of operations for curing all those that desire it. |
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| + | ==Success== | ||
| + | Till saw patients from dawn to dusk, treating them with his poultice and other unconventional medicines. Patients were encouraged to give a free-will payment for the services, which built into a significant amount daily. Till, of course, ran afoul of the state medical board and local police. Local juries, however, had no interest in convicting Till, so he went free. | ||
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| + | ==End Of His Run== | ||
| + | Till traveled to his home country of Austria more than once, taking the Cloutiers with on the last trip. This last trip, however, turned bad when Till was detained upon returning to the United States. The Coutiers left Till at the point of entry, and Till took it as a slight. Upon returning to Wisconsin, Till went to a relative's home, abandoning the Cloutiers and the Somerset area. Attempts to start his 'practice' anew did not succeed, and Till retired around 1920. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
| + | * [http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/wmh&CISOPTR=20425&CISOSHOW=20375 | ||
| + | Dunn, James Taylor "The 'plaster doctor' of Somerset"] Wisconsin Magazine Of History. Volume: 39 /Issue: 4 (1955-1956) | ||
Revision as of 15:19, 18 August 2007
John Till, "The Somerset Doctor", was a practicer of alternative medicine in the early 20th century, gaining the most notoriety in the Somerset, Wisconsin region.
Contents
Signature Treatment
Till's signature treatment was to apply a poultice or "plaster" of Kerosene and Croton Oil, which -- through the caustic and painful inclusion of croton oil -- was believed to draw out infection by causing huge pustulant blisters to appear on the skin. The poultice was applied to the large surface of the back, allowed significant time to cause caustic burning to the skin, causing it to appear "like raw beef"[1]. Cotton was sewn into the back of a shirt, to adsorb leakage, and after several days of healing either the person was cured, or the treatment was applied again.
Meline Cloutier, Patient and Benefactor
Near death from an infection, Meline Cloutier was brought to John Till in 1905 for treatment. Till's painful poultice worked, and Cloutier repaid Till by offering her and her husband's farm as a base of operations for curing all those that desire it.
Success
Till saw patients from dawn to dusk, treating them with his poultice and other unconventional medicines. Patients were encouraged to give a free-will payment for the services, which built into a significant amount daily. Till, of course, ran afoul of the state medical board and local police. Local juries, however, had no interest in convicting Till, so he went free.
End Of His Run
Till traveled to his home country of Austria more than once, taking the Cloutiers with on the last trip. This last trip, however, turned bad when Till was detained upon returning to the United States. The Coutiers left Till at the point of entry, and Till took it as a slight. Upon returning to Wisconsin, Till went to a relative's home, abandoning the Cloutiers and the Somerset area. Attempts to start his 'practice' anew did not succeed, and Till retired around 1920.
References
- ↑ John Till and his Miracle Plaster", Wisconsin Historical Society website, 8/18/2007.
Dunn, James Taylor "The 'plaster doctor' of Somerset"] Wisconsin Magazine Of History. Volume: 39 /Issue: 4 (1955-1956)
