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Medicine in the 1840s was quite primitive by today standards.
Typically treaatment still included bleeding and purging patients to cleanse their system and bring it back to balance
A visit to the doctor could be an upleasant experience.
Doctor speaks: "Good morning sir. I presume your visit to my quarters this early hour has relation to how you're feeling?"
Trapper speaks: "Yeah doc. I ah just took sudden sick on the trail. Started off feeling kind of feverish."
Doctor: "I'd like to listen to your lungs and your breathing sir.
And so I am going to take my stethescope and have you take a couple of deep breaths for me so I can listen to your lungs.
Ok, would you take a deep breath?
Trapper coughs while taking breath.
Would you do that again please?
OK I can definitieyly hear a rasping sound from the lungs which would go right alog with the ailment you say you are suffering
Its part of the symptoms of which they manifest itself.
If you would open your mouth sir, I'd like to look down into your throat.
Yes sir, there definitely is some discoloration in the throat and tongue.
Also, sir it looks like you could use some dental attention.
Would you be interested in that? I happen to have right handy my tooth extractor
and just a few days ago I extracted a tooth from a gentlemen who came to visit me."
I don't think this would be to painful of an experience."
Trapper: "No, maybe later doc. One ailment at a time."
"Well, sir, I think after you described the symptoms for your ailment.....sometimes the system just needs to be purged.
You look like a pretty strong man. I think you could handle this quite well.
The last caravan that came through brought me a generous supply of leaches from back East.
Now it will take no cutting there an we'll just appliy several of these to you and let them work on your blood.
and that will do it.
I'll take that one off and put them back.
So what I am going to do is I'm going to give you some Sappington pills to take with you.
I recommend you take one in the morning, one at noon time and one in the evening.
OK sir. I hope you begin to feel better and do as I prescribed and come back and see me in a coupe days."
Trapper: Thanks doc. Doctor: OK