Nervous Diseases (Derangement) Pages 28-31
Here are the sections of Benjamin's Book on Nervous Diseases. You will note the word "Derangement" added on the top of page 29. Click the image to view it larger.
A Sketch of the Author's Life
The second part of Benjamin's Book contains a quick biography of his life. This part of the manuscript has been the most fascinating for me, because it confirms so many things we suspected -- like the fact that he is indeed the son of Abram Moses Mordecai -- but also throws a few wrenches into things -- like the fact that he was born in 1800 and not 1809 as we previously thought.
I've seen disrepancies in birthdates before, but never one as large as 9 years. Still, I have to assume that Benjamin would have known his own birthdate, so I think it more likely the date provided in census data or his death information is wrong.
Here is the transcription of these pages:
A Sketch of the Author’s Life
I was born in the Cherokee Nation, March 20th in 1800. My grandfather was a chief of the Cherokee Nation his name was Doublehead, my grandmother was a white woman her name was Patsy Doublehead. My father was a Dutch Jew, his name was Abram Moses Mordeceai, he came to the Nation in 1793, where he married my mother. They had nine children of which I was the oldest.
In the year of 1812 the war broke out and we were obliged to fly to Georgia for protection from the hostile Creek Indians. After the war ended, we returned to the Nation. After we returned, I went to school to the missionaries where I learned to read and write. After I left the missionaries I went to Mobile to school. When I returned to the Nation I was employed by a Catabawa Indian, whose name was Walking Bear. I dug roots for this Indian two years, he was a very successful man in his practice. All the knowledge he had was gained by experience. It was a curious fact that a man without any guide but his own experience to effect such cures. He cured nearly every one that was brought to him. While I resided with him, he went to the city of Washington after his return I became his student, I staid with him three years.
In the year 1823, I again returned to Mobile, where I staid with a doctor by the name of Shuffield nine months. This man served me many mean tricks, while I was curing his patients, he was pocketing the money. I advise all patients to beware of a Yankee. After being duped by this Yankee, I returned to my own Nation. After this I studied under a Cherokee Indian Doctor for two years, when he was murdered by the white men, this man was very kind and skillful, I hardly thought before this time that the whites were capable of such barbarities. After the death of my old friend I again returned to Georgia and commenced practicing. I did not use any mercurial preparations in my practice and the consequence was I met with opposition on every hand from the old school or calomel doctors. I advise all to beware of mercurial and mineral medicines. These poisons, instead of removing the disorder, for to relief of which they are administered, only tend to confirm the disease more strongly, dooming the victim to slow but certain death. The great God of heaven, in his vegetable kingdom, has provided remedies for the treatment of all manner of diseases, to which the afrail constitution of man is subject. I speak this not from my own alone, but from the experiences of hundreds of others who have been snatched, as it were, from the grave by the use of vegetable medicines. But I have regressed from my subject.
After staying in Georgia about one year, I then returned to Mobile where I found a medicine college had been organized during my absence, there physicians were followers of the celebrate Doctor Thomson. I immediately took a course of lectures which lasted nine months. It may not be amiss to state, that I was very much respected by all classes of community because I was a red man. I shall always be under obligation to Doctors Everett and Clark who took a great deal of trouble to instruct me, both in language and physic.
The Indians who came to this college for instruction were allowed to hear the lectures and verbal instruction free of charge. After finishing my course of lectures at this college, I went to the Creek Nation, where I practiced under a Creek doctor for six months, here I learned a great deal of valuable and interesting knowledge. Ever since that time I have lived among the whites.
I have cured many of all kinds of diseases, and I hope, by the grace of God, to cure many more, the remedies mentioned in the following work, are not conclusions drawn merely from theory, but the result of successful practice of many years. The more a person studies the products of the vegetable kingdom, the more he finds remaining to be learned.
- Benjamin Moses Mordeceai
Here is the transcription of these pages:
In the year of 1812 the war broke out and we were obliged to fly to Georgia for protection from the hostile Creek Indians. After the war ended, we returned to the Nation. After we returned, I went to school to the missionaries where I learned to read and write. After I left the missionaries I went to Mobile to school. When I returned to the Nation I was employed by a Catabawa Indian, whose name was Walking Bear. I dug roots for this Indian two years, he was a very successful man in his practice. All the knowledge he had was gained by experience. It was a curious fact that a man without any guide but his own experience to effect such cures. He cured nearly every one that was brought to him. While I resided with him, he went to the city of Washington after his return I became his student, I staid with him three years.
In the year 1823, I again returned to Mobile, where I staid with a doctor by the name of Shuffield nine months. This man served me many mean tricks, while I was curing his patients, he was pocketing the money. I advise all patients to beware of a Yankee. After being duped by this Yankee, I returned to my own Nation. After this I studied under a Cherokee Indian Doctor for two years, when he was murdered by the white men, this man was very kind and skillful, I hardly thought before this time that the whites were capable of such barbarities. After the death of my old friend I again returned to Georgia and commenced practicing. I did not use any mercurial preparations in my practice and the consequence was I met with opposition on every hand from the old school or calomel doctors. I advise all to beware of mercurial and mineral medicines. These poisons, instead of removing the disorder, for to relief of which they are administered, only tend to confirm the disease more strongly, dooming the victim to slow but certain death. The great God of heaven, in his vegetable kingdom, has provided remedies for the treatment of all manner of diseases, to which the afrail constitution of man is subject. I speak this not from my own alone, but from the experiences of hundreds of others who have been snatched, as it were, from the grave by the use of vegetable medicines. But I have regressed from my subject.
After staying in Georgia about one year, I then returned to Mobile where I found a medicine college had been organized during my absence, there physicians were followers of the celebrate Doctor Thomson. I immediately took a course of lectures which lasted nine months. It may not be amiss to state, that I was very much respected by all classes of community because I was a red man. I shall always be under obligation to Doctors Everett and Clark who took a great deal of trouble to instruct me, both in language and physic.
The Indians who came to this college for instruction were allowed to hear the lectures and verbal instruction free of charge. After finishing my course of lectures at this college, I went to the Creek Nation, where I practiced under a Creek doctor for six months, here I learned a great deal of valuable and interesting knowledge. Ever since that time I have lived among the whites.
I have cured many of all kinds of diseases, and I hope, by the grace of God, to cure many more, the remedies mentioned in the following work, are not conclusions drawn merely from theory, but the result of successful practice of many years. The more a person studies the products of the vegetable kingdom, the more he finds remaining to be learned.
- Benjamin Moses Mordeceai
Preface
The first four pages of Benjamin's book contain this Preface.
For easier reading, I've transcribed the copy below. Some of the words are caught in the margin binding, or tattered at the bottom edge of the page, making them illegible. In these instances you will find {?} indicating that I cannot read it.
To a person sincerely interested in the advancement of society and of his country, it will be a very pleasing idea to reflect on the rapid progress and dissemination of learning and politeness, which within the present age, has so peculiarly distinguished the inhabitants of these United States.
We see the ruthless and wild savage, whose manners are uncouthe and disposition cruel, softened and made smooth, and the mind expanded and enlightened by the advancement of society and education. Whatever may be the situation of society in other parts of the world, in this country, we may boast of our superiority to those liberal prejudices, which not only cramp the juices but sour the temperament and disturb all the pleasing intercourse of society.
With us, in this happy country, education is no longer confined within the schools of the wise, but like all the greatest blessings which heaven has bestowed upon us, it becomes as universal as useful. This general diffusion of knowledge is the effort of the happy constitution, which is the pride and boast of the American people.
The author of this work has principally applied to the productions of nature for the remedies by which he has affected his great and principle faculty. To the herbs and roots which grow in natural gardens, on the mountains and in the forests, does he apply for the means by which he performs the many cures, which the living can now attest. These he now offers to the public, which has been the result of a long, extensive and very successful experimental practice among all ranks and ages of this country.
The object of the following treatise, is to suggest the proper means for preventing the numerous train of every incident to the human family, the means which he has found effectual when comp{?} have laid hold of the patient, and to re{?} the prejudices of opinion arising from ignorance against the author. While reasoning and experiment have been applied to almost every other branch of science and which has been with peculiar advantage to many other branches of medicine, there can be nothing urged why the same reasoning and experimentation may not be applied to herbs and roots, to show their powerful efficacy which has hitherto been little understood and too much despised and neglected by arbitrary custom and ignorant prejudice.
Every improvement in the use of herbs and roots must take its rise from more just ideas concerning their nature and the different course which produce the different complaints and by a proper attention to this, not only the method of cure may be much ador{?} but what is still more important, that preventions of these distressing and {??} complaints often be effected. The author in prosecuting this work may seem to pay more particular attention to some minute circumstances than they may really seem to deserve. But let the reader recollect that the slightest reasoning drawn from real observation may be of more validity, and may give greater information to a judicious inquirer, than the most extensive theory produces, drawn from hypotheses alone.
We often define what is simple and plain for the sake of those fancies of the mind which may be given at pleasure. The author has wrote a sketch of his life in the first part of the book with a few cases of his trials from his youth, both in sickness and in health, and has concisely given directions how to make different kinds of diet drinks. He has received considerable information from several eminent Physicians. He has given his own receipts (recipes) for those of other physicians, and others he has bought and has made considerable improvements from his own practical observations. The author has supplied himself with a good library of the approved medical authors to which he has frequent reference in difficult and important cases. He treats the various complaints incident to the human family. He has exhausted more labor and spent more time with the consumption then any other disease.
For many years the medical faculty have endeavored to check the progress of Chronic Diseases in the human system. In this attempt, however, they have in general failed, owing to the pernicious practice of impregnating the body with Mineral Medicines thereby confirming, instead of removing the diseases, after dooming to slow and certain death the unfortunate subjects of these com{?}. To ameliorate the sufferings of mankind, hath been made known to the author the life preserving quality contained in the herbs and flowers that beautify the earth; thus opening to the enquiring mind the vast resources in the laboratory of Nature, whose magic powers may be used by extracting from simple flowers, shrubs and plants Medicines that almost snatch from the grave the suffering victim.
By adhering to the medicines extracted from herbs, plants and flowers, he has succeeded in curing many Chronic Diseases, which have for years withstood the effects of the best practitioners. From the great success he has had, in treatment of long standing cases, he feels it his duty and privilege to communicate his knowledge to the world.
For easier reading, I've transcribed the copy below. Some of the words are caught in the margin binding, or tattered at the bottom edge of the page, making them illegible. In these instances you will find {?} indicating that I cannot read it.
PREFACE
We see the ruthless and wild savage, whose manners are uncouthe and disposition cruel, softened and made smooth, and the mind expanded and enlightened by the advancement of society and education. Whatever may be the situation of society in other parts of the world, in this country, we may boast of our superiority to those liberal prejudices, which not only cramp the juices but sour the temperament and disturb all the pleasing intercourse of society.
With us, in this happy country, education is no longer confined within the schools of the wise, but like all the greatest blessings which heaven has bestowed upon us, it becomes as universal as useful. This general diffusion of knowledge is the effort of the happy constitution, which is the pride and boast of the American people.
The author of this work has principally applied to the productions of nature for the remedies by which he has affected his great and principle faculty. To the herbs and roots which grow in natural gardens, on the mountains and in the forests, does he apply for the means by which he performs the many cures, which the living can now attest. These he now offers to the public, which has been the result of a long, extensive and very successful experimental practice among all ranks and ages of this country.
The object of the following treatise, is to suggest the proper means for preventing the numerous train of every incident to the human family, the means which he has found effectual when comp{?} have laid hold of the patient, and to re{?} the prejudices of opinion arising from ignorance against the author. While reasoning and experiment have been applied to almost every other branch of science and which has been with peculiar advantage to many other branches of medicine, there can be nothing urged why the same reasoning and experimentation may not be applied to herbs and roots, to show their powerful efficacy which has hitherto been little understood and too much despised and neglected by arbitrary custom and ignorant prejudice.
Every improvement in the use of herbs and roots must take its rise from more just ideas concerning their nature and the different course which produce the different complaints and by a proper attention to this, not only the method of cure may be much ador{?} but what is still more important, that preventions of these distressing and {??} complaints often be effected. The author in prosecuting this work may seem to pay more particular attention to some minute circumstances than they may really seem to deserve. But let the reader recollect that the slightest reasoning drawn from real observation may be of more validity, and may give greater information to a judicious inquirer, than the most extensive theory produces, drawn from hypotheses alone.
We often define what is simple and plain for the sake of those fancies of the mind which may be given at pleasure. The author has wrote a sketch of his life in the first part of the book with a few cases of his trials from his youth, both in sickness and in health, and has concisely given directions how to make different kinds of diet drinks. He has received considerable information from several eminent Physicians. He has given his own receipts (recipes) for those of other physicians, and others he has bought and has made considerable improvements from his own practical observations. The author has supplied himself with a good library of the approved medical authors to which he has frequent reference in difficult and important cases. He treats the various complaints incident to the human family. He has exhausted more labor and spent more time with the consumption then any other disease.
For many years the medical faculty have endeavored to check the progress of Chronic Diseases in the human system. In this attempt, however, they have in general failed, owing to the pernicious practice of impregnating the body with Mineral Medicines thereby confirming, instead of removing the diseases, after dooming to slow and certain death the unfortunate subjects of these com{?}. To ameliorate the sufferings of mankind, hath been made known to the author the life preserving quality contained in the herbs and flowers that beautify the earth; thus opening to the enquiring mind the vast resources in the laboratory of Nature, whose magic powers may be used by extracting from simple flowers, shrubs and plants Medicines that almost snatch from the grave the suffering victim.
By adhering to the medicines extracted from herbs, plants and flowers, he has succeeded in curing many Chronic Diseases, which have for years withstood the effects of the best practitioners. From the great success he has had, in treatment of long standing cases, he feels it his duty and privilege to communicate his knowledge to the world.
Benjamin's Book
I've created this new blog to share the history, genealogy and artifacts of Benjamin Moses Mordecai, also known as Chief Whitecloud. I will also attempt to chronicle his life by piecing together the information we have, assembled from cousins and other genealogists and historians across the country.
I am beginning this now, as an offshoot of my genealogy blog, as I have just come into possession of a book of Indian Remedies written by my great-great-greatgrandfather Benjamin, and want to share the contents of that book with the world.
Benjamin's Book holds not only a litany of herbal medicines and cures, but also some snippets of his life, and even his personality. I invite you to join me as I dig deeper into his life, beginning in the pages of Benjamin's Book.
I am beginning this now, as an offshoot of my genealogy blog, as I have just come into possession of a book of Indian Remedies written by my great-great-greatgrandfather Benjamin, and want to share the contents of that book with the world.
Benjamin's Book holds not only a litany of herbal medicines and cures, but also some snippets of his life, and even his personality. I invite you to join me as I dig deeper into his life, beginning in the pages of Benjamin's Book.
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