Polite Dissent

A look at the practice of medicine in the 18th century from the book Every Man His Own Doctor, or The Poor Planter’s Physician, written and published in 1736. Today’s topic is heartburn (or Heart-Burn, as it was spelled back then). Punctuation, spelling, emphasis and capitalization are all reproduced faithfully from the original text.

THE HEART-BURN is an uneasy Heat at the Mouth of the Stomach, accompany’d with sour Belchings, and sometimes a Hiccup.

THIS is remov’d by chewing of Sassafras Bark, or by a Decoction of it.

IT is prevented by forbearing Spirits and foul Liquors, and also the Use of high-season’d, and spur Things, which Kindle to sharp an Acid in the Stomach.

NOTES:

1. Sassafras is a common deciduous tree of the Eastern United States , long used for medicinal and restorative purposes.
   • General information on Sassafras (from the state of Ohio).
   • Sassafras entry in A Modern Herbal (modern as of 1931, that is).
   • In-depth information on Sassafras from the U.S. Forest Service.
   • Some nice Sassafras pictures.
2. A decoction is a tea that is boiled slowly for 15 to 20 minutes. It is usually made from bark, roots or large seeds.
3. We still give much of the same advice for heartburn today (except the sassafras part, we rarely use that): avoid alcohol, avoid highly spiced foods and avoid acidic foods.

Disclaimer: This book was written nearly three centuries ago, long before such modern ideas as hygiene and germ theory. As a physician, I in no way recommend the treatment suggested above. Bad or frequent heartburn is best treated by a physician. This excerpt is presented merely for interest and entertainment.

Previous looks at colonial medicine: Cough, Whooping Cough and Pleurisy.