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Literary
February 20, 1772
The Virginia Gazette
Richmond, Williamsburg, Richmond County, Virginia
What is this article about?
Voltaire's excerpt from 'Questions concerning the Encyclopedie' discusses why physicians cluster in cities among rich, debauched patients causing diseases. Includes anecdote of London physician Brown, formerly in Barbadoes, who tricks slaves to recover stolen money using a fabricated serpent vision.
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OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
ACADEMICUS.
M. de Voltaire on Physicians. From his Questions concerning the Encyclopedie.
Physicians live in great Cities; there are few of them in the Country. The Reason of this is obvious: In great Cities, there are rich Patients; and among those, Debauchees, the Pleasures of the Table, and the Gratifications of the Passions, give Rise to a Variety of Diseases. Dumoulin, the Physician, observed, at his Death, that he left behind him two great Physicians, Regimen and River Water.
I knew at London a Physician of the Name of Brown, who had practised in Barbadoes. He had a Sugar Work, and Negroes; and having been robbed of a considerable Sum, he called together his Slaves: My Friends (said he) the great Serpent appeared to me during the Night, and told me that the Person who stole my Money should, at this Instant, have a Parrot's Feather at the Point of his Nose. The Thief immediately put his Hand to his Nose. It is you, (cried the Master) that robbed me; the great Serpent just now told me so! By this Method the Physician recovered his Money. This Piece of Quackery is not to be condemned; but, in Order to practise it, one must have to do with Negroes.
M. de Voltaire on Physicians. From his Questions concerning the Encyclopedie.
Physicians live in great Cities; there are few of them in the Country. The Reason of this is obvious: In great Cities, there are rich Patients; and among those, Debauchees, the Pleasures of the Table, and the Gratifications of the Passions, give Rise to a Variety of Diseases. Dumoulin, the Physician, observed, at his Death, that he left behind him two great Physicians, Regimen and River Water.
I knew at London a Physician of the Name of Brown, who had practised in Barbadoes. He had a Sugar Work, and Negroes; and having been robbed of a considerable Sum, he called together his Slaves: My Friends (said he) the great Serpent appeared to me during the Night, and told me that the Person who stole my Money should, at this Instant, have a Parrot's Feather at the Point of his Nose. The Thief immediately put his Hand to his Nose. It is you, (cried the Master) that robbed me; the great Serpent just now told me so! By this Method the Physician recovered his Money. This Piece of Quackery is not to be condemned; but, in Order to practise it, one must have to do with Negroes.
What sub-type of article is it?
Essay
Satire
What themes does it cover?
Social Manners
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Voltaire
Physicians
Quackery
Debauchees
Slaves
Barbadoes
What entities or persons were involved?
M. De Voltaire
Literary Details
Title
M. De Voltaire On Physicians. From His Questions Concerning The Encyclopedie.
Author
M. De Voltaire
Subject
On Physicians
Form / Style
Prose Essay With Anecdote
Key Lines
Dumoulin, The Physician, Observed, At His Death, That He Left Behind Him Two Great Physicians, Regimen And River Water.
My Friends (Said He) The Great Serpent Appeared To Me During The Night, And Told Me That The Person Who Stole My Money Should, At This Instant, Have A Parrot's Feather At The Point Of His Nose.
This Piece Of Quackery Is Not To Be Condemned; But, In Order To Practise It, One Must Have To Do With Negroes.