The Virginia Gazette

PETERSBURG, November 30.

Last Week was arrested here, by Order, of the Court, Mr. Hilmer, a Prussian Oculist, in whose Lodgings divers Soldiers have been quarter'd. The Motives to this Step are, that this Oculist has broke through the Regulations of the College of Physicians, according to which, before he began to practise, he ought to have gone through an Examination, and given Proofs of his Art on Objects in the Hospitals, after which, according to the Effects of his Operations, he would have been either permitted or forbidden to undertake Cures in public : That by Virtue of the same Regulations, all Persons are forbid, and Strangers in particular, to vend Remedies or Medicines, 'til they have been examin'd and approv'd by the College of Physicians : That Mr. Hilmer could not be ignorant of these Things, since it appears that Care was taken to give him timely Notice thereof : notwithstanding which, he ventur'd to practise on People diseas'd in their Sight, and dispensed Remedies to them : That under Pretence of having couched the Cataract, and procured them the short Satisfaction of seeing a few Hours, or a few Days, he made them pay very dear for it : That those Persons did afterwards relapse into a Condition more deplorable than he found them, enduring Day and Night the greatest Pains : That at least those unhappy Persons had a Right to demand back their Money, which Mr. Hilmer absolutely refused to return; and therefore the Court has been obliged to secure him, and set a Guard over him, that he may be detained 'til ulteriorly disposed of.

Doctor Hilmer, having behaved with great Rudeness to the Officer appointed to watch him, tho' the latter used him very civilly, and having also endeavoured to make his Escape, the Court has ordered him to be more strictly guarded; and his Pistols and other Arms have been taken from him, because it was perceived he intended to make a bad Use of them. He has pretended to avail himself of the Title of Court Counsellor of his Prussian Majesty, but has been given to understand that it signifies nothing on this Occasion, - and that his Prussian Majesty, whose Attention to cause good Order to be observed in his Dominions is so conspicuous, could not but be highly offended at the Manner in which he (the Doctor) had behaved against the Regulations of the Empire, in slighting the Warning given him, and making so many miserable, that trusted to his Skill. Mr. Hilmer's Wife is also arrested. It is probable, that after obliging this Oculist to restore the Money to the Persons he did not cure, the Court will order him to be conducted to the Frontiers, and left there with a Charge never more to appear in any Part of the Empress's Dominions.