The Virginia Gazette

Mr. Parks,

To apprehend that the Publication of the following, is very consistent with the Design of your Press; wherefore please to give it a Place in your next Gazette.

I am, Sir,

Your most humble Servant,

JOHN TENNENT.

A MEMORIAL, humbly addressed to the learned, impartial, and judicious World,

by

John Tennent, Practitioner in Medicine.

WHILE the Roman Government was at its greatest Pitch of Dignity and Splendor, nothing was more rewarded and honoured than Acts of Benevolence to the Publick, and Disinterestedness: and consequently those, who by mean and abject Ways, or by their popular Interest, would endeavour to discourage and depress such Actions, were considered as Enemies to the Common-Wealth, and were treated accordingly. If this Conduct of the Romans was more attended to in the present Times, 'tis not improbable that Mankind would receive many Advantages by it: But on the contrary, I find that Slander, and Detraction from such Merit, are so far from being contemned, that they are the fashionable Topick for the most Part: and Men by their Conduct in worldly Interest and Passions, act as the Brute Creation, and Fishes of the Sea, by devouring one another. In Allusion to this, is a Saying of Tully's, quoted in Fog's Journal, Novem. 29, No. 359. where Impudence is defined, viz. If we are once So disposed as to do Injuries to others for our own Good, we shall immediately offend against that which of all Things is most sought by Nature, Society. If one Member of the Body can conceive it may take to itself the Health and Strength of another Part of it, the whole Body will Soon perish and die away. To which the Author of the Journal adds the following:

But the Sentiments of this great Man may now be understood as a Satire by some Folks, when all that is good, virtuous, generous, or publick spirited, is not only shunn'd in Men's Practice, but laugh'd at in their Discourse; the softest Term that can be given to which Iniquity is, that it is Impudence.

That I have had to do with those to whom the Term Impudence in this Case is very applicable, is but too true, with Respect to my free and open Publication of the Efficacy of the Seneca Rattle-Snake Root, to this and the neighbouring Colonies, subject to Pleuritick and Peripneumonick Diseases, that are Epidemical and very Mortal, and occur almost every Year; which has, from numerous Instances, been found a most successful Remedy in the Cure thereof. Soon after I was Master of so valuable a Discovery, I was desirous that the World should reap the Advantage of it; but I saw two Inconveniences that would attend my communicating it in the manner I did:

1. That my private Fortune would greatly suffer thereby. 2. That I should create to myself many Enemies, as a Medicine of such Use as that Root really is, must greatly infringe upon the Interest of the Gentlemen in this Country, distinguish'd by the Appellation of Doctors of which there are a great Number; and besides these Sort of Enemies, I was not unapprised of the way of Thinking of several Men, who are so strongly attached to their worldly Interest, as not to believe it possible for a Man to be So self-denied, to give out of his Hands so considerable an Advantage to himself, to the Publick, without some sinister View in it. Thus was I circumstanced under an humane Intention; but obviated these Difficulties by the following Reasons.

1. That Quacks and Arcanums are justly despised by Men of Learning and Sense; and therefore to make a Nostrum of my Discovery would be lifting myself in that Class of Pulse Pads and Bedside Beneditti, who are thus rightly stiled by that Patron of Virtue and Learning, Sir John Floyer. 2. That ill-thinking and uncharitable Men would, in the course of Time, be convinc'd that my Publication was from no sinister View; but from a good Motive, by the experienc'd Efficacy of the Medicine. 3. And thus I persuaded myself, that the Government to which I made this Discovery, and so conducted myself, would reward me adequate to my Merit; of which I make no Doubt. So that by this way of Reasoning, I got over the Difficulties mentioned; and rather than keep concealed so valuable a Good to this Country in particular, and Mankind in general, I ran the Risque of what Incidents might intervene to obstruct the Reward of my Deserts, since I could not do near so much Service by any other Method of Procedure to the Publick, tho' practicable enough to the certain Advancement of my private Fortune, by occult Doings.

With respect to those concerned in the Affairs of this Government, I have no Room to doubt of the Right of my Judgment, in concluding they would act as their Country requires at their Hand, from their laudable Administration in Cases that bear some Analogy to mine which demonstrates their strong Inclination to encourage all Schemes calculated for its Honour and Interest. And with Regard to my creating Enemies to myself, both on the Side of Doctors, and uncharitable Thinkers, I also find that therein I judg'd rightly, by the following Incident; of which they made a dextrous Use to serve their sordid and mean Purpose: Which occasions my defending myself thus; for Silence would appear to the World a Concession to their most unjust Slanders.

In order to recover a considerable Sum of Money due to me in Britain, and my Health, which with great Fatigue and Study, together with the Climate of this Country, I had greatly and very visibly impaired; I judged it highly necessary for me to go there: And still to improve the Advantages of my Discovery, I applied to the Honourable William Gooch, Esq; Governor of this Colony, and the Hon. William Byrd, Esq; one of the Council, for Recommendations touching the said Discovery; which they were pleased to honour me with; and particularly to Dr. Richard Mead. Thus I purposed to comply with three Articles very considerable to me in this Expedition. The two first, every one will allow to be of the utmost Consequence in this World, being Health, and Money; and the latter would certainly be to my Honour, by introducing a Discovery in the more learned Part of the World for its Improvement; which being rightly considered, might probably help my Fortune. So that such an Undertaking was highly requisite and reasonable; but the Event was not so successful.
Death, often productive of fatal Consequences, disappointed me in Money, which is the primum mobile now a-days, for the most part: Thus was I put to some Straits and Difficulties, as I had not taken Care to obviate sufficiently such a Contingency. But nevertheless, I transacted my Affairs under this Deficiency quite contrary to the disadvantageous Reports, virulent and false Scandals, universally spread in this Country concerning my Conduct in Britain, by the hellish Incendiaries above mentioned, who I judged would become my Enemies. The Particulars of their Scandal I sum up to this; That such a strange and lamentable Translation had befallen me, that no Name is more apposite to, than a mad Mail, or Don Quixote. One Particular I must speak to a little. To a multitude of villainous and inconsistent Stories they reported here, they added, that so great was the Vanity of the Man's Heart, that nothing less than a Chariot and Four could serve his Turn: but was obliged to drop that Badge of Grandeur, after having enjoy'd it a few Days. To this Slur they would stain me with, I answer: That had my Circumstances suited such a Mark of Distinction, I perhaps, contrary to my Inclination, would have assumed it, either in that or a less Degree. For, alas! it is but too true, that the common World infer more Skill and Judgment from a Chariot and great Tie Wig, joined with a significant Shrug, than from the Man himself. Therefore, if it had not been that I could not approve such a Project, (which, in my Case, Prudence and my Honour would not let me come into,) there was certainly no way better for me to get Money to supply my Wants, than assuming an Equipage; add to this, the American Doctor, who has discovered a great Mystery. But these ill-natured Gentlemen, who would ascribe such a ridiculous Conduct to me, should have consider'd, that those who gave me Recommendations, must have a better Judgment than to recommend such a Man, to one at the Head of the Republick of Learning in Physick, viz. Dr. Mead: And however great were my Disappointments as to Money, it appears by his Behaviour, and that of other Physicians in London, that I behaved myself as was my Part, regarding every one concerned in my Recommendation; for they, after having examined and conversed with me, thought it my Due to honour me with Credentials to the University of Edinburgh, for a Doctor's Degree; of which the following is a Copy.

WE whose Names are under-written, do certify. That having examined and conversed with Mr. John Tennent, and having enquired into his Character, of which he has good Testimonials from Virginia, where he has lived and practised Physick for about Ten Years; We do find him well qualified for the Degree of a Doctor in Physick, and do therefore recommend him to the Professors of the University of Edinburgh, that he may be admitted to that Degree.

Tho. Pellet, Praes,
R. Mead,
Ja. Monro.

Hence it appears, that I was particularly countenanc'd by three of the most eminent Physicians in London, by honouring me with an Examination, and their Approbation thereupon; which being, joined with Dr. Mead's Letters in my Favour to the Honourable Persons who recommended me to him, shews an Inconsistency with the Slanders reported here industriously, when I could not answer for myself. By this Examination and Approbation, and Dr. Mead's Letters, it also appears, that had my Recommendations been more extensive, they were just: For my Recommendations extended no farther, than that I had discovered the medicinal Virtues of the Seneca Rattle-Snake Root. Such an Imputation as Vanity, to such a ridiculous Degree as I have been charged with, will not suffer me to leave this 'til I farther clear my self from it; or, according to my Sentiments touching it, nothing sets a Man in a more contemptible Light. Then I must take Notice, that in this Country, and many others, the Term graduate Physician, makes a very great Noise; and a Man under this Denomination, whether he really is such, or not, if he only with an Air of Assurance assumes it, passes instantly for a Man of great Skill, Parts, &c. til Experience opens the Eyes of the Credulous; and, upon a proper Scrutiny, the graduate Gentleman is detected to be lately translated from a Station of Life very different from his present State of regular Doctor. How far true that may be, may be known without a very remote Retrospect; for it often happens, and will be allowed, that the too great Fondness of the World to that Epithet, is the Cause of their being frequently trapp'd out of their Lives.

[To be continued.]