The Novel Nineteenth Century: Trends, Treatments, and Technologies in Nineteenth Century American Medicine

Plants are some of the easiest items for the average person to source, so it is no surprise that they’ve played a big role in medicine through human history. This easy accessibility made herbal remedies a source of treatment that could be administered without the need for a formal medical education.

Thus, the growth in popularity experienced by herbal movements reflected the rejection of a formally trained medical elite and also spoke to the emerging populist movements of the era.

Fig. 1: Lobelia, also known as Indian Tobacco and Puke Weed, induces vomiting when consumed. It was a favorite of Thomson’s and a signature of his medical system. Much like modern “cleanses,” the vomit-inducing properties of lobelias were believed to invigorate patients after emptying their stomachs.

Fig. 2: “Stimulating” herbs, such as cayenne, peppermint, or pennyroyal, were prescribed when staving off illness, which Thomson believed was caused by cold. It was thought that a person could only recover by restoring the body’s natural heat.