12 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



the Six Nation Indians in 1795 or 1796 agreeable to the wishes of 

 Captain Joseph Brant and the other Indian Chiefs, and William K. 

 Smith corroborates Jones — a whole aboriginal romance involving Sir 

 William Johnson's morganatic marriage, the wonderful Miss Molly 

 and her charming daughters, the grant to the Indians by Sir Frederick 

 Haldimand, their generosity, the war, the treason, the forfeiture.-^ 



The unhappy results of mingling with the whites are illustrated 

 by the report of William Macaulay to Major Hillier, the Governor's 

 Secretary, from Cobourg, November 25, 1822, telling of the com- 

 munication of small-pox by a family of immigrants at Port Hope to 

 the Indians who inhabit in the vicinity of Rice Lake," and though 

 Dr. Gilchrist has, with great humanity, vaccinated some . . . it is to 

 be feared that the contagion will spread." Spread it did and 

 decimated the unfortunate tribe. ^* 



27March, May and August, 1822. 



^^Dr. Gilchrist was Dr. John Gilchrist, one of a family of physicians familiarly 

 and affectionately known by their Christian name. He was "Dr. John," born at 

 Bedford, N.H., he was educated at New Haven, Connecticut, and secured his 

 diploma from Yale University. He was the first to receive a certificate of qualifica- 

 tion to practise Physic Midwifery and Surgery from the Upper Canada Medical 

 Board created under the Act (1818), 5 George HI, c. 13 (U.C.), being composed of 

 Drs. James Macaulay, Christopher Widmer, William Lyons, Grant Powell and 

 William Warren Baldwin. 



The four first named held their first meeting at York, January 4, 1819, and 

 examined two candidates. "Mr. John Gilchrist, of the Township of Hamilton, in 

 the district of New Castle, appeared and being examined and found duly qualified 

 to practise Physic Midwifery and Surgery; he received a certificate to that effect 

 accordingly. 



Mr. John S. Thomas of Markham, in the Home District, likewise appeared 

 and on examination was found totally unqualified to practise in either branch." 



The Board received for every certificate the sum of £3 10s. ($14) from the 

 successful candidate, who then took the certificate to the Private Secretary of the 

 Lieutenant-Governor, and upon paying the Secretary 20s. ($4) he received a licence 

 to practise. 



Dr. "John" practised near Cobourg; in 1822 he became surgeon to the 1st North" 

 umberland Regiment of Militia. Later he removed to Otonabee and founded the 

 village of Keene, where he erected saw and grist mills — -in 1831 he went back to 

 practice in Cobourg; removing to Peterborough he became member of the Legisla- 

 tive Assembly in the new Province of Canada. He was arrested as a rebel in 1838 

 but released. In 1849 he removed to Port Hope, where he died in 1859. 



Of the other Gilchrists, " Dr. Sam" and " Dr. Matthew" of New Castle District 

 received their certificate, January 1824; and James Eikin Gilchrist of New Castle, 

 "Dr. Jim", his January, 1832. I knew "Dr. Jim" in Cobourg half a century ago, 

 still practising; he had been educated at Dartmouth College, N.H., from which he 

 received the degree of M.D. "Dr. Hiram" also received the degree of M.D. from 

 Dartmouth; he failed before the Board, April, 1834, in Latin. All these, except 

 Matthew, were brothers. 



