x HIS EARLY ACTIVITIES IN LONDON 103 



sense ; he used the bark freely, and cold fresh air of the 

 dawn aurora salutifera. 



He took the leading part in 1773 in founding a medical 

 society on a new and representative basis, since well 

 known as the Medical Society of London. In its interests 

 he worked assiduously through good and ill fortune, 

 sparing neither his time nor his money ; his name is 

 perpetuated in the annual Lettsomian lectures. The 

 establishment of this society is Lettsom's chief title to 

 honour in his own profession, and it will be more fully 

 dealt with in another chapter. Before the society he 

 read many papers on medical topics, some of which were 

 published, including an oration on the History of Medicine 

 (1778) . In a paper on Hard Drinking, published later in 

 life, he traces the various effects of alcohol with much 

 acumen, distinguishing several types of cases. He deals 

 especially with the effects upon women, and describes the 

 symptoms which are now known to be due to peripheral 

 neuritis the wasted paretic lower limbs, the smooth 

 shining skin of the soles, which are exquisitely tender, 

 and the involuntary spasms and cramps. 1 Lettsom read 

 a paper before the Royal Society in 1786 on a case of 

 intussusception in a child of four years. He wrote much 

 also, as we shall see, upon inoculation for smallpox and on 

 vaccination. But he put forth no work of outstanding 

 importance ; his genius was too discursive in its range. 

 He was a practical physician and had a happy way of 

 treating patients. Some of his prescriptions have come 

 down to us. 2 



1 Hints respecting the Effects of Hard Drinking, 1798. He tells of a man 

 who cured himself of drinking by dropping daily a little sealing-wax into his 

 dram-glass until in course of time it was filled. He concludes with a " Moral 

 and Physical Thermometer " or Scale of Temperance, an idea derived from 

 Dr. Rush. Water stands at the head, and small beer a little below ; these 

 produce health, wealth and happiness. Cider, wine, porter and strong beer 

 are set lower down ; they still promote cheerfulness and strength, when taken 

 moderately and only at meals. All stronger liquors are placed below zero 

 point. These are punch, toddy and grog, " flip " and " shrub," and " hysteric 

 water." Still lower come morning drams of gin and whisky ; and, worst of 

 all, those taken in the night. All these lead to many vices, ranging from 

 idleness to murder, to a long list of diseases, and to penalties, which begin 

 at debt, and end in the hulks, Botany Bay and the gallows. 



* Thus in rheumatism, he used Tinct. Guaiac. with honey and A q. Camph., 

 and in the acute disease, Ipecac., Antim. Tart, and Aq. Menth. Vir. In dropsy 



