KINGSTON, N.Y. — The Hudson River Maritime Museum is set to host a lecture, titled “Bite the Bullet: Medicine in the 18th Century,” on Saturday, April 25, the museum announced.
In a press release, the museum said the lecture, scheduled for 1 p.m. at the museum, 50 Rondout Landing, will be given by Matthew Weigman. Weigman is a historical interpreter at Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site in Newburgh. He also volunteers as a master gardener with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Putnam County, writes regularly for the Garden Club of America magazine Bulletin and lectures in historical horticulture.
“Bite the Bullet” focuses on Revolutionary War-era medicine, featuring quotes from the diary of traveling midwife Martha Ballard.
“Physicians were frequently confounded by the causes of illness, treated symptoms, and relied heavily on the healing powers of nature,” the release said. “Many remedies stocked by apothecaries were herbal in nature, and the best doctors of the time still healed with herbs. In 1775, the US had 3,500 doctors, but only 300 had medical degrees. The profession of physician/surgeon was open only to men, but the system relied heavily on women who could be and were midwives.”
Admission to the lecture is $5 for museum members and $10 for non-members. For more information or to register, visit hrmm.org.
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