Vermont AHGP
Part of the American History and
Genealogy Project
Cabot Physicians and Epidemics
Physicians have been, and are now, well represented in this town; men who have stood well in their profession.
Dr. Gershom Beardsley came among the very early settlers, as early as 1790. The physicians have been in the order of their names: Gershom Beardsley, Perley Scott, Dyer Bill, Dr. Haines, Leonard Morgan, Dr. Pratt, Z. G. Pangborn, M. P. Wallace, D. G. Hubbard, John Doe, Dan. Newcomb, D. M. Goodwin, S. L. Wiswall, J. A. Thompson, Fred Gale, Dr. Warren. Our present physicians are Drs. Wallace and Wiswall, Gale and Warren.
Dr. M. P. Wallace graduated at Hanover Medical College, 1842, and commenced practice in this town in 1843, he has retired from general practice, but is often called in council.
Dr. S. L. Wiswall graduated at Woodstock Medical School, and after practicing in the towns of Wolcott and Hydepark, came to this town in 1862, as successor to Dr. Newcomb. He is a well-read physician, and held in much esteem by the profession.
When "Dr. Bill" was the only practitioner in town, located on the Plain, a man broke his thumb. The doctor and all the neighbors decided that amputation was necessary. The Doctor had no instruments, but they found a chisel they thought if ground up to an edge might answer. The chisel was ground, the man laid his hand on a block, the Doctor took the chisel and hammer, and in a minute the amputation was done.
Epidemics
Probably the worst years of sickness this town ever saw were 1813 and '14, when the spotted fever raged to an alarming extent, nearly every family in town having more or less sick ones, and in some portions of the town there were not well ones enough to care for the sick. Not infrequently, a person would die with none but the members of their own family present. The old tomb-stones show a great number of deaths that year.
Deacon Clement Coburn died of the spotted fever. He was one of the pillars of the Congregational church in his town. He lived but a very short time after he was taken. No one taken with this epidemic expected to live, it was so fatal and violent in the first seizure of its victims. Says the venerable Rev. Mr. Stone, of Montpelier: Deacon Stone called to see him as soon as he learned he was sick, to minister to any want and to pray with him. When he must leave that afternoon. Deacon Stone was much affected at parting with Dea. Coburn; he had been a good and fellow laborer by his side in the house of worship, and he never expected to see him alive again, but Dea. Coburn, in the midst of his sufferings, bade him good-bye very calmly, triumphantly adding:
"My soul shall pray for Zion still.
While life and breath remains!"
These were his last words to Deacon Stone, to which Dea. Stone often after alluded when speaking of Dea. Coburn or of that calamitous period.
No other epidemic prevailed till 1841, when the canker-rash, in its most malignant form, carried off a great many children. 1843 and '44 are remembered as the terrible years of erysipelas. The tolling of the bell saluted the ear, and the mournful procession greeted the eye, almost daily. 1862 and '63 were sad years to many families, from the ravages of diphtheria.
Source: History of Washington County Vermont, Collated and Published by Abby Maria Hemenway, 1882.
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