Some American medical botanists / Howard A. Kelly.

  • Kelly, Howard A. (Howard Atwood), 1858-1943.
Date:
1911
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Some American medical botanists / Howard A. Kelly. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    f /S'. SOME AMERICAN MEDICAL BOTANISTS* HOWARD A. KELLY, M.D. BALTIMOKE One of the first reuniting links between England and the Pilgrim Fathers was a floral one. Confronted at the outset with epidemics incidental to acclimatization and poor sanitation, the’few doctors in America eagerly scanned the ponderous herbals they had brought 'over and searched the country in hopes of finding the well- known febrifuges and other remedies they had used in the old country. Ship’s captains were given letters to friends asking for plants and seeds required, but these, too, received after interminable delays, had to become acclimatized. In searching for remedies many new and wonderful plants were discovered and sent as specimens or exchanges to the great European botanists, arousing their eager interest in the new country and a great I desire to have such plants in the botanic gardens then flourishing. Boerhaave at Leyden was in the habit of making large exchanges, and Dr. Fothergil], who sent us the anatomic pictures for the University of Penns^dvania, now in tlie museum of the Pennsylvania Hospital, had j 4,000 plants in his botanical garden near London. Dr. j • John Mitchell, who came over to Virginia in 1700, sent I plants to Linnseus and to Bartram, and in 1763 refers Jj to the white double daffodil brought over by the first ■j settlers. American oaks planted centuries ago still flour- ji ish in England, wliile wistaria and ^^Virginia creeper” I still climb over the walls of hundreds of houses in ”! foggv Loudon. Sponsorial compliments abounded in I floral godchildren such as the Mitcliella, Gardeniu and .1 Bigelotvia, which were as tenderly reared in Europe as 'j were the Boerliaavia, Meaclia and Lettsomia in America. ji( There were anxious periods of waiting; for a voyage of * The substance of an address before tli'e Medical-Historical Society of Chicago, IhlO. i ■>