Universal York

In the past I have written about some of the outrageous claims for cures made by York County manufacturers of tonics and by animal doctors.
Click here to read about Caldwell’s cure-all tonic.
And click here to read about Heffner’s medicine for your cattle, horses, and swine.
Doctors practicing on humans weren’t any less immoderate in their claims, as shown by the ad below from the April 18, 1816 York Gazette. At least Dr. Delasell had long office hours.

Respectfully gives Notice that he has removed to Dover 7 Miles from York and continues his practice of Physic and Surgery, as usual, particularly curing the following diseases which greatly prevail among the people of this Country, to wit: Cancers, Fits, Rheumatism, Scorbutic, or Saltrheum, Fever Sores, Dropsy, Colic, Gout, Sciatica, Ague and Fever, Asthma, Phthisic, Coughs & Bleeding, at the Stomach, affected and Ulcerated Lungs and Liver when partly consumed, Deafness of long standing, Dimness of eyesight, Gravel, Agued and Swollen breasts without breaking or opening, and also Swellings in general, Dyscrasy, Dysphony, Dysury; Cures the Venereal in the most easy and safe manner without pain or hindrance from business, extracts the poison from the blood so that no relic of the Disease is left.
The Doctor has also an ointment, of his own invention, an infallible cure for the Itch, by rubbing it 2 or 3 nights in succession, about the wrists and elbows.
The Doctor may be consulted at any hour between sun rise and ten o’clock in the evening.
The Doctor has a destroying powder of his own manufactory and of American growth, which in 26 Instances only he has applied it has not failed to bring away worms from Old and Young.”
What are some of those afflictions? I found some answers at www.dictionary.com: Scorbutic has to do with scurvy and salt rheum is eczema. Dropsy is edema (water retention in cells or tissue). Sciatica is pain associated with the sciatic nerve. Ague is fever with chills and Phthisic is a wasting disease of the lungs. Gravel can refer to multiple small kidney stones. Dyscrasias refers to an abnormal blood condition, perhaps anemia; Dysphony is a disturbance of normal vocal function; and Dysuria is difficult or painful urination.
It seems like Dr. Delasell (perhaps a variation of DeLaSalle) didn’t miss many bodily functions with his “cures.”
Click here for a 1911 tape worm remedy.
Click here to read about York dentistry in the 1840s.