Title
The Household Physician: A Twentieth Century Medica (1926)
Author
Edited by a board of physicians including Herbert E. Buffum, Ira Warren, William Thorndike, A. T. Lovering, A. E. Small, J. Heber Smith, and Charles P. Lyman
Image
Description
This 1926 volume of The Household Physician represents a transitional moment in domestic medicine. Published by the Brown-Flynn Publishing Co. of Buffalo, it was sold via subscription only—often door-to-door—and intended for household use in an era when access to a trained physician was still limited for many families.
The book offers plain-language explanations of diseases, anatomy, and remedies. It is richly illustrated with manikins, anatomical plates, and diagrams. Notably, this edition includes strong editorial stances that distance it from once-common but dangerous substances such as calomel, marking a shift toward more cautious and scientifically informed care.
The volume blends formal medicine with eclectic and homeopathic advice, reflecting the pluralistic nature of American health care at the time.
Condition
Well-worn. Embossed black cover intact but rubbed and faded along the edges. Spine heavily worn. Interior pages show toning consistent with age but remain legible. Structurally sound.
Gallery
Historical context
Published just a few years before the Great Depression, The Household Physician embodies the self-reliant spirit of early 20th-century America. Medicine was becoming more institutionalized, but many families still relied on encyclopedic home references for guidance. The book’s dismissal of mercury-based calomel and inclusion of chemical, botanical, and eclectic treatments shows medicine in flux—halfway between tradition and scientific reform.
Curious Facts, Ephemera, and Trivia
The book includes a section on calcined deer horn—powdered antler used historically to treat uterine bleeding.
Offers home remedies with ingredients like chloroform, syrup of tar, and arsenic compounds.
Lists both common (e.g., castor oil) and now-obsolete medicines (e.g., tartar emetic).
Excerpt
“Calomel is a violent and dangerous medicine. I have not prescribed it in this book, and do not recommend its use.”
—A direct rejection of mercurous chloride, a staple of earlier 19th-century home medical guides.
Why it is in the Cabinet
This book offers a rich look at the layperson’s guide to medicine just before modern pharmaceuticals and hospital access reshaped American health care. Its blend of visual appeal, practical information, and obsolete remedies makes it a fascinating artifact of domestic medical culture. The editorial choice to warn against calomel places it firmly at the turning point in public medical education.
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