by Cheselden and Sharpe so late as the beginning of the last century.  As John Clark died in 1661, it is remarkable to see the last fashion in the way of skull-sawing contrivances in his hands,—­to say nothing of the claw on the handle, and a Hey’s saw, so called in England, lying on the table by him, and painted there more than a hundred years before Hey was born.  This saw is an old invention, perhaps as old as Hippocrates, and may be seen figured in the “Armamentarium Chirurgicum” of Scultetus, or in the Works of Ambroise Pare.

Dr. Clark is said to have received a diploma before he came, for skill in lithotomy.  He loved horses, as a good many doctors do, and left a good property, as they all ought to do.  His grave and noble presence, with the few facts concerning him, told with more or less traditional authority, give us the feeling that the people of Newbury, and afterwards of Boston, had a wise and skilful medical adviser and surgeon in Dr. John Clark.

The venerable town of Newbury had another physician who was less fortunate.  The following is a court record of 1652: 

“This is to certify whom it may concern, that we the subscribers, being called upon to testify against doctor William Snelling for words by him uttered, affirm that being in way of merry discourse, a health being drank to all friends, he answered,

  “I’ll pledge my friends,
   And for my foes
   A plague for their heels
   And,’——­

[a similar malediction on the other extremity of their feet.]

“Since when he hath affirmed that he only intended the proverb used in the west country, nor do we believe he intended otherwise.

“[Signed] “William Thomas.  “Thomas Milward.

“March 12th 1651, All which I acknowledge, and am sorry I did not expresse my intent, or that I was so weak as to use so foolish a proverb.

“[Signed] “GULIELMUS Snelling.”

Notwithstanding this confession and apology, the record tells us that “William Snelling in his presentment for cursing is fined ten shillings and the fees of court.”

I will mention one other name among those of the Fathers of the medical profession in New England.  The “apostle” Eliot says, writing in 1647, “We never had but one anatomy in the country, which Mr. Giles Firman, now in England, did make and read upon very well.”

Giles Firmin, as the name is commonly spelled, practised physic in this country for a time.  He seems to have found it a poor business; for, in a letter to Governor Winthrop, he says, “I am strongly sett upon to studye divinitie:  my studyes else must be lost, for physick is but a meene helpe.”

Giles Firmin’s Lectures on Anatomy were the first scientific teachings of the New World.  While the Fathers were enlightened enough to permit such instructions, they were severe in dealing with quackery; for, in 1631, our court records show that one Nicholas Knopp, or Knapp, was sentenced to be fined or whipped “for taking upon him to cure the scurvey by a water of noe worth nor value, which he solde att a very deare rate.”  Empty purses or sore backs would be common with us to-day if such a rule were enforced.