and Northampton in 1730, and only eightpence in
Revolutionary times. A blood-letting, or a jaw-splitting tooth-drawing
cost the sufferer eightpence extra. No wonder the doctor cupped and bled
on every occasion. In extravagant Hartford the opulent doctor got a
shilling a visit. Naturally all the chirurgeons eked out and augmented
their scanty fees by compounding and selling their own medicines, and
dosed often and dosed deeply, since by their doses they lived. In many
communities a bone-setter had to be paid a salary by the town in order
to keep him, so few and slight were his private emoluments, even as a
physic-monger.

The science of nursing the sick was, in early days, unknown; there were
but few who made a profession of nursing, and those few were deeply to
be dreaded. In taking care of the sick, as in other kindnesses, the
neighborly instinct, ever so keen, so living in New England, showed no
lagging part. For it is plain to any student of early colonial days
that, if the chief foundation of the New England commonwealth was
religion, the second certainly was neighborliness. There was a constant
exchange of kindly and loving attentions between families and
individuals. It showed itself in all the petty details of daily life, in
assistance in housework and in the field, in house-raising. Did a man
build a barn, his neighbors flocked to drive a pin, to lay a stone, to
stand forever in the edifice as token of their friendly goodwill. The
most eminent, as well as the poorest neighbors, thus assisted. In
nothing was this neighborly feeling more constantly shown than in the
friendly custom of visiting and watching with the sick; and it was the
only available assistance. Men and women in this care and attention took
equal part. As in all other neighborly duties, good Judge Sewall was
never remiss in the sick-room. He was generous with his gifts and
generous with his time, even to those humble in the community. Such
entries as this abound in his diary: "Oct. 26th 1702. Visited
languishing Mr. Sam Whiting. I gave him 2 Balls of Chockalett and a
pound of Figgs." And when Mr. Bayley lay ill of a fever, he prayed with
him and took care of him through many a long night, and wrote:

"When I came away call'd his wife into the Next Chamber and gave
her Two Five Shilling Bits. She very modestly and kindly accepted
them and said I had done too much already. I told her if the State
of my family would have born it