BYU Studies Quarterly
Article Title
The Medical Practice of Dr. Frederick G. Williams
Keywords
Mormon studies, Frederick G. Williams, Restoration
Abstract
Frederick Granger Williams (1787-1842) was a leader in the early days of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but also served as a justice of the peace, scribe, editor, and medical practitioner. In the early nineteenth century, the medical profession was in its infancy, beginning a slow shift from barbaric practices (generally bleeding and calomel) to herbal treatments that were at least mild if not particularly effective. Dr. Williams conscientiously followed the botanic methods and theories of Samuel S. Thomson, who published a book (The Thomsonian Materia Medica) and sold patents to those who read his book and wished to practice medicine according to his new Thomsonian system. A frontier family doctor, Williams regularly assisted with childbirths, set broken bones, and treated various wounds and diseases. This article is an excerpt from the BYU Studies book The Life of Dr. Frederick G. Williams: Counselor to the Prophet Joseph Smith (BYU Studies, 2012) written by Dr. Williams's great-great-grandson.
Recommended Citation
Williams, Frederick G.
(2012)
"The Medical Practice of Dr. Frederick G. Williams,"
BYU Studies Quarterly: Vol. 51:
Iss.
1, Article 9.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol51/iss1/9