John Thomas, the founder of the Christadelphians, is almost always called “Dr.” Thomas in the literature of both his detractors and his friends, and I have followed the tradition. The status that naturally came with this title undoubtedly helped as he spread the Truth. He mixed in the highest and most influential quarters everywhere he went, and was, for example, helped to cross the lines in the Civil War because he was known by the commanding general. Although well qualified as a doctor, however, he in large part (but not entirely) gave up the practice of medicine after 1835, preferring to spend his time mostly in religious pursuits. It is clear, however, he maintained some level of medical practice for years after. He lost medicines in a print-shop fire in St. Charles, Illinois in 1841, and “physician” is among his list of occupations in his famous “confession and abjuration” of 1847.
We will look at Dr. Thomas’ abilities as a medical practitioner, his qualifications, and his medical writings. Near the end of his life, at a tea meeting in Birmingham, England, he was asked to tell about his work. He told his audience, “A certain professor of anatomy in the Richmond Medical College said ‘What a fool Dr. Thomas is! If only he would devote himself to his profession, he might ride in the best carriage that could be obtained in Richmond.’ “But Dr. Thomas did not seek the riches of this world.
Medical student
Dr. Thomas obtained nearly all his formal and informal schooling as a doctor in England. His M.D., however, was awarded in America, as discussed below. He started out his medical education at a young age, either 14 or 17 (sources differ), with the son-in-law of the curate of Chorley, the parish in which he lived, about 24 miles from Liverpool. England, while the rest of his family had left the area for London.
When he left for London, about two years later, he entered under the tutelage of an old navy surgeon and he so remained for about three years. In 1826, he entered as a student of medicine and surgery, at Guy’s and Thomas’ Hospital, (still a working medical hospital) and three years later graduated after attending three “courses.” The original of his graduation certificate is now in the possession of Bro. Eugene Turner, a respected senior member in the Meriden, CT ecclesia; it shows “Mr. John Thomas” graduated on May 28, 1828. This sequence of apprenticeship, followed by some medical courses, was then the normal route to become qualified.
Enrolled as doctor
Two years later, at the age of 25, he became officially entitled to practice medicine within the realm of England and its dependencies when he was enrolled as a member of the British College of Surgeons in June, 1830.
The fee would have been 30 guineas (about $2.500 in 1996), and Dr. Thomas was more than qualified, as only two courses of study and five years of apprenticeship were then required. Additionally, before he emigrated Dr. Thomas obtained a letter certifying he had also attended lectures in midwifery and the diseases of women and children, which was found among his papers after his death. Several sources, including Robert Roberts. indicate he had actually written the lectures himself.
Thus when he emigrated in May, 1832, Dr. Thomas was a fully certified medical practitioner, having qualified as a surgeon, and left behind his own successful three-year private practice at Hackney. London.
Medical writings
Over the period 1829 to 1831. “Mr. John Thomas, Esquire.” wrote eight articles to The Lancet. several of which were in multiple parts. (The Lancet was at the time the foremost medical journal in England, and is still published in London.) Most of these are of limited interest from a religious viewpoint, but several deserve comment for one reason or another.
Anatomy Bill. In this article, written in May, 1829, Dr. Thomas praises the proposed bill, which was then before the British Parliament, for its “more plentiful supply of subjects for the purpose of dissection.” The bill provided that “all persons dying in prisons, hospitals, or workhouses, if not claimed within 72 hours, are to be given up to licensed teachers.” Being a demonstrator of anatomy at the time, Dr. Thomas obviously had a vested interest in its passage. It is also the first publication of Dr. Thomas I am aware of, and is a well-written, cogently-argued piece.
Years later, as a newspaper editor in St. Charles, Illinois, Dr. Thomas had to report on a medical student who was accused of grave-robbing to obtain subjects for dissection — a problem Dr. Thomas was well acquainted with. The riot caused by a similar episode, which closed down the Franklin Medical Institute of which Dr. Thomas was at one time president, was only one of numerous incidents caused by the widespread practice of illegally exhuming bodies for dissection.
This had to have been a part of Dr. Thomas’ life later for, “Virginia did not recognize the need for legal provisions governing the supply of anatomical material until 1884,” and Dr. Thomas was professor of anatomy at a Virginia college in 1847. Lest we wonder about preservation, the bodies were kept “not by refrigeration but in vats and by arterial injection, an unsatisfactory’ method which meant that even those few subjects had to be dissected speedily.” (Quotes from W.B. Blanton: see Sources.)
On the Immateriality of the Mind. This article has as its subtitle And on its Identity with the Vital Principle, and on the Constitution of the Soul: in reply to Mr. Dermot.” The contents are of interest, not only for their theological content, but because they show Dr. Thomas had considerable scriptural background, and at least some interest in religion, well before his voyage to the USA. The article is a reply to one by Dermot, in which he argued the soul had a physical source in the body. As Dr. Thomas himself later commented, his own description of the soul was incorrect, as the article argues for a “soul” that continues after death as an immortal creature. It also argues, however, heaven is a place, not a state of being, which was contrary to contemporary religious beliefs. The article shows Dr. Thomas had a considerable grasp of both Greek and Hebrew. Knowledge of Greek was common at the time. as it was a feature of classical education. But the Hebrew was unusual, being self taught when Dr. Thomas was about 15 by studying “Wilson’s Grammar.” (This information is given in “The Apostasy Unveiled.” written in 1835. How few of us have taught ourselves Hebrew at any age, let alone 15!)
Essay on Asphyxia. In this long essay, written in three parts, Dr. Thomas describes the techniques used to revive a “dead” body (or one in “suspended animation.” which is the term used in the article). He argues for the introduction of oxygen into the lungs for the remedy of lack of the “mild and temperate breath of Heaven.” as he terms our use of air. So even in an almost entirely medical article, religious language occurs.
On the Nature and Treatment of Burns and Scalds. This has an interesting footnote, “Late demonstrator of anatomy, and successful candidate for a prize awarded after a public examination of two hours in anatomy at St. Thomas’ Hospital.” It shows that in all he did he was of superior intelligence and application.
Synopsis of the treatment of Malignant Cholera. This is Dr. Thomas’ last article, being dated February 16, 1832, or only weeks before he emigrated. Written from Well Street, Hackney, in London, it reflects a busy and apparently quite successful medical doctor.
Life as a doctor in the USA
The medical scene in America in the mid-1800’s was quite unlike that in our times. Not many doctors, especially in rural areas, had any formal qualifications, most having learned solely as apprentices. There were often no licensing boards, no registration, no formal requirements. To practice as a doctor, all that was required was to hang out your shingle and wait for patients. For example, in Tennessee in 1850, out of 201 “doctors,” only 35 had any medical degree, 42 had a course or two but did not graduate, 95 had no formal qualifications, and 29 were practitioners of alternative medicine, such as phrenology, mesmerism, galvanism or the “eclecticism” described below. So it was not surprising Dr. Thomas found Cincinnati, where he spent his first year in America, overloaded with doctors. Records show that in 1839, the city, with 50,000 inhabitants, had 100 physicians — roughly twice our current ratio. When he went to Cincinnati in late 1832, he carried a letter of introduction to a “Dr. Stoughton” as Robert Roberts has it: actually James Staughton, who died either at that time or just after Dr. Thomas arrived. Could the death of his medical contact have been another factor that led Dr. Thomas to seek out his religious, not medical contacts? (For reasons I do not know, recent editions of Robert Roberts’ “Life and Works of Dr. Thomas” omit the name of his contact in Cincinnati, along with much other interesting detail.)
Thus, as far as we can tell, Dr. Thomas did not make a serious attempt to establish a medical practice until he arrived in Richmond, Virginia in 1834. Apparently there he was initially successful, but soon found the three tasks of editor, traveling teacher, and doctor were almost impossible to combine. There seems little doubt if he had concentrated on medicine, he would have been quite successful — but that never occurred to Dr. Thomas. Rather, he decided to give up medicine and take up life as a tobacco farmer and editor. He perhaps was forced into this path largely by opposition to his scriptural beliefs in the Richmond Church of which he was evangelist. But his opponents did drag his medical practice into the doctrinal dispute. (As an aside, I will argue in another article that Dr. Thomas appears to have developed his distinctive religious beliefs based largely on his Bible study and his medical background. almost entirely independent of others who had come, or were coming to. similar conclusions.)
Just what the background of the charges was, is difficult to tell, but at least two accusations of extortion were made against Dr. Thomas. In the first. Mr. Garland Haynes charged that a fee of $15 for reduction of a dislocation in one of his apprentices was excessive. This accusation was made before the congregation of Sycamore Church, and was resolved in that body, with Mr. Haynes apologizing. The second was more serious, for a flier called The Richmond Pamphlet was widely circulated among most of the Virginia Churches of the Campbellites, again accusing Dr. Thomas of extortion, this time in the case of Jemmy Griffin. For 63 visits to his son, a fee of $60 Dr. Thomas charged was actually less than his customary charge of $1 per visit, typical of physicians at the time. Obviously, his religious opponents — the Richmond Triumvirate” as Dr. Thomas terms them — were looking for any possible opportunity to discredit him. It was commented that Griffin had complained about every doctor that he had seen! The three elders were T.J Glen, James Bragg, and Garland Haynes (again), as we can tell by comparing the initials Dr. Thomas uses with lists of church elders. The accusations appeared to have had no long-lasting effect, but surely must have made Dr. Thomas even more reluctant to combine duties as an editor and physician. Hence he left for his tobacco farm he had purchased a year earlier, and joined the Paineville Campbellite Church where he was accepted and appreciated for his religious efforts.
President of Franklin Medical College, St. Charles, Illinois
We have few details of his medical practice in Illinois, to which Dr. Thomas removed in late 1839. We do know, however, Dr. Richards opened a medical college, the first in the state of Illinois, in St. Charles in November, 1842 or February, 1843 (the sources differ). Dr. Thomas is listed on the faculty of this college in several places as filling one of four chairs, with Dr. Richards also filling the chair of Anatomy and Surgery. Contemporary sources confirm Dr. Thomas was President and Lecturer in Chemistry (and Pharmacy), as Robert Roberts records. Dr. Thomas left St. Charles in the summer of 1843, so he did not have a long tenure. More details of this institute were covered in the July, 1996 issue.
Scientific and Eclectic Medical Institute, Petersburg, Virginia
When he went to England in May, 1848, Dr. Thomas presented himself as “President of the S. and E. Medical College of Virginia, United States, America.” I was unaware until recently of even the existence of this college, but on doing some research have pieced together a fascinating history!
Founded in 1846 in Petersburg, Virginia, it followed one of the main branches of botanic medicine, called “eclecticism.” The college, about 25 miles south of Richmond, was granted its charter by the state of Virginia on March 8, 1847, although it probably began taking students a year earlier. It awarded Dr. Thomas his M.D. on March 1, 1848, after “a rigid and fair examination.” (The certificate that records this is in the possession of Christadelphians in Virginia to this day.) Dr. Thomas appears to have lectured there for the session November, 1847 to February, 1848; he resided in Petersburg during some of this period, writing at least one editorial for the Herald with the dateline “Medical Institute, Petersburg, December, 1847.”
Through the kindness of Sis. Cora Morrissette, I have a copy of the announcement of the session for 1848
to 1849. Dr. Thomas is there shown as President and Professor of General and Descriptive Anatomy; the session was to start the first Monday of November, 1848. As you can read in Robert Roberts’ biography of John Thomas, he left the USA in May, 1848 for a “brief lecturing tour,” expecting to return in November— and now we know why. It makes even more significant the sacrifice he made in writing “Elpis Israel” — for that was mainly what kept him in England. He did not return to the USA until late 1850, and there is no evidence he continued his work at the S. & E. Medical College. In fact, there is no evidence the college survived past 1849.
The announcement also refers to the major tenets of eclecticism, with its reference to “no necessity of employing mineral poisons as remedial agents.” We have no way of knowing how strongly, if at all, Dr. Thomas subscribed to the theories of “eclecticism.” It was founded on the proposition that in a country such as America, there must of necessity grow medicinal plants suitable for every disease of its inhabitants. Its followers were violently critical of regular physicians, whom they called “mineralists” and charged with the sins of bloodletting, purging, and blistering. Being a lecturer in anatomy, Dr. Thomas would not be involved in lecturing on the specific tenants of “eclecticism.” Yet it might be noted that he was friendly with several other individuals who not only shared some (but not all) of his religious beliefs, but also were practitioners of “eclecticism.” One of these was John T. Walsh. a doctor in Richmond and also assistant editor of The Bible Examiner, to which Dr. Thomas contributed quite extensively at this time. We jope to describe the voluminous contributions Dr. Thomas made to this magazine in a later article; they dealt extensively with questions related to resurrectional responsibilit).
Dr. Thomas as a doctor
We have few details of his medical practice, but enough to know his experience ranged far outside his nominal qualifications as a surgeon. We read of no great medical triumphs in his name after he left England. He diagnosed his wife as suffering from “phthisis,” which is tuberculosis of the lungs, or TB. He wrote that he himself had “erisipelas,” which is a bacterial infection of the skin or mucous membranes. He treated himself for his many ailments; he was often ill in the last few years of his life with ailments that kept him bed-fast for a month at a time. There are numerous medical allusions in his writings, such as one long, somewhat tedious article he wrote in 1837 on the blood and lungs. Even when mortally sick in 1871 he attempted to insert a catheter into himself. He would not let his anguished wife and daughter call in any other doctor until he was too ill to be responsible. He died of a “constitutional malady” after eight days of agony at the age of 66. Whether this sad fate could have been prevented is impossible at this time to tell. But God closed his eyes in the sleep of death, to await the Kingdom he had spent the last 24 years of his life proclaiming.
Conclusion
There is no doubt the profession John Thomas, M.D. chose initially was well suited to his intellectual ability. It also later helped him move in the highest social circles, among men and women who offered long-term hospitality to him and his family, found venues for his lectures, supported his travels, and underwrote his publications. It is obvious his medical experiences led him to think deeply about the false doctrine of the immortal soul, and this became the foundation for most of his independent rediscovery of the truths found in the Bible. Thus a consideration of his medical background helps us to both understand the man, and appreciate how he developed the set of beliefs we share.
Note on Sources. Copies of The Lancet from the 1830’s can be found in most major libraries. The background to Dr. Thomas’ early days as a student in England is taken from “The Evolution of Medical Education in the Nineteenth Century,” by Charles Newman. Accounts of the S&E college are to be found, among other places, in “Medicine in Virginia in the Nineteenth Century,” by Wyndham Blanton. The book –Medical Education in the United States before the Civil War” by William F. Norwood gives details of Cincinnati as well as the S&E College. And a full account of Dr. Thomas’ medical qualifications is given in “The Christadelphian” of 1886, p. 152.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One