At Fort Mandan below the Knife River Villages, an unnamed man is treated for a ‘violently bad’ pleurisy. Lewis determines latitude, and some of the enlisted men make charcoal for the blacksmith forge.
A Case of Violent Pleurisy
by Yellowstone Public Radio[1]Originally aired weekdays by Yellowstone Public Radio during the Bicentennial observance of 2003-2006. Narrated by Hal Hansen. Scripts by Whit Hansen and Ed Jacobson. Produced by Leni Holliman. © … Continue reading
Pleurisy
Owen’s 1754 Dictionary
The captains took along four volumes comprising Owen’s Dictionary, and they may have used it as a reference to identify and treat pleurisy which afflicted at least two men during their winter at Fort Mandan.
Title page text: A New and Complete Dictionary of Arts and Sciences; comprehending all the Branches of Useful Knowledge,
Entry text: PLEURISY, [Greek letters], in medicine, a violent pain in the side, attended with an acute fever, a cough, and a difficulty of breathing.
This disorder affects all the parts of the internal integuments of the thorax, the whole of the pleura, and the whole of the mediastinum ; and therefore, when it is seated in the membrane internally lining the ribs, it is called a true or internal pleurisy ; but when it chiefly occupies the external parts, and only the intercostal muscles, and those above them, are affected, it is called a spurious or bastard-pleurisy.[2]A New and Complete Dictionary of Arts and Sciences; comprehending all the branches of useful knowledge, with accurate descriptions as well of the various Machines, instruments, tools, figures, and … Continue reading
A Violent Pleurisy
one man taken violently Bad with the Plurisee, Bleed & apply those remedeis Common to that disorder.
—William Clark
Treating Pleurisy
Boerhaave directs a large quantity of blood to be let, from a wide orifice in a large vessel . . . the bleeding continued till the pain remits, or the patient is ready to faint . . . . Huxham confirms by his own experience, and adds, that after the fourth day, bleeding is not safe.
Dr. Mead observes, on the treatment of this disorder, that after drawing as much blood as is necessary, draughts with fresh-drawn linseed oil, are of great service for easing the cough ; nitre, for allaying the heat . . . .[3]Owen’s, 3:2512.
Making Charcoal
A pleasant day and all hands employed in cutting wood, to make charcoal. We have a blacksmith with us, and a small set of blacksmith tools. The blacksmith makes war-axes, and other axes to cut wood; which are exchanged with the natives for corn, which is of great service to us as we could not bring much with us.
—Patrick Gass
Celestial Observations
Observed Meridian Altitude of
‘s U. L. with Sextant and artificl. Horzn. of water 48° 50′ —
Latitude deduced from this observatn. N. 47 21 47
—Meriwether Lewis
Weather Diary
Ther. at Weather Wind at Thert. at 4 P.M. Weather Wind at 4 P.M. River 12 [above 0] cloudy N E 20 [above 0] fair after clouds S E —Meriwether Lewis[4]To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the date column, merged the “River” columns, and spelled out some abbreviations.
Experience the Lewis and Clark Trail
The Lewis and Clark Trail Experience—our sister site at lewisandclark.travel—connects the world to people and places on the Lewis and Clark Trail.
Plan a trip related to January 26, 1805:
Fort Mandan is a High Potential Historic Site along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail managed by the U.S. National Park Service. The North Dakota Department of Parks and Recreation manages a modern reconstruction and the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center located at US Hwy 83 and ND Hwy 200A.
Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site is a High Potential Historic Site along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail managed by the U.S. National Park Service. A unit of the National Park System, the site is located at 564 County Road 37, one-half mile north of Stanton, North Dakota. It has exhibits, trails, and a visitor center.
Notes
| ↑1 | Originally aired weekdays by Yellowstone Public Radio during the Bicentennial observance of 2003-2006. Narrated by Hal Hansen. Scripts by Whit Hansen and Ed Jacobson. Produced by Leni Holliman. © 2003 by Yellowstone Public Radio. |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | A New and Complete Dictionary of Arts and Sciences; comprehending all the branches of useful knowledge, with accurate descriptions as well of the various Machines, instruments, tools, figures, and schemes necessary for illustrating them, as of the classes, kinds, preparations, and uses of natural productions, whether animals, vegetables, minerals, fossils, or fluids; together with the kingdoms, provinces, cities towns, and other remarkable places throughout the world. Illustrated with above three hundred copper-plates, Curiously engraved by Mr. Jeffreys, geographer and engraver to his Royal Highness the prince of Wales. The whole extracted from the best authors in all languages, by a Society of Gentlemen (London: Printed for W. Owen, at Homer’s Head, in Fleet-street, 1754), Vol. 3 title page, 2511. |
| ↑3 | Owen’s, 3:2512. |
| ↑4 | To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the date column, merged the “River” columns, and spelled out some abbreviations. |
