The Cost of Medicine (Colonial Medicine, Anyway)

February 10th, 2010

Filed under: Medicine

Back in 1736, concerned that certain medical practitioners were overcharging patients, the legislature of the Colony of Virginia passed a law setting mandatory prices for services. The prices, and the philosophy behind them, make for an entertaining and enlightening read:

Surgeons and apothecaries, who have served an apprenticeship to those trades, shall be allowed,
costs For every visit, and prescription, in town, or within 5 miles 5 shillings
costs For every mile, above five, and under ten 1 shilling
costs For a visit, of ten miles 10 shillings
costs And for every mile, above ten sixpence
To Surgeons,
costs For a simple fracture, and the cure thereof 2 pounds
costs For a compound fracture, and the cure thereof 4 pounds
 
But those persons who have studies phisic in any university, and taken any degree therein, shall be allowed,
costs For every visit,and prescription, in town, or within 5 miles 10 shillings
costs For every mile, above five, and under ten 1 shilling
costs For a visit, of ten miles 1 pound
costs And for every mile, above ten 1 shilling

A couple of things should be obvious looking at this table. First, housecalls were common in the colonial era, and the practitioners charged accordingly. Second, there were two classes of medical practitioners: those who learned the trade by serving an apprenticeship (the surgeons and the apothecaries), and those who learned the trade through years of schooling (the phisic, or physician). Which was better? It varied, and probably depended a lot on both the practitioner and the patient. (Today’s system of medical training combines both methods: multiple years of college and medical school followed by a residency — which is really nothing more than an apprenticeship.) Back in the colonial times, you’ll also notice the surgeons seem to be the only ones who really got their hands dirty.

5 Responses to “ The Cost of Medicine (Colonial Medicine, Anyway) ”

  1. Andreas
    February 11th, 2010 at 5:35 pm

    “Back in the colonial times, you’ll also notice the surgeons seem to be the only ones who really got their hands dirty.”

    The graduates probably thought they above that kind of crude stuff ;)

  2. Melanie
    February 11th, 2010 at 5:56 pm

    Anyone have insight as to these charges adjusted for inflation, and what a doc would actually charge for the today?

  3. Your Obedient Serpent
    February 11th, 2010 at 7:00 pm

    Were the surgeons still giving haircuts?

  4. Niklas Blanchard
    February 12th, 2010 at 7:53 pm

    @Melanie:

    Here are (roughly) the prices in today’s dollars =].

  5. Rob
    February 25th, 2010 at 3:05 pm

    As I recall from reading Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey/Marurin novels (including the Master and Commander novel), the fact that Aubrey’s ship surgeon Stephen Maturin was an actual physician was considered both unusual and a point of pride. In fact, Aubrey was initially reluctant to suggest it to Maturin (even though Maturin was very strapped for cash at the time) because he assumed Maturin would consider the position beneath him.

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