A Case of Amputation of an Arm
Though a grotesquely detailed account of the surgical proceedings for an amputation, the entry in Dr. John Bogardus’ ciphering book provides insight into medical practices of the 19th century, demonstrating the ways medicine, specifically anesthetics, has evolved, shaped, and lasted through time – for better or for worse.
Description
The amputation account is two of 78 pages of Dr. Bogardus’ reddish-brown ciphering book, measuring around 13.5 inches by 9 inches. The cover is made of dyed linen stitched over thick paper, with its edges frayed from wear and tear. Each page contained light, loopy brown writing, which is still legible in spite of the brown staining. Additionally, there is a significant hole in the middle of the first 30 pages of the book.
Provenance
The book remained in Dr. Bogardus’ collection throughout the duration of his career, which spanned from 1797-1838 according to dated entries spread throughout the pages. Bogardus passed away in 1840, which by this point, the chain of ownership becomes unclear. It is assumed that the book eventually came into Historic Huguenot Street’s possession, where it is stored today.
Page 75 of Dr. Bogardus' book and the first page of the entry of "A Case of Amputation of an Arm." Photo Courtesy of Sara Vala
Page 76 of Dr. Bogardus' book and the second page of the entry of "A Case of Amputation of an Arm." Photo Courtesy of Sara Vala
Narrative
On September 2nd, 1803, a man identified only as “J. Dewitt” was accidentally shot in the arm and had his forearm shattered. The bullet seemingly entered his arm at the wrist, travelled vertically up his forearm and then lodged at his elbow. The primary physician, Dr. Bogardus, with the assistance of Doctors Brodhead and Wheeler, decided that the arm was to be amputated.
Dr. John Evertse Bogardus was an influential and prominent physician in the New Paltz community in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He held various positions in the Ulster County Medical Society, including secretary, vice president, and president in 1823. Dr. Bogardus also had a significant role in the New Paltz community overall, as he was one of the first teachers at the first public school, one of the original trustees of the New Paltz Academy (the institutional predecessor of SUNY New Paltz) and served as the Town of New Paltz Supervisor.
This entry presents a record of the process of local physicians performing a risky procedure. Written by Dr. Bogardus, the first page describes the techniques and tools used for the amputation procedure, while the second page describes the process and meticulous steps that Bogardus had taken to ensure a safe healing for Dewitt. The amputation record contains many details and techniques for the procedure in its diagnosis, surgery, and aftercare, but two things stand out as an entry into familiar medicines and medical tools still used today: chamomile tea and laudanum.
The healing properties of chamomile tea have been documented for centuries as it is an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, mild astringent and healing medicine. Chamomile is a medical herb of the native world and comes in both German and Roman forms (Srivastava et al., 2010). It has properties that allow for treatment of the “skin and mucous membranes, and for various bacterial infections of the skin…as well as wound healing.” (Srivastava et al., 2010). In a recent study conducted on wound healing, it was found that chamomile is statistically significant in wound drying and epithelialization ability (Srivastava et al., 2010). The use of chamomile as a medical treatment was not new to the 19th-century. However, Laudanum was a different story.
Laudanum is prepared by dissolving extracts from the opium poppy in ethanol and consists of a “10% solution of opium powder—roughly 1% of morphine” (Stevens). Deemed as of 1803 as “God’s own medicine” for its reliability, long-lasting effects, and safety, it first entered the United States market in 1800 when the British Levant Company purchased almost half of the opium that was coming out of Turkey with the intention of importing it to Europe and the United States (PBS Frontline). Bogardus notes that DeWitt did not once complain of pain, despite the incredibly painful procedure, furthering demonstrating the powerful effects of the drug.
Despite the intensity of the drug’s effects, medical professionals weren’t bound by many regulations in 1803. New York was the first colony to enact a law requiring an examination for a medical license in 1760, only adding a provision to include a “two to three year preceptorship educational requirement and to add ‘three reputable practioners to assist . . . with the evaluation and examination’” (Morton and Riddle). It wasn’t until 1806 that the Medical Practice Act was enacted to allow state medical societies to regulate the licensing of physicians. Though there was some oversight, this limited regulation allowed doctors to prescribe and treat patients as they saw fit.
It was only in the beginning of the 20th century that medical knowledge about opioids and their effects became more understood. Laudanum faced further restrictions until its classification as a Schedule II drug in the 1970s under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act. Today, laudanum is an “orphan drug,” meaning it is only prescribed in rare circumstances when other medicines fail, due to its high risk of dependence and addiction.
Pain relief treatments have existed for millennia, ranging from natural herb blends such as chamomile tea to stronger manmade substances like laudanum. Without proper oversight, doctors could prescribe any dosage of any drug they saw fit, posing significant long-term problems to patients prescribed opioids, a problem that the United States still deals with to this day. The medical account of J. Dewitt’s amputation not only describes 19th century amputation procedures but also serves as a warning to the future and the global reliance on opioids in treating patients’ pain.
~Sydney A and Meg Fritche, Revised by Sara Vala
Works Cited
“Amputation.” Amputation – Health Encyclopedia – University of Rochester Medical Center, https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=92&contentid=p08292.
Fernandez, Humberto, and Therissa A. Libby. Heroin: History, Pharmacology & Treatment. Simon and Schuster, 2011, https://books.google.com/books?id=aEXXDQAAQBAJ&dq=%22Heroin:+Its+History,+Pharmacology+and+Treatment%22+(Hazelden,+2011),&lr=&source=gbs_navlinks_s.
Hakim, Robert Chad, and Kristianne Hannemann. “Opium Tincture: Uses, Side Effects, Warnings & More.” GoodRx, 7 July 2022, www.goodrx.com/opium/what-is. Accessed 17 Sept. 2025.
Morton, John H, and Jackson W Riddle. “FLEX, the New York State Examination for Medical Licensure.” Federation Bulletin (Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States), vol. 60, no. 5, 1973, pp. 146–162. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/45461618, https://doi.org/10.2307/45461618. Accessed 17 Sept. 2025.
“New York State Library.” DeWitt Family Papers, 1750-1890: New York State Library, www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/sc15161.htm.
“Opium throughout History | the Opium Kings | Frontline.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/heroin/etc/history.html.
Putt Corners, hpc.townofnewpaltz.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1852&Itemid=78.
Srivastava, J. K., Shankar, E., & Gupta, S. (2010). Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with a bright future. Molecular medicine reports, 3(6), 895–901. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2010.377
Stevens, Amanda. “What Is Laudanum? Understanding the Historical Opiate.” Able to Change Recovery, 26 Aug. 2024, able2changerecovery.com/what-is-laudanum/. Accessed 17 Sept. 2025.
Sylvester, Nathaniel Bartlett. History of Ulster County, New York: With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers. United States, Everts & Peck, 1880.
Trickey, Erick. “Inside the Story of America’s 19th-Century Opiate Addiction.” Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Jan. 2018, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/inside-story-americas-19th-century-opiate-addiction-180967673/. Accessed 17 Sept. 2025.