Quackery

Types of Quackery

There are three distinct types of quackery. They are as follows:

1. Charlatans: Quacks that deliberately deceive their patients using charm and manipulation.
2. Cranks: Those who believe that their practices are effective, despite the lack of evidence.
3. Hucksters: People who use quackery as an opportunity for financial gain.

Sometimes quacks can have elements of more than one characteristic. Now, let's look at the history!

History of Quackery

Originating in Europe in the Middle Ages, in the 17th and 18^th centuries, quackery became more widespread in Britain as people sought to capitalise on the public's new interest in science by performing medical 'shows' on the streets in order to capture their interest. They also provided a cheap alternative to physicians or an apothecary. The prevailing notions of classical physicians Galen and Hippocrates had reemerged during the Renaissance. Now, with a new emphasis on evidence-based medicine, quacks queued up to debunk their theories.

These 'quacks' captured the public's attention by showing them cures for every illness under the sun, and even going so far as claiming to sell love potions and beauty products.

Fig. 1 - An 18^th-century cartoon of a 'Quack' doctor promising a cure for the plague

Quacks travelled around from town to town, often distributing flyers to announce their arrival. They even became an object of entertainment for wealthier people, who would go and see the quack's 'performance' in town.

Purpose of Quackery

The purpose of quackery for the quack himself was to make money and gain popularity.

For the general public, they were a source of entertainment and wonder in an age where there were lots of new scientific inventions and theories being created. Equally, quacks could provide cures and remedies for a much lower price than an apothecary, so people were drawn to them.

Quacks especially sought to provide 'cures' for frightening diseases and those believed to be incurable - for example, cancer, sexually-transmitted infections, and tuberculosis. Their trade also flourished at times of great trouble - usually during epidemics or pandemics. They were able to capitalise on people's fear and make a lot of money from selling bogus remedies.

The performance of a quack could become very elaborate and dramatic, going so far as to fake illnesses or injuries with clever tactics in order to demonstrate their products.

The Dangers of a Quack's Medicine

It is worth noting that the remedies offered by quacks were, at best, ineffective, and at worst dangerous. Often, the ingredients in these so-called 'miracle cures' were not listed, and there were no kinds of regulations to stop dangerous substances from being used in these cures.

Quackery: Examples

If we scour through history, there are countless examples of quackery and quack doctors. Let's dive into some of the most compelling ones!

The Plague

When the plague came to London in 1665, quack doctors saw the opportunity to make some money and gain credibility. It has to be said, not all quacks were only out for money - some stayed in the city because they genuinely wanted to try and help people. However, it was noticeable that many quacks began to pop up in London at this time, especially since many of the physicians and credible medical practitioners had left the city to escape infection.

Fig. 2 - Tankard engraving depicting the Great Plague

The quote below is an example of how medicine was peddled within this atmosphere:

William Read (1648-1715)

William Read is an example of how quack doctors could become famous and achieve status in Early Modern England.

Fig. 3 - Famous quack doctor William Read

Born in Aberdeen, Read was the son of a cobbler and was illiterate. Nevertheless, he practised ophthalmology (the study of the eye) in the North of England for some years - yet there is no evidence of him receiving any medical training. By 1694, he had settled in London and fraudulently claimed in the magazine Tatler that he had 35 years of experience as an oculist (eye doctor) and was an expert at curing conditions of the eye.

In 1705, he was appointed the oculist to Queen Anne, and was eventually knighted for his services to her!

In 1706, Read authored a pamphlet on diseases of the eye - in 1932, it was revealed that large parts of it were plagiarised from a work by the fully trained and well-qualified oculist Richard Banister.

Read's case serves as an interesting example of how quackery was in Early Modern Britain and how successful quacks could be.

Quackery: Overview

The following analysis provides a sense of just how rife quackery was during the plague and the absence of scientific understanding in the early modern period and the eighteenth century.

A quack could easily pose as a qualified physician, especially during times when there was a dearth of these. They were able to fake qualifications and use their business and nous to plug gaps for demand. As a consumer society developed in eighteenth-century Britain, quacks harnessed the low efficacy of contemporary medicine, meaning that it was difficult to distinguish between them and qualified practitioners. Emphasis was now on the cure and early marketing techniques beguiled the public. An interesting facet of this is the role of advertising. Quacks filled many a column in magazines with their supposed miracle cures!

Quackery, often referred to as alternative medicine today, is as popular as ever. People are increasingly aware of, and looking to seek ways of curing themselves without the harmful side effects of many drugs. It is interesting that proponents of these are no longer labelled quacks despite the immense advancement of medicinal knowledge.