Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
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1893 text
Thomas Holliard or Hollier was appointed in 1638 surgeon for scald heads at St. Thomas’s Hospital, and on January 25th, 1643-4, he was chosen surgeon in place of Edward Molins. In 1670 his son of the same names was allowed to take his place during his illness. Ward, in his Diary, p. 235, mentions that the porter at St. Thomas’s Hospital told him, in 1661, of Mr. Holyard’s having cut thirty for the stone in one year, who all lived.
Annotations
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Samuel Pepys was one of his ex-patients, of course
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help! “… scald heads…” heads of what?? thanks —- mike gresk
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“scald” appears to be scabies
“…Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome
This condition is caused by systemic spread of an epidermolytic toxin produced by certain strains of staphylococci. The primary infection may be umbilical, conjunctival, nasopharyngeal or in a wound. The patient is febrile with signs of systemic toxicity. The skin is bright red, often all over, and extremely tender. The child prefers not to be held. There is superficial blistering with sheeting off of skin, leaving the appearance of a scald. The process often begins in the genital and perioral area and may become widespread….”http://www.chw.edu.au/prof/handbook/sect23.htm?print
many referencies to scabies and some comments on scalds
“…Powder or meal was first used in Europe by the Poles, to conceal their scald heads; but the present fashion of using it, as well as the modish method of dressing the hair, must have been borrowed from the Hottentots,
young cure. ointment scurvy scald heads itch eruptions smelling…”The South African connection of the 17c.
http://www.raymondscountydownwebsite.com/html/kilkeel4.htm
googling scabies: the whole medical world of cause and solutions will appear. -
To see a picture of Thomas Hollier and read more about him, see
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/peter.walker6/prom.htmand a fuller article here (but large file)
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~hollyer/vol3.pdfPeter Walker
Hollyer, Holyer & Hollier One Name Study -
So, Holliard cut out Sam’s stone. He has come on the 23rd October to give “directions” to husband and wife. Sam has recently, between 10th& 12th October, suffered an indisposition, too delicate to be published, but it prevented them celebrating their 6th wedding anniversary appropriately. Am I reading too much into these matters if I suggest that they are connected.
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scald-head
(Med.) a name popularly given to several diseases of the scalp characterized by pustules (the dried discharge of which forms scales) and by falling out of the hair.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Scald+headSo, scad-head might be scabies, kerion, ringworm, or tinea capitis. It seems the byproduct of poor hygiene of the scalp.
The surgeon for scald-heads removed their hair.
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Thomas Hollier, biography and portrait.
References in the diary
- 1660
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Nov: 2
- 1661
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Jan: 18
Oct: 23
- 1662
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Jan: 16
Apr: 17
May: 4
Jun: 27
- 1663
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May: 24
Aug: 19
Sep: 28, 30
Oct: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 23
Nov: 12, 15, 16, 17, 18
Dec: 26, 28
- 1664
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May: 9, 31
Jun: 1
Jul: 1
Aug: 14, 28
Sep: 3, 4
Oct: 28
Nov: 22, 23
- 1665
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Jan: 12
- 1666
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May: 18
- 1667
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Feb: 16, 28
Mar: 13
May: 14, 26
Dec: 20, 22, 23
- 1668
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Jan: 9
Feb: 16
Mar: 31
Aug: 13
Nov: 10