Father: Neil BETHUNE
Family 1:
- Dr. Ferquhard BETHUNE
_Dr. Ferquhard BETHUNE _
_Dr. Angus BETHUNE _|________________________
_Ferquhard BETHUNE _|
| | ________________________
| |____________________|________________________
_Neil BETHUNE _|
| | ________________________
| | ____________________|________________________
| |_[Daughter] CUY ____|
| | ________________________
| |____________________|________________________
|
|--Neil BETHUNE
|
| ________________________
| ____________________|________________________
| ____________________|
| | | ________________________
| | |____________________|________________________
|_______________|
| ________________________
| ____________________|________________________
|____________________|
| ________________________
|____________________|________________________
INDEX
Notes
!SOURCE: Rev. Thomas Whyte, AN HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL
ACCOUNT OF THE BETHUNES OF THE ISLAND OF SKYE, Edinburgh, 1778,
reprinted London, 1893, by Alfred A. Bethune-Baker, reprinted by
ScotsPress, pp. 25-27.
Neil, the second son was a man of great skill in physic, which seemed
more naturel than acquired. He got little or no education, and yet had
singular success in curing several dangerous distempers. He did not
appear in the quality of a physician, until he arrived at the age of 40. He
pretended to judge of the various properties of plants and roots by their
different tastes. He nicely observed the colours of their flowers, from
whence he learned their astringent and loosening qualities. He extracted
the juice of plants and roots after a chymical way, peculiar to himself,
and with little or no charge. He considered the constitutions of his
patients before he administered any medicines to them. And he formed
such a system for curing diseases, as served for a rule and directory to
him on all occasions. He treated Riverius's LILIUM MEDICINAE, and some
other practical pieces, that he heard of, with contempt and disdain,
since, in several instances, their methods of curing had failed when his
had been successful. Some of the diseases cured by him were running
sores in the legs and arms, and grevious head-aches. He had the boldness
and resolution to cut a piece out of a woman'sskull brader than half a
crown, and by this operation restored her to perfect helath. This
account, Martin gives of him in his description of the Western Isles: And
further adds, "A gentlewoman of my acquaintance, having contracted a
dangerous pain in her belly a few days after she had been delivered of a
child, and several medicines having been used to no purpose; she was
thought past recovery, if she continued in that situation a few hours
longer. Luckily for her, this Doctor at that very juncture happened to
make her a visit, and, by applying a simple plant to the part affected,
gave her entire ease. one of his patients told me, that he sent him a cap
interlined with some seeds, &c. to wear for the cough, which it removed
in a little time, and had the like effect on his brother."
"The success attending this man's cures was so extraordinary,"
continues the same author, "that several people thought his
performances to have proceeded from an intercourse and compact with
the devil, rather than from the knowledge he had of the virtue of
simples. To obviate this calumny, Mr. Bethune pretended to have had
some education from his father, though he died when he himself was but
a boy. I have discoursed with him seriously at different times, and I am
fully satisfied, that he used no undue or unlawful means for effectuating
his cures." [Martin's Description of the West-Isles, p. 197, -98, -99,
printed anno 1703.]
He had one son called Ferquhard, who got some education as a physician,
was remarkably wise and prudent, and meddled with no patients but such
as he was assured he could give a good account of.
Created by
Sparrowhawk 1.0 (4/17/1996)
on
Mon Apr 2 10:50:27 2001