Did quack doctors contribute in a positive way to the advancement of medicine?

A quack doctor dispensing his potions

A quack doctor mesmerising his patients (c.1840)

the word 'quack' comes from 'quacksalver', which meant someone who sold salves and other healing remedies by fast-talking patter or 'quacking'. Many were not doctors of course, but travelling salesmen, who went from village to village. they disappeared long before their customers found that medicines were worthless. Sometimes cures were advertised in newspapers.

People also used quacks as even experienced doctors had little idea of what caused diseases. Much medicine and surgery was ineffective or harmful. the necessity for hygiene was not generally understood and people often died as a result of surgery. there were so many different ideas about what caused illness that it was difficult to discredit quacks. In spite of their ineffectiveness, quacks survived because people who were desperately ill would try anything to save themselves.

the arrival of chemists meant that people could go and get better advice and more effective remedies. Quacks disappeared when chemists' shops opened in most towns as people became better informed about medicine and drugs. At the end of the 19th century the drugs industry was established and sought to sell drugs through legitimate channels.

Think about this:

• Lack of knowledge about medicine in the population helped to create opportunities for Quack medicine men.
• Modern scientific method in this period, created a surge in chemistry
• Availability of information about new drugs gave people more choice and knowledge.