A Healing Note from the Old White

“Keep the legs as much as possible raised on a line with the body and this is especially necessary until the bandage has been applied for a few days —”

Pull up a chair and let me share a little treasure I found while sorting through the old papers from the Greenbrier White Sulphur Springs. It’s a handwritten note from the summer of 1873, penned by Dr. J. J. Moorman for a neighbor named Mr. Guinn. In a time before modern pharmacies, this was how care was delivered—written out carefully by hand on fine cream paper, with a spirit of kindness that still shines through the ink today.

The paper itself tells a story of survival. It’s got that soft, aged yellowing we call foxing and the deep creases from being folded and tucked away in a pocket or a ledger for a century and a half. The letterhead is quite grand, with gothic letters that remind us of the elegance of the old resort in West Virginia. You can almost see the doctor dipping his pen into black ink, his hand moving with a steady, practiced slant as he laid out a plan to get Mr. Guinn back on his feet.

The instructions are a wonderful window into 19th-century healing. Dr. Moorman didn’t just hand over a bottle; he prescribed a routine of iodine, bandages, and specifically timed doses from two different vials. And then there’s the mention of strong sarsaparilla tea as a mixer! It’s a reminder that back then, nature and medicine walked hand-in-hand. He was also very firm about rest, telling Mr. Guinn to keep his legs elevated—a bit of simple wisdom that hasn’t changed a lick in all these years.

When we look at a piece of history like this, it’s about more than just old remedies. It’s about the connection between two people and the shared hope for healing. Even though technology has changed, that human touch—the care a doctor takes to make sure a patient knows exactly what to do to feel better—is a timeless thread that connects us to folks like Mr. Guinn and Dr. Moorman across the ages.

Original Transcription

GEO. L. PEYTON & CO.,
Proprietors.

Greenbrier White Sulphur Springs,

B. F. EAKLE, – – – Chief Clerk.
Drs. J. J. MOORMAN
AND
T. B. FUQUA,
Resident Physicians.

Greenbrier County, West Virginia,

Mr. Guinn

Will apply the Iodine to his legs – and keep the
them bandaged as directed. He must take ten drops
out of the small vial in a little water three times a
day half an hour after each meal – and a Tea
spoonful out of the large vial three times a day
in a large wine glass full of strong Sassaparilla
Tea, half an hour or so before each meal. —
Keep the legs as much as possible raised on a
line with the body and this is especially necessary
until the bandage has been applied for a few
days — If the legs get hot, keep them up as
directed and put cloths wet with cold water
upon them.

J. J. Moorman M.D.

June 24th 1873 —