Papers of John Adams, volume 17
th.April 1785—
From a grateful & lively recollection of your former favours & friendly disposition towards me, I am induced to trouble you with a request, which, tho’ sensible it will be readily granted, I do with great reluctance, well knowing your time is too important to the public, to be intruded upon by your private Friends—1
I have lately been honoured with the appointment of Obstetrick Professor in the University in this City—to discharge the duties of which, I am obliged to provide myself with a Female-Apparatus from London—the price of which I cannot learn—2 Having no other Friend or Acquaintance in London, I beg leave to take the liberty of enclosing five Guineas to you, & requesting you will do me the favour of advancing enough to make up the deficiency, if there should be any, which shall be remitted to you as soon as known—
A Mr: Wright-Post, a Student in Medicine now in London from this City, is recommended to me, as a Gentleman who will readily 28and faithfully procure me the Machine—him I shall direct to wait upon your Excellency for the money3
I hope Mrs: & Miss Adams arrived safe & in health—also that you all continue to enjoy this great blessing—
Mrs: Crosby joins in most respectful regards to you & them, with your most Obedient & / most Humle: Servant
r:Crosby
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “His Excellency John Adams.—”
Born in Braintree, Dr. Ebenezer Crosby graduated from Harvard in 1777, completed his medical education at the University of Pennsylvania, and served as surgeon at George Washington’s headquarters during the Revolution. After the war he established a practice in New York City and in 1785 was appointed professor of midwifery at Columbia College, a post he held until his death in 1788 (Thacher, Amer. Medical Biog.,
1:57). Crosby would spend time with JQA after the younger Adams’ arrival in New York (JQA, Diary
, 1:295, 296, 303).
The “Female-Apparatus” that Crosby sought is generally called an “obstetrical phantom,” a mannequin of a pregnant woman’s torso used to teach midwives and physicians the mechanics of childbirth. The device that Crosby purchased was likely made of wood, leather, and canvas and was necessary to his teaching because cultural restrictions would have made it impossible to use a live subject for instruction (Michael W. Propper and Virginia G. Campen, “Wooden Woman: Cherchez le Fantôme!,” OB/GYN World, April 1985, p. 2–5).
JA replied on 3 Sept. 1785 that Dr. Wright Post, then studying in London and later a noted physician and professor of surgery at Columbia College, had procured the apparatus at a cost of seventeen guineas, leaving a balance of twelve guineas that he should pay to Charles Storer (LbC, APM Reel 107;
DAB
). For Crosby’s settlement of the account, see
AFC
, 7:5, 53.
th.1785
The desire of paying my respects to an old and excellent friend compels me under all the pressures of ill health and much business, to avail myself of Colo. Smiths secure conveyance to take up my pen. It is long since I have written to you, but much longer since I have had the honor of hearing from you, and I am perfectly satisfied that both these effects have been produced by causes not fairly within our controul—perhaps the same obstructions may not so fully prevail hereafter, and if they do not, I shall be happy—
Whilst I congratulate you on being appointed sole Minister to so eminent a Court as that of London, I cannot help congratulating my Country at the same time, for the just expectations that may be formed from the wisdom, patriotism, and diligence of its Minister— The untoward circumstances in which both countries are found [to] be placed, may have arisen from a neglect of decent and proper respect having been heretofore paid by each to the other— And if so, 29this advance on our part, may lead to the establishment of better conduct and happier consequences. That it may be so, may God, of his infinite mercy, grant— So far, I think that I pray devoutly for the honorable success of your Mission— Colo. Smith can give you so accurate a state of things here that it seems not necessary for me to enlarge on them—but with respect to this Gentleman, and his appointment, permit me to observe, that his established reputation is that of a Man of honor, of sense, and of very tried attachments to the success of our Union. His appointment (I mean the Office) Seems, as far as I have been able to investigate it, from a wish to shew respect to the Court of London, by an exact observance of all forms in such cases practised—1
I believe that Congress will adjourn (leaving a Committee of the States) in June next—2 So that when you find leisure and inclination to honor me with a letter, by sending it to the house of Wallace Johnson & Muir, my Correspondents in the City of London, they will forward your letter safely to me.3
I heartily wish you every honor and success in life that you can wish yourself
Your affectionate friend
RC (Adams Papers). Some loss of text due to a torn manuscript.
For earlier comments by Elbridge Gerry on WSS’s appointment as secretary, see his letter of 5 March (vol. 16:544–545).
Contrary to Lee’s expectations, Congress did not formally adjourn at any time in 1785 and establish a Committee of the States to act in its absence. However, in the latter portion of the year it became increasingly difficult to maintain the quorum necessary to do business, for which see Tristram Dalton’s letter of 18 Oct., below.
Joshua Johnson, JQA’s future father-in-law, was one of the principals of the firm.