THE TRUE
ACCOUNT
OF ALL THE
TRANSACTIONS
BEFORE THE
Right Honourable the LORDS,
And Others the COMMISSIONERS
for the Affairs of Chelsea Hofpital;
As far as relates to the
ADMISSION and DISMISSION
OF
SAMUEL LEE, Surgeon,
To which is prefixed,
A Short AccOUNT of the NATURE
of a RUPTURE.
By JOHN RANBY and CESAR HAWKINS,
Serjeant-Surgeons to His MAJESTY.
LONDON.
Printed for J. and P. KNAPTON in Ludgate
Street. MDCCLIV.
Taubman Rave
Book Room
R
730
·R36

(1)
THE TRUE
ACCOUNT, &c.
W
HEN Mr Ranby and Mr Hawkins were
firft defired by the Right Honourable
the Lords Commiffioners and others,
for the Management of the Affairs of Chelsea
Hofpital, to make Enquiries into the Validity of
the Cures, which Mr Lee, a Surgeon, afferted he
had made of feveral of their old Penfioners, who
had been afflicted with Ruptures; it was in Con-
fequence of a Difpute between Mr Chefelden, their
Surgeon, and Mr Lee, concerning the Evidence
offered by Mr Lee to Mr Chefelden of thofe Cures:
Which Evidence Mr Chefelden declared was infuf-
ficient, and fuch as he, as a Surgeon, could not
accept of, without betraying his Truft to the
Board.
Mr Ranby and Mr Hawkins agreed herein with
Mr Chefelden, and after fuch Enquiries as they
thought proper, gave in Writing their Opinion,
that, as far as appeared before them, Mr Lee was
not able to do more in thofe Cafes than other Sur-
geons; and they verbally declared at the fame
Time to the Commiffioners, that they joined with
Mr Chefelden in his Sufpicions, that the Declara-
tions and Affidavits of the Penfioners, that they
[ a ]
bad

(2)
bad left off their Truffes, and were perfectly
cured, were not to be relied upon; and withdrew
from any further Examination in the Affair: Mr
Lee purfuing them for thefe their Opinions in Me-
morials, Affidavits, &c. with numberlefs Invec-
tives and Reproaches.
Soon afterwards, upon Mr Ranby's being appoint-
ed Surgeon to the Hofpital, he fully detected and
laid open before the Commiffioners the Iniquity of
the old Men, in their falfe Declarations and Affi-
davits.
Thefe Accounts Mr Lee did not attempt to dif-
prove to the Commiffioners, but carried an Action
against Mr Ranby into Westminster-Hall, for ge-
neral Words of Defamation; and in particular for
afferting, that the Penfioners were not cured: Two of
whom were brought there, and fwore they were
cured by Mr Lee. Yet, within a Month after this
Tryal, theſe two Men (amongſt others) were ex-
amined by the Right Honourable the Com-
miffioners themfelves, when they were both found
with their Truffes on; which being removed,
their Ruptures appeared: And the Men acknow-
ledged to them, that they had their Truffes on at
the very Time they made Oath in Weftminſter-Hall,
that they were cured.
Mr Lee, foon after, was difmiffed from all far-
ther Attendance upon the Penfioners, not without
fome Animadverfions from the Right Honourable
the Commiffioners upon his Conduct.
This Difmiffion produced a Pamphlet, intitled,
A Narrative of fome Proceedings in the Manage-
ment of Chelfea Hofpital, as far as relates to the
Appointment and Difmiffion of Samuel Lee, Surgeon;
which was fent to many Perfons of the firft Di-
ftinction, as well as difperfed amongst many
others; and was, from the Beginning to the End,
full
SU

(3)
full of falfe Facts, Abufe, and Mifreprefentations
of the Conduct and Behaviour of Mr Chefelden,
Mr Ranby, and Mr Hawkins, with Regard to Mr
Lee; and accufed the Right Honourable the Com-
miffioners, as having hardly and unjustly difmif-
fed him from the Hofpital, with Declarations ftill,
that the old Men were cured. Mr Ranby, to do
all in his Power, in order to fix and clear this ma-
terial Point, begged the Favour of feveral of the
principal Surgeons of London, to affift at a Re-
examination of all thofe In-Penfioners who were
declared to have been cured by Mr Lee; and ac-
cordingly on 13 July, 1753, eleven of thefe Men
were fo examined; when every Man was found to
have a Trufs on, and the Ruptures of ten of them
immediately appeared.
With Regard to all the abufive Freedoms taken
with their own private Characters, in the above-
mentioned Pamphlet, Mr Ranby and Mr Hawkins
long hefitated, whether they ought, or indeed whe-
ther it was worth their while to take any public No-
tice of them, or not. They were in Hopes their
Characters and Behaviour, in the many Families
which they have had the Honour and good Fortune
to be employed in, would gradually wear away any
Sufpicion that might have been raifed, that they could
be mean enough to uſe Art and Authority to depre-
ciate, cry down, and quafh the new and valuable
Diſcoveries of any young Man in the Profeffion,
which it would have better become them to en-
courage and fupport.
They were confcious to themfelves of their be-
ing above fuch low and difhoneft Artifices, and
were inclinable to leave the whole to Time, which
generally does Juftice to the Characters of Men.
But fome of their Friends, and particularly of
their own Profeffion, continued to prefs them for
[ 22 ]
a public

(4)
a public Account of Mr Lee's Behaviour, and their
own Conduct in this Difpute; and affured them,
that many People were drawing Inferences from
the Narrative's not being anfwered at all, that the
Facts contained in it were true. Befides, they had
frequently remarked, in the many Converſations
they had occafionally held upon the Subject, how
very little the true Nature of this common Dif-
eafe was known, how greatly it had been in ge-
neral mifreprefented, as to its Danger, its Irkfom-
nefs, and the Impoffibility of its being cured in
the common Way of treating it; nay, how avow-
edly incurable it was imagined to be allowed by the
English Surgeons.
In fuch Converfations Mr Ranby and Mr Haw-
kins found very few who were not furprized, when
they affured them, that the very contrary was true
in every Circumftance; that in a common Rup-
ture, the Ufe of a proper Bandage, which in itfelf
is little or no Inconvenience, when it is made to fit
well, procures immediate, Relief to the afflicted
Perfon, from Pain and every other grievous Symp-
tom of the Diſorder; in a very little Time enables
him to go on with his Bufinefs, though a laborious
one; and by a ftill longer Perfeverance, fometimes
fooner, fometimes later, often works a compleat
Cure, fo that the Bandage may be entirely laid
afide: The Perfon having gradually recovered the
natural Strength of his Fibres, which in Health fo
perfectly prevents the Complaint. That every
Surgeon knew this to be an effectual Way of treat-
ing the Disorder, and that moft, Surgeons could
produce many Instances of ruptured People, within
their own Knowledge, who had long left off their
Bandages they were at firft obliged to wear, and
continued ever after pefectly well; nay farther,
that

( 5 )
that in their Opinion, whenever a real Cure has been
performed by thofe who pretend to fome particular
Secret, it was the Bandage, which they never fail to
call into their Affiftance, that in Reality effected
the Cure; though the Merit of it was always art-
fully attributed to fome internal Medicine or out>
ward Application; which requires their frequent
Attendance, and muſt be adminiſtered by their own
Hands.
From thefe Confiderations, Mr Ranby and Mr
Hawkins were induced to give a fair and impartial
Account of their Proceedings; which they would
willingly endeavour at the fame Time to make of
fome general Service to the Public, by turning the
prefent Curiofity to the particular Advantage of
every one, who is interefted enough to make a fe
rious Enquiry into the Nature of this Diſorder.
Their Defign, therefore, is to lay before the Pub-
lic, a plain and fhort State of the Nature of a com-
mon Rupture, as free from Terms of Art as poffible,
and not defigned for Surgeons, (who they make no
Doubt are as much Mafters of the Subject as they
are themfelves) but only to enable any attentive
Perfons to get rid of their Prejudices, their Fears,
and perhaps their falfe Shame; and to judge for
themſelves, how they are to act in applying for,
and procuring Relief in this Difeafe, as juftly as
they can in any other, which is more generally and
better understood.
This Defcription of the Diſeaſe is likewife in-
tended to affift the Reader, who is unacquainted
with the Subject, the better to underſtand the Hi-
ftory following it, which contains all the material
Tranfactions, Difputes, &c. between the other
Surgeons and Mr Lee.
Laftly,

(6)
Lastly, with the Authority of the Right Hon.
the Commiffioners, they have added all the Mi-
nutes of the Board relating to Mr Lee, from his
Admiffion to his final Difmiffion, including a Nar-
rative, Certificates, and Examinations, as delivered
to them by Mr Furey, the Secretary to the Hofpital.
The common Rupture, which is the Subject of
this Enquiry, is an external Swelling at the Bottom
of the Belly, eafily to be felt and feen; and is oc-
cafioned by the Gut or Caul, or both, forcing their
Way out of their proper Situation within the Ca-
vity of the Belly, through Openings, naturally de-
figned to give Faffage to particular Veffels only.
Thefe Openings are fo tight and fmall in the
right and natural State of the Body, as not to per-
mit the Gut or Caul to pafs along with thefe Vef-
fels; and it is only from fome accidental and pre-
ternatual dilating of them, that the Rupture pro-
ceeds.
At its Beginning this Swelling is generally very
eafy to be diftinguished from all others, and chiefly
by this peculiar Circumftance, that at any Time
the whole Swelling can be entirely and inftantane-
oufly removed by a very fmall artificial Preffure
upon it with the Fingers; this is done by pushing
back the Gut or Caul into the Cavity of the Belly.
When it is thus put back, or when it retires of it-
felf, as it commonly does, on the Perfons lying down
any Time; no Swelling at all, nor fo much as any
Trace of it, is to be feen, by which any one can
know there had been fuch a Swelling on the Part,
or that it would return on change of Pofture, or
ftraining of the Body.
In this State of a Rupture, the Skin which
covers it, is neither inflamed, nor at all difco-
loured.
This

(7)
This Complaint is extremely common in In
fancy, but is fcarce to be reckoned a Diftemper,
it is fo eafily cured by Bandage. This peculiar
Bandage, however it may be diverfified in its
Make or Faſhion, ferving to keep the Gut or
Caul from preffing out of the Cavity of the Belly,
is called a Trufs.
After two or three Years of Age, the Rupture
rarely happens, but from fome forcible Accident,
or extraordinary ftraining of the Body; for as
Children grow older, and their Fibres become
ftronger, thofe Openings are more difficultly die
lated, and confequently they are lefs fubject to this
Diſorder.
In fuch Cafes, and in all indeed, almoft without
Exception in a growing Age, the Bandage well
fitted, and conftantly worn for a proper length of
Time, proves a certain and abfolute Cure.
In grown up Perfons, who are in the Vigour
and Prime of their Life, the Rupture fcarce ever
has its Beginning, but from the Violence of fome
very extraordinary Accident; and even in thefe,
provided the Trufs is early and well fitted, and the
Cure is favoured by Reft, and all laborious Exer-
cife is avoided for a length of Time, the dilated
Opening is often compleatly ftrengthened again,
and the Rupture cnred.
Laftly, Old Men are frequently fubject to this
Diſorder, and the Rupture is often occafioned by
very flight, and very inconfiderable Accidents,
from meer Weakneſs of the Parts, and the general
Relaxation of the Fibres, the natural Confequences
of Decay; yet even in thefe Cafes, the conftant
wearing of a good Trufs, frees the ruptured Per-
fon from Pain, and all Kind of Danger, and moft
commonly renders the Diſorder a flight Inconve-
nience

(8)
nience only, and not an Obstacle to any of the
Offices of Life, and fometimes perfectly cures.
With refpect to an abfolute and compleat Cure
in theſe Diſorders, the Difference between thofe in
the firft, and in the latter Stage of Life, muft be
extremely obvious.
Children are liable to this Diforder, from the
Softnefs and over-yielding of the Parts, before
their Fibres have acquired their due Strength and
Firmnefs; and thefe (provided the Rupture is con-
ftantly kept up by a proper Trufs) Time will of
courfe recover, as it naturally brings with it that
Strength and Firmnefs which was wanted.
Whilft in aged Perfons, whatever their Rup-
tures are, whether recent or of long Standing,
Time can only add to their Infirmities; and an
univerfal and certain Cure is perhaps as little to
be expected, as an univerfal Remedy to reſtore,
throughout their whole Fabrick, the Force and
Vigour of their Youth.
It fometimes happens that the Gut and Caul,
from a long Neglect of returning them into the
Belly, adhere, and grow to the Parts furrounding
them: This Adhefion of courfe ever afterwards
prevents the Return of the Rupture into the Belly,
which thus becomes an incurable Cafe.
Again, if through Neglect of wearing the
Trufs, or fome cafual very extraordinary Strain,
the Inteftine in a ruptured Perfon comes down
with more Violence, and in greater Quantity than
ufual, a dangerous Inflammation fometimes fuc-
ceeds, which without early and proper Affiftance
ends in a Mortification.
This Difference in the Nature of Ruptures, the
greatest Part of which are easily and furely cured
by Bandage, whilft fome few others again are ab-
folutely incurable, and even fometimes dangerous,
has

(9)
has given Opportunity to Perfons, who are regarda
ful of their own Intereft only, of impofing on the
credulous and timorous. To effect which, in the
firft Place, they confound together the Ruptures
of People of different Ages, and thofe of eafy
Cure, with the Incurable, and fpeak alike of
them in general, as if they were all equally griev-
ous, incurable, and dangerous Diſorders; and
in the next Place, whilft they apply a Bandage or
Trufs, and perform their Cures by it, they make a
Parade and Ufe of fome fecret Remedy, which is
of no real Service, but to which they pretend to
afcribe the Merit of the Cure; thus cunningly en-
hanfing their own Credit, and exacting thereby
extraordinary Pay.
Thefe Impofitions almoft all our Authors take
Notice of, as the delufive Practice of their Times,
and, in our own, almoft every Day's News-Paper
produces fome Advertiſement or other to the fame
Purpofe; fome pretending to cure by internal Re-
medies, and others by external Applications.
The common Name of this Diforder, a Rup-
ture, would naturally lead to a falfe Idea of it, as
it implies a Laceration or Tearing; whereas it is
really owing to a preternatural Dilatation only of
the Opening above-mentioned, and therefore is
not to be cured as a Wound or Breach of the
Parts by Medicine, but is then recovered, when
the Fibres, which compofe the Openings, have re-
gained their due natural Strength and Contractions.
How little any internal Remedies which muft firft
mix with, and circulate through the whole Mafs
of Blood, can contribute to the ftrengthening a
particular Part thus diftended and dilated, may be
eafily gueffed.
It is true, as far as they ftrengthen the whole
Body, they help fuch a partial Weakness, but no
[b]
farther.

(10)
farther. And as to external Applications, they
cannot enter fo deep as to thofe Openings, with
any Degree of Power, or contracting Force.
So that no one will imagine that any fuch Ap-
plications could be endued with a Power of con-
tracting that one particular Set of Fibres of the
Body only, for if it could be ferviceable there, it
would be certainly equally able to exert its Force
in the Cure of every ftrained or weakened Part,
which has never yet been pretended to.
The beft Surgeons have found by Experience,
that the ſtrongeſt and moſt powerful external Ap-
plications are of trifling Effect in this Diforder,
and unable to penetrate deep enough even to affift
or fhorten the Cure.
All Medicines, internal or external, are for thefe
Reafons rejected from the beft regular Practice;
proper Reft, the Trufs well fitted, being proved
to be fufficient to effect every poffible Cure.,
There is not perhaps any one Diſorder of the
Human Body, which has been more fully confi-
dered, or more faithfully and judiciouſly treated,
by all Authors writing on Surgery, both antient
and modern; numberlefs Remedies have been
tried and difcarded, various Operations have been
invented and laid afide, and the boldeft Experi-
ments made, both by the Knife and Cauftic, but
without Succefs.
No longer ago than in the Beginning of his late
Majefty's Reign, a new Method was propofed
(at that Time a Secret) and recommended with
very great Encomiums to the King, as worthy of
his Royal Encouragement.
It was to make a large deep Wound by the Ap-
plication of Cauftics, which fhould take in and
deftroy all the Parts which cover the Openings
through which the Ruptures defcend, upon a Pre-
fumption

(H)
fumption that, after the healing up again of thofe
Wounds, the great Scar or Cicatrice remaining
would have bound fo tight upon thofe Openings,
as to have prevented any future Defcent of the
Ruptures.
The Method proved upon Trial ineffectual;
but whoever has feen and taken Notice of the
great Hardneſs and Contraction, which remains
upon the healing up of a large Wound or Burn,
will readily comprehend what Alteration of thofe
Parts was produced by this Experiment; much
greater indeed than any Alteration which can ever,
in the Nature of Things, be effected by Appli-
cations to the Skin only, without deftroying it.
In all thofe Cafes, where the Experiments were
made under the Royal Sanction, after the Wounds
were firft healed, the Ruptures did not come
down for fome Time; and upon this deceitful
Appearance, the Gentlemen who were appointed
to examine thofe Cafes, reported that the Patients
appeared to be cured; whereupon a very large
and princely Reward was given by his Majefty to
the Operator, viz. the Sum of 5000l. and 500l
a Year Annuity, and the Honour of Knighthood;
but, in the Courfe of a few Months, all their Rup-
tures returned, none of thoſe Perfons proved to be
cured, and the Method was publickly decryed,
not without fome Reproach to the Gentlemen who
had inadvertently made an over-hafty Report.
Yet in thofe Cafes, after the Perfons were once
declared to be cured, frequent and fair Examina-
tions were fubmitted to; all the Bandages were
known to have been left off, and no Collufion or
Deceit was fufpected in the Perfons upon whom
the Trials were made. Now, if we compare that
memorable Hiſtory with the prefent Cafe, we fhall
fee that there was not in this, even the fame Pre-
[b2]
tence

(12)
tence for reporting the old Penfioners cured;
for when thefe were declared to be cured, frequent
and fair Examinations were denied, the Bandages
were not known to be left off, and a fraudulent
Combination amongst the old Penfioners was extremely
fufpected.
The Proof of Cure was to reft wholly on their
Declarations and Affidavits, and upon fuch an In-
ſpection and Examination, as, at the moft, could
only produce a Declaration that their Ruptures
were not down at that Time; and how fhort this
Appearance upon any one, or a few Examinations
must be from a real Proof of Cure, need not be
obferved to any the leaft verfed in Surgery, or to
thoſe who have been troubled with Ruptures
themſelves; and yet this was the long Point of
Debate between Mr Chefelden and Mr Lee, Whe-
ther a ruptured Perfon, appearing at an Examina-
tion, without vifible Marks of a Rupture, was
Proof of a Cure.
When Mr Ranby and Mr Hawkins were first
prefent with Mr Chefelden, at an Examination of
the ruptured Men at Chelfea, Mr Lee vehemently
and ftrongly preffed them to give him a Certifi-
cate of the Cure of thoſe Men who had no Ap-
pearance of Ruptures at that Time, and complain-
ed of their Refufal to comply with his Demand,
as a great Hardfhip, though thofe Men were, be-
fore that Day, entirely unknown to them.
At every Board, and at every private Meeting,
in all his Memorials, and in all the Affidavits, Mr
Lee was misleading every one to judge from their
Ruptures not being down, at any fingle Examina-
tion, that the Men were cured; and, indeed, by
the whole Tenour of his Behaviour and Talk, in
public as well as private, any one would have
thought, that Men appearing thus without their
Ruptures

(13)
Ruptures down, and their being perfectly cured,
was one and the fame Thing. It is fcarcely to be
conceived what Obloquy, Abufe, and Trouble the
Surgeons, appointed to make the Examinations,
met with from Mr Lee, for refufing to admit this
fallacious and trifling Evidence. Were it true
that a Rupture's not coming down foon after tak-
ing off the Trufs was Proof of a compleat Cure,
how eafy would it be for Surgeons to decide the
precife Time, when thoſe who have been troubled
with Ruptures might deem themſelves cured, and
fafely lay afide the Ufe of their Bandages. Sur-
geons are often confulted upon this very Queſtion,
and well know they cannot be determined by any
Appearance or Examination of the Parts, but that
they must be guided in their Opinions, by their
general Rules from Experience, and the Circum-
ftance and Hiftory of each particular Cafe. For
Example, fuppofe a grown up Perfon, who had
been troubled with a Rupture, had never once
found any Uneafinefs, Preffure, or Symptom of
his Rupture, during the laft Months he wore his
Trufs, and fhould therefore lay it afide, and, after
a Week or Fortnight's continuing well, conclude
himfelf compleatly cured, without any Danger of
a future Relapfe; every experienced Surgeon
would tell him his Conclufion was premature,
that two or three Months at leaft were neceffary,
in which Time he ought to make various Trials
with different Kinds and Degrees of Exercife, be-
fore he could, upon any juft Foundation, conclude
that his Cure was really compleat and perfect.
If this is rightly explained, what must be thought
of the Infpection of an Hour, or what even of feveral
fuch repeated Infpections at fixed Times; if the
Perfons, thus to be examined, had it in their Power
to prepare themſelves accordingly, live quietly,
without

(14)
without Exercife or Repletion, and wear their
Truffes in the intermediate Times of the Exami
nations?
To illuftrate this Conduct of Mr Lee's, with
refpect to the Examination, by a more familiar
and known Distemper. Suppofe a Perfon, pretend-
ing by an unknown Remedy to an infallible Cure
of an Ague, had been permitted to make an Ex-
periment upon one of the Penfioners, and the pro-
per Proofs of the Cure referred to their Phyfician.
If, after a few Days, the Phyfician had been defired
to infpect the Patient, and, upon his appearing
well, had been requeſted to give a Certificate that
he was cured; would he not have naturally an-
fwered? The Man does appear well To-day,
but, for aught I know to the contrary, he may
have had his Ague-Fit Yefterday, and may
"again have a Return of it To-morrow. I live
"under the fame Roof with him, you fay he is
cured, I will vifit him at the Times I think
"proper, and if I find him continue well, I will
"be very ready to make any Report in your
"Favour."
Would this Anfwer have been thought wrong,
or how would it have founded, if the Perfon, who
pretended to cure the Ague, had declared,
"the
Phyfician fhould have no fuch Permiffion to
vifit his Patient, that the prefent Infpection was
"fufficient; but that if he wanted more Evi-
"dence, the Man himſelf was before him ready
"to declare he was cured, and that he had even an
". Affidavit in his Pocket, which the Man had
made before a Juftice of the Peace to prove it."
Such exactly was the Nature of the Proofs
which Mr Lee always offered to Mr Chefelden,
Mr Ranby, and Mr Hawkins.
Mr

(15)
Mr Lee's firft Application to the Commiffioners.
appears by the Minutes on their Books, to be on
31 Jan. 1749-50, and in the following Manner.
The Paymafter-General communicated the fol-
lowing Letter to the Board, which he had re-
ceived from Samuel Lee, Surgeon, including feveral
Certificates of his Succefs in curing Ruptures.
SIR,
To the Honourable William Pitt, Efq;
As you was fo kind to promife Sir William
Yonge, that you would acquaint your Honour
able Board with my Success in curing Hernia's
(Ruptures).—I have, according to your Directions,
inclofed four Certificates, which I hope you will be
fo good as to lay before them: And as there is a Va-
cancy for a Surgeon for that Complaint alone in
that Hofpital, hope they will think it worthy Con-
fideration, and am, praying your further Afiftance
berein,
Your Honour's
Moft obedient and obliged Servants
Arundel-Street,
29 Jan. 1749.
Samuel Lee
There are but two of thefe Certificates now re-
maining in the Hands of Mr Furey, Secretary to
the Hofpital. They are as follows:
This is to certify, that I Robert Pitt, Coachman
to Sir William Yonge, being troubled with a Rup-
ture, did in Dec. 1747, apply to Mr Ranby, Ser-
jeant-Surgeon, for the fame, who told me I was
incurable,

(16)
incurable, but that I might poffibly find fome
Benefit from a Trufs, which by his Direction I
got; but notwithſtanding that, my Rupture after-
wards came down very often, and was at laft fo
troublefome, that I was obliged to leave off my
Trufs, and continued without it until Nov. 1749,
when the Rupture was as large as ever: And I, by
Sir William Yonge's Direction, then applied to Mr
Samuel Lee, of Arundel-Street, by whom I was in
three Weeks cured; and have continued quite well
in that Refpect ever fince, though have continu-
ally drove the Coach, and had a violent Cough.
In witnefs whereof, and that I now find myfelf
quite well, I have fet my Hand this 28th of
January, 1749.
Robert Pitt.
This is to certify, that I John Sackvile, aged 60,
have been troubled with a Hernia (Rupture) for
thirty Years laft paft, which for about three Years
has been fo bad, that I could not walk five Yards
without the moft exquifite Pain.
In September laft, I was examined by Mr Ranby,
Serjeant-Surgeon, who then told Mr Lee, if he
could cure me, that he fhould then be convinced that
be was able to relieve that Complaint, which he
thought was by all deemed incurable. In witnefs
whereof, and that I was compleatly cured by the
faid Mr Lee, of Arundel-Street, and afterwards ex-
amined again by the faid Mr Ranby, who confeffed
the faid Cure was compleated, and that I have not
fince had the leaft Symptom thereof, I have fet
my Hand, this 5th Day of Lecember, 1749.
John Sackvile.
Thefe

( 17 )
Thefe extraordinary Certificates we have inferted
at Length, as they oblige us to ftop the Reader at
the very Entrance into this Account, and beg his.
Attention to a few Remarks upon them.
First, Mr Ranby declares, that he never knew,
nor fo much as fufpected, that his Name had ever
been mentioned, on any Occafion whatever, at the
Chelfea Board, 'till Mr Chefelden had defired that.
he and Mr Hawkins might affift in examining Mr.
Lee's Patients; that it was not 'till on the Inten-
tion of this Publication when all the original Pa-
pers were delivered to him, that he found thefe
Certificates, and difcovered how free an Ufe
had been made of his Name without his Know-
ledge even at Mr Lee's very firft Application to
the Board; and that had he known it at the Time,
he fhould undoubtedly have taken the very first
Opportunity of waiting upon the Commiffioners,
and informing them how very unfairly his Opi-
nion on Ruptures had been mifreprefented to them
in thoſe Certificates, and in particular how abfo-
lutely falſe and groundleſs Sackvile's Affertion was,
that he had confefs'd to Mr Lee, that Sackvile's
Cure was complete..
Secondly, Pitt, Sir William Yonge's Coachman,
fays, that fo long ago as in the Year 1747, he
went to Mr Ranby for his Advice, as a ruptured
Man.
This may poffibly be true, many Servants ap-
plying to him on the like Occafion, whom he ufu-
ally adviſes to get a good Trufs; and, when they
have got one, if it fhould not fit eafy, or if it did
not prevent the Rupture from coming down, to
come to him again, and he would tell them what to
do.
This was moſt likely his Direction to this Man,
as it is the only Method he ever puts any of his
[ c ]
Patients

(18)
Patients in, whether rich or poor, who are afflicted
in the fame Manner. But he is very fure he did
not fay, that he was incurable.
If, as it follows in his Certificate," notwith-
"ftanding the Trufs, the Rupture afterwards
"came down very often, and was at laſt ſo trou-
"bleſome as to oblige him to leave it off," Mr
Ranby's Advice was improperly purfued, and his
Directions ill executed. The Trufs, Pitt had pro-
cured, was ill made, or at leaft wanted fome Alter-
ation, either in the Make or Application; for, in a
common Rupture, a good Trufs, well fitted,
would never have been troubleſome, nor have per-
mitted the Rupture to come down; and the Ufe
of it would undoubtedly have enabled him to per-
form with Eafe, all the Labour and Duty of his
Place.
This is the particular Cafe, which all Pretenders
to cure by Remedies rejoice in and avail themſelves
of, whenever it falls into their Hands. The
Trufs, which did not exactly fit, and might per-
haps have been eafily rectified, is thrown afide in
Difgrace, and all Truffes are railed at in general;
but, notwithſtanding this, fome other of a different
Make is immediately applied in its Place, and
per Care is taken that this fhall fit well; and the
Benefit, accruing from this, is afcribed to fome
trifling Remedy which has been punctually admi-
niftered during the Ufe of it.
pro-
Laftly, John Sackvile's Certificate declares, that
he was firft examined. by Mr Ranby, in September
1749, and again on the 5th of December follow-
ing, at which Time Mr Ranby confefs'd his Cure
was compleated.
What Mr Ranby knows of this Affair he will lay
before the Reader.-
About

(49)
About September 1749, Sir William Yonge had
in Converfation affured Mr Ranby, that Mr Lee,
a Surgeon of his Acquaintance, had invented a
new Method of curing Ruptures; and obferving
Mr Ranby to feem diffident and incredulous, he
added, that what Mr Lee afferted might be de-
pended upon; and in order to convince him, gave
him a Letter to read from one Mr Roebuck, who
affirm'd in it, that Mr Lee had cured him of a
Rupture in a few Hours, without his wearing his
Trufs any longer than the following Night. To
this Mr Ranby made no other Reply, than that
this might more properly be called a Miracle than
a Cure. The fame Account was given afterwards
at the Chelfea Board by Mr Roebuck in Perfon.
Sir William Yonge then requested Mr Ranby to
permit Mr Lee to fhew him a Proof of his extra-
ordinary Skill; and foon after Mr Lee brought a
Man to Mr Ranby with a Rupture down, and in a
few Weeks brought him again, when the Rupture
was not down; or, in other Words, when there
was no Appearance of a Swelling. Upon this
Mr Lee immediately prefs'd Mr Ranby to give
him a Certificate in his Favour, as he could not
but fee the Man was perfectly cured.
he
This Man thus brought by Mr Lee might be
Sackvile, for ought Mr Ranby knows or can recollect.
But Mr Ranby was fo far from confeffing the
Cure compleat, (as declared in the Certificate) that
very ftrongly expreffed his Surprize to Mr Lee
at his afking for fuch a kind of Certificate, on fo
flight an Evidence as one fingle Examination could
give him of the Validity of the Cure; adding,
that he muſt be thoroughly fatisfied by repeated
Examinations, not only that one Man, but that
Numbers were perfectly cured, before he would
[2]
ever

( 20 )
ever give any general Certificate in favour of a
new Method of treating this Diſorder.
Upon the whole, it was impoffible that Mr
Ranby could, in Contradiction to his common Ex-
perience, and all Knowledge in his Bufinefs, tell
Mr Lee at firft, that if he cured Sackvile, he fhould
then be convinced that Mr Lee was able to relieve
that Complaint, which he thought was by all deemed
incurable; or, at his fecond comirty to him, confefs
the faid Cure was compleated.
What an extraordinary Attempt was this of Mr
Lee's, to impofe upon the Commiffioners at his
firft Application to them? And how artfully is
Sackvile's Certificate drawn up, to eſtabliſh the
Truth of no less than three very material Facts to
Mr Lee, by the Authority of Mr Ranby's Name.
First, That the common Rupture was incurable;
by thus making Mr Ranby fay, He thought this
Complaint was deem'd by all incurable.
Secondly, That Mr Lee nevertheleſs could cure
a Rupture. And,
Thirdly, That one fingle Examination (or In-
fpection rather) was fufficient to determine whe-
ther a complete Cure was perform'd, or no; by
making Mr Ranby thus confefs this Man's Cure
complete, upon one fuch fingle Examination.
66
86
"The Commiffioners having that Day taken Mr
Lee's Petition into their Confideration, came to the
following Refolution. That Mr Lee fhould make
Experiment upon fuch of their In-Penfioners as
fhould voluntarily fubmit themſelves to his Care."
And Orders were given, at his Requeſt, that thefe
Men fhould be entirely under his Direction and
Management, and that no one whatever fhould
vifit them without his Confent, or interfere, in any
Manner, during his Treatment of them: But, at
the fame Time they determined, that the Noti-
fication

(21)
fication of the Cures fhould finally be certified to
them by their own Surgeons.
Note, There are three belonging to the Hof-
pital, a Principal, and two Affiftants.
The late Mr Chefelden was then their Prin-
cipal Surgeon, and Mr Thomas and Mr
Reid, now living at Chelsea, were his
Affiftants.
Thus did the Commiffioners give Mr Lee all
proper Advantage to complete the Cures he at-
tempted, and reſerve to themſelves the Affiftance
of their own Surgeon, in forming their Judg-
ment as to the Reality of the Cures, which might
be reported to them.
We were affured by Mr Chefelden, that, imme-
diately after this Permiffion was given to Mr Lee,
he propofed the following Terms to him, for
the Method of his
future Examinations of his
Patients, which Mr Lee agreed to, viz. Ift.
That the Men, to be undertaken by Mr Lee,
fhould be previoufly examined by Mr Chefelden,
as to the Condition of their Ruptures. 2dly,
That the Penfioners thus examined (if they were
not known to him before) fhould be brought to
him once or twice more, that he might be able to
remember their Perfons; he having remarked,
that there was fo great a Similitude in old Men,
efpecially in uniform Cloathing, that, at a Diſtance
of Time, he had frequently miſtaken one Man
for another. And, Laftly, That whenever Mr
Lee fhould declare any of the Cures complete,
and defire his final Report of them, he or his
Affiftants might then have the Liberty of vifiting
and examining the Men, as often as he fhould
think proper; in order that they might themſelves
be

( 22 )
be Witneffes, that they had entirely left off the
Ufe of their Truffes, and that their Ruptures did
not come down.
(C
This Agreement was made about the Beginning
of February, and, on the 4th of April following,
it appears by the Minutes of the Board, "That
Mr Lee attended with three Men, whom he
alledged he had cured of Ruptures; but when
"Mr Chefelden and Mr Thomas were examined to
"the Cafes of the faid Men, Mr Chefelden al-
ledged, that he had not been privy to the Con-
"dition of the faid Men, before they put themfelves
66
under the Care of Mr Lee, and therefore be
"could not be thoroughly acquainted with the Na-
"ture of their Cafes, or judge of the Performance
of the Cures" and confequently defired to be
excufed from ever making any Examination, as
to the Cure of thofe three Men. This we may
fuppofe the Board acquiefced in, as the following
Order was made that Day," That Mr Chefelden
"do previously infpect the State and Condition
"of fuch Men, as fhall put themfelves under the
"Care and Direction of the faid Mr Lee." And
foon after this Order, Mr Chefelden did examine
feven Men, at two different Times, previously to
their being taken under Mr Lee's Care..
In a very fhort and inconfiderable Space of
Time, Mr Lee declared all thefe feven Men were
cured by him, though no Report was made of any
of them by Mr Chefelden to the Board, till 16 Jan.
1750-1; for the greateſt Part of this Interval of
Time, was paffed in almoft continual Altercations
and Diſputes between Mr Chefelden and Mr Lee,
in relation to the different Methods of examining
thefe Men, thus declared cured, which were warmly
propofed and infifted on, on each Side.
Mr

(23)
Mr Chefelden was for adhering to that Method
he faid Mr Lee had agreed to on his firft Ap-
pointment, which was, that, whenever Mr Lee
fhould declare any of the Cures complete, &c.
he or his Affiftants might then have the Liberty
of vifiting and examining the Men, as often as he
fhould think proper; in order that they might
themfelves be Witneffes that they had entirely laid
afide the Ufe of their Truffes. And this Method
he thought fair and unexceptionable, troubleſome
to himſelf only, but very advantageous to Mr
Lee, provided the Truffes were bona fide left off,
and the Men were cured.
On the other hand, Mr Lee was perpetually
teazing and labouring, by all Arts and Means, to
prevail with him to fix a peremptory Day for the
Examination of thefe Men; on which fingle Ex-
amination Mr Chefelden was to make a conclufive
Report, whether the Men were cured or not;
and confequently could have no Proof, that the
Men had not continually worn their Truffes to the
very Day, nay the very Hour, fix'd for this Exa-
mination.
Mr Chefelden remonftrated again and again,
but all in vain, that this Method was abfolutely
infufficient to afcertain the Truth, or give him
any real Proof of the Mens being cured.
And, indeed, what poffible Harm could arife to
Mr Lee or the Men, from this frequent Infpection
of them? Mr Lee declared them perfectly cured,
and that they had left off their Truffes for fome
Time. The oftener then Mr Chefelden examined
them, and the more certain he made himſelf, by
fuch Examinations, of the Truth of thefe Facts,
the more it would have redounded in the End to
Mr Lee's Credit; Mr Chefelden's Report would
have been fatisfactory to the Commiffioners, and
an

(24)
an Opportunity been given of publiſhing Mr Lee's
Succefs to the World, on fuch Authority, as could
not have been difputed.
On the contrary, was not the refufing Mr Che-
felden this Opportunity of convincing himſelf,
taking it entirely out of his Power to be of any
Service whatfoever to Mr Lee? Was it not likely
that the Commiffioners would be unfatisfied with
a Method of Examination, which Mr Chefelden
muft in Duty inform them, was fuch, that had
there been a Defign laid to deceive and impofe
upon them, no Method could have been better
calculated to anſwer that End?
This, at leaft, we were informed of by Mr
Chefelden himfelf, that the more vehemently and
affiduouſly Mr Lee urged him to examine thefe
Men, in this unfatisfactory Manner, the more he
thought it behoved him to be on his Guard, and
the more fufpicious he became of the Truth of those
Atteftations which were made to him, that the Men
had left off their Bandages, and were cured.
When Mr Lee found how backward and cau-
tious Mr Chefelden was, and how thoroughly re-
folved never to examine one Man in this flight
and fallacious Manner, he became equally affi-
duous in painting him out in fuch Colours to the
Commiffioners, as fhould enable him to carry his
Point without him. And, with this View, he
ufed his utmoſt Endeavours to perfuade them, that
they would never come at the Truth, if they
trufted to their Surgeons; that Mr Chefelden was
particularly his Enemy, a Perfon unfkilful in the
Nature of Ruptures, and one, who, as often as he
had afked him to examine the Men he had cured,
as conftantly refuſed to do him that Juftice; and
therefore he requeſted them to appoint him their
Surgeon,

(25)
Surgeon, for the Relief of the ruptur'd, with
fuch Salary, &c. upon the Faith of his own Affer-
tions, that the Men were perfectly cured, and had
left off their Bandages; upon the Faith of the
Men themfelves, who continually attended the
Boards, in order to affirm the fame; and, Laftly,
on the Force of their Affidavits.
Ten of them went together, about this Time,
before Juftice Manley, and made Ardavits that
they were perfectly cured; which Affidavits were
produced to the Board.
The two following Memorials, deliver'd by Mr
Lee to the Board, may ferve to fhew his Aim and
Intention at this Time.
"The Memorial of Samuel Lee, Surgeon, moft
bumbly fheweth,
"That, as Mr Chefelden made fome Objections,
the laft Board-Day, to the Bandages worn by
"the Men then cured, thought it was neceffary
" for them again to attend your Honourable Board,
"thinking you might be willing to aſk them fome
"Queftions; as they have all of them left off
their Bandages for a Month paft, and walked
"much, without any Manner of Inconvenience
"whatſoever.
"Befides the faid Men, one Gage, aged 85,
and ruptured 36 Years, now attends, he being
completely cured, and once infpected by Mr
"Chefelden, when his Scrotum was to the utmoft
"diftended by the prolapfed Inteftine; and tho'
Mr Chefelden was pleafed to obferve, the laſt
Board-Day, that he had not examined the Men
"then prefent, I prefume he was miſtaken, Ihaving
"been fince informed, that they have been often.
by him infpected, and Hannah in particular, by
166
[d]
the

(26)
the Direction of Sir Robert Rich, as he was ad-
"mitted an In-Penfioner on that Account alone.
"For the greater Satisfaction of your Honour-
able Board, and in Juftification of my own
« Conduct, I this Morning waited on Mr Chefel-
den, and defired the Favour of his Infpection,
which he refused.
"The four laft Men infpected by Mr Chefelden,
"three Weeks fince, have each laboured under this
"Complaint near thirty, and one fifty Years.
Thefe are all as well as can be expected in fo
fhort a Time, the Inteftine being reduced, and
"the Scrotum reduced to its former Dimenfions."
To the Honourable Commiffioners, &c.
"The Memorial of Samuel Lee, moft humbly.
"fheweth,
"That, in Obedience to the Direction of your
s Honourable Board, the Men I firft took under
my Care, viz.
86
Aged.
Years Ruptur'd.
John Hanna,
d45
John Mudford,
56
*Tho. Merriman,
66
Abraham Gage, n
85
226600
9
16
36
66
-Thefe Men are all perfectly cured, have gone
without any Bandage for four Months paft, and
*Vide p. 82. of the Narrative printed in Mr Lee's Favour,
where are the following Words:
66
only a few Days under Mr Lee's
As to Merriman, he was
Care, in the Year 1749,
and he has not feen him fince. No Wonder then the
66 Man fhould remain uncured."
* not

(27)
"not felt the least Pain, Preffure, or Symptom of
"their late Complaint, which I hope you will think
"a convincing Proof of their perfect Cure.
"The Men I fince took under my Care, were
"all infpected by Mr Chefelden, when the Scrotum
66
was to the utmoft diftended by the prolapfed In-
"teftine, and he was then pleafed to tell me,
"that the Cafe of each was much worfe than he
"fhould have chofe for me, and that if I cured
"either of them, I could cure any Perfon afflict-
"ed with that Complaint.
66
"I then took the following eight Men under
my Care, viz.
Aged.
Years Ruptur'd.
Humph. Lackington,
56
10
John Steed,
57
John Colfon,
60
17
John Tanner,
85
William Fielding,
Stephen Cowel,
59
63
John Brocas,
64
455025
William Storey,
65
21
56
36-
66
Three Times under the Care of Sir Thomas
Renton, and various others, and found no Relief.
"Thefe Men all wore Truffes at the Time I
"took them under my Care, and had done from
"the Time they were firft ruptur'd; but could
66
never keep up the Rupture one Minute, nor
"walk without the greateſt Pain and Uneafinefs,
"which, with the confequent Infirmities of old
"Age, rendered the Cure far more difficult; tho
"they are now perfectly well, and can walk as well
"as ever in their Lives, without any Pain, Pref-
"fure, or Uneafinefs, in the Parts formerly
"affected.
[dz]

(28)
*affected. As I have not failed in one Inftance,
"I hope you will think it a convincing Proof.
*
"And, as there are a great Number of deplora-
ble Objects, both In and Out-Penfioners, who
"labour under this Complaint, truly deferve Com-
paffion, and daily beg my Affiftance, I hope
you will appoint me, for the Relief of all
fuch as are, or fhall be ruptured at the faid
"Hofpital; and for my Trouble and Attendance,
to order me fuch a Salary as in your
Difcretion,
your Honours fhall deem meet."
66
Arundel Street,
6 Sept. 1750.
وو
Samuel Lee.
It is here to be obferved, that there had not as
yet been any Proof produced to the Board, that
Mr Lee had performed a fingle ure, befides his own,
and the Men's Affertions.
No Notice was therefore taken of this Petition
by the Board; but as Mr Lee acquainted them,
that though he had frequently requefted Mr be-
felden to examine the Cures of the Men, he had
conftantly refufed; the Board Order'd, "That
"Mr Chefelden do report fpecially to the Board,
at the next Meeting, the State of the Cures Mr
"Lee alledges he has performed."
Harrafs'd and tired out, as Mr Chefelden had
been with Mr Lee's Importunities, and unhappy
now, left the Commiffioners fhould give any
Credit to the many Complaints Mr Lee had made
of him, with the groffeft Mifreprefentations of
How true this Affertion is, the Reader will fee particu
larly, in the Certificate fign'd by the Surgeons, at the End of
this Account, where there are fix of thefe Men's Names,
Steed dead, Lackington out of the Hofpital.
his

(29)
his Reafons, why he would not examine the Men;
he ftill refolved not to make a Report upon an
Examination made in the Manner Mr Lee pro-
pofed. And when Mr Lee made fresh Applica-
tion to him for that Purpofe, in confequence of
this Order, he declared fo to Mr Lee; adding,
that he ſhould do himſelf the Honour to lay his
Reaſons, in Writing, before the Commiffioners, at
their next Meeting, and humbly beg them to take
the Opinions of the King's Surgeons, whether fuch
a fingle Examination could afford any Proof that
a complete Cure was performed.
It was this Intimation Mr Chefelden fuppofed
(as he informed us) that induced Mr Lee foon af-
ter to confent, that four of the Men, alledged to be
cured, fhould be brought for an Infpection, three
Times a Week, for one Month; Mr Lee ftill refufing
Mr Chefelden the Liberty of examining himself,
whether the Men wore their Truffes on the interme-
diate Days, or no.
The Refult of the Examinations, made in con
fequence of this Agreement, and Mr Lee's Con-
duct and Behaviour on the Occafion, with the
whole Tranfactions on 16 Jan. when Mr Chefelden
made his Report, require fome Attention.
16 Jan. 1750-1.
Mr Chefelden's Report was read, in which he
declared, that upon the Examinations of the Men,
produced to him by Mr Lee, as perfectly cured,
66
on 3 Dec. laft, two of three Men had their Rup-
"tures down; and on the Friday following, Mr
"Lee brought four Men to him, two whereof
"bad their Ruptures down."
Note, Mr Chefelden's written Report having
not been preferved, this Part of it is tak n
from the Minutes.
We

(30)
We fhall give Mr Lee's Account of thefe Exa-
minations, from the Narrative publiſhed in his
Favour, p. 14, 15.
66
The Conclufion was, that Mr Chefelden
fhould, according to his own Requeft, examine
"four Men for one Month, every Monday, Wed-
66
nefday, and Friday, at Three o'Clock in the
"Afternoon. The Men, fixed upon for Exami-
"nation, were John Hanna, William Storey, John
"Tanner, and Peter Curtis, with thefe Mr Lee
"attended Mr Chefelden at the Time appointed,
"who infpected them, but continued not to do it
"the whole Month, as required at the Board, af-
"ter three Examinations alledging, that Mr Lee
might fpare himfelf any farther Trouble, fince the
"Men were as well as ever they were in their
"Lives, and that he found not the leaft Appearance
"of a Rupture in any of them, at the fame Time
"promifing, that he would certainly make his Re-
"port in his Favour.
"Mr Lee then repeated Mr Chefelden's Words,
in his Prefence, to the four Men, and defired
they would particularly remember them; but
“having Reaſon, from Mr Chefelden's former
66
Behaviour, to fufpect his Sincerity, he thought
"it prudent to establish fo material a Point, by the
"Affidavits of the four Men," who immediately
"went and made one accordingly; and which,
"Mr Lee took with him to the next Meeting of
<< the Commiffioners, which was on 16 Jan.
1750-1.
"Who now would believe, That at this Meet-
2: ing, after a Memorial from Mr Lee was read,
fetting forth, that Mr Chefelden bad acquiefced
in the Cure, declined any farther Examination,
"and promifed to report in Mr Lee's Favour?
<< Who,

(31)
"Who, I fay, would believe that this very Mr
"Chefelden fhould affirm to the Board, that two
of the faid Men had their Ruptures down at the
"Time he examin'd them, and that the Examina-
"tion was given up at Mr Lee's Request? Or
"who would believe, that when Mr Lee pro-
"duced the Affidavits of the four Men in his
"Juftification, they were not permitted to be
"read ?"
To this laft Queftion we anfwer, that Mr Lee
might have known this was the Reception the
Affidavits would naturally meet with from the
Commiffioners, by what had been faid to him be-
fore that Day on the Subject of their Affidavits.
And this had been fo often repeated to him,
before the Publication of the Narrative, that we
wonder with what Face this Queftion could be
put at the Time and in the Manner it is there
done.
The Secretary at War gives us Permiffion, in
his Name, to publifh the Subftance of what he
has, at different Boards, faid himfelf to Mr Lee,
on finding that every Day's Debates produced
frefh Affidavits from fome or other of thefe weak
old Men, viz.
"That he had a very bad Opinion of thefe old
"Men's Affidavits, and thought no Credit was to
"be given to them.
"That he had told him as much the very firft
"Time he had feen him at the Board; and more,
"that if he had been prefent the first Board-day,
"whatever Influence he had with the Board,
"fhould have been exerted against his having ever
"been admitted, without other and better Proof of
bis Abilities to cure.
"That

(32)
"That thefe old Men were too easily to be in-
duced to fwear to any Writing, which fhould
"be prepared for them.
<<
"That this had appeared in former Tranfactions,
as well as this; and
"That he thought it was high time to put a
"Stop to the Progrefs of Perjury amongst them.
And he farther adds, that fome Time after, at
another Meeting, more Perjury appearing, and
"there not being a fufficient Number of the Commif-
"fioners prefent to act as a Board, he had, for the
"above Reafons, taken upon himself to order that
"no more Penfioners fhould be put under the Care
" of Mr Lee, hoping the next full Board would
confirm his Order. Nor is this the only In-
"ftance, wherein one or two Commiffioners, in
"Cafes that requir'd Difpatch, have made Orders
"to take place for the prefent, and to be annull'd
"or confirm'd by the next full Board.
66
"And this Order was accordingly confirmed at
"the very next Board, at which five Commif-
"fioners were prefent.'
The Reader has the Secretary at War's Reaſon
for taking this Meafure; and fees how little Credit
he thinks, as the Board likewife did, there ought
to be given to fuch Men's Affidavits.
If Mr Chefelden had made this Examination of
the poor Men by himfelf without any Witnefs be-
fides Mr Lee and the Men, who made the Affida-
vits of his Words, it might not perhaps appear fo
furprifing to the Reader, that every thing he faid
was fo directly contradicted by Mr Lee; as it
muft, when he is inform'd that it was made in the
Prefence

(33)
Prefence and with the Affiftance of Mr Thomas
and Mr Reid, the latter of whom took a Minute
of it in writing on the Day the Examination was
made: Of which the following is an exact Copy.
To the Truth of this Mr Reid gives his moft
folemn Teftimony, as Mr Thomas gives his, to the
Truth of the Facts therein related.
66
Friday, 7 December.
"Mr Lee brought to the Infirmary the follow-
ing Men to be examined, John Hanna, Peter
"Curtis, John Tanner, and William Storey. Mr
66
Chefelden, Mr Thomas, and I, examin'd three of
"them, viz. John Tanner, whofe Rupture was at
"that Time up; Peter Curtis, and William Storey,
"the Ruptures of both thefe appeared in the
"Groin; but Mr Lee would not allow the Swel-
lings that appear'd in their Groins to be Rup-
"tures, tho' Mr Chefelden reduced them into the
Belly with his Hand in my Sight, and a Dif-
pute arifing between Mr Chefelden and Mr Lee
"about the Reality and Perfectnefs of theſe two
(6
66
66
66
Men's Cures, the Refult was, that Mr Lee
faid, it did not fignify his giving himself the
"Trouble of coming with the Men to Mr Che-
"felden any more, fince if he would not allow Wil-
liam Storey and Peter Curtis to be cured, be ne-
"ver would allow any, or Words to that Effect.
"John Hanna was not examin'd by Mr Chefel-
"den."
The Reafon why John Hanna was not examin'd,
was, that he was one of the firft four Men under-
taken by Mr Lee, without any previous Exami-
nation of Mr Chefelden, whom he had refufed to
examine on that account on 4 April, 1750. he
ought not therefore to have been brought to
[e]
Mr

(34)
Mr Chefelden this Day. Notwithstanding this, he
went before Juftice Manly, and figned the fol-
lowing Affidavit:
"I John Hanna, aged 45, and now an In-Pen-
"fioner at His Majefty's Royal Hofpital at Chel-
Jea, make Oath, that I have been afflicted with
66
66
66
a large and painful Rupture in my right Groin
"for five Years laft paft, in which Condition I
"was examin'd by W. Chefelden, Efq; Surgeon
"to the aforefaid Hofpital, who acknowledged me
"to be ruptur'd, as above defcribed, and, fince my
"Cure, I have been three Times examin'd by
"Mr Chefelden, viz. on or about the 10th of
September laft, and the 3d and 7th of this In-
ftant December, and at this Examination the
"faid W. Chefelden, Efq; told Mr Lee, that there
"was not the leaft Appearance of my Rupture; that
"be always found me well and exactly the fame;
"and therefore defir'd Mr Lee would not trouble
bimfelf to attend him any more, because be was
fatisfied of the Cure: To which Mr Lee an-
"fwer'd, that he did not think it any Trouble,
"but would attend him as often as he thought
(6
66
neceffary. Mr Chefelden then faid, that there
"was no manner of Occafion for it, that three Ex-
"aminations were as good as three thousand, and
"that he would make his Report the next Board-
Day, without giving Mr Lee any further Trou-
ble. The above Words, or Words to the very
« fame Effect, Mr Lee repeated to me in the Pre-
fence of Mr Chefelden, and faid, I hope you will
"remember what Mr Chefelden bas faid. In wit-
66
nefs whereof, and that I have continued per-
«fectly well to this Day, and can now walk as
"well as ever in my Life, without feeling the
leaft Pain, Preffure, or Symptom, of my late
Com-

(35)
66
Complaint, I have hereunto fet my Hand this
"tenth Day of December, 1750.
Westminster,
Sworn, 10 Dec. 1750.
before me,
Rich. Manly.
J. Hanna.
N. B. Storey, Tanner, and Curtis, each made
an Affidavit to the fame Purpofe, and are
all ruptur'd at this Time. 7. Hanna died
in July, 1752, and his dead Body was in-
fpected by feveral Phyſicians and Surgeons,
in the Prefence of Mr Lee, and the follow-
ing is the Report made to the Com-
miffioners, with regard to the State of
his Rupture at his Death.
6e na,
66
"Whereas it has been reported that John Han-
whofe dead Body we have this Day in-
fpected, was perfectly cured of a Rupture, un-
der which he fome time laboured, we do hereby
certify, that the Perforation of a Rupture on
"the right Side was fo large, as eafily to admit
"three Fingers,-a moft certain Proof that the
"faid Hanna had not been cured of his Rupture."
66
Signed in my Pre-
fence, July, 24,
H. Fielding.
Benjamin Hoadly, M. D.
Meffenger Monfey, M. D.
Cafar Hawkins,
Thomas Hawkins,
David Middleton,
William Hunter.
Surgeons,
No Credit being given to thefe Affidavits of the
Penfioners, in Contradiction to Mr Chefelden,
[ +2 ]
e
Mr

(36)
Mr Lee then obferved to the Board, that it was
implied in his Report, that the other Men's Rup-
tures were not down: which he infifted on, as a
certain Proof that thofe Men were cured; and con-
fequently, that if Mr Chefelden reported thofe
Men not cured, whofe Ruptures were down, he
ought, in Juftice to him, to report the others
cured, whofe Ruptures were up.
This Conclufion, as a Point of Surgery, was
debated for fome Time between Mr Chefelden and
Mr Lee.
"Mr Lee then acquainted the Commiffioners,
"that he had four Men attending without, whom
"he defired might be immediately infpected by
"Mr Chefelden, tho' they had been three Times
"examined by him before; Mr Chefelden having
accordingly examined the faid Men (during the
Sitting of the Board) and being call'd upon to
"declare his Opinion, Specially of their Cafes,
"faid, That for ought appears to him, two of the
"faid Men are cured, he not finding the Orifices
66
66
"open.
وو
With regard to the Orifices being clofed, this
is no more than what is every Day produced by a
Trufs, which has for any time prevented the
Rupture from coming down: but whether they
have acquired a fufficient Strength of Contraction
to prevent the Return of the Rupture, cannot be
known by any Examination, but muſt be proved
by Time and Exercife, upon totally leaving off
the Trufs.
It is plain it was not Mr Chefelden's Opinion
that they were cured, by his defiring that the Ser-
jeant-Surgeons might be applied to, to examine
thefe Men with him, which the Board acquiefced
in, and made the two following Orders.
January

(37)
January 16, 1750-1.
"Order'd, that Mr Chefelden do examine the
* faid four Men, in the Prefence of Mr Ranby and
"Mr Hawkins, Serjeant-Surgeons to His Majefty.
"Order'd, That Mr Chefelden may have Li-
berty at all Times to examine the Cafes of thefe
Men, in the Prefence of Mr Lee, who is not
previously to vifit the faid Men."
66
66
66
The firft of thefe Orders fufficiently denotes,
that the Board was not fatisfied with the Proof
given them, that thefe Men were cured: and the
latter feems to imply fome kind of Sufpicion,
where it is directed that Mr Lee fhould not pre-
viously vifit the Men; tho' Mr Chefelden's chief
Point of gaining Permiffion to vifit them at all
Times, without Reftriction, (after they were once
declared to be cured) in order to know whether
they continued the Ufe of their Truffes, or not,
was made of no Effect, by his being confined ne-
ver to make an Examination but in the Prefence of
Mr Lee.
We beg the Reader more particularly to re-
mark this Restriction, as upon this Point the
fame Difputes arofe between the Serjeant-Surgeons
and Mr Lee, as had fubfifted between Mr Chefel-
den and him before.
In obedience to this Defire of the Commiffioners,
intimated foon after to them by Mr Chefelden,
Mr Ranby, and Mr Hawkins, went over to his
Apartment at Chelfea, where Mr Lee produced
feveral old Men to them, whom he profefs'd to
have cured.
Before any Examination, they made a previous
Enquiry of Mr Chefelden, whether he knew the
Men

( 38 )
Men before him to be the fame he had formerly
examin'd and found ruptur'd..
Mr Chefelden declared upon his Honour, that
he believ'd they were not all the fame, only two
or three of them.
They then afk'd Mr Chefelden, whether he knew
thofe Men had been without their Truffes for any
Time previous to that Examination.
To this Mr Chefelden anfwer'd, that Mr Lee
had not permitted him to make any fuch Enquiry,
and, confequently, he could not inform them.
Mr Ranby and Hawkins view'd and examin'd
them all, and took Notice, that there was not the
leaft Appearance in the Parts to be examin'd
which could induce them to believe any Alteration
whatever had been produced in them by medicinal
Applications.
One only (John Hanna) had his Rupture ap-
pearing in his Groin. The Ruptures of the
others were not down; but feveral of them
had fuch Rednefs and Marks upon their Skin
round their Hips, even almoft to galling, that
they had not the leaft Doubt but that thefe Men
had worn their Truffes even to a fhort Space of
Time before they were brought to them.
Mr Lee however requeſted a Certificate from
Mr Ranby and Mr Hawkins, as well as from
Mr Chefelden, that they had no Appearance of a
Rupture, and were perfectly cured.
When they exprefs'd their Surprize at this Re-
queft, on fuch a fingle Examination, Mr Lee
begg'd and infifted ftrongly on their certifying,
that, upon Examination, the Men appear'd to be
well.
They told him, they imagined this was only
changing the Expreffion, as it would always be
under-

(39)
underſtood as if they had nothing to object at that
Time to their being perfectly well.
They defired him to confider, that they had no
one Proof whatever before them of the Men's be-
ing cured.
One of thefe (John Hanna) whom he produced
as cured, had his Rupture appearing then in his
Groin.
Of the others, there was no Evidence that one
Part of them bad ever been ruptured.
How then, or with what Propriety could they
certify theſe Men were cured?
Mr Lee anfwer'd, that the Affidavits of the Men
themfelves would prove that.
Mr Ranby and Hawkins faid, they could never
allow that the Affidavits of fuch Men fhould be a
Counterpart to any Certificate of theirs.
Then, as to the other Men, whom Mr Chefel-
den knew to be ruptur'd, there was no Evidence
whatever, that they had laid afide their Truffes
for any Time; but, on the contrary, it appeared
moſt evidently to them, by the Marks on their
Hips, &c. that they had not only lately worn their
Truffes, but had even worn them fo tight as to
gall and fret the Skin.
This Mr Lee protefted, that they had not
worn a Trufs for many Months.-The Men de-
clared the fame.
They then propofed to Mr Lee, that he ſhould
permit Mr Chefelden to make fuch Enquiries, as
he fhould think proper, to afcertain this one Fact,
that theſe Men had really left off their Truffes:
And they would name another Day for a fecond
Examination.
To this Mr Lee objected, faying, that Mr Che-
felden was his Enemy, &c. and that he never
would

(40)
would allow him any fuch Permiffion, nor fuffer
him to examine his Patients in his Abfence.
en Here then was an End, and r Ranby and Mr
Hawkins declared it was impoffible for them ever
to certify in his Favour, if he would not, or could
not produce better Proofs of Cure, then he offer'd
them at that Time.
Indeed Mr Chefelden had informed them, that
with regard to the Men's Atteftations, he wifh'd
them to be upon their Guard, for he thought they
were not to be trufted at all; for Hanna kept a
Publick Houfe, and it was notorious to every one
in the College, that the ruptur'd Men were al-
ways drinking there.
However, though they could not truft to the
Atteftations of thefe Men, who declared they had
already left off their Truffes, and Mr Lee would
not permit Mr Chefelden to make the proper En-
quiries to fatisfy them, that they continued to do
fo for the future; they were willing to fhew their
Difpofition to fpare no Trouble to themfelves, if
any Method of Examination could be fixed upon,
that was fair and fatisfactory, and therefore pro-
pofed to Mr Lee to take four or five new Vien
under his Care, and let them firft fee that they
were ruptured; and then they would afterwards
make all proper Enquiry into their Cures, from
Time to Time, as became them as Judges between
the Board and him.
This Propofal Mr Lee at laft affented to. A Day
was fixed upon for bringing thefe new People to St
George's Hofpital. Mr Chefelden, Mr Ranby, and
Mr Hawkins attended. But Mr Lee, inftead of
new Men with Ruptures down, for them to in-
fpect, as fresh Subjects for him to cure, brought
with him the fame Men they faw at Chelfea, peti-
tioning, as at that Meeting, a Certificate that they
were

(41)
were cured, or appeared to be well: To which, of
courfe, the fame Objections they made before
were ſtill valid. This they declared to Mr Lee,
which was the whole that paffed between them at
the Hoſpital that Day.
Very foon after, Mr Ranby and Mr Hawkins
had the Honour of a Meffage, defiring their At-
tendance upon the Board.
April 24,
1751.
?
This Meffage they obey'd, and found
Mr Lee had brought with him feveral
of the People they had feen at Mr Che-
felden's, petitioning ftill, as before, that upon the
prefent Appearance of them, a Report fhould be
made to the Board, whether the Men were cured,
or not.
When they were called in to the Board, they
related all that had pafs'd at Mr Chefelden's, and at
St George's Hofpital, and gave their Reafons in the
ftrongeſt Manner they could, why they could not
poffibly make any final Report, 'till Mr Lee would
allow them more fufficient Evidence to form their
Judgment upon, than fingle Examinations.
But as Mr Lee was very earneft to have the
Men he had brought thither examined directly,
the Paymafter afked, if there were not fome a-
mongſt them that Mr Chefelden knew to have been
ruptured; and Mr Chefelden naming Peter Curtis
and John Tanner, he defired the Serjeant Surgeons
to examine them with Mr Chefelden and Mr Lee;
adding, that he did not require a final Report,
'till they themselves were fatisfied.
66
66
"Their Ruptures were not down; but Mr Ran-
by and Mr Hawkins took Notice, that the Open-
ings of the Mufcles, through which the Rup-
"tures uſed to defcend, were large and unclofed,
[f]
in

(42)
in fuch Manner, that they concluded their Rup-
"tures would come down fooner or later, upon their
ufing Exercife, and that thefe Men were not
"cured."
66
66
This they reported to the Board, and likewife
"that both the Men had very apparent Marks upon
"their Skin of the Wear of a Bandage; and that
"they had obferved one of them, when he put
up his Breeches, roll'd the fore Lappet of his
"Waiſtcoat into a hard Comprefs, which he
placed properly in his Groin, and button'd
his Breeches exceeding tight over it, fo as, in
Reality, to make this Comprefs and Waift-
band of his Breeches an excellent Subſtitute
for a common Trufs."
66
66
This Account of their Examination of thefe
Men, and of their Report, is taken from the
Words of their Narrative *, read to the Commif-
fioners, (in the Prefence of Mr Lee) who had
themfelves feen, and examin'd the Marks on the
Skin, and had been Eye- Witneffes of the Rolling
up, and buttoning in the Flap of the Waiſtcoat
tight into the Breeches. It was not then neceffary
to be particular in every Circumftance. But as
Mr Lee, in a Memorial deliver'd to the Secretary,
Dec. 11, 1751. gives the following very different
Account (attefted, as ufual, by both the Men's
Affidavits made before Juftice Manley) it will be
neceffary to lay all the Circumftances before the
Reader as they really happen'd.
"Both thefe Mer, Tanner and Curtis, happen-
"ing to attend at that Time, and the Surgeons
being order'd to examine them in an adjacent
Room, they there admitted each Man to be
perfectly cured, but in lefs than two Minutes
46
66
*Vide Appendix, p. 12.
<< went

(43)
"went in, and had the Affurance to report to the
honourable Board, that they were not cured;
"which Contrariety induced the honourable Com-
"miffioners to order an Examination in their Pre-
"fence, when they appear'd to be perfectly cured.
The Surgeons, at the Requeft of the Board,
went into an outer Room, and examin'd thefe Men.
The Ruptures were not down, but there were
fuch apparent Marks on the Skin of the very late
Wear of a Trufs, that they afk'd the Men, whe-
ther they did not ftill wear their Truffes? The
Men denied it. They repeated the Queſtion, tel-
ling them, they faw fuch Marks as could not but
convince them, fome fort of Bandage or other had
been very lately applied to thofe Parts.
The Men were putting up their Breeches at this
Time, and Mr Hawkins obferving one of them
fumbling in doing it, kept his Eye upon him, and
faw him roll up the Flap of his Waistcoat, and
button it tightly into his Breeches. Upon his
mentioning this to Mr Ranby and Mr Chefelden,
the Man was endeavouring to undo it; but they
prevented him, and carried them both directly
into the Board, and they were examin'd before
the Commiffioners and the Gentlemen with them,
one of whom was Sir William Yonge.
It appear'd plainly to the Commiffioners, and
it is believ'd to every one prefent, that tho' the
Ruptures were not down, yet there were Marks
upon the Skin in both, and that one of them had
roll'd up the Flap of his Waistcoat, and button'd it
tight into his Breeches, which was unbutton'd be-
fore them, that they might fee how artfully it was
managed and Mr Ranby, Mr Hawkins, and
Mr Chefelden declared, that thofe Marks on the
Skin were fufficient Proofs to them, that both the
Men had but very lately pull'd off their Truffes;
[f2]
that

( 44 )
that the Openings of the Mufcles were unclofed in
fuch manner, that it was their Opinion their Rup-
tures would come down again foon on their ufing
Exercife, and that they were not cured; and that
this Roll or Lump, thus tightly applied to the
proper Part, was, in their Mind, as good a Sub-
ftitute for a Trufs, for the prefent Time, as could
have been invented, and therefore that this Man
ought to be look'd upon as having his Trufs on at
the very Time he was offer'd to be examin'd as
one perfectly cured.
Sir William Yonge recollected, and mention'd, at
Mr Ranby's Trial, this Circumftance of the Flap
of the Waistcoat, and that Mr Ranby had faid it
was of the fame Nature with a Trufs.
The Secretary at War too was queſtioned
to the fame purpofe at that Trial, and faid, he
remember'd that one of the Men had the Flap of his
Waistcoat folded up in his Breeches, and being afk'd
his Opinion why the Man had done fo; he an-
fwer'd, that he mention'd this only as a Matter of
Fact, which he faw. As to any Opinion, he did
not pretend to any Skill in the Nature of Ruptures,
to form an Opinion of any Weight upon, and
therefore he fhould only fay what he thought him-
felf at the Time, which was, that the Man made
this Ufe of the Flap of bis Waistcoat to ftrengthen
fome weak Part.
The Teftimony of thefe two Gentlemen, thus
given at a public Trial, will fufficiently convince the
Reader of the Truth of this Fact, which, together
with the Marks on the Skin, and the State of the
Perforations thro' the Mufcles, were the Founda-
tion of Mr Ranby's and Mr Hawkins's Report,
that, tho' the Ruptures were not then down, they
would very foon be down, if the Men were kept
without their Truffes, and that therefore they could
not themselves think either of thefe Men cured.
Tho

( 45 )
Tho' thefe Circumftances were fo ftrongly re-
member'd by thefe Gentlemen at the Trial near
two Years after, yet, the very November after the
Examination, both Tanner and Curtis made each
of them an Affidavit (one of which the Reader
will preſently fee) to the fame Purport with what
has been quoted from Mr Lee's Memorial, and al-
moft in the very Words; declaring, at the End of
them, that they were then perfectly well, but with-
out mentioning one Circumftance relating to their
Bandages. And even after the Trial, when the
Narrative in Mr Lee's Favour was publish'd, the
Account is given there in a Manner ftill more gla-
ringly falfe.-Tanner and Curtis "were order'd to
"be examin'd in an adjacent Room, where they
"admitted them to be perfectly cured; but at
"their Return to the Commiffioners, reported
"their Ruptures down, &c." *
The Conclufion of this whole Affair at the
Board this Day, was, the Commiffioners making
the fame Propofal to Mr Lee, that had been
made him at Mr Chefelden's Apartments by the
Serjeant-Surgeons, of beginning a new Experiment
with fresh Men (on which Propofal Mr Lee de-
clined all further Experiment). And when the
Company was withdrawn, giving Mr Chefelden,
at his Requeft, a Permiffion to examine theſe two
Men at any Time he pleafed in the Abfence of
Mr Lee.
The Reader will eafily believe Mr Chefelden was
not long before he made uſe of the Liberty thus
given him, and, three Days after, at the very firft
Examination of thefe Men, he found they had each
of them his Trufs upon him, and, when that was
remov'd, each of them had his Rupture come
down.
* Vide p. 19. Narrative wrote in Mr Lee's Favour.
This

(46)
This Difcovery of Mr befelden's produced fo
very extraordinary an Affidavit from one of thefe
old Men, and fo very malicious a Reflection on
Mr Chefelden's Memory, in the Narrative in
Mr Lee's Favour, that we muſt beg the Reader's
Patience, whilft we lay the whole before him.
The Affidavit, tho' a long one, we think right
to give at Length, as it refers to both his Exami-
nations, that before the Commiffioners on the 24th,
as well as this on the 27th, and as a Sample of the
Stile and Manner in which the Affidavits are
drawn on which Mr Lee builds all his Proofs, tho'
the Men, who make them, can hardly write their
Names; and thefe two Men, Tanner and Curtis,
only fet their Marks.
66
This is to certify, That I John Tanner, aged
85, was ruptured nine Years, which rendered
"my Scrotum four Times as large as its natural
*Size, and in this Condition I was examined by
"William Chefelden, Efq; who acknowledged me
"to be ruptured as above defcribed, and by his
* Direction I received a Trufs for that Complaint,
* but never found the leaft Relief from that or
any other Application that has been by him ap-
plied; and I do farther fay, that before I came
"under the Care of Mr Samuel Lee, Surgeon, that
* I was told by the faid Mr Chefelden that my
"Cafe was incurable: however, knowing feveral
Men at the faid Hofpital that the faid Mr Lee
had cured, I applied myfelf to, and came under
his Care in or about the Month of April, 1750,
and I was by him perfectly cured of my faid
"Rupture, and fince my Cure I have been five or
66
fix Times, and in different Months, examined by
"the faid Mr Chefelden, and at each Examination
"admitted to be well and perfectly cured, and I
* was alfo once examined by Mr Ranby and
Mr

(47)
"Mr Hawkins, Surgeons, fince my Cure, at
"Mr Chefelden's Apartments in Chelſea Hofpital,
"and there admitted by each of them, and
"Mr Chefelden, to be perfectly cured; and fince
"that Time I was examined by the faid two Sur-
geons, Mr Chefelden, and many others, at
"St George's Hofpital, and there again admitted
"by each Man to be perfectly cured. To prove
"the Truth of which, I, with many others, did, on
66
66
or about the 24th of April laft, attend the Ho-
"nourable Commiffioners for the Affairs of the
"aforefaid Hofpital, to whom Mr Chefelden,
"Mr Ranby, and Mr Hawkins, reported I was
"not cured, notwithstanding I had before that
"Time made two Affidavits that I was perfectly
cured, on which Mr Lee then infifted; and the
"faid Commiffioners, as I am informed, was
"pleafed to direct the faid Surgeons to examine
"me in an adjacent Room, which they and
"Mr Chefelden then did, and there each of themt
66
again faid that I was well and perfectly cured;
"and, not two Minutes after that they went in, and
"again reported to the Commiffioners, as I am in-
"formed, that I had my Rupture down at that
"Time; and, on Mr Lee's infifting that it was
66
CO
66
falfe, I was called in before the faid Commif-
"fioners, and by each of them, in the Prefence of
"the faid three Surgeons, I was examined, in-
fpected, and found to be perfectly well, and
<< fince that Time, (viz.) on or about the 27th of
April laft, Mr Thomas, Affiftant-Surgeon to the
faid Mr Chefelden, came to me as I lay afleep on
my Bed, and by Force pulled me down to the
"Apartments of the faid Mr Chefelden, at whofe
Door I then faw the above named two Surgeons,
Mr Ranby and Mr Hawkins, and as foon as I
"came into the Rooom Mr Chefelden faid to me,
"Here,

(48)
66
66
"Here, drink this Dram, which he gave me in a
"Glafs, but it was not above a large Spoonful,
" which I drank up, and found it did not tafte
any thing like Brandy, which he told me it was,
though I believe in my Confcience it was not,
for I was immediately feized with fuch violent
fhaking and trembling, that I really thought I
"fhould die, and that this was occafioned by that
"which Mr Chefelden gave me; and in this Con-
dition I continued for many Days after, and
hourly expected my Death, being almoft choak-
ed, and it was with the utmoft Difficulty that I
could draw my Breath; but thank God, by taking
ઃઃ
st
46
66
Phyfic daily, and Mr Lee's good Care, I of
"that alfo recovered, and can now walk, confi-
"dering my Age, as well as ever in my Life,
"without feeling the leaft Pain, Preffure, or
Symptom of my late Rupture: In Witneſs
"thereof, and that I to this Day remain perfectly
"cured, I have hereunto fet my Mark, this 10th
Day of October, 1751.
<<
66
Westminster to wit,
Sworn 10 October,
1751, before me
Richard Manley.
John
Tanner's Mark
The fame wicked and fcandalous Story, howe-
ver incredible, is told in the Narrative, in almoft
the fame Words, p. 21.
He begins with the fame falfe Facts.-The
Affiftant-Surgeon went to his Apartment, by Force
dragg'd him to Mr Chefelden's Apartment, at the
Door of which he faw the Serjeant-Surgeons. - Mr
Chefelden there offered him a Dram, which was not
above a large Spoonful in a Glafs, which he drank;
but thought it did not taste like Brandy, though
Mr Chefelden

( 49 )
Mr Chefelden told him it was.-And then proceeds.
ftill with falfe Facts.
66
"If fo, it must be allow'd to have produced a
very unuſual Effect; for the poor old Man was
"immediately feized with a violent fhaking and
"trembling, which continued many Days, at-
"tended with a great Difficulty in drawing his
"Breath, infomuch that his Death was hourly
"expected; but he happily recovered.
66
Now, if it be confidered, how convenient
"bringing down this Man's Rupture would be to
the Credit of the Triumvirate, it will require
"no great Stretch of Credulity to fuppofe fome
forcing Medicine adminiftred for that Purpofe,
and which indeed feems to be the Cafe; for the
Serjeant-Surgeon foon after waiting on Sir
"William Yonge, told him, that Lee had fufficient
Reafon to be angry with Mr Chefelden, but none
"with him."
66
66
This Story is all of a-piece. Mr Ranby never
faid this to Sir W. Younge. There is no fuch Medi-
cine known as a forcing Medicine to bring down a
Rupture. His Illnefs, after leaving Mr Chefelden,
is all a Fiction. The Serjeant-Surgeons were not at
Mr Chefelden's. There is no one Circumftance true,
but Mr Chefelden's giving him a Dram, as may
be feen by the following Account given us by Mr
Thomas, to the beft of his Memory, of the whole
as it pafs'd.
27 April, 1751.
Mr Chefelden directed him to go to their
"Wards after Dinner-Time, and bring Tanner
"and Curtis to him, at his Apartment, which he
"did accordingly. Mr Chefelden and he examin'd
"them, found their Truffes on; and, on their
* Removal,
[g]

(50)
66
66
Removal, their Ruptures came down. Mr
Chefelden then expoftulated kindly with them,
"afking Tanner, in particular, how fo old a Man,
* between 80 and 90 Years of Age, with one Foot
in the Grave, could go to deceive the Board,
"and give falfe Teftimony that he had left off
his Trufs, and even make an Affidavit of fuch
a Falfhood.
66
"The Men feemed concerned at Mr Chefelden's
"Difcourfe, upon which he gave them a Dram,
and bid them go and have a better Way of
thinking for the future."
<<
Mr Thomas affures the Public, that this is a true
Account of the whole Affair.
It is our Indignation on this Infult on Mr Che-
felden's Memory, that has made us dwell fo long
upon this Subject.
No Surgeon in England, or perhaps in any other
Country, has done more Honour to his Profeffion
than Mr Chefelden. His Reputation has been fo
well eftablifhed all over Europe, that there is not
a Surgeon of any Note, that is not ready to ac-
knowledge, how much he is obliged to him for
the great Improvements he ftruck out in Surgery.
Surely every unprejudiced Perfon will imagine it
more likely, that fuch a Man, retired as he was
then from private Bufinefs, in fo honourable a
public Employment, would have rejoiced at an Op-
portunity of introducing, under his own Patro-
nage, fo general a Benefit to Mankind, as a speedy,
certain, and radical Cure of Ruptures, rather than
fuppofe him capable of ufing the loweft and bafeft
Arts, to ftifle a Difcovery, which if real and effi-
cacious, he muſt be very fenfible would very foon
be proved fo to the Public.
Mr Ranby

( 51 )
Mr Ranby and Mr Hawkins thought this Affair
entirely at an End, on Mr Lee's declining any Ex-
periment; but it feems Mr Lee had very foon
after changed his Refolution, for on the 22d of the
next Month, he brought four Men to St George's
Hofpital, according to an Appointment made, at
his Requeft, with Mr Ranby and Mr Hawkins;
who were examined, and allowed to be ruptured,
and thefe he was to begin a new Experiment on.
From this Time they heard no more from Mr
Lee, 'till the Beginning of March, 1751-2, when
Mr Lee went to Mr Ranby's Houfe, and told him,
the Men examined at St George's Hoſpital were
cured, and defired he would appoint a Time with
Mr Hawkins, when they might all three go toge-
ther, to make an Examination of the Men.
This Manner of Examination Mr Ranby re-
fufed; but defired Mr Lee, if he thought them
cured, to give it him in Writing, with a Declara-
tion of their having left off their Truffes, and to
leave a Notice of the fame Kind at Mr Hawkins's;
and that then they two would take proper Oppor-
tunities of vifiting and examining the Men at their
own Times, and in fuch Manner as fhould be fa-
tisfactory to themſelves, that the Men did not wear
Truffes, and of their Appearances of Cure. And
afterwards, at a proper Time, they would be very
ready to make a juft Report.
This Method Mr Lee refufed, though confonant
to the Agreement made when he undertook their
Cure.
}
2 April, On the 2d of April following, Mr
1752. Ranby and Mr Hawkins were defired
to attend the Board, which they did;
but as Mr Lee had given them no Opportunity
of knowing that the Men, whom he might
[g2]
propofe

( 52 )
<<
propofe for their Examination that Day, had
left off their Truffes for any Time; they took
the Liberty of humbly reprefenting to the
Board, that the Method of feeing and ex-
"amining Men, who, for ought they knew,
"might have worn their Truffes 'till the
"Time they were prefented to them for Exami-
"nation, could not give them any real or fatis-
factory Proof of their being cured of their Rup-
tures, they knowing, from certain and conftant
"Experience, that thofe Ruptures which have
"been kept up by Bandage any Time, feldom
"appear, or drop down at once, without Exercife,
or fome ftrong Motion of the Body; that fome
grown Perfons, with the Help of common
Truffes, are cured; and that moft would appear
to be fo, though in Reality they were not, upon
fuch an Examination as this which Mr Lee
*propofed, &c.***
66
66
66
66
This Reprefentation we left in Writing with
the Commiffioners, having drawn it up at their
Requeft, before we had their Leave to withdraw.
After we were gone, the Board came to the fol-
lowing Refolutions, exprefs'd in their Minutes,
thus:
66
* At a Board held on Thurſday, 2 April, 1752.
Prefent, the Right Hon. William Pitt, Efq; the
Right Hon. Henry Fox, Efq; Lord Ilchefter,
Sir Philip Meadows, Col. Cofsley.
66
John Ranby and Cæfar Hawkins, Efqs; Ser-
jeant-Surgeons to His Majefty, attended the
Board, and declared their Opinion in Writing
concerning the Cure of Ruptures.
* Wide Appendix, p. 13.
Mr Lee

( 53 )
"Mr Lee, Surgeon, attended with Dr Thomfon
" and others, who gave their Opinions upon the
fame Subject.
"And after confidering what was offer'd on both
"Sides, the Board came to the following Refolu-
❝tion:
66
"That Mr Lee may undertake the Cure of fuch
"In-Penfioners, afflicted with Ruptures, as fhould
voluntarily put themfelves under his Direction,
"their Cafes being firft certified to him by the
Surgeon or Surgeon's Deputy of the Hofpital,
"and in twelve Months after, the Operations of
his Cures will be confider'd by the Board, and
he will be rewarded accordingly."
We cannot forbear laying hold of an Opportu-
nity which offers itſelf from that Part of the Mi-
nutes which fays, " Mr Lee, Surgeon, attended,
"with Dr Thomson and others, who gave their
<<
Opinions upon the fame Subject," of fhewing
what fort of Evidence Mr Lee would willingly
have pafs'd upon the Board for convincing Proofs
that the Men were cured: After we were gone,
Dr Thomson, and Mr Mitchel, Surgeon, at-
tended the Board, and gave in the following Cer-
tificate, the Truth of which they attefted to the
Board.
"We do certify that we have examin'd
John Tanner,
Peter Curtis,
James Morgan,
John Hanna,
John Hamilton,
Richard Harvey.
and do find that they are all cured, and that
66
they

(54)
"they have no Appearance of their Ruptures at
"this Time."
Nov. 23,
1751.
T. Thomfon, M. D. Phyfician to
his Royal Highneſs the Prince
of Wales.
W. Mitchel, Surgeon to the
Royal Regiment of Horfe-
Guards, Blue *.
Mr Lee inform'd the Board, that the Men at-
tended without, and Dr Thomfon and Mr Mitchel
were defir'd to examine them in the next Room;
it being infinuated at the fame Time, that if the
Men fhould be now found, as well as they were
found in November, there could be no ftronger
Proof poffibly given, that they were perfectly cured.
How artfully was this contrived, to fhuffle over
the main Thing wanting to make this any Proof
at all, viz. the Certainty that thefe Men had dif
continued the Wear of their Bandages from No-
vember to April.
Thefe Gentlemen went out, examin'd the Men,
and return'd with the following written Certifi-
cates.
Aged.
John Hanna
46
William Storey,
66
Peter Curtis,
80
James Morgan,
50
John Tanner,
86
Richard Harvey,
Years Ruptur'd,
5
30
285954
43
"We
*This Certificate refers to a private Examination, which
we fuppofe was made by theſe Gentlemen, at Mr Lee's Re-
queft; upon which fingle Examination, it is there faid,
"do-certify, that we have examined, and do find that they
are all cured."
<< I do

( 55 )
"I do certify that I, with Meffieurs Chefelden,
Ranby, and Hawkins, did examime fome of
"the fix above-named Men, when they were
ruptur'd, and Mr Chefelden was prefent at the
"Examination of all except Hanna.
66
J. Thomas.
N. B. Mr Thomas refufed to fign the follow-
ing Certificate.
"We the under-named do certify, that we
"have examin'd the fix above-named Men, and
"that they have not at this Time any Sign,
66
Symptom, or Appearance of a Rupture, and
"all the Men declare they have not wore a Ban-
dage for fome Months of any Kind whatfoever,
" and fome have left it off for twelve Months,
" and fome for near two Years, witnefs our Hands
the 2d Day of April, 1752.
66
Thomas Thomfon, M. D.
William Mitchel.
Thefe Gentlemen certify a great deal more than
we poffibly could.
On the Men we examin'd, we faw Marks on
the Skin, &c. that convinced us they had lately
worn their Truffes; and this we thought a Sign of
their being ruptur'd Men. But ftill, tho' they
certify more than we could, their Certificates prove
nothing at all. Indeed, if they could have proved,
in the proper Senfe of the Words, that in Novem-
ber the Men were without any Sign, Symptom,
or Appearance of a Rupture, that in April they
were fo too, tho' but at one Examination only:
And, befides this, that they had continued fo from
November to April, without ever once wearing
their Traffes, the Board would undoubtedly have
concluded they were cured: But as this was not
done,

(56)
done, as the main Proof that they had never worri
their Truffes ftill refted on the Mens Declarations
and Affidavits alone, and as the Commiffioners
could not give fo entire and eaſy Credit to thofe
Declarations and Affidavits, as thefe Gentlemen
feemed to do, the Proof of Cure juft remain'd as
it was before thefe Certificates were produced.
Another of thoſe who accompanied Mr Lee,
was Mr Roebuck, and he declared in Perfon to the
Board, that he had been ruptur'd, and worn a
Trufs for many Years; till, applying to Mr Lee,
he was cured by him in a few Hours; nay, that
be found the Benefit of the Application even before
Mr Lee removed his Hand, fo that he wore the
Trufs no longer than the following Night.
The Quickness of his Cure, and the Eafe that
accompanied it, was, one would think, fo re-
markable, as not eafily to be forgot by the very
Perfon himfelf. Yet, when Mr Roebuck gave his
Evidence in Westminster-Hall, in the Caufe between
Mr Ranby and Mr Lee, he fwore he wore the
Trufs but a Day or two; and, when crofs-
examined, he faid he kept it on not more than
Fortnight. Surely, from a Gentleman at leaft, a
confiftent Evidence might have been expected.
To return--Mr Chefelden dying foon after, and
Mr Ranby fucceeding in his Place, he immediately
petitioned the Board, on the very firſt Opportu-
nity, to give him the fame Permiffion of examin-
ing all the Men whom Mr Lee had reported to be
cured, that had been granted before to Mr Che-
felden, with regard to Tanner and Curtis only.
Accordingly, at a Board, held on the
24th of June, 1752, at which were
prefent the Right Hon. William Pitt,
Efq, the Right Hon. Henry Fox, Efq;
Sir Philip Meadows, and Col. Cofsley, when Ap-
June 24,
1752.
plication

(57)
દ
plication was made for an Order to examine, from
time to time, fuch Men as Mr Lee had affirmed
were cured of Ruptures; it was ordered, that
the Surgeon of the Hofpital, or his Deputy,
do examine the faid Men as often as either
"of them do think neceffary, in relation to the
"Performance of fuch Cures."
The Reader will obferve, the Application was
made to the Board only to examine fuch Men as
Mr Lee had affirmed to be cured, which implies
having left off their Bandages entirely; and there-
fore could be of no Differvice to Mr Lee, if what
he declared was really true; and farther, that this
Liberty was what Mr Chefelden was always endea-
vouring to obtain of Mr Lee himfelf by Agreement,
which he fometimes promifed, but would nevet
once permit and what he could never obtain from
the Board till the 24th of April, 1751, (which ex-
tended only to Tanner and Curtis) without having
this Injunction added to it, that fuch Examination
must be in the Prefence of Mr Lee; by which
Means he could never be certain, the Men would
not be apprifed of his Coming before-hand, and
be too much on their Guard to be found in fuch a
Manner, as, if there was any Trick to be plaid
him, in refpect to their Truffes, he could poffibly
diſcover it.
He was always very confident the Men were not
cured. He had reafon to fufpect they ftill conti-
nued the Wear of their Bandages.-If he proved
this, it would be a Matter of Fact, point blank
the contrary to what Mr Lee had affirmed to the
Board, and to what the Men had fworn; and,
confequently, would render fufpected, and of no
Force, all Mr Lee's Objections to his Opinions, that
the Men he had examined were not cured, whofe
Ruptures were not down
down at their Examina-
[h]
tions:

(58)
tions; which Opinions were founded on the vifi-
ble Marks, which, he faid, proved to him, as a
Surgeon, that they had very lately worn a Trufs,
or fome other tight Bandage.
Mr Chefelden found his Sufpicions well ground-
ed, with Regard to Tanner and Curtis; and, had
his Life been fpared, would, in all Probability,
have made the full Difcovery of the Wickednefs
of all the other old Men, which afterwards fell to
Mr Ranby's Lot.
Mr Ranby thought as Mr Chefelden did, that
his firft Enquiry, in confequence of this Order,
was to find, whether the old Men had really left
off their Bandages. Mr Ranby was therefore re-
folved to infpect them at different Times, as he
fhould happen to find them, when out of their
Wards, and walking about; fufpecting, in Cafe
they were fent for to him in Form, they might
poffibly leave their Truffes at Home.
Whenever, therefore, he himfelf, or his Depu-
ties, met with them thus in their Walks, they car-
ried them into the next Apartments, wherever
they were moft likely to meet with any of the
Servants of the Hofpital, to be prefent at the Exa-
mination; imagining, that as this Proof was to
be laid before the Commiffioners, none were fo
proper Evidences as their own Servants, who were
undoubtedly competent Judges of this Matter of
Fact, whether the Men had their Truffes on, or not;
but, amongst the Witneffes to thefe Examinations,
the Reader will find feveral of Character and Skill
in this Diſorder.
In this Manner, before the next Board-Day, he
himfelf, or his Affiftant-Surgeons, caught off their
Guard, examined, and found almoft every Man,
who had been reported by Mr Lee, in one or
other (and fome in all) of his Memorials, as cured,
perfectly

( )
59)
59 perfectly cured, left off their Bandages for Months,
-fome for a Year;- who had been certified to be
cured by Dr Thompson and Mr Mitchel, and
(what is ftill infinitely worfe, for thefe two Gen-
tlemen might have been deceived) who had made
(fome of them repeated) Affidavits, that they were
as well as ever they had been in their Lives.-
We fay, he found them with their Truffes on, and
on taking off their Truffes, their Ruptures imme-
diately came down.
So that not a fingle Man, whom he examined
thus, could in any Signification of the Word,
cured, be affirmed to be more fo, than he was
when he was firft undertaken by Mr Lee.
The laying thefe feveral Examinations, at
Length, before the Reader, will break in too
much upon the Thread of this Hiftory, which is
now drawing very near to a Conclufion.
They may be feen, at Large, in the Minutes of
the Board, at which they were read, in the Pre-
fence of Mr Lee, and at which every Witnefs at-
tended in Perfon, and attefted the Truth of every
particular Examination.
At this Board, held on Feb. 8, 1753, Mr Ranby
and Mr Hawkins gave in a Narrative, introducto-
ry to the Account of thefe Examinations, which
contained a fhort Recapitulation of all they then
thought the moft material Circumftances, that had
occurred in the Courſe of their Enquiries and Ex-
aminations; together with their feveral Opinions,
and their two Reports, the firſt of which was
made in Conjunction with Mr Chefelden, and the
other by themſelves, a little before he died. *
*For this Narrative and the Examinations annex'd, fee
p. 8. of the Appen.
[h2]
At a

(60)
At a Board held on 14 March, 1753. Prefent the
Right Hon. William Pitt, Efq; Right Hon.
Henry Fox, Efq; Lord Ilchefter, Sir Robert
Rich, Col. Cofsley, and Sir Philip Meadows.
The Commiffioners examined fix of the Men
themſelves, affifted by Mr Thomas; and the fol-
lowing are fhort Minutes of each Examination,
taken by their Secretary.
John Tanner got a Fall about 6 Months ago,
and then his Rupture came down, his Trufs was
on at the Trial, and his Rupture came down now
immediately upon taking off the Trufs.
William Story, has now his Rupture down,-
hath been in Lee's Hands three Years,had his
Trufs on before he came into the Room,- had
his Bandage on when he make Affidavit of his
Cure before Juftice Manley, went without a Ban-
dage for 4 Months,-Mr Lee took him in Hand
in July 1750,- Mr Thomas fays, his Rupture is
now in the State it was, when he firft undertook
his Cure,-wears his Trufs fometimes when he
walks, the Rupture grown larger while he was
under Examination of the Commiffiones,has
made two Affidavits before Manley, and fays he
made but one.
Peter Curtis, another Trial-Man,- his Rupture
as fmall at firft as it is now, wore his Trufs 'till
laft Week,-wore it for Security and for Warmth,
by Advice of Mr Lee,made an Affidavit of his
"Cure before Manley, by the Recommendation of
Mr Lee, Story was with him, and made Affida-
vit at the fame Time.
Stephen Cowell, a large Rupture,- had his Ban-
dage on before the Board, could not fwear that
he was cured,-never left off his Trufs.
John

(61)
John Coulfon, can't tell what he fign'd in his Af-
fidavit, leaves off his Bandage by Night, but not
by Day, his Rupture now down,-is well with a
Bandage on,-to wear the Bandage, by Mr Lee's
Order, as long as he lives, had his Bandage on
when he made Affidavit, the. Contents of it were
writ, and he was well for ought he knew.
Thomas Merriman fays, he is not cured, -found
no Benefit from Mr Lee; but a Trufs from Mr
Chefelden did keep up his Rupture,-Mr Lee re-
ported he was cured.-
"Adjourn'd, 'till Monday next, and that Mr
Lee may be ſent to attend, if he pleaſes, when
there will be a full Board, and will finally de-
termine upon Matters laid before them relating
to his Conduct at Chelsea.-
"Mr Thomas not to certify any more Men to
Mr Lee.
At a Board held at the Hofpital-Chamber, in
Whitehall, on Tuesday, 27 March, 1753.
Prefent, Right Hon. William Pitt, Efq; Right
Hon. Henry Fox, Efq; Lord Ilchefter, Sir Ro-
bert Rich, Col. Cofsley.
Mr Lee, according to Summons attended, and
the Minutes of the Board, taken the 14th of
March, 1753, were read to him; whereby it ap-
peared that John Tanner; William Story, Peter
Curtis, John Coulfon, Stephen Cowell, and Thomas
Merriman, perfonally examined in the Prefence of
the Commiffioners, were at that Time uncured of
their Ruptures, notwithstanding they had been
feverally under Mr Lee's Care.
The Board then refumed the Confideration of a
Narrative, which had been prefented to them,
8 Feb.

(62)
8 Feb. 1753, by John Ranby and Cæfar Hawkins,
Efqrs; Serjeant-Surgeons to his Majefty; to which
Narrative were annexed, Copies of Examinations,
Certificates, and Declarations, relative to feven-
teen Penfioners, and fully proving Mr Lee's In-
fufficiency in the Cure of Ruptures, and the Arti-
fices made ufe of by him to eſtabliſh the Credit of
fuch Cures. And Mr Lee admitted, that at the
Time the fame was read, he did not offer to dif
prove any thing therein contained.
The Board then order'd the Refolution to be
read, which they came to on the 2d of April,
1752, which is as follows.
That Mr Lee may undertake the Cure of
"fuch In-Penfioners afflicted with Ruptures, as
fhould voluntarily put themfelves under his Di-
"rection, their Cafes being firft certified to him
by the Surgeon, or Surgeon's-Deputy of the
"Hofpital; and in Twelve Months after, the
Operation of his Cures will be confidered by the
Board, and he will be rewarded accordingly."
The Board having taken the whole into Confi-
deration, and finding no Cures performed, but
many Mal-Practices carried on by Mr Lee, have
judged him no Ways intitled to any Reward for
one Year's Experiments, as above recited, and do
forbid him all Attendance upon the Hofpital for
the future.
da
Thus ended this Affair at the Chelfea Board.
But juft at the Breaking up of the Parliament, the
Narrative two or three Times referr'd to by us
(writin Mr Lee's Vindication) was clandeftinely dif
pers'd, in which it is afferted, p. 79. in Capital
Letters, "that Mr Lee was ready to fubmit the
"Welfare of thefe very Men to the candid Judg-
ment of any impartial Tribunal."
66
This

(63)
This Sentence, if it means any thing more than
a Reflection upon the Commiffioners, muft mean
that the Men were really well and perfectly cured,
notwithstanding all that had been reprefented to the
Commiffioners.
The Matter of Fact, that the Men wore their
Bandages ftill, furely the Commiffioners and their
Servants are as competent Judges of, as any Man
whatever; and as to the Point, whether cured or
not cured, tho' Mr Ranby knew the Men were
really not cured, and the Commiffioners were con-
vinced of it; tho' he was ready at any Time to
fhew any one who had any Doubts of the Truth
of what was declared in their Narrative; and tho'
he had, fince this Affair was ended at the Board,
carried many to ſee them, and never once found them
without a Trufs, or the Rupture down: Yet he
wanted to be able to give fome public Teftimony
to fuch as did not think it worth the Trouble, or
did not know how to apply to fee the Men them-
felves.
And with this View, he invited feveral of the
principal Perfons of the Profeffion, to dine with
him at Chelfea.
On the Day appointed, the Deputy-Governor,
at Mr Ranby's Requeft, iffued out his Orders early
in the Morning, that all the In-Penfioners fhould
repair to the common Hall at Five o' Clock in the
Afternoon; and the proper Officer called out thefe
Men from amongst them, that had been Mr Lee's
Patients, and carried them into another Apart-
ment, where they were all, one after another, ex-
amined by thefe Gentlemen, and the Reader will
judge of the State of thefe Men, at this Time, by
the following Certificate made to the Public by
them, whofe Names and Characters are too well
known in every Part of the Town, and Kingdom,
for

( 64 )
for the Reader to want any Notice given him,
what Hofpitals they belong to, or where to be
found.
The CERTIFICATE.
July 13 1753.
"The following In-Penfioners of Chelsea Hof-
"pital, viz.
66
*Stephen Cowel,
* John Colfon,
* John Brocas,
* John Hamilton,
*William Storey,
John Tanner,
*Peter Curtis,
Thomas Merriman,
Thomas Clark,
William Fielding,
Randal Colman, were feverally examin'd
by us, whofe Names are under-written; they
"had every one of them Truffes on, upon the
"Removal of which Truffes, all their Ruptures,
"except Peter Curtis's, came down.
John Ranby,
Cafar Hawkins,
D. Middleton,
Peter Sainthill,
Edward Nourfe,
Robert Adair,
Samuel Sharp,
Jofeph Paul,
William Hunter,
John Thomas,
Alexander Reid.
All

(65)
All theſe Men, except Clark, the Reader will
find reported to the Commiffioners, in Mr Lee's
Memorials, perfectly cured, and thofe mark'd with
* have made one, or more Affidavits to the fame
Purpoſe.
N. B. There is fomething worth the Reader's
Note in Curtis's Cafe, whofe Rupture did
not appear this Day.
His Rupture was down Dec. 7, 1750.
was not down April 24, 1752.
was down June 27, 1752.
was down March 14, 1752.
and this Day was not down July 15, 1753.
Is not this a Cafe, in point, fufficient to con-
vince any one, that a fingle Examination can give
no Proof, that a Perfon is perfectly cured?

[i]
THE AP-

THE
APPENDIX.

(1)
AN AUTHENTICKO BIOM
lans W
COP
Y
ewobe
OF ALL THE
MINUTES of the Board,
FROM
Mr LEE's first Appointment to his
Difmiffion; including a Narrative,
&c.
At a Board held on Wedneſday 31 Jan. 1749-50
Prefent, Right Hon. William Pitt, Efq; Sir
Philip Meadows, Lord Ilchefter, Sir Robert
Rich, Col. Cofsley.
HE Paymafter-General communicated to
the Board, a Letter he had received,
dated the 29th Inftant, from Samuel Lee,
Surgeon, inclofing feveral Certificates of his Suc-
cefs in curing Ruptures. And the Commiffioners
prefent, having taken the fame into their Confi-
deration, came to the following Refolution.
riments
That the faid Samuel Lee fhould make Expe-
upon fuch In-Penfioners of Chelfea Hof-
pital, as fhould voluntarily fubmit themſelves to
his Care, and that he fhould have a reafonable
Compenfation for his Trouble and Attendance
upon them.
A
Ordered,

(2)
Ordered, That the Secretary do acquaint him
with the aforefaid Refolution. A
At a Board held on Wednefday, 4 April, 1750.
Prefent, Right Hon. William Pitt, Efq; Right
Hon. Henry Fox, Efq; Sir Philip Meadows,
Col. Cofsley.
Samuel Lee, Surgeon, attended with three Men,
whom he alledged he had cured of Ruptures;
whereupon Mr Chefelden and Mr Thomas were ex-
amined to the Cafes of the faid Men: But Mr
Chefelden alledged, that he had not been privy to
the Condition of the faid Men, before they put
themſelves under the Care of Mr Lee, therefore
he could not be thoroughly acquainted with the
Nature of their Cafes, or judge of the Performance
of the Cure.
Ordered, That Mr Chefelden do previously in-
fpect the State and Condition of fuch Men as fhall
put themfelves under the Care and Direction of
the faid Mr Lee.
At a Board held on Tuefday, 15 May, 1750. Pre-
fent, Sir Philip Meadows, Sir Robert Rich,
Col. Cofsley. letovel gailebni resea
200
Mr Lee, Surgeon, attended, and reprefented,
that he hoped foon to be able to produce feveral
Men whom he had cured of Ruptures.
Ordered, That Mr Lee do attend the next Board,
with fuch Men as fhall be perfectly cured of Rup-
tures, and that Mr Chefelden be prefent to infpect
them at the fame Time.dez noitateagmo
At

(s)
At a Board beld on Thurfday, 6 Sept. 1750. Pre
fent, the Right Hon. William Pitt, Efq; Sir Phis
lip Meadows, Sir Robert Rich, Col. Cofsley.
Mr Lee, Surgeon, reprefented to the Board, that
he had cured feveral In-Penfioners of Ruptures,
which had been previoufly infpected by Mr Che-
felden, Surgeon to the Hofpital.
Ordered, That Mr Chefelden do report fpecially
to the Board, at their next Meeting, the State of
the Cures which Mr Lee alledges he has per-
formed.
Ordered, That Mr Lee do, in the mean Time,
proceed in the Care of fuch Men as are ruptured,
and have been infpected by Mr Chefelden.
At a Board held on Wedneſday, 16 Jan. 1750-1.
Prefent, the Right Hon. William Pitt, Efq;
Right Hon. Henry Fox, Efq; Sir Philip Mea-
dows, Col. Cofsley.
Read, Mr Chefelden's Report upon the Ruptures
of feveral Men who had been under the Care of
Mr Lee," fetting forth, That upon the Exami-
"nation of the Men, on 3 Dec. laft, two of three
Men had their Ruptures down. That on the
66
Friday following, the faid Mr Lee brought four
"Men to him, two whereof had their Ruptures
down."
Mr Lee thereupon acquainted the Com-
miffioners, that he had four Men attending with-
out, whom he defired might be immediately in-
fpected by Mr Chefelden, though they had been
three Times examined by him before; Mr Chefel-
den having accordingly examined the faid Men
(during the fitting of the Board), and being called
upon to declare his Opinion ſpecially of their
A 2
Cafes,

(4)
Cafes, faid, That for ought appears to him, two
of the faid Men are cured, he not finding the
Orifice open.
Ordered, That Mr Chefelden do examine the faid
four Men in the Prefence of Mr Ranby and Mr
Hawkins, Serjeant Surgeons to His Majefty.
Ordered, That Mr Chefelden may have Liberty,
at all Times, to examine the Cafes of thefe Men,
in the Prefence of Mr Lee, who is not previouſly
to vifit the faid Men.
Ordered, That Mr Lee do proceed in the Cure
of fuch Men as are ruptured, and have been in-
fpected by Mr Chefelden.
Ordered, That they both attend the next Board.
At a Board held on Wedneſday, 24 April, 1751.
Prefent, the Right Hon. William Pitt, Efq; Right
Hon. Henry Fox, Efq; Sir Philip Meadows,
Lord Ilchefter, Col. Colsley.
Mr Chefelden, Surgeon of the Hofpital, Mr
Hawkins and Mr Ranby, Serjeant-Surgeons to His
Majefty, and Mr Lee, attended the Board, accord-
ing to Order of 16 Jan. laft, upon the Cafes of
feveral ruptured Men; and after hearing their
feveral Opinions, a Propofal was made to Mr Lee,
that he fhould produce four or five new Men to
the aforefaid Surgeons, whofe Cafes and Perfons
might be known to them, in order to be more
certain Judges of the Progrefs and Performance of
his Cures.
Mr. Lee declined any further Experiment upon
this Propofition.
At a Board held on Friday, 7 June, 1751.
fent, the Right Hon. William Pitt, Efq;
Pre-
Right
Hon.

(5)
Hon. Henry Fox, Efq; Sir Philip Meadows,
Col. Cofsley.
Ordered, That a Warrant be prepared for 50%.
to Samuel Lee, Surgeon, in Confideration of his
Attendance upon feveral Men afflicted with Rup-
tures.
At a Board held on Monday, 15 July, 1751. Pre-
fent, the Right Hon. William Pitt, Efq; Sir
Philip Meadows, Col. Cofsley.
Signed a Warrant for 50l. to Samuel Lee, Sur-
geon, in Confideration of his Attendance upon
feveral In-Penfioners afflicted with Ruptures.
At a Board held on Friday, 6 March, 1752. Pre-
fent, the Right Hon. William Pitt, Efq; Sir Phi-
lip Meadows, Lord Ilchefter, Sir Robert Rich.
Col. Cofsley.
Read, The Memorial of Samuel Lee, Surgeon,
who had undertaken the Cure of feveral Pen-
fioners who were afflicted with Ruptures.
Ordered, That the further Confideration thereof
be poftponed to the next Board Day, and that
Meffrs. Hawkins and Ranby, Serjeant-Surgeons to
His Majefty, be then defired to attend.
At a Board held on Thursday, 2 April, 1752.
Prefent, the Right Hon. William Pitt, Efq; Right
Hon. Henry Fox, Efq; Lord Ilchefter, Sir Phi-
lip Meadows, Col. Cofsley.
John Ranby and Cafar Hawkins, Efqrs, Ser-
jeant-Surgeons to His Majefty, attended the Board,
and

(6)
and declared their Opinion, in Writing, concern-
ing the Cure of Ruptures.
Mr Lee, Surgeon, alfo attended, with Dr
Thompson and others, who gave their Opinions
upon the fame Subject.
And after confidering what was offered on both
Sides, the Board came to the following Refolu-
tion.
That Mr Lee may undertake the Cure of fuch
In-Penfioners afflicted with Ruptures, as fhould
voluntarily put themfelves under his Direction,
their Cafes being firft certify'd to him, by the Sur-
geon, or Surgeons-Deputy of the Hofpital; and
in twelve Months after, the Operation of his
Cures, will be confidered by the Board, and he
will be rewarded accordingly.
At a Board held on Wednesday, 24 June, 1752.
Prefent, the Right Hon William Pitt, Efq;
Right Hon. Henry Fox, Efq; Sir Philip Mea-
dows, Col. Cofsley.
Application was made for an Order to examine,
from Time to Time, fuch Men as Mr Lee had
affirmed were cured of Ruptures.
Ordered, That the Surgeon, or his Deputy, do
examine the faid Men as often as either of them
fhall think neceffary, in relation to, the Per-
formance of fuch Cures.
At a Board held on Thurſday, 8 Feb. 1753. Pre-
fent, the Right Hon. Henry Fox, Efq; Sir Ro-
bert Rich, Col. Cofsley.wo
John Ranby and Cefar Hawkins, Efqrs, Ser-
jeant-Surgeons to His Majefty, attended the Board,
and prefented a Narrative to them, of what had
paffed

(7)
paffed relating to feveral Penfioners who had been
under Mr Lee's Care for the Cure of Ruptures;
to which Narrative were annexed Copies of fe-
veral Examinations, Certificates, and Declarations.
Whereupon Mr Lee was called, and the Narra
tive with the Papers annexed to it were read be-
fore him, as well as before the Parties mentioned in
the Margin hereof, who were Witneffes to feveral
of the Examinations, and who unanimously con-
firmed the Contents of them.
selt
Benjamin Hoadly, Phyfician to His Majesty's
Houfhold.
Meffenger Monfey, Phyfician to the Hofpital. to
Cefar Hawkins, Serjeant-Surgeon to His Ma
jefty.
T. Hawkins,
La William Hunter, Surgeons.
S
D. Middleton, Surgeon-General to the Army.
John Andrews, Surgeon to His Royal High
nefs the Duke.
John Ranby, Surgeon to Chelfea Hofpital.
John Thomas,
Alexander Reid, Deputy-Surgeons.
Daniel Graham, Apothecary to the Hofpital.
Thomas Thornhill, Apothecary's Chief Man to
the Hofpital.
John Wilton, Mafter-Butler.
John Woodboufe, Wardrobe-Keeper.
Peter Ingham, Publican.
Samuel Hawkfworth, Under-Cook.
Robert Smith, Apprentice to Mr Reid.
And Mr Lee, after hearing the fame read, did
not offer to difprove any Thing therein contained.
Mr Lee then withdrew, and meeting in the Wait-
ing-Room Mr Thomas, Deputy-Surgeon of the
Hofpital,

(8)
Hofpital, who had figned as Witneſs to ſeveral of
the Examinations before-mentioned. He, Mr Lee,
without any Provocation, gave to the faid Mr
Thomas, in the Prefence of feveral Perfons, very
abufive and threatning Language.i noqust
I
NARRATIVE.
N the Beginning of the Year 1751, Mr Che
felden, Surgeon to Chelsea Hofpital, by Direc-
tion of the Right Honourable the Commiffioners
of the faid Hofpital, applied to Mr Ranby and
Mr Hawkins, as Serjeant-Surgeons to His Ma-
jefty, to defire their being prefent with him at an
Examination of feveral of the Invalids of the
Hofpital, who were troubled with Ruptures, and
were now declared to be cured, and were accord-
ingly to be produced at this Examination as Proofs
of an extraordinary Method of Cure lately in-
vented by Mr Lee, Surgeon.&
At the fame Time Mr Chefelden gave Mr Ranby
and Mr Hawkins the following Hiftory, viz.-
That Mr Lee had, about a Twelvemonth before,
applied to the Right Honourable the Com-
miffioners of Chelfea Hofpital, declaring he had a
Secret by which he could cure all Ruptures; and
begged Leave that he might have the Liberty of
applying his Remedies to fome of their old Sol-
diers who had Ruptures, in order to produce them
as fo many public Teftimonials of his extraordi-
nary Skill in performing thofe Cures: This Li-
Iberty was granted him, but with Reftriction, that
fuch Cures were to be confirmed to the Board by
Mr Chefelden, their Surgeon. w nocy woul
Jazigiol 1
In

(9)
In Purfuance of this Order, Mr Chefelden told
them, he did examine feveral ruptured Men, and
propofed to Mr Lee the following Terms for the
Order of their future Difquifition, which Mr Lee
affented to, viz. That thefe old People fhould be
brought to him (Mr Chefelden) three or four
Times, 'till he had made himſelf fure he fhould
remember their Faces, and fo not be liable to mi-
ftake as to the Identity of their Perfons: And that
afterwards, whenever Mr Lee fhould declare thefe
Men cured, that Mr Chefelden fhould have the Li-
berty of going to them at what Times, and as
often as he pleaſed, to fee that they did leave off
their Truffes, and to know at different Examina-
tions if their Ruptures kept up.
The Obfervance of thefe Terms, he told us,
Mr Lee had totally neglected, the Men having
never once called upon him after their Examina-
tion, nor had there been any Declaration made
to him, by Mr Lee, of the Cures performed, in
order that Mr Chefelden (according to their Agree-
ment) fhould examine them in fuch Manner as
fhould be fatisfactory to him to answer the Truft
repofed in him by the Board: Inftead of this,
that Mr Lee would infift upon producing thefe
Men to him for one fingle Examination, and upon
Mr Chefelden making his Report from this one
View of them, whether they were cured or not.
That this Demand of Mr Lee had diftreffed
him extremely, as he well knew that no one
Examination alone, or even different Exami-
nations, if he was not permitted by Mr Lee to
vifit the Men in the intermediate Time, to know
for certain that they had left off their Truffes,
could give him any fatisfactory Evidence of fuch
Cures; whilft Mr Lee infifting as ftrongly on
the contrary, the Board, who naturally were to be
fuppofed
B

(10)
fuppofed unknowing in the Nature of Ruptures,
might be perplexed with this Diverſity of Opi-
nions, or poffibly think him backward in receiv-
ing and acknowledging Mr Lee's Proofs, and ima-
gine that Kind of Proofs fufficiently fatisfactory,
which in Truth and Reality was no Evidence at
all; in this Dilemma, that he had petitioned the
Board, that Mr Ranby and Mr Hawkins might be
defired to affift at the Examination propoled.
In Obedience to this Defire of the Right Honour-
able the Commiffioners (intimated to them by Mr
Chefelden) Mr Ranby and Mr Hawkins went over
to Mr Chefelden's Apartments at Chelsea, where
Mr Lee produced feveral old Men to them, whom
Mr Lee profeffed to have cured.
Before any Examination, Mr Ranby and Mr
Hawkins made a previous Enquiry of Mr Chefelden,
whether he knew the Men before him to be the
fame he had formerly examined and found rup-
tured.
He declared, upon his Honour, that he believed
they were not all the fame, only two or three
of them, whom he pointed out to Mr Ranby and
Mr Hawkins.
They then aſked Mr Chefelden, if he knew
that the Men had been without Truffes for any
Time previous to that Examination, to which Mr
Chefelden anfwered, that Mr Lee had not permitted
him to make any fuch Enquiry; and, confequent-
ly, he could not inform them.
Mr Ranby and Mr Hawkins viewed and exa-
mined them all, and took particular Notice that
there was not the leaft Appearance in the Parts
they examined, which fhould induce them to think
any Alteration whatſoever had been produced by
medicinal Applications; and, though none of
them had Ruptures down at that Time, (one
only,

( 11 )
only, Hanna by Name, having a fmall Appear-
ance in his Groin) they thought they faw evident
Marks upon feveral of them of their having lately
worn Bandages.
However, to Mr Lee (who offered them many
Teftimonials and Affidavits of his Cures, and preffed
them extremely to give him Certificates of thofe
Men appearing to be cured) they only gave a
general Anfwer, that they did not apprehend
thofe Certificates and Affidavits lay properly before
them at that Time; and, as they had neither
proper Proof from Mr Chefelden, that the Majo-
rity of the Men brought thither by him had been
ever ruptur'd, or, if they had been fo, that they
had gone any Time without their Truffes, they
(Mr Ranby and Mr Hawkins) muft be excufed
figning any kind of Certificates.
But, as they had the Honour of being defired
by the Board to make Enquiry into the Validity
of his Cures, they would be ready to join with
him in a fair Enquiry, by which the Truth
could be properly afcertained; and propofed to
Mr Lee the producing any Number he pleafed
of the old Penfioners, who were at that Time
ruptured; that they could not, without great
Inconvenience to themſelves, attend fo far as
Chelfea; but if the Men might be brought to
Hyde-Park Hofpital, they would, at any Time,
pay the Expence of Coach-Hire for them, and
would take Care to make all fuch proper En-
quiry, from Time to Time, as became them in
the Situation of Judges between the Board and
him.
This Propofal he at laft affented to, and they
agreed pretty nearly on the fame Terms for their
Method of Enquiry and future Determination,
which

( 12 )
which Mr Chefelden and Mr Lee had before
agreed upon
*.
Very foon after the Meeting at Chelsea, Mr
Ranby and Mr Hawkins had the Honour of a
Meffage, defiring their Attendance upon the
Board. This Meffage they obey'd, and found
Mr Lee had brought with him feveral of the
People they had feen at Chelfea, petitioning, as
before, that, upon the prefent Appearance of
thofe People, a Report fhould be made to the
Board, whether the Men were cured or not.
Two of the old Men prefent Mr Chefelden de-
clared he knew had been ruptured, viz. Peter
Curtis and John Tanner, upon which the Board
defired they might be examined.
Their Ruptures were not down, but Mr
Ranby and Mr Hawkins took Notice, that the
Perforation of the Mufcles, through which
the Ruptures uſed to defcend, were large and
unclofed in fuch Manner, that they concluded
their Ruptures would come down fooner or later
upon their ufing Exercife, and that thofe Men
were not cured. This they reported to the Board,
and likewiſe, that they thought both the Men had
very apparent Marks upon their Skin of the
Wear of a Bandage, and that they had obferved
one of them, when he put up his Breeches, rolled
* A Day was fixed upon for bringing fuch new People to
Hyde-Park Hofpital, Mr Ranby, Mr Chefelden, and Mr Haw-
kins, attended; but Mr Lee, inftead of new Men with Rup-
tures for Examination, brought with him the fame Men
they faw at Chelsea, petitioning, as at that Meeting, a Certi-
ficate that thofe Men appeared to be well, to which of courfe
the fame Objections they made at Chelsea, a few Days before,
were ftill equally valid: This they declared to Mr Lee, which
was the whole that paffed at Hyde-Park Hofpital...
the

(13)
the Fore-Lappit of his Waistcoat into a hard
Comprefs, which he placed properly in his Groin,.
and buttoned his Breeches exceedingly tight over
it, fo as in Reality to make this Comprefs, and
the Waiſtband of his Breeches, an excellent Sub
ftitute for a common Trufs.
Mr Ranby and Mr Hawkins had, at the fame
Time, the Honour of laying before the Board
their Reaſons againft making a Report, upon the
Infufficiency of the Evidence before them, (as a
bove recited at the Chelfea Meeting) and inform
ed the Board of the Propofal which they had
made to Mr Lee for a New Enquiry.
Relative to this Propofal from them, the fol
lowing is a Copy of the Minute now ftanding in
their Books.
Wednesday, 24 April, 1751.
Mr Chefelden, Surgeon of the Hofpital, Mr
Hawkins and Mr Ranby, Serjeant-Surgeons to His
Majefty, and Mr Lee, attended the Board (accord-
ing to Order of 16 Jan. laft) upon the Cafes of
feveral ruptured Men; and after hearing their fe-
veral Opinions, a Propofal was made to Mr Lee,
that he fhould produce four or five new Men to
the aforefaid Surgeons, whofe Cafes and Perfons
might be known to them, in order to be more cer-
tain Judges of the Progrefs and Performance of
his Cures.
Mr Lee declined any further Experiment upon
this Propofition.
However, it feems Mr Lee, very foon after,
changed this Refolution; for, on the 22d of the
next Month, he brought four Men to Hyde-Park
Hofpital, (according to an Appointment made
with

(14)
with Mr Ranby and Mr Hawkins) who were exa-
mined and found ruptured.
The original Paper as delivered by Mr Lee, of
their Cafes and Names, is at prefent in Mr
Ranby's Poffeffion.
From this Time they heard no more from Mr.
Lee 'till the Beginning of March 1751-2, when
Mr Lee went to Mr Ranby's Houfe, and told him,
the Men examined at Hyde-Park Hofpital were
cured, and defired he would make an Appoint-
ment with Mr Hawkins for them all three to go
together to make an Examination of the Men.
This Manner of Examination Mr Ranby
refufed, but defired Mr Lee, if he thought
them cured, to give it him in Writing, with a
Declaration of their having left off their Truf
fes; to
to leave a Notice of the fame Kind at
Mr Hawkins's, and that then they two would
take proper Opportunities of vifiting and ex-
amining the Men at their own Times, and in
fuch Manner as fhould be fatisfactory to them-
felves, that the Men did not wear Truffes, and of
their Appearances of Cure; and that afterwards,
at a proper Time, they would be very ready to
make a juft Report. This Method Mr Lee re-
fuſed, though confonant to the Agreement made
when he firſt undertook their Cure.
On the 2d of April following, Mr Ranby and Mr
Hawkins were defired to attend at the Chelsea Board;
but as Mr Lee had given them no Opportunity of
knowing that the Men, whom he might propofe
for their Examination that Day, had left off their
Truffes, for any Time, they took the Liberty of
humbly reprefenting to the Board, "That the
Method of feeing, and examining Men, who,
for any Thing they knew, might have worn their
Truffes 'till the Time they were prefented to
"them

(15)
66
them for Examination, could not give them any
"real or fatisfactory Proof of their being cured
"of their Ruptures; they knowing, from certain
and conftant Experience, that thofe Ruptures,
"which have been kept up by Bandage any
"Time, feldom appear or drop down at once,
" without Exercife or fome ftrong Motion of the
"Body: That even fome grown Perfons, with
"the Help of common Truffes are cured; and that
"moft would appear to be fo, though in Reality they
"were not, upon fuch an Examination as Mr Lee
propofed. They added farther, that they had
"the ftrongeft Conviction poffible, from Expe-
66
rience or Science, that the Scheme propofed by
"Mr Lee could not be more effectual than the
"wearing the common Trufs, and not likely to
prove of any Utility to the Public, and this
"they would venture to put their Reputation
46
upon.
دو
Upon the Subject of this Repreſentation, they
would here humbly beg Leave to obferve, that
they neither gave it hastily, e to Mr Lee, but
or inconfiderately, or
from any perfonal Prejudice to
founded chiefly upon the following Reaſons, which
they had together maturely weighed.
And firft, Mr Lee's Pretence to Cure was
by an external Application. And yet they
knew, from what they had feen themſelves,
and from the beft Authors, that the ftrongeft
Powers in Nature had been tried, over and over
again, without Succefs; and to the Cafe in Point,
that they had carefully examined feveral Men,
whom Mr Lee had prefented and profeffed to have
cured by his Application, and had obferved that
there was not the leaft Mark or Appearance of the
Efficacy of any medicinal Application; but, on
the contrary, they felt the Skin over the Aper-
tures

(16)
tures of the Mufcles quite foft and loofe, the Parts
next underneath the Skin had the fame Softneſs and
Laxity, and confequently the Apertures or Rings
of the Muſcles, as lying ftill deeper, could not
have been acted upon to any Advantage.
Next, in the whole Courfe of their Enquiry,
it appeared evident, to them that Mr Lee ftudi-
oufly avoided keeping to that Method of Proof
which they defired, but was always pufhing them
to give a Report in his Favour, upon the most
trifling and delufive Evidence.
Mr Chefelden, and Mr Thomas, the Affiftant-
Surgeon, had likewife informed them, that they
had taken Truffes off two of the old Men (Tanner
and Curtis) very foon after they had made Affida-
vits of their being cured, and faw their Ruptures
come down immediately. This Mr Thomas tells
them, he is now ready to teftify. From hence,
and many other Obfervations they had made, they
were not without their Doubts of the Truth of
the Affidavits in general.
Very foon after, Mr Chefelden died; Mr Ranby
being appointed his Succeffor, an Order was grant-
ed by the Board, that he or the Affiftant-Surgeon
fhould make fuch Examination of the ruptured
Men who had been under Mr Lee's Care, as to
them fhould feem proper.
In Confequence of this Order, Mr Ranby, de-
firous to inform himfelf whether the Men did or
did not wear their Truffes, was willing to infpect
them when out of their Wards and walking about,
fufpecting they might poffibly leave them at Home,
in cafe they were fent for to him in Form.
The Examinations which follow, are firft, of
thofe who had given Affidavits of their being
cured.
27 June

(17)
27 June, 1752.
This Day examined, John Tanner and Peter
Curtis, two Meh reported at feveral Chelsea
Boards, by Mr Lee, to be cured by him of Rup-
tures, by a Method intirely new; of which pre-
tended Cures they had each made Affidavit about
a Year and a half fince; and from the Time of fuch
Affidavits, that they had never worn a Trufs, as
he and they affirmed to feveral Boards. Thefe
Men had their Truffes on at the above Time of
examining, which Truffes they confeffed they ge-
nerally wore: In a few Minutes after the Truffes
were taken off, their Ruptures came down into
their Groin.
7. Ranby,
John Thomas,
Thomas Thornhill,
Alexander Reid.
John Tanner confeffed to us, that his Rupture
returned a Week after he had made Affidavit of
bis being cured.
Thomas Thornhill,
John Gardner's Mark.
29 June, 1752.
This Day examined, William Store), another of
Mr Lee's Affidavit Men, who had been reported
at feveral Chelsea Boards to be cured of a Rupture,
and that he had never worn his Trufs from the
Time of his making an Affidavit of his being
cured. We found a Trufs upon him, and in a
fhort Time after its Removal, the Rupture ap-
peared in the Groin. He fays, that Dr Lee had
C
ordered

(18)
ordered him not to fuffer himself to be examined,
and always to wear his Trufs when he walked.
7. Ranby,
John Thomas,
Thomas Thornbill,
J. Woodboufe,
Peter Ingham,
Samuel Hawkfworth.
Notwithſtanding this folemn Examination, be-
fore fo many Witneffes, the Board will be pleafed
to remark, that this fame Man was carried the very
next Day, to fign and fwear before a Magiftrate
the following Affidavit, which was prefented to
His Royal Highnefs the Duke.
WE the under-named, voluntarily make Oath
that we were produced by Samuel Lee, Surgeon,
on or about the 11th of June 1752, at the Apart-
ments of His Royal Highnefs the Duke of Cum-
berland, as Men that he had cured of a Rupture;
and, in the Prefence of Sir John Legonier, we were
then examined as to the Particulars of our Cure,
by feveral Officers then prefent, to whom we one
and all declared, that we were well and perfectly
cured, as in Fact we were, and had been for many
Months.
And being now informed, that Mr Ranby had
the Prefumption, on Sunday the 28th of June, to
tell His Royal Highnefs, that he had, on or before
that Day, caught two of us by Surprize, taken
our Bandages from us, and found us ruptured as
bad, or worse than ever we were.
We (each for ourſelves) declare, that it is abfo-
lutely falfe, and that Mr Ranby had not taken any
Bandage from us, or even fpoke to us, from the
Day

( 19 )
Day that we were examined at His Royal High-
nefs's Apartments, to the 28th of June.
And, for further Satisfaction to His Royal
Highness, we now fay, that we are perfectly well,
and cured of our faid Ruptures, and without any
Bandage, and as free from Pain, Preffure, or
Symptom of a Rupture, as if we never had been
afflicted with that Complaint.
Westminster to wit,
Signed and fworn the 30th Day
of June, 1752, before me
Richard Manley.
John Hanna,
James Morgan,
Richard Harvey,
William Story.*
With what Truth John Hanna, whofe Name is
the firft fubfcribed to the above Affidavit, could
make fuch ſtrong Declarations of an abfolute Cure,
may be feen by the following Atteftation.
Whereas it hath been reported, that John
Hanna, whofe dead Body we have this Day in-
fpected, was perfectly cured of a Rupture, un-
der which he fome Time laboured. We do here-
by certify, that the Perforation of a Rupture on
the Right Side, was fo large as eafily to admit of
three Fingers.
*The Day after Mr Ranby had detected Tanner and Curtis
with Truffes on, he apprized the Duke of it, but without
telling their Names; His Royal Highnefs mentioned it to Sir
John Legonier, who (Mr Ranby apprehends) told Mr Lee of
the above, which produced the Affidavit figned by Hanna,
Morgan, and Story, which Affidavit the Duke himfelf
Mr Ranby.
gave to
C 2
A most

( 20 )
A moft certain Proof that the faid Hanna had
not been cured of his Rupture.
24 July,
Signed in my Prefence,
H. Fielding.
Benjamin Hoadly,
Mellenger Monfey,
C. Hawkins,
*T. Hawkins,
William Hunter,
D. Middleton.
The Board will be pleafed to judge of the Pro-
bability of James Morgan's being perfectly cured,
another of the Subfcribers to the Affidavit deli-
vered to His Royal Highnefs, from the following
Atteftations.
4 Auguft, 1752.
James Morgan, In-Penfioner of Chelfea College,
refufed to be again examined this Day, being one
of Mr Lee's ruptured Patients who made Affidavit
that he is cured, difobeyed the Governor's Or-
ders, and faid no Man fhould examine him, with-
out an Order from the Duke of Cumberland or
Mr Lee.
John Thomas,
Alexander Reid.
Mr Thomas Hawkins, Surgeon, in Parliament-Street,
was prefent at the Defire of the Friends of the Deceas'd.
4 August

(21)
4 August, 1752.
Serjeant James Morgan faid likewife, that he
was ordered by the Duke of Cumberland, not to
be fearched without his or Mr Lee's Leave, before
he went to the Governor; but when before him,
faid his Orders were from Mr Lee.
Alexander Reid,
John Thomas.
N. B. This Man fuffered himfelf to be difcharged
the Hoſpital, rather than fubmit to be examined.
1 August, 1752.
This Day examined, Stephen Cowell, Ward XV,
found a Trufs upon him; in two or three Minutes
after it was taken off, the Rupture came down.
He faid he was well on one Side, and as well on
the other as ever he expected to be. The above
Stephen Cowell was the eighth of the Affidavit-Men
that had been examined.
30 July, 1752.
John Ranby,
John Wilton.
John Cowfon, In-Penfioner of Chelsea College,
having been under Mr Lee's Care fince July 1750,
for the Cure of a Rupture, being examined this
Day, found his Bandage on; and on taking his
Bandage off, his Rupture came down into the
Scrotum. This Deponent fays, that about fix
Months ago, Mr Lee told him he was cured of his
Rupture,

( 22 )
Rupture, and perfuaded him to go to a Juftice,
where this Deponent fays, he made Affidavit he
was cured of his Rupture by Dr Lee; but he fays,
be could not go one Day without his Bandage, if he
did his Rupture came down. And he further fays,
he had his Bandage on when he went to the
Juftice to make Affidavit of his being cured. Wit-
nefs my Hand,
In the Prefence of us,
John Andrews,
John Ranby,
John Thomas,
John Wilton,
Thomas Thornbill.
30 July, 1752.
John Cowfon.

John Brocas, In-Penfioner of Chelfea College,
having a large Rupture in the Scrotum, put him-
felf under the Care of Dr Lee for a Cure. He
fays he was under Dr Lee's Care for fix Months,
and wore his Bandages, and thought himſelf cured;
upon which Mr Lee took him to Juftice Manley,
where be made Affidavit that he was cured of his
Rupture by Dr Lee; but having the Misfortune of
falling down, being in Liquor, his Rupture came
down again, having left off his Trufs near three
Weeks; and by examining him this Day, they
found his Rupture in the Scrotum. Witnefs my
Hand,
Witneſs,
Daniel Graham,
John Wilton,
Thomas Thornhill,
John Thomas.
John Brocas.
Here

(23)
Here follow the Cafes of fuch as had not given
Affidavits.
2 July, 1752.
John Welch, Penfioner of Chelsea Hofpital fays,
that he put himſelf under the Care of Mr Lee, in
order to be cured of a Rupture, and that the faid
Mr Lee promiſed to cure him for three Guineas,
two of which was immediately paid to the faid
Mr Lee, and that he faw him feveral Times, and
applied Truffes for fix Months; and he further
fays, that the Truffes applied by Mr Lee, did not
keep up the Rupture, and that he is now as bad
with the Rupture, as he was before Mr Lee took
him in Hand.
In the Prefence of us,
John Ranby,
John Thomas,
Alexander Reid,
Thomas Thornhill.
30 July, 1752.
John Welch.
William Fielding, In-Penfioner of Chelfea Col-
lege, having a large Rupture in the Scrotum, ap-
plied this Day for a Trufs, having been under Mr
Lee's Care eighteen Months, and wore his Ban-
dages; but now being fo bad, he thinks himſelf a
great deal worfe than he was before he went under
Mr Lee's Care. And further faith, he received fo
much Pain from Mr Lee's burning him with his
Medicine, that he took the Skin off his Groin.
And further fays, that he received a Treat from
Mr

( 24 )
Mr Lee, at Mr Hanna's at the Red-Lion, and of-
tentimes Mr Lee gave him Money. Witnefs my
Mark,
In the Prefence of us,
John Thomas,
Richard Smyth,
John Gardener's Mark.
William+Fielding.
22 July, 1752.
Randal Coleman, In-Penfioner, fays, he put him-
felf under the Care of Dr Lee for the Cure of a
Rupture; he was under Mr Lee's Care about three
Months, and wore his Bandages, but found Bene-
fit no longer than he wore his Trufs; for when he
took his Trufs off, his Rupture came down into
the Groin. He further fays, that he told Mr Lee,
before he left off his Bandage, that he had re-
ceived no Benefit from what he had done for him,
and he would no longer continue under his Care.
Witneſs my Hand,
In the Prefence of,
John Thomas,
R. Smyth,
John Gardener's Mark.
9 July, 1752.
Randal Coleman.
John Warden, Penfioner of Ward IX, (now in
the Infirmary) fays, that he was under Mr Lee's
Hands for nine Weeks, but not fince April 1751;
that he wore his Bandages for half a Year, but
they never kept up the Rupture fo well as the
Steel-Trufs, made by the Trufs-Maker to the
Hofpital,

(25)
Hofpital, and that he is as bad as before he put
himfelf under the Care of Mr Lee. Witnefs my
Mark,
In the Prefence of
Alexander Reid,
Thomas Thornhill,
John Thomas.
John
Warden.
John Henry, Out-Penfioner, fays, that about
July 1750, he put himself under the Care of Mr
Lee, for the Cure of a Rupture on the Right Side;
that he was under his hands for two Months, and
wore his Bandages; that while he wore the Ban-
dage the Rupture kept up, but on taking it off,
would then come down as bad as ever.
And on
examining him this Day, the Bandage being off,
his Rupture was down in the Scrotum. And he
fays, that he ſhould have continued under Mr Lee's
Hands longer, but that Mr Lee told him Mr Che-
felden had interfered between him and the Board,
and prevented his curing the Men; and that he
would not undertake the Cure of him, or any
other, 'till he was fure of his being fatisfied for his
Trouble. Witnefs his Mark,
In the Prefence of
Alexander Reid,
John Thomas,
John+Gardener's Mark.
John Henry
John Henry, Out-Penfioner, likewife fays, that
he was once invited to partake of fifteen Shillings,
which Mr Lee gave to be ſpent at Mr Hanna's,
among fome of the Men who were under his
Care; but not chufing to drink, he demanded
D
his

(26)
his Proportion of the Money, but was refufed by
Hanna, who would have it all ſpent at his Houfe.
Witnefs,
In the Prefence of
Alexander Reid,
John Thomas,
Γ
John Henry's Mark.
18 July, 1752.
John Gardener's Mark.
30 June, 1752.
John Hamilton, a Captain of Chelsea Hofpital,
who has been under the Care of Mr Lee for a
Rupture fince May 22, 1751, and that at Times
when he has a Cough, which is generally from the
Time the cold Weather begins, he always wore
the Trufs to prevent the Rupture from com-
ing down; and now he fays, fomething comes
down, but not fo low as it was before. He fur-
ther fays, that being once at Dr Lee's, where were
prefent Dr Thompson and another Gentleman, he
had his Trufs on, and declared to Dr Lee, whom
he called out of the Room, and told him he was
not cured.
*
In the Prefence of us,
John Ranby,
John Thomas,
Alexander Reid,
S. Woodboufe,
Samuel Hawkfworth,
Thomas Thornhill.
John Hamilton.
The

(27)
The Marks of the Trufs were very apparent,
both on the Groin and his Hips, and the Rupture
down.
John Ranby,
Alexander Reid,
Thomas Thornbill,
John Thomas.
9 July, 1752.
I met Captain Hamilton. On my aſking him
how he did, and if he had his Trufs on, he faid
he had not, and defired I would look to fatisfy
myfelf; which I did, and found no Trufs, but in
the Waiſtband of his Breeches I found a Bolfter
as big and as thick as a moderate fized Pincushion,
which appeared to me to be a proper Subſtitute
for a Truls; but, notwithſtanding, the Rupture
came down. Examined by me,
John Thomas.
Mr Thomas took out the Pincushion, and gave
it to him again.
15 August, 1752.
Serjeant Richard Burbridge, In-Penfioner of
Chelfea College, having been under Mr Lee's Care
for two Months, applied for a Trufs this Day.
By examining him, he had a large Rupture in the
Scrotum; and he fays, Mr Lee put him in fo
much Pain with his Medicines, that he was ob-
liged to keep his Bed nine Days. And this Depo-
nent further fays, Mr Lee wanted him to appear
at the Board; but his Rupture being down at that
Time, having a Fall the Night before, he did not
appear; but fays, he could not go an Hour to-
D 2
gether

( 28 )
gether without a Bandage. Before he had that
Fall, he fays, Mr Lee had ordered him to take off
his Bandage before he went into the Com-
miffioners at the Board, and to put it on again
after he had been examined.
In the Prefence of
John Thomas.
Richard Burbridge.
There was one Perfon only, Richard Harvey,
who at two Examinations was found without a
Trufs, and had no Rupture down.
The Remainder of the People who were in the
Lift delivered by Mr Thomas, the Affiftant-Sur-
geon, as containing all the Men who had been un-
der Mr Lee's Care, and known by Examination to
be ruptured, were upon Mr Ranby's Enquiry (one
or two excepted whom he did not find) either
dead, or gone out of the Hofpital, viz.mtb omo
Henry Stead, dead.
Edward Hern, dead.
Peter Mitchell, dead.
Thomas Lugg, dead.
Andrew Agnew,
Gone out of the Hofpital.
John Simpfen,} Gone
Jof. Perry,
Thomas Clark.
William Johnfan.
James Cable.
At a Board held on 14 March, 1753. Prefent, the
Right Hon. William Pitt, Efq; Right Hon. Lord
Ilchefter, Sir Robert Rich, Col. Cofsley, and
Sir Philip Meadows.
John Tanner got a Fall about 6 Months ago,
and then his Rupture came down,- his Trufs was
on

( 29 )
on at the Trial,--and his Rupture came down now
immediately upon taking off his Trufs.
William Story, has now his Rupture down,
hath been in Lee's Hands three Years,-had his
Trufs on before he came into the Room,-had
his Bandage on when he made Affidavit of his
Cure before Juftice Manley,--went without a Ban-
dage for 4 Months,-Mr Lee took him in Hand
in July 1750,-Mr Thomas fays, his Rupture is
now in the State it was, when he firft undertook
his Cure, wears his Trufs fometimes when he
walks, the Rupture grown larger while he was
under Examination of the Commiffioners,-has
made two Affidavits before Manley, and fays he
made but one.
Peter Curtis, another Trial-Man,-his Rupture
as fmall at firft as it is now,-wore his Trufs 'till
laft Week,-wore it for Security and for Warmth,
by Advice of Mr Lee,-made an Affidavit of his
Cure before Manley, by the Recommendation of
Mr Lee, Story was with him, and made Affida-
vit at the fame Time.
Stephen Cowell, a large Rupture,-had his Ban-
dage on before the Board, could not fwear that
he was cured, never left off his Trufs.
-
John Coulfon, can't tell what he fign'd in his Af-
fidavit,-leaves off his Bandage by Night, but not
by Day, his Rupture now down,-is well with a
Bandage on,-to wear the Bandage, by Mr Lee's
Order, as long as he lives,-had his Bandage on
when he made Affidavit, - the Contents of it were
cerit, and he was well for ought he knew.
Thomas Merriman fays, he is not cured,-found
no Benefit from Mr Lee; but a Trufs from Mr
Chefelden did keep up his Rupture,-Mr Lee re-
ported he was cured.
Adjourn'd,

(30)
Adjourn'd, 'till Monday next, and that Mr Lee
may be fent to attend, if he pleaſes, when there
will be a full Board, and will finally determine
upon Matters laid before them relating to his Con-
duct at Chelfea.
Mr Thomas not to certify any more Men to
Mr Lee.-
At a Board held at the Hofpital-Chamber, in
Whitehall, on Tuefday, 27 March, 1753.
Prefent, Right Hon. William Pitt, Efq; Right
Hon. Henry Fox, Efq; Lord Ilchefter, Sir Ro-
bert Rich, Col. Colsley.
Mr Lee, according to Summons attended, and
the Minutes of the Board, taken the 14th of
March 1753, were read to him; whereby it ap-
peared that John Tanner, William Story, Peter
Curtis, John Coulfon, Stephen Cowell, and Thomas
Merriman, perfonally examined in the Prefence of
the Commiffioners, were at that Time uncured of
their Ruptures, notwithstanding they had been
feverally under Mr Lee's Care.
The Board then refumed the Confideration of a
Narrative, which had been prefented to them,
8 Feb. 1753, by John Ranby and Cafar Hawkins,
Efqrs, Serjeant-Surgeons to His Majefty; to which
Narrative were annexed, Copies of Examinations,
Certificates, and Declarations, relative to feven-
teen Penfioners, and fully proving Mr Lee's In-
fufficiency in the Cure of Ruptures, and the Arti-
fices made ufe of by him to eftablish the Credit of
fuch Cures. And Mr Lee admitted, that at the
Time the fame was read, he did not offer to dif
prove any Thing therein contained.
The

(31)
The Board then ordered the Refolution to be
read, which they came to on the 2d of April,
1752, which is as follows.
"That Mr Lee may undertake the Cure of
"fuch In-Penfioners afflicted with Ruptures, as
"fhould voluntarily put themfelves under his Di-
"rection, their Cafes being firft certified to him
"by the Surgeon, or Surgeons'-Deputy of the
Hofpital; and in Twelve Months after, the
Operation of his Cures will be confidered by the
"Board, and he will be rewarded accordingly."
66
C6
The Board having taken the whole into Confi-
deration, and finding no Cures performed, but
many Mal-Practices carried on by Mr Lee, have
judged him no Ways intitled to any Reward for one
Year's Experiments, as above recited, and do for-
bid him all Attendance upon the Hofpital for the
future.
POST SCRIPT.
On the Subject of this Difpute, Mr Ranby hav
ing had the Honour of reprefenting to His Royal
Highneſs the Duke, that a Trufs, made by a good
Workman, and properly applied, would enable
any Soldier, troubled with a common Rupture, to
perform all his Duty, and render him, to all In-
tents, as ferviceable as another Man, and even fre-
quently prove a Cure; His Royal Highness gave
Orders, that the ruptur'd Men, in the Firft Regi-
ment of Guards, fhould be fupplied accordingly
with them. The Effects of this Order, in a few
Inftances, Mr Ranby begs to lay before the Reader,
as related in the following Lor to him, from
Mr Davies, the Surgeon of that Regiment.
To

(32)
SIR,
To Mr RANBY.
2 Nov. 1753.
A Few Days fince I examined five Men, viz. two
Serjeants, and three private Men, of the First
Regiment of Foot-Guards, in the Prefence of Col.
Dury, and fome other Officers of the Regiment.
They had all been ruptur'd, and were ordered to be
fent to you, by His Royal Highness the Duke, about
eight Months fince, when you was pleafed to order
each to have a well-fitted Steel-Trufs, which was foon
after apply'd by Mr Dappee. They wore them, one
excepted, for four or five Months, three having left
them off for fome Months, and appear well; the
other two wear them now, and on their Removal,
their Ruptures do not come down, unless they ufe
Strong Motion, and then appear in the Groin not big-
ger than a fmall Chefnut.
It is to be obferved, that all thefe Men have been
perfectly Eafy from the first Application of the Trufs,
nor have they omitted one Day's Duty on that Ac-
count. Two of thefe Men, who have been well for
fome Time, have fince worked at Coal beaving, and
working on the Keys. No Remedy accompanied the
Ufe of the Trufs.
I am SIR,
Your most obedient bumble Servant,
Lewis Davies,
Surgeon to the Regiment
PINI S.