He Was Dismissed As A Quack, But He’s The Man Who Inspired Clinical Trials, So He Was Ahead Of His Time
Francis Hauksbee the Younger was an instrument maker and scientific lecturer from the 18th century. In 1743, he proposed a study to assess the safety and effectiveness of his medication for venereal disease. He is known as an early contributor to scientific medical trials of the future.
Researchers from the Brighton and Sussex Medical School and Royal Sussex County Hospital have analyzed Francis Hauksbee’s study and considered the systematic principles he proposed.
Hauksbee published his formal comparative study as a pamphlet titled “A Further Account of the Effects of Mr. Hauksbee’s Alterative Medicine.” He aimed to compare his treatment to others by organizing a controlled trial.
In his study, he included a detailed methodology and the need for patient consent. It also called for clearly written records of patient outcomes.
In the 18th century, controlled medical trials were rare. Therefore, treatments for diseases like venereal infections were left unverified by systematic comparison.
Back in the day, physicians did not publish trials as we know them today. Instead, they published opinion pieces in newspapers that were more similar to advertisements.
At this time, opium-laced alcohol tinctures were being sold to the public as cures for colds, sore throats, bronchitis, and tuberculosis.
Toxic substances like arsenic and mercury, along with plant poisons like hemlock and the deadly nightshade, were commonly used in medicinal remedies.
Hauksbee’s proposal came during a time when people were becoming more skeptical about new medical treatments.
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Medical practitioners also accused him of being a “quack,” someone who pretends to have skills and credentials they don’t have.
As a result, he wanted to address the issue by testing his non-mercury medicine against conventional treatments, which often involved the use of mercury and was known for its severe side effects.
In the current study, the research team examined the methods that Hauksbee described in his proposed trial.
Hauksbee suggested choosing 12 patients with venereal disease cases that were considered curable. Six patients would receive Hauksbee’s medication, while the other six would receive standard treatments. His plan also involved controlling variables like diet to minimize any biases.
In addition, patient consent would be required. They would not be put in confinement, referring to the practice of conducting medical experiments on prisoners.
Independent observers would be invited to oversee and confirm patient progress. Regardless of the outcomes, they would be documented and published in a journal.
Hauksbee stressed the importance of transparency. He stated that patient cases and outcomes should be reviewed by multiple witnesses.
There is no evidence that Hauksbee’s study was ever carried out. The London medical community’s accusations of quackery and lack of participation may have prevented its execution.
Just a few years after Hauksbee’s proposed study was published, James Lind successfully conducted a scurvy trial in 1747.
In his trial, he compared six treatments for scurvy among 12 sailors. His is often considered the first modern clinical trial.
In conclusion, Hauksbee’s proposal laid the foundation for Lind’s groundbreaking work, paving the way for the clinical trials of today.
The study was published in The Royal Society Journal of the History of Science.
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