A BRIEF
ACCOUNT OF DR . JOHN MIDDLETON
LUCKETT ( 1782-1804 )
Morris Weiss , MD
Dr . John Middleton Luckett was a late century , newly minted 22-year-old physician born in Maryland who died in a fatal duel in Kentucky .
Few details of his life are known . Carolyn Brooks , Ph . D ., found his will , listing his medical liability and other worldly professions . Dr . Brooks kindly provided me a copy of this document which I present to our membership .
The book list provides a window in the literary and medical reading of this late 18 th century physician .
I am assuming he apprenticed with a physician and did not attend one of America ’ s four medical schools at this time ( University of Pennsylvania 1765 , Kings College , New York 1767 , Harvard University 1782 , Dartmouth College of Medical School 1798 ).
Seventeenth century physicians affected the understanding , the diagnosis and treatment of illness . These advances ran parallel to the genius of Shakespeare , Milton , Rembrandt , Bach and Newton . The greatest name in 17 th century medicine belongs to William Harvey ( as a cardiologist , I am a bit prejudiced ) but Willis , Sydenham , Descartes are names we still acknowledge 300 years later .
Eighteenth century medicine in America relied on European knowledge . There was no American medical literature to speak of until after the American Revolution . This was a century of sobriety leading up to the Great French and American Revolutions .
Kant , Rousseau , Hume and Voltaire , the intellectual giants of this period , did not contribute to clinical medicine . Linnaeus was a physician but his fame was the classification of plants and animals . Hunter in surgery and Jenner in vaccination were the two important medical figures .
The flowering of European medicines , especially Germany , in the 19 th century was just beginning to blossom when John Luckett died in a duel . Perhaps in the future , I will be able to fill in more details of his brief life .
WPA files : Information from diary of Gen . Jonathan Clark , Photostat copy at the Filson Historical Society , donated by R . C . Ballard Thruston .
Dr . Luckett was killed in a duel on December 14 , 1804 . The will of John M . Luckett was proven January 7 , 1805 .
• To his brother , William M . – horse and saddle
• Estate – Both real and personal to be sold to pay debts
• To his sister , Eliza N . Luckett – his watch , Mrs . Philip Samuel N , William M . and Craven and sister Polly ( not sure what this all means .)
• Executors : Bros . Samuel N . and Wm . W . Luckett
• Witnesses : Charles Anderson
Ancestry . com indicates John Middleton Luckett , MD , born 1782 in Frederick Co ., died December 14 , 1804 in Louisville , KY . Killed in a duel with George Strather near Louisville at age 22 .
Parents : John Luckett , ( 1751-1793 ) and Molly Ann Nolan ( 1755- ?)
Siblings : Phillip Hussey ( 1775- ?); Samuel Nolan ; William M . (? -1814 )
What follows is the library and property inventory of Dr . John M . Luckett upon his death :
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