Call Number:

Ms. Codex 2350

Repository:

University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts

Extent:

1 volume(s)

Language:

English

Preferred Citation:

William T. Sutton notes on Synopsis of the Course of Lectures on Materia Medica and Pharmacy, Delivered in the University of Pennsylvania, 1855, 1859, Ms. Codex 2350, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania

Date:

1855, 1859 (inclusive)

Creator:

Sutton, William T., 1839-1899 and Carson, Joseph, 1808-1876

Form:

Textbooks, Codices (bound manuscripts), and Lecture notes

Abstract:

The volume contains notes taken by William T. Sutton (1839-1899) in 1859 on Synopsis of the Course of Lectures on Materia Medica and Pharmacy, Delivered in the University of Pennsylvania by Joseph Carson (1808-1876) during his studies at the University of Pennsylvania.

William Thomas Sutton, Jr. was born to William Thomas Sutton and Mary Carey Armistead in Elmwood, Bertie County, North Carolina on March 5, 1839.

In 1858, he earned in A.B. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and, in 1859 or 1860, he earned a M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.

In 1862, he was appointed as a surgeon in the Confederate Army. Between 1862 and 1864, while serving in the Confederate Army, Sutton worked at several Richmond, VA hospitals, including as a surgeon at Howard's Grove Hospital, a surgeon at Winder Hospital, a surgeon at Smallpox Hospital, surgeon-in-charge at Howard's Grove Hospital (formerly Smallpox Hospital), and surgeon-in-charge at Winder Hospital. He was then sent to Northern Virginia and served as a surgeon with the 21st NC Infantry, the senior surgeon with General W.G. Lewis's Brigade, and a surgeon with the 21st NC Infantry at Camp Godwin from 1864 through 1865.

After the Civil War, Sutton practiced medicine in Bertie County, North Carolina until 1874 and in Norfolk, Virginia from at least 1880 through 1890. Sutton married Anne Peyton Outlaw (1840-1922) in 1860 and together they had five children, William J. Sutton (1860-), Emma Sutton (1862-), Dr. Stark Armistead Sutton (1872-1938), Mary Armistead Sutton (1877-1933), and Annie Peyton Sutton (1877-1945).

Sutton died in Norfolk, Virginia on February 7, 1899.

Joseph Carson was born to Joseph Carson, a merchant, and Elizabeth Lawrence Carson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 19, 1808. He studied at Germantown Academy and White's School before attending the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned an A.B. in 1826 and an M.D. in 1830.

Carson worked as the surgeon on the Georgiana during a trip to India. The trip also presented opportunities to work as a merchant and botanist and, in 1833, this botanical experience led to his election to the Academy of Natural Sciences where he later served as librarian, secretary, and vice president. After the voyage, Carson established a private practice in Philadelphia.

He specialized in obstetrics and materia medica and served on the obstetrical staff of the Pennsylvania Hospital from 1849 through 1854. In 1854, he stopped practicing obstetrics to devote his time to materia medica. He was professor of materia medica at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy until 1850; lecturer in materia medica at the University of Pennsylvania from 1844 through 1848; and professor of materia medica and therapeutics at the University of Pennsylvania from 1850 through 1876.

In addition to his medical practice and teaching, Carson published widely on medicine and botany and was active in the American Philosophical Society, the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, and the American Philosophical Society.

Carson died in 1876.

Sources:

"Dr William Thomas Sutton Jr. (1839-1899)." Find a Grave, www.findagrave.com/memorial/90772929/william-thomas-sutton. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.

"Joseph Carson." University Archives and Records Center, archives.upenn.edu/exhibits/penn-people/biography/joseph-carson/. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.

The volume contains notes taken by William T. Sutton (1839-1899) in 1859 on Synopsis of the Course of Lectures on Materia Medica and Pharmacy, Delivered in the University of Pennsylvania by Joseph Carson (1808-1876) during his studies at the University of Pennsylvania.

The volume is a published textbook bound in green quarter leather over marbled paper boards with leaves for notetaking bound between each page of text. There is a handwritten weekly schedule (p. 2a) that includes surgery with Dr. Packard, chemistry with Dr. Morris, anatomy with Dr. Packard, practice with Dr. Carson, and obstetrics and physiology with Dr. Cars[on?].

The textbook's sections include Introductory observations (p. 9-19); Pharmacy (p. 20-24b); Astringents (p. 25-41); Tonics (p. 42-73); Arterial stimulants (p. 74-83); Cerebral stimulants (p. 84-95); Excito-motor stimulants (p. 96-98); Arterial sedatives (p. 99-104b); Nervous sedatives (p. 105-108b); Alternatives (p. 109-119); Emetics (p. 120-125); Cathartics (p. 126-143); Diuretics (p. 144-154b); Diaphorics (p. 155-163); Expectorants (p. 164-169); Emmenagogues (p. 170-172b); Sialogues (p. 173); Errhines (p. 174); Epispastics (p. 175-177); Rubefacients (p. 178-180b); Escharotics (p. 181-182b); Demulcents (183-188b); Emollients (189); Antacids (p. 190-192b); and Anthelmintics (193-196b).

Most of the sections include extensive notes, except for Nervous sedatives, Diaphoretics, Expectorants, Emmenagogues, Sialogues, Errhines, Epispastics Escharotics, Demulcents, Emollients, and Antacids, which contain either no notes at all or very sparse annotations.

Sutton's notes largely reflect what is written in the published text, though some observations may be original.