ABSTRACT
In early nineteenth-century England, quackery was regarded as no less serious a problem than it is today—if anything it seems to have been more prevalent and to have attracted more medical attention. In early nineteenth century, quacks seem often to have used precisely the same drugs and procedures that were used by orthodox physicians, and, for this reason, the proven effectiveness of medical practices was never an issue in the condemnation of quackery. In addition to practicing quackery directly, regular practitioners provided credibility for quack medicines by giving or selling endorsements and testimonials. One can imagine that several factors contributed to the change in the concept of quackery. First, the earlier concept clearly reflected economic competition among practitioners. Second, during the course of century, the efficacy of treatment became progressively more prominent as a criterion for appraising the success of medical treatment. Thus, the distinction between effective and ineffective medical procedures became progressively more important in distinguishing quacks from regulars.
