PUFFER, Dr. Abel

Other Events and Attributes:

• Ref#: 48
• _COLOR: 11
• Milit-Beg: 25 Sep 1777, MA
• Milit-End: 28 Oct 1777, MA

Notes:

He owned half a pew in the Canton meeting house. He was a physician at Canton.

He was a soldier in the French and Indian War in Major Stephen Miller's company, Col. Miller's regt. on the the train band list May 3, 1757.

He was also in the Revolution. Pvt, Capt. Abel Richardson's company, Col. Benjamin Hawes' Regt. Served 1 mo, 7 days, on a secret expedition to Rhode Island.

He left no issue.

His will, dated April 16,1810, was identical with of his brother and partner, Lt. John. The court appointed a committee to divide his estate, Apr. 2, 1816. His homestead was on Ponkapog Pond, Canton.

In an almanac for 1771, was found the following:
"A sure and certain cure for the bite of a Rattlesnake made public by Abel Puffer of Stoughton.

As soon as may be after the Person is bit, cut a Gash or Split in the Place where the Bite is, as the Teeth went in, and fill it full of fine Salt. Take common Plantain and pund it, add a little Water to it, then squeeze out the juice and mix it with clean Water; then make a strong Brine with fine Salt and the Juice, till it wil not dissolve the salt; then make a Swath or bandage with Linnen cloth, and bind it around just above the swelling (but not too tight); then wet the Bandage with the aforementioned Brine - and keep it constantly wet with Brine for it will dry very fast - and keep stroking the Part with your Hands as hard as the patient can bear, towards the Cut you made, and you will soon see the poison and virulent Matter flow out of the Cut; and it will often flow so fast that it will swell below the Cut, and, if it should, you must cut below the swelling to let out the virulent matter, and it will not leave running till it is discharged. You must keep the bandage moving downward as the Swelling abates. It is proper to give thie Patient something to defend the Stomack, as Sweet Oil, Safron or Snake Root. It often bleeds after the Poson is out; but be not surprised at that- it is Good for it. It will run some time after the poison is out; there must be Care taken the none of the poison that runs out gets to any sore, or raw Flesh, for it will poison the Person.
I expect that some will slight this publication, for the Remedies being so simple a Thing; but I hope no one will so slight it, if he is bit, as to neglect trying the Experiment, and the Effect will prove what I have said to be true. I should not have published this had I not been certain of it performing the Cure by my own Experience; for I have cured two Persons dangerously bit, and a Horse and Dog, with no other This but what is mention in the before Direction, and make this Public for the Benefit of Mankind, tho I have been offered a considerable Sum by some Persons to make it known to them, but then it must be kept as a secret.
ABEL PUFFER
Stoughton, Oct 4th, 1770."

At that time the towns paid bounties for killing rattlesnakes. In Stoughton a shilling each was paid. In 1808 the price had risen to a dollar each.

Birth:
Nutt says 1737,calcluated gravestone says 1739

FindaGrave:
GRID=72234115