The Andrews Family

Angeline Andrews, scholarly John’s wife, kept a diary for the years 1859-1864. An early entry noted the butchering of a pig. She referred to the death of a neighbor child who had a sore throat. The physician lanced it and gave him a dose of morphine, all of which contributed to his sudden death.MOL 289.7

In the fall of 1862, daughter Mary had whooping cough. Angeline wrapped the baby in wet sheets, attempting to reduce the fever. The local physician on several occasions administered an assortment of poisons such as ipecac, nitre, and quinine. The worried mother, still reaching out for help, received a recipe for syrup from her sister. After giving the dose to Mary, she wrote: “Mary has never been sicker than this afternoon. Medicine has no effect to vomit her as I supposed it would.” ^{8Diary for August 25, 1862, in Heritage Room, Del E. Webb Memorial Library, Loma Linda University.}MOL 289.8

After an article on healing diphtheria with simple water treatments that James White had reprinted in the church paper, ^{9James C. Jackson, “Diphtheria, Its Causes, Treatment and Cure,” The Review and Herald, February 17, 1863.} it seems that the Andrews family became more interested in “warm baths” in the treatment of illness. But other health reform notions were not evident in the Andrews family life.MOL 290.1

In July 1869, J. N. Andrews wrote: “The subject of health reform has engaged my earnest attention for more than five years. During this entire period of time I have endeavored, as a matter of conscience, strictly to regard and live out the principles of this noble reform. As its effects upon myself have been very marked, and such that all with whom I have been associated for this period have observed them, I take pleasure in briefly stating my own experience.” ^{10The Health Reformer, July 1869. Andrews died in 1883 at the age of 54, a victim of tuberculosis.}MOL 290.2

In February 1872, he noted that the beginning of health reform for the Andrews family happened in March 1864. ^{11The Health Reformer, February 1872.} A month later, he wrote specifically about his family’s 1864 commitment when they put away “spice, pepper, vinegar ... butter, meat, fish, and substituted graham flour for fine floor.” In their place, they now ate “plenty of good fruit, vegetables, grains,” and “used some milk and a very little salt.” ^{12The Health Reformer, March, 1872.}MOL 290.3