Physicians or "Physicks" prescribed and administered medicinal cures for all types of ailments. Surgeons removed the problem with a knife! Both types of medical practicioners lived in colonial Albany.

This important but complicated topic will be treated extensively in the months to come! For now, here are some of early Albany's outstanding medical practicioners:

The Staatses "operated" in seventeenth century Albany! The Van Dycks were their cure-driven counterparts! Abraham Van Tricht was a surgeon and coroner in Albany until his death in 1687.

Trained in Boston, Peter Gansevoort practiced medicine in Albany for fifty years.

Dr. Henry Van Dyck was one of the last of Albany's traditional physicians. Son, grandson, and great-grandson of an Albany physician, he served a great cross-section the city's society.

Coming to Albany during the French and Indian War, Philadelphia-trained Dr. Samuel Stringer innoculated for smallpox!

The Revolutionary War brought a number of more "enlightened" physicians to Albany marking the beginning of the medical profession in the city. These included Princeton-educated Continental army surgeon Hunloke Woodruff who became the partner of another relative newcomer named Wilhelmus Mancius.

Other post war newcomers included Scottish-trained William Mc Clelland.