{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]],"date-time":"2026-10-15T10:44:09Z","timestamp":1792061049036,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,31]],"date-time":"2026-03-31T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1774915200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,31]],"date-time":"2026-03-31T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1774915200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["J Med Biogr"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,11]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Henry Bracken M.D. (1697\u20131764) was born in the Horse and Farrier inn, Lancaster, England. He completed his apprenticeship in Wigan and studied at St Thomas\u2019 Hospital (London), the H\u00f4tel Dieu (Paris) and Leiden (Holland). Bracken published books on farriery, urological stones and midwifery.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Aims<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>To examine Bracken's 1737 controlled trial of two treatments for rabies in hounds<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Method<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Historical literature review<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Bracken's \u2018strict enquiry\u2019 compared treatments in two groups of \u2018an equal number' of hounds \u2018equally affected as far as could be judged\u2019 [i.e. at risk of developing rabies]. One received a herbal \u2018decoction' and the other a \u2018secret\u2019 powder sold by Mr Hill of Ormskirk. Bracken offers quantitative outcomes: \u2018Five out of Nine of Mr. Hill's died, and those under the [herbal treatment] all recover'd\u2019.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>We speculate that Mr Hill's powder contained mercury, causing salivation which was mistaken for clinical signs of rabies. Finally, we also examine Bracken's notion of vocation that \u2018a Man is born a Physician as well as a Poet\u2019. We conclude that it is harder in modern societies for young people to recognise an early inkling towards a career in medicine. Unlike Bracken's \u2018inborn' calling, vocation today is more likely to be perceived in terms of a \u2018transaction', e.g. a \u2018career move' or \u2018lifestyle choice'.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1177\/09677720261433667","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,31]],"date-time":"2026-03-31T12:50:45Z","timestamp":1774961445000},"page":"368-379","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Horses, hounds and hydrophobia: Henry Bracken's \u2018strict enquiry\u2019 to compare two treatments for rabies in dogs (1737)"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"34","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6754-2336","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Max","family":"Cooper","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Brighton and University of Sussex, Brighton, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sarah","family":"Cooper","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Royal Sussex County Hospital"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,31]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_2_2_2","unstructured":"Bracken H. Farriery improved: or A complete treatise upon the art of farriery: Wherein is fully explain'd the nature structure and mechanism of that noble and useful creature a horse. The diseases and accidents he is liable to and methods of cure: set down in as clear and intelligible a manner as the subject will admit of. The use and abuse of the science discovered; whereby any gentleman may be able to judge for himself whether or no he is imposed upon by ignorant grooms and other pretenders to this art. Together with many necessary and useful observations and remarks concerning the choice and management of horses. Likewise an account of drugs and mix'd medicines used in farriery; with some remarks upon their genuineness or adulteration; and their several prices set down alphabetically at the end of the work. [1737] Printed by R. Reilly G. Ewing at the Angel and Bible in Dame-street (Dublin) https:\/\/wellcomecollection.org\/works\/kj3psua8 (accessed 12 August 2025)."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_3_2","volume-title":"The midwife's companion, or, a treatise of midwifery: wherein the whole art is explained. Together with an account of the means to be used for conception and during pregnancy; the causes of barrenness accounted for, and some remedies proposed for the cure\u2009\u2009To which is subjoined, the true and only safe method of managing all the different kinds of the small-pox, and the distempers incident to new-born children","author":"Bracken H","year":"1737","unstructured":"Bracken H. The midwife's companion, or, a treatise of midwifery: wherein the whole art is explained. Together with an account of the means to be used for conception and during pregnancy; the causes of barrenness accounted for, and some remedies proposed for the cure\u2009\u2026\u2009To which is subjoined, the true and only safe method of managing all the different kinds of the small-pox, and the distempers incident to new-born children. London: J. Clarke, 1737. https:\/\/wellcomecollection.org\/works\/vss4ehwy\/items?canvas=5 (accessed 24 February 2026)."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_4_2","unstructured":"Bracken H. Lithiasis anglicana or A philosophical enquiry into the nature and origin of the stone and gravel in human bodies &c.: Wherein is considered the possibility of dissolving such animal tartar or calculous concretion. In a letter to David Hartley author of the cases in behalf of Mrs. Stephen's medicines. To which is added an account of a new and safe method of cure for the ischury or total suppression of urine. 1739 https:\/\/wellcomecollection.org\/works\/gudajcj7 (accessed 25 February 2026)."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_5_2","first-page":"259","volume-title":"Historic notes on the ancient borough of Lancaster, written, collected & compiled by cross fleury","author":"Rigbye RGK","year":"1891","unstructured":"Rigbye RGK. Historic notes on the ancient borough of Lancaster, written, collected & compiled by cross fleury. Lancaster: Eaton & Bulfield, 1891, p. 259. https:\/\/www.google.co.uk\/books\/edition\/T%CC%80ime_honoured_Lancaster\/eojza_v9LzMC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=henry%20bracken%20md&pg=RA3-PA259&printsec=frontcover (accessed 12 August 2025)"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_6_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/ref:odnb\/3158"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_7_2","volume-title":"Rabies in animals & man","author":"West GP","year":"1972","unstructured":"West GP. Rabies in animals & man. Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1972."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_8_2","unstructured":"Hawkes D. Mad dogs and Englishmen. In your area community. 24 June 2024. https:\/\/www.inyourarea.co.uk\/news\/mad-dogs-and-englishmen (accessed 17 September 2023)."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_9_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Steward T. A Letter from the Revd Mr. Tho. Steward V. D. M. to Dr. Mortimer Secr. R. S. concerning the Virtues of the Star of the Earth Coronopus or Bucks-horn Plantain in the Cure of the Bite of the Mad-Dog. 1738. p360:\/\/royalsocietypublishing.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1098\/rstl.1737.0080 (accessed 28 August 2025).","DOI":"10.1098\/rstl.1737.0080"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_10_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/09677720251413138"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_11_2","article-title":"Clinical trials and the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"4","author":"Retsas S","year":"2020","unstructured":"Retsas S. Clinical trials and the COVID-19 pandemic. Hellenic Jf Nucl Med 2020; 4. https:\/\/www.nuclmed.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/03.Commentary-Retsas.pdf (accessed 7 December 2025).","journal-title":"Hellenic Jf Nucl Med"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_12_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1163\/9789004306905"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_13_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/09677720251368681"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_14_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/09677720261421450"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_15_2","first-page":"7947","article-title":"\u2018Experimentum crucis\u2019: hauksbee the younger\u2019s \u2018decisive experiment\u2019 for comparing the \u2018safety and efficacy\u2019 of new medicines (1743)","author":"Cooper M","year":"2025","unstructured":"Cooper M, Cooper S. \u2018Experimentum crucis\u2019: hauksbee the younger\u2019s \u2018decisive experiment\u2019 for comparing the \u2018safety and efficacy\u2019 of new medicines (1743). Notes Rec 2025: 7947\u2013 7958. http:\/\/doi.org\/10.1098\/rsnr.2024.0033 (accessed 12 August 2025).","journal-title":"Notes Rec"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_16_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Cooper M Cooper S. \u2018A Defence of Physick': Thomas Reeve's proposed \u2018fair experiment\u2019 on the health effects of tar-water treatment (1744). Journal of Medical Biography. Doi: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/09677720251383856 Epub ahead of print. 2025.","DOI":"10.1177\/09677720251383856"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_17_2","unstructured":"Lind J. A treatise of the scurvy. In three parts. Containing an inquiry into the nature causes and cure of that disease. Together with a critical and chronological view of what has been published on the subject Edinburgh: Printed by Sands Murray and Cochran for A. Kincaid & A. Donaldson 1753."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_18_2","volume-title":"To improve the evidence of medicine","author":"Trohler U","year":"2000","unstructured":"Trohler U. 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