Odd Leaves from the Life of a Louisiana Swamp Doctor

by Henry Clay Lewis

Using dialect, comic imagery, folklore, picaresque autobiography, and the form of the mock oral tale, Lewis (1825-1850) follows the outlandish misadventures of his literary persona. In an expansive new introduction, Edwin T. Arnold (English, Appalachian State University) places Lewis's writing in the context of the times, discussing its role in the development of southwestern humor as a genre. Many of the stories were first published in New York's Spirit of the Times . Paper edition (unseen), $12.95. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Genres: Southern Gothic

203 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1997

About the author

1825-1850

Reviews

[Len · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is often said that comedy does not travel well, and not only geographically. Time can also be unkind to it, as Odd Leaves from the Life of a Louisiana Swamp Doctor shows. The stories in it were first published separately in the New York paper Spirit of the Times and only brought together as a book in 1850, five months before the author died at the age of 25. Essentially they form an autofiction following Lewis' career as a runaway from a broken family, through life on a Mississippi steamboat, being informally adopted by an older brother and, for a time, working in the cotton fields. He was clearly an intelligent young man and was becoming well read. Eventually his brother succeeded in arranging an apprenticeship for him to study medicine with Dr. Dorsey of Yazoo City. The stories reflect his later career as he qualified as a doctor and gained a practice in Madison County, Louisiana. He was a swamp doctor, always on call to ride out, or wade out if it was necessary, to care for local farmers and their families, sharecroppers, hunters and trappers.

In the 1840s most of the United States was still a pioneer society in which life was hard and the risks plentiful. Lewis' humour reflects that. Today the style would probably be called observational, with the jokes made at people's expense and frequently with a strong racist content. Think of a dignified gentleman slipping on a banana skin and add a resultant serious injury and a fight scene, probably fuelled by whisky, which results in an innocent Black bystander being brutally assaulted. As humour it is an acquired taste. Added to that one has the medical profession's delight in the morbid comedy of disease, amputations and corpses. That at least has changed little over the years.

The stories would be standard fare for their time and place - a riotous horse race, an escaped rattlesnake, a tooth extraction, various drunks and drunken escapades - were it not for the medical background and an underlying seriousness of a young doctor treating those with little money and a wide scope for illness and injury. In some the racist aspect takes over. The plot of Stealing a Baby involves Lewis taking the corpse of a child from its dead mother to dissect at home. He hides it beneath his cloak but, on his way home, he slips on some ice and the baby tumbles out. Why is he not arrested on the spot? The baby is Black so, no harm done, eh? And, worst of all the racist pieces, is How to Cure Fits. Is a young Black woman who appears to be suffering from fits malingering to avoid work in the cotton fields? The good doctor's answer is to have her picked up and threatened with being hurled into the bayou to keep the alligators company. She runs away, but it is the final sentence which shows Lewis' contempt for Black people: "A liberal flagellation completed the cure, and she has never been troubled with fits since."

Against these examples there are some stories which work very well. The Indefatigable Bear-Hunter is a tale of a hunter who must have his leg amputated after fighting with a bear. He refuses to give up his life of action and goes into battle again armed with his wooden leg. It is quite moving and a step above the usual raucous comedy. The stories of Lewis' days as a student serve to illustrate the state of medical training outside the cities at the time and the difference between the affluent town doctors and the country boys in the swamps.

The Louisiana State University Press edition (1997) has an excellent introduction by Edwin T. Arnold, although I am not sure I agree with his view of the presence of so many hints of Freudian sexuality in the texts. An interesting read if you can place its morals within their actual time. Most people have moved on since 1850, so what one is reading is a historical document as well being examples of an outdated sense of humour.

[Meg Merriet · Rating 4 out of 5]

What the f--k did I just read? you're probably asking yourself after completing this collection of bizarre and darkly humorous vignettes. Notice I am the first Goodreads user to even attempt a review. This text incorporates much of the swamp lore circulating in Louisiana in the 19th century, which is why I've had to read it for class. It throws absurd similes, deplorable racial stereotypes and slapstick physical humor at you so abruptly, you can't help but cackle dementedly before feeling irreparably wracked with guilt. However, the text also exposes man's foolishness of indulging his fears regarding sin, prejudice and the apocalypse. Perhaps I am projecting my 21st century values on it by thinking this was intentionally done. Either way, it's been an interesting ride.

[Ewan Martin-Kane · Rating 2 out of 5]

The oddest leaf is when he steals a dead baby.