Central State’s founding father pioneered herbal medicine

April 11, 2008 09:55 pm

— Artifacts that testify to the hardships Tomlinson Fort endured are back in the possession of Old Capitol Museum, and his legacy thrives in the town’s most famous, and notorious, institution.
The 19th century physician fought as a captain in the War of 1812, and items from his uniform discovered at his Milledgeville home were stolen from Old Capitol Museum in September. The artifacts, however, aren’t all that remain of Fort.
“Tomlinson Fort helped create Georgia Lunatic Asylum, now Central State Hospital,” Grant Gerlich, Old Capitol Museum director, said.
Fort was an early leading voice for mental health care.
The physician explored the frontiers of medicine, uncovering the beneficial aspects of many native plants. His work proved invaluable to the South’s physicians as they struggled during the Civil War, Gerlich said.
“In his book, published 1849, are remedies and treatments for all sorts of diseases and maladies, like typhoid fever, yellow fever, smallpox and hundreds more,” Gerlich said. “This book was heavily consulted during the Civil War, because physicians were cut off from outside medications because of the Union blockade of Southern ports.”
In his quest to blaze trails in medicine and health care, Dr. Fort made a few enemies, Bob Wilson, history department chair at Georgia College & State University, said.
“He became a fearless advocate for smallpox vaccination against the opposition of many in Milledgeville,” Wilson said. “He insisted, for instance, in treating a son of former Gov. John Clark. A town meeting was held where it was resolved that Dr. Fort was endangering the lives of the people by treating the young man and then becoming a source of contagion himself.
“Some townsmen then padlocked the door to young Clark’s bedroom, but Fort then climbed up a ladder and entered the boy’s room through a window.”
The physician also served his country as a state senator and later a United States congressman, epitomizing citizenship, Gerlich said.
“He was a very important person to the history of Milledgeville,” Gerlich said.
Fort’s home, where his artifacts were found in the backyard, is located on Liberty Street, and evidence of his contributions to Milledgeville can be seen in the buildings at Central State Hospital.

Photos

Eric Lee robbed Old Capitol Museum of artifacts belonging to Tomlinson Fort, famous physician who helped found Georgia Lunitic Asylum that later became Central State Hospital. The Union-Recorder