This excerpt from Dr. Page's ledger details his professional dealings with the family of William Mathews. On January 15, 1796, Martha Ballard delivered a Mathews child. Since both Mrs. Ballard and Dr. Page kept scrupulous financial records, we know that the Mathews family paid the doctor nearly three times as much for his services.

To the end, Martha Ballard kept account of most of her fees in the old style of pounds, shillings, and pence. In contrast, this fragment of Benjamin Page's account book shows that by 1804 he had embraced the new federal style of accounting in U.S. dollars and cents. The two systems may reflect Dr. Page and Mrs. Ballard's difference in education level, age, or temperament; we don't know.

view text

Questions to Ask these Pages:

1. What treatments did Dr. Page provide? What did he charge for each?

2. What members of the family did Dr. Page treat?

3. What evidence is there that Dr. Page acted as a man-midwife?

Reading Help