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Prince of Quacks: The Notorious Life of Dr. Francis Tumblety, Charlatan and Jack the Ripper Suspect
This is a biography of the controversial and flamboyant nineteenth century doctor Francis Tumblety. The doctor's exploits include arrests for complicity in the Lincoln assassination, selling abortion drugs, killing patients, indecent assault, and scrutiny as a possible suspect in the "Jack the Ripper" murders. Tumblety's sheen of respectability appeared crafted to cover his homosexuality and his provocative fields of practice.
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
250 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 19, 2011
I bought Prince of Quacks because Dr. Francis Tumblety is a local legend in my hometown (Hamilton, Ontario). A walking tour points out the location where he supposedly opened an office after moving here temporarily in July 1856. I'd also heard Timothy Riordan being interviewed on Rippercast, a podcast series about the Whitechapel murders, and been impressed both by Tumblety's story and Riordan's mastery of it.
The book is a massive research triumph. Tumblety worked and played in Canada, the United States, and Europe, and his career spanned several decades, so putting together such a complete history was no small achievement. I was pleased to see that this is not another `Ripper suspect' book. The Whitechapel murders are included because Tumblety was questioned about them, but the real focus of Prince of Quacks is Tumblety himself.
What makes Tumblety so fascinating is that he represented the best and worst of the era he lived in. On one hand he was a wealthy medical professional who hobnobbed with the rich and famous; his name was linked to Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and the Prince of Wales. On the other, he sold contraceptive and abortion medication and carried on steamy affairs with much younger men. Many of his patients hailed the `Indian herb doctor' (as he called himself) for saving them from painful surgical procedures, but the mainstream medical community derided him as a dangerous quack and tried to put him out of business.
A minor criticism: from time to time the narrative is slowed down by excessive and arguably superfluous detail i.e. the newspapers Tumblety advertised in, which editions published the ads, etc. But it doesn't happen often and readers who aren't interested in such facts can always skim ahead.
Prince of Quacks is a well-written and compelling look at a forgotten nineteenth century maverick. Francis Tumblety may be the only non-royal Ripper suspect whose life overshadows his tenuous connection to the Whitechapel murders.
The book is a massive research triumph. Tumblety worked and played in Canada, the United States, and Europe, and his career spanned several decades, so putting together such a complete history was no small achievement. I was pleased to see that this is not another `Ripper suspect' book. The Whitechapel murders are included because Tumblety was questioned about them, but the real focus of Prince of Quacks is Tumblety himself.
What makes Tumblety so fascinating is that he represented the best and worst of the era he lived in. On one hand he was a wealthy medical professional who hobnobbed with the rich and famous; his name was linked to Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and the Prince of Wales. On the other, he sold contraceptive and abortion medication and carried on steamy affairs with much younger men. Many of his patients hailed the `Indian herb doctor' (as he called himself) for saving them from painful surgical procedures, but the mainstream medical community derided him as a dangerous quack and tried to put him out of business.
A minor criticism: from time to time the narrative is slowed down by excessive and arguably superfluous detail i.e. the newspapers Tumblety advertised in, which editions published the ads, etc. But it doesn't happen often and readers who aren't interested in such facts can always skim ahead.
Prince of Quacks is a well-written and compelling look at a forgotten nineteenth century maverick. Francis Tumblety may be the only non-royal Ripper suspect whose life overshadows his tenuous connection to the Whitechapel murders.
October 19, 2023
Enjoyed this telling of the story of Dr. Francis Tumblety, a suspect in the Jack the Ripper killings. It's a very linear narrative that sticks closely to the contemporary sources.
March 16, 2016
A week ago I made the comment that by far the most interesting as well as my personal favorite Jack the Ripper suspect was Francis Tumblety. Not because he was the most likely suspect, but he just sounded by far like the only one who you would read a book about unrelated to the case. That inspired me to look for the unlikely prospect of such a text. And here it was.
Riordan writes a brass tacks biography, skeptical of unverifiable claims but also skeptical of the Dr and his perchance for fraud himself. For such a now obscure figure (though he was not in his times) there is a remarkable amount of detail which has been dredged up by the author about his movements, business strategies, and general quakery. It is worth noting how little alternative medicine has changed from them to now. During the course of reading this book I began to refer to Tumblety as 'the first Avocado Wolfe'. Some things really do not change.
As for his likelihood about being The Ripper, I may agree with the author that it is less likely than more, but personality I still would not rule him off the suspect list quite yet. This guy was the pinnacle of shady and bizarre on so many levels.
Riordan writes a brass tacks biography, skeptical of unverifiable claims but also skeptical of the Dr and his perchance for fraud himself. For such a now obscure figure (though he was not in his times) there is a remarkable amount of detail which has been dredged up by the author about his movements, business strategies, and general quakery. It is worth noting how little alternative medicine has changed from them to now. During the course of reading this book I began to refer to Tumblety as 'the first Avocado Wolfe'. Some things really do not change.
As for his likelihood about being The Ripper, I may agree with the author that it is less likely than more, but personality I still would not rule him off the suspect list quite yet. This guy was the pinnacle of shady and bizarre on so many levels.
June 20, 2014
"Dr." Tumblety would probably never have become that famous (or infamous) except that he was mentioned as one of the many possible suspects when Scotland Yard was looking for Jack the Ripper. There is actually no evidence to suggest he was, it was more that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and he was a suspect character for other reasons.
In addition to being a quack doctor, or as he called himself most often, an Indian herb doctor, he was also gay in an age where that was totally unacceptable and even criminal. He also had a very big ego and was good at self-promotion. He spent his life trying to develop and maintain the respectability if a gentlemen so that he could be successful in his "medical" career. Judging by his lifestyle and his riches left after his death, he was successful indeed.
In addition to being a quack doctor, or as he called himself most often, an Indian herb doctor, he was also gay in an age where that was totally unacceptable and even criminal. He also had a very big ego and was good at self-promotion. He spent his life trying to develop and maintain the respectability if a gentlemen so that he could be successful in his "medical" career. Judging by his lifestyle and his riches left after his death, he was successful indeed.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews