CONTENTS. Evidences of a General System of Medical Practice being taught Clinical Remarks by Dr. Pitcher, involving a Consideration of the Curative Effects of Quinine, or the Alternative Influence of Valvular Disease of the Heart, in Pulmonary Tuberculosis, 192 On the Use of Antimonii et Potassa Tartarizatum in Hyperæmic Evidences of a General System of Medical Practice being Taught by Scripture, and a Comparison of this System with Rational Medicine and Exclusive Homeopathy. BY N. D. STEBBINS, M. D., DETROIT, MICH. (Continued from page 132.) THE TWO SYSTEMS OPPOSITE'S. It is the opinion of some that the two systems, the regular school and the Homœopathic, might be blended together and make a more successful and better system of practice. Homoeopathic physicians understand this as being the opinion of many, and take the advantage of it so far as they are acquainted with the wishes of their patrons, and are known often to make a boast of their being acquainted with both systems, and when necessity demands, they do not hesitate, and as Hempel recommends, to use ordinary doses of medicine with their "little pills," and there are many and good men who say they show their good sense by so doing; that is they are commended for their hypocrisy. Still we always find their writings disclaiming anything of the kind as being the best, always arguing that the two systems are opposites-about the only truthful statement found in all their works as a ground for a new system of theory and practice of medicine. On this subject, Marcy says in his Reply to Hooker, p, 126: 22-VOL V. NO IV. "The Hahnemannian principle strikes at the foundation of the whole allœopathic fabric, and the point at issue involves the very existence of one or the other method. There can be no mixing of practices, no very extended and very diversified combinations' of principles, and no compromise of any discription between the two schools, for their doctrines are directly opposite to each other, so that one side must of necessity be all wrong. For this reason we should as soon think of placing the Christian religion before satan for approval, as submitting the truths of Homœopathy to the judgement of an old school Tribunal " "We most emphatically deny their competency both intellectually and morally, to render a just opinion respecting the merits of Homœopathy." Here we have an avowal in the strongest terms, that there can not be any commingling of the two systems, neither can there be any harmony between the two schools. Still they would be glad of an opportunity to crowd themselves, by obtaining a professorship in old schools established for medicine, as we have seen in the case of the University of Michigan. Like all errorists, they are willing to amalgamate at the expense of truth, to give plausibility and character to a false system. Such is the moral and intellectual character of Homœopathy, as well as of all errorists. Marcy often amuses himself in his works by comparing old school opinions with the dogmas of the ancient astrologers, sorcerers and alchymists!! If we consult Hempel's materia medica for the formula for preparing silex (flint) for a Homœapathic medicine, we shall find that the process is the same as pursued by the alchymists with this substance for the purpose of obtaining the "mother earth." An interesting notice of this fact may be found in Goethe's works, of which these wise men (Homoeopathists) with Don Quixot have a perfectly wonderful knowledge. So Marcy breaks out in the following strain: "Your old school has boasted of antiquity, You received your bundle of ideas' from Hippocrates and Galen, to whom you pay reverence and allegiance." (That is, God's recuperative power to cure disease and inductive science as taught by Hippocrates.) We may observe by examining further into works on alchymy, many traces of the foundation for their theory, in addition to the spiritual ideas of Van Helmont and Stahl. We will give a few extracts from a work on the "Hermetic art," printed London, 1714. By a lover of Philalethes. He says that "common wheat in a barn is as dead as common gold in a chest, both of these have life, i. e. of existence and power to increase their kind; which life must die before the power, is brought to action; and when this is done, they are properly called living gold and living wheat, and not before." |