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such vile empiricism, and the only hope is in an educated and intelligent public renouncing the delusions by which alone that system thrives, and in consequence of which confiding patients become its victims. We need not look to medical corporations, schools, or colleges-to the "subtle seniors" of the profession whose fashionable empiricism has gained them ephemeral reputation and profitable practice, and who assume to be the heads and guides of medical opinion-to such as these we need not look for any changes that would interfere with the vested rights of ignorance, and disturb the contented repose of a lucrative routine. Those are they who obstruct progress—who sneer at the great truths of Hydropathy-who either ignorantly or wilfully misrepresent the Bath, and ignore the sound principles of physiology on which it incontestibly rests, while they do all in their power to frighten the crèdulous dupes, who foolishly trust them, against having recourse to the only mode of treatment that is naturally and rationally remedial in disease. As Dr. Esdaile says "they howl against and persecute the discoverer of a new truth which disturbs their successful routine, wounds their self-love, and endangers their easy gains." From such nothing is to be expected but a persistence in established error—a bigoted and intolerant adherence to dogmas of practice whose bountiful harvests are reaped in human misery and death.

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There is pleasure in believing, however, that among the rising generation of practitioners there is a disposition to escape from the slavery of blind obedience hitherto exacted by established medical dogma. A spirit of fre inquiry is at work to test all systems by their ascertained results, and the very changes that are perpetually occurring in medical practice is the best evidence. of the fact, that old faith in its assumed virtues has been rudely shaken that such practice fails to satisfy the reasonable expectations either of thoughtful patients, or of conscientious and honourable practitioners. There is a growing conviction that the whole system of Drug Medication is repugnant to Nature and demonstrably false-that it is essentially unphilosophical in theory, and remorselessly destructive in practice. Hence there

is an increasing aptitude of mind to consider rationally, on its own merits, whatever may be proposed for the alleviation of human suffering.

It is for an intelligent public to foster and encourage such a disposition among the active-minded and enlightened practitioners who appear alive to the obligations and responsibilities of their profession. Rational medicine can only make satisfactory progress by commending itself to the common sense of the community, for what pays will always prosper, and while public credulity rewards with wealth and honours the vile artifices of quackery, there will never be wanting accomplished adepts to practise them.

In conclusion, we say to patients, repose no faith in the confirmed bigots of the medical profession-in men who irrationally condemn what they confessedly have not studied and do not understand-the majority of whom are mentally incapable of appreciating what the greatest minds of the profession have not hesitated to pronounce and hail as an inestimable "boon to humanity."

The Bath is now an established success. It has worked its way solely on the inherent virtue of its own merits, not only without adventitious aids, but in despite of all the opposition professional ignorance, prejudice, and selfish interests could array against it. Its incomparable therapeutical properties are acknowledged, as we have seen, by every enlightened member of the medical profession who investigated rationally for himself; and the medical man-no matter what his common repute may be-who affects to ignore so powerful and salutary an agent in the treatment of disease, only demonstrates his own culpable ignorance, and how thoroughly incompetent he is to be safely consulted when the interests of health and life are involved..

Let patients take this truth with them as a safe general rule to be acted on-the medical practitioner who declares the Bath unsuitable in their case, and who can give no better reason than that he thinks so, supplies prima facie evidence of his own

physiological ignorance, and complete unfitness to treat disease on natural, rational, and scientific principles. Let patients also remember that the disease has yet to be discovered to which the Bath is not applicable-in the treatment of which the skilful and judicious use of Temperature is not calculated to prove the most potent curative known, while in cases where, from whatever cause, absolute cure is hopeless, the bath admittedly possesses unequalled alleviative powers-a salubrious restorative influence, beyond comparison superior to all the artifices of Physic-to all the resources and contrivances of Drug Medication.

INDEX

ABERNETHY on Medical practice, 237.

African Bath, 142.

Air-Hot, first applied as Curative of disease, 219.

American Baths, 148.

Anatomy discouraged, 8; the basis of Medical Science, 11.

Anæsthetic agents, history of, 286.

Angina Pectoris, the Bath in, 302.

Animals, domesticated, applicability of Bath to, 419; their fondness for,

425.

Antimony, 255.

Apothecaries, incorporation of, 9, 79.

Arab Bath, 143.

Arsenic, diseases caused by, 247.

Atmosphere of the Bath, 173, 175, 300, 306.

BACON, Lord, on Medicine, 439.

Baillie, Dr., death-bed wish, 48.

Balbirnie, Dr., on the invigorating action of the Bath, 328; on the excretory

organs, 400; on change of climate, 403.

Bardsley, Dr., on Hydrophobia, 429.

Barklay, Dr., on Medical Errors, 261.

Barracks, the Bath in, 417.

Barrenness removable by the Bath, 431;

Barter, Dr., established Hydropathy in Ireland, 166; Revives the Hot-air
Bath, 169; Statement by Mr. Urquhart, 170; Opposition to the Bath,
171; Imperfections of the first Bath, 171; Improvement introduced,
173; Extension of the Bath, 175; Experience of, 449.

Bath, Hot-Air, supposed origin of, 115, 120; established in Britain by the
Romans, 133; Russian, 136; Fin, 140; Egyptian, 141; African, 142;
Arab, 143; Chinese, 145; Japanese, 146; American, 148; Mexican 151;
Irish, 152; its universality and antiquity, 155; decline of in Britain,
156; Revival by Dr. Barter, 169.

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