cation," embraces at least a smattering of almost every subject save a knowledge of man-of his organism, its functions, and the laws that govern them. This knowledge is foolishly con'sidered as "technical," or "professional," and hence the "edu'cated classes" are specially excluded from instruction in those immutable laws of Vitality, on the observance of which much of their well-being in after-life is largely dependent. This admitted defect in our general educational curriculum sadly tends to foster the superstitions and impositions which have for ages ́existed in relation to the alleged curative effect of Drugs, and in this way becomes the source of an incalculable amount of human misery. The errors of one generation are thus transmitted as a baneful inheritance to another, and inveterate prejudices are perpetuated to stifle the voice of nature and of truth. If the so-called "educated classes" really possessed such easily-acquired knowledge as I have referred to, it is not possible to believe that the vocation of Quackery-whether orthodox or heterodox, legitimate or illegitimate, licensed or unlicensed-would continue to be the prosperous business it has always proved, and never more so than in our own time. Because it is owing to the ignorance and consequent credulity of ́mankind that quackery in Medicine finds profitable existence. "Man," observes Southey, "is a dupeable animal. Quacks in medicine, quacks in religion, and quacks in politics know this, and act upon that knowledge."* Quacks in religion and poli * Popularly the term quack, as relates to medicine, is applied to a licensed or unlicensed practitioner who trades in panaceas or specifics, but in a more general and correct sense it is applicable to all practitioners, who "pretend to skill and power in the treatment of disease which they do not possess. In this sense quackery, or empiricism, abounds in all Medical Schools, and it is by its artful use that popular and fashionable practitioners generally obtain reputation, and thrive at the expense of their dupes. Hence the great success of notorious quacks, who openly trade as such, has been ascribed to the doubtful practices of the regular physicians. An educated public can alone correct this great evil. All false pretence is quackery, no matter how disguised, and Drug Medication, whether ignorantly or designedly followed, is essentially a false pretence. tics are confessedly bad enough, but there are always corrective influences more or less powerfully at work to counteract their mischief. Whereas quacks in medicine labour in a field peculiarly their own. They appeal to the ignorance of their patients, and act on the infirmities of human nature when their seductive devices have greatest potency-when the body is suffering from the torments of disease, and the intellect is obscured by apprehensions of fatal consequences, and hence the remarkable success which has attended empiricism, even among the best educated, in all ages. It would be difficult indeed, to determine at what precise point in our own day Medical quackery commences or terminates. That it pervades every branch of Medical practice is only what is acknowledged and lamented by many of the most learned, accomplished, and truthful members of the Profession. But it must not be expected that any desirable extent of improvement, in this respect, will emanate from within the Profession itself, for those who profit by abuses were never yet known to voluntarily correct them. This a candid writer, Dr. C. Kidd, admits, and says, Our chiefest hopes at present exist in the outer educated public. It is a sad but humiliating confession."* As an eminent American author, Silvester Graham, observes : "It is certain that without a well-educated Medical Profession, of high moral tone, society cannot prosper; and it is equally certain that such ạ profession will be most accurately estimated where society is most intelligent in regard to the proper qualifications of such a profession; and, therefore, the most certain means of destroying every species of medical empiricism and imposture, and of securing the highest confidence in a responsible profession, is to enlighten the people in the knowledge of the Laws of Life and Health.” ↑ A public so enlightened would not be retained long in the bondage of Drug superstitions, nor be deterred, by the mere ipse dixit of ignorance, prejudice, and selfish interests from adopting remedial agencies in accordance with nature and rea * Medical Times, Sept. 9, 1865. † Science of Human Life-Preface. son. But there is not yet such a general diffusion of enlightenment, even among the highly favoured classes, as would warrant the belief that the reign of medical error and imposture will speedily terminate. There is now, unfortunately, as much mertia to overcome-as much active hostility to be encountered in introducing new and well-attested improvements into the profession and practice of Medicine, as at any former period of its history. This is mainly attributable to the non-enlightenment of the public generally on matters relating to Medicine, the effect of which is to cherish and perpetuate inherited delusions concerning the nature and action of Drugs, which render all improvements impossible, for most assuredly it is from an intelligent public that the irresistible stimulus to improvement and progress must come. But in order to comprehend clearly the various agencies which now contribute so powerfully to the maintenance of error, by forming artificial barriers against the introduction of improvements--agencies by which medical men are fortified in clinging to the superstitious and admitted imperfections of Drug-systems, and impelled to resist salutary innovations directed to the establishment of the Healing Art on a rational and scientific basis-it is necessary to candidly examine the state of the Medical Profession as it now exists, and in doing so reliance can be most satisfactorily reposed in the conscientious expression of opinion by Medical men themselves. All the conclusions arrived at will, therefore, be fully sustained by an abundance of unquestionable professional authorities. SECTION II.-Opposition of the Medical Profession to New Truths-The Priest-Physicians of the Pagans and Christians-Hippocrates-Division of Medicine into Surgery, Physic, and Pharmacy, a great source of corruption and evil-Medical Knowledge-its constituent parts, Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology, Hygiene, and Therapeutics-Distinction between Medicine as a Science, and the mere Art of Physic-Opinions of Medical authorities thereon. THE History of Medicine proves that medical men, as a class, have always been identified with opposition to new and improving truths. In all ages they have been discreditably distinguished for upholding, with minds impervious to reason, whatever established opinion ruled among them, no matter what superstitions or corruptions that opinion involved and sustained. A devotion to ignorant credulities and irrational preconceptions, with an intolerance of any appeal to nature in opposition to speculative conjectures however absurd, has been a decided and prominent characteristic of the Profession from a remote antiquity. Unfortunately the same characteristic is still remarkable, though not now so glaringly and offensively displayed. In the first ages of the world the practice of medicine was usurped by the Priests, to increase their influence and authority over the minds of the people. Hence, it was early involved in the grossness of superstition, and its practice was debased by the artifices of empirical pretenders to supernatural gifts. Hippo. crates, who was born about 460 B.C., and educated under the Priests of the Temple of Esculapius at Cos, was the first who sought to divorce medicine from Priestcraft, and partially succeeded in doing so. His name, considering the age in which he lived, is the most illustrious in medical history, and he is justly styled "The Father of Medicine." The great doctrine inculcated by the Priest-Physicians concerning disease was, that all bodily and mental infirmities proceeded from some supernatural agency, and therefore relief was only to be obtained through their intervention, as they alone held communion with the gods! Hippocrates taught that disease was not caused by the gods at all, and, therefore, that the rites, ceremonies, invocations, and mummeries of priestcraft, were not required to propitiate offended deities, but that each disease had its own natural cause, and was to be relieved only by natural means. Hippocrates was, of course, violently opposed, misrepresented, and calumniated by the practitioners who profited by the superstitious ignorance he desired to dissipate, just as every honest and truthful innovator has experienced similar treatment down to the present time. About 200 B.C. medicine was first divided into three separate departments-Surgery, Physic, and Pharmacy-and this division has been the principal cause of the corruption and degradation that has attended its practice and characterised its history from that day to this. After the establishment of Christianity under Constantine, the primitive purity of the Church speedily vanished, and actuated by similar motives as their Pagan predecessors, the Christian priests usurped the province of medicine and sought to monopolise its practice. Consequently, nature was soon banished from medical teaching and practice, while irrational doctrines and gross superstitions supplied its place. Benighted dupes, labouring under disease, were instructed to rely on the miraculous intervention of some fabulous saint, or on the alleged curative influence of some imaginary relic, until it became a prevailing belief all over Europe for ages, that by such preposterous means disease could be absolutely charmed away. Priest-Physicians never attempted the cultivation of medicine by rational study, nor to follow its practice by natural means. They were for the most part grossly illiterate, and encouraged the superstitions which led the practice of Anatomy to be regarded with abhorrence. About the middle of the |