“YouhavehadthekindnesstoinformmeinyourletterthatanewAmericanJournal,the’NewWorld,’hasmadeuseofmynameinsupportofthepretendedHomoeopathicdoctrines,andthatIamrepresentedasoneofthewarmestpartisansofHomoeopathyinFrance。
  “Iamvastlysurprisedatthereputationmanufacturedformeuponthenewcontinent;butIamobliged,indeferencetotruth,torejectitwithmywholeenergy。IspurnfarfrommeeverythingwhichrelatestothatcharlatanismcalledHomoeopathy,forthesepretendeddoctrinescannotendurethescrutinyofwiseandenlightenedpersons,whoareguidedbyhonorablesentimentsinthepracticeofthenoblestofarts。
  “PARIS,3dNovember,1841:“
  Iam,etc。,etc。,“G。BRESCHET,“ProfessorintheFacultyofMedicine,MemberoftheInstitute,SurgeonofHotelDieu,andConsultingSurgeontotheKing,etc。
  IfirstsawM。Breschet’snamementionedinthatJournalConcerningAmussat,mycorrespondentwrites,thathewasinformedbyMadameHahnemann,whoconversesinFrenchmorereadilythanherhusband,andthereforeoftenspeaksforhim,that“hewasnotaphysician,neitherHomoeopathistnorAllopathist,butthathewasthesurgeonoftheirownestablishment;thatis,performedasasurgeonalltheoperationstheyhadoccasionforintheirpractice。“
  IregretnothavingmadeanyinquiriesastoMarjolin,who,Idoubtnot,wouldstrikehisponderoussnuff-boxuntilitresoundedliketheGrecianhorse,athearingsuchadoctrineassociatedwithhisrespectablename。Iwasnotaware,whenwritingtoParis,thatthisworthyProfessor,whoselecturesIlongattended,wasincludedintheseaudaciousclaims;butafterthespecimensIhavegivenoftheaccuracyoftheforeigncorrespondenceofthe“HomoeopathicExaminer,“anyfurtherinformationImightobtainwouldseemsosuperfluousashardlytobeworththepostage。
  Homoeopathymaybesaid,then,tobeinasufficientlymiserableconditioninParis。Yettherelives,andtherehaslivedforyears,theillustriousSamuelHahnemann,whohimselfassuredmycorrespondentthatnoplaceofferedtheadvantagesofParisinitsinvestigation,byreasonoftheattentiontherepaidtoit。
  InEngland,itappearsbythestatementofDr。CurieinOctober,1839,abouteightyearsafteritsintroductionintothecountry,thattherewereeighteenHomoeopathicphysiciansintheUnitedKingdom,ofwhomonlythreeweretobefoundoutofLondon,andthatmanyofthesepractisedHomoeopathyinsecret。
  Itwillbeseen,therefore,that,accordingtotherecentstatementofoneofitsleadingEnglishadvocates,HomoeopathyhadobtainednotquitehalfasmanypracticaldisciplesinEnglandasPerkinismcouldshowforitselfinasomewhatlessperiodfromthetimeofitsfirstpromulgationinthatcountry。
  Dr。Curie’sletter,datedLondon,October30,1839,saysthereis“oneinDublin,Dr。Luther;atGlasgow,Dr。Scott。“The“distinguished“ChrysaorawritesfromParis,datingOctober20,1839,“Ontheotherhand,HomoeopathyiscommencingtomakeaninroadintoEnglandbythewayofIreland。AtDublin,distinguishedphysicianshavealreadyembracedthenewsystem,andagreatpartofthenobilityandgentryofthatcityhaveemancipatedthemselvesfromtheEnglishfashionandprofessionalauthority。“
  ButtheMarquisofAngleseaandSirEdwardLyttonBulwerpatronizeHomoeopathy;theQueenDowagerAdelaidehasbeentreatedbyaHomoeopathicphysician。“Jarleyisthedelightofthenobilityandgentry。““TheRoyalFamilyarethepatronsofJarley。“
  LetmeaskifaMarquisandaKnightarebetterthantwoLords,andiftheDowagerofRoyaltyisbetterthanRoyaltyitself,allofwhichillustriousdignitieswereclaimedinbehalfofBenjaminDouglassPerkins?
  Butifthebalanceisthoughttooevenlysuspendedinthiscase,anotherinstancecanbegiveninwhichtheevidenceofBritishnoblemenandtheirladiesisshowntobeasvaluableinestablishingthecharacterofamedicalmanordoctrine,aswouldbethetestimonyoftheMarquisofWaterfordconcerningthepresentconditionandprospectsofmissionaryenterprise。Ihavebeforemeanoctavovolumeofmorethanfourhundredpages,inwhich,amongmuchsimilarmatter,IfindhighlycommendatorylettersfromtheMarchionessofOrmond,LadyHarrietKavanagh,theCountessofBuckinghamshire,theRightHon。ViscountIngestre,M。P。,andtheMostNoble,theMarquisofSligo,——alladdressedto“JohnSt。JohnLong,Esq,“awretchedcharlatan,twicetriedfor,andonceconvictedof,manslaughterattheOldBailey。
  Thispoorcreature,too,likeallofhistribe,speaksofthemedicalprofessionasagreatconfederationofbigotedmonopolists。He,too,saysthat“Ifaninnovatorshouldappear,holdingouthopetothoseindespair,andcuringdisorderswhichthefacultyhaverecordedasirremediable,heisatonce,andwithoutinquiry,denouncedasanempiricandanimpostor。“He,too,citestheinevitablenamesofGalileoandHarvey,andreferstothefeelingsexcitedbythegreatdiscoveryofJenner。FromthetreatmentofthegreatastronomerwhowasvisitedwiththepunishmentofotherhereticsbytheecclesiasticalauthoritiesofaCatholiccountrysomecenturiessince,thereisnoverydirectinferencetobedrawntothemedicalprofessionofthepresenttime。Hisnameshouldbebabblednolonger,afterhavingbeenplacardedforthehundredthtimeinthepagesofSt。JohnLong。ButifwearedoomedtoseeconstantreferencetothenamesofHarveyandJennerineveryworthlesspamphletcontainingtheprospectusofsomenewtrickuponthepublic,letus,onceforall,starethefactsintheface,andseehowthediscoveriesofthesegreatmenwereactuallyreceivedbythemedicalprofession。
  In1628,Harveypublishedhisfirstworkuponthecirculation。Hisdoctrineswereacompleterevolutionoftheprevailingopinionsofallantiquity。Theyimmediatelyfoundbothchampionsandopponents;
  ofwhichlast,oneonly,Riolanus,seemedtoHarveyworthyofananswer,onaccountofhis“rank,fame,andlearning。“Controversyinscience,asinreligion,wasnot,inthosedays,carriedonwithallthecourtesywhichourpresenthabitsdemand,anditispossiblethatsomehardwordsmayhavebeenappliedtoHarvey,asitisverycertainthatheusedthemostcontemptuousexpressionstowardsothers。
  HarveydeclaresinhissecondlettertoRiolanus,“Sincethefirstdiscoveryofthecirculation,hardlyaday,oramoment,haspassedwithoutmyhearingitbothwellandillspokenof;someattackitwithgreathostility,othersdefenditwithhighencomiums;onepartybelievethatIhaveabundantlyprovedthetruthofthedoctrineagainstalltheweightofopposingarguments,byexperiments,observations,anddissections;othersthinkitnotyetsufficientlyclearedup,andfreefromobjections。“TworeallyeminentProfessors,PlempiusofLouvain,andWalaeusofLeyden,wereamongitsearlyadvocates。
  Theopinionssanctionedbytheauthorityoflongages,andthenamesofHippocratesandGalen,dissolvedaway,gradually,butcertainly,beforethedemonstrationsofHarvey。Twenty-fouryearsafterthepublicationofhisfirstwork,andsixyearsbeforehisdeath,hisbustinmarblewasplacedintheHalloftheCollegeofPhysicians,withasuitableinscriptionrecordinghisdiscoveries。
  TwoyearsafterthishewasunanimouslyinvitedtoacceptthePresidencyofthatbody;andhelivedtoseehisdoctrineestablished,andallreputableoppositionwithdrawn。
  ThereweremanycircumstancesconnectedwiththediscoveryofDr。
  Jennerwhichwereofanaturetoexciterepugnanceandopposition。
  Thepracticeofinoculationforthesmall-poxhadalreadydisarmedthatdiseaseofmanyofitsterrors。Theintroductionofacontagiousdiseasefromabrutecreatureintothehumansystemnaturallystruckthepublicmindwithasensationofdisgustandapprehension,andapartofthemedicalpublicmayhavesharedthesefeelings。IfindthatJenner’sdiscoveryofvaccinationwasmadepublicinJune,1798。InJulyofthesameyearthecelebratedsurgeon,Mr。Cline,vaccinatedachildwithvirusreceivedfromDr。
  Jenner,andincommunicatingthesuccessofthisexperiment,hementionsthatDr。Lister,formerlyoftheSmall-PoxHospital,andhimself,areconvincedoftheefficacyofthecow-pox。InNovemberofthesameyear,Dr。Pearsonpublishedhis“Inquiry,“containingthetestimonyofnumerouspractitionersindifferentpartsofthekingdom,totheefficacyofthepractice。Dr。HAYGARTH,whowassoconspicuousinexposingthefolliesofPerkinism,wasamongtheveryearliesttoexpresshisopinioninfavorofvaccination。In1801,Dr。Lettsommentionsthecircumstance“asbeingtothehonorofthemedicalprofessors,thattheyhaveverygenerallyencouragedthissalutarypractice,althoughitiscertainlycalculatedtolessentheirpecuniaryadvantagesbyitstendencytoextirpateafertilesourceofprofessionalpractice。“
  InthesameyeartheMedicalCommitteeofParisspokeofvaccinationinapublicletter,as“themostbrilliantandmostimportantdiscoveryoftheeighteenthcentury。“TheDirectorsofaSocietyfortheExterminationoftheSmall-Pox,inaReportdatedOctober1st,1807,“congratulatethepublicontheveryfavorableopinionwhichtheRoyalCollegeofPhysiciansofLondon,afteramostminuteandlaboriousinvestigationmadebythecommandofhisMajesty,haveasecondtimeexpressedonthesubjectofvaccination,intheirReportlaidbeforetheHouseofCommons,inthelastsessionofParliament;
  inconsequenceofwhichthesumoftwentythousandpoundswasvotedtoDr。Jenner,asaremunerationforhisdiscovery,inadditiontotenthousandpoundsbeforegranted。“InJune,1802。
  Theseandsimilaraccusations,sooftenbroughtupagainsttheMedicalProfession,areonlyonemodeinwhichismanifestedaspiritofoppositionnotmerelytomedicalscience,buttoallscience,andtoallsoundknowledge。Itisaspiritwhichneitherunderstandsitselfnortheobjectatwhichitisaiming。Itgropesamongthelooserecordsofthepast,andthefloatingfablesofthemoment,togleanafewtruthsorfalsehoodstendingtoprove,iftheyproveanything,thatthepersonswhohavepassedtheirlivesinthestudyofabranchofknowledgetheveryessenceofwhichmustalwaysconsistinlongandaccurateobservation,arelesscompetenttojudgeofnewdoctrinesintheirowndepartmentthantherestofthecommunity。Itbelongstotheclowninsociety,thedestructiveinpolitics,andtherogueinpractice。
  ThenameofHarvey,whosegreatdiscoverywasthelegitimateresultofhisseveretrainingandpatientstudy,shouldbementionedonlytocheckthepretensionsofpresumptuousignorance。TheexampleofJenner,whogavehisinestimablesecret,theresultoftwenty-twoyearsofexperimentandresearches,unpurchased,tothepublic,——
  when,aswassaidinParliament,hemighthavemadeahundredthousandpoundsbyitaswellasanysmallersum,——shouldbereferredtoonlytorebuketheselfishvendersofsecretremedies,amongwhomhisearlyhistoryobligesusreluctantlytorecordSamuelHahnemann。
  Thosewhospeakofthegreatbodyofphysiciansasiftheywereunitedinaleaguetosupportthesuperannuatednotionsofthepastagainsttheprogressofimprovement,havereadthehistoryofmedicinetolittlepurpose。Theprevalentfailingofthisprofessionhasbeen,onthecontrary,tolendatoocredulouseartoambitiousandplausibleinnovators。Ifatthepresenttimetenyearsofpublicnotorietyhavepassedoveranydoctrineprofessingtobeofimportanceinmedicalscience,andifithasnotsucceededinraisingupapowerfulbodyofable,learned,andingeniousadvocatesforitsclaims,thefaultmustbeinthedoctrineandnotinthemedicalprofession。
  Homoeopathyhashadastillmoreextendedperiodoftrialthanthis,andwehaveseenwithwhatresults。Itonlyremainstothrowoutafewconjecturesastotheparticularmannerinwhichitistobreakupanddisappear。
  1。Theconfidenceofthefewbelieversinthisdelusionwillneversurvivethelossoffriendswhomaydieofanyacutedisease,underatreatmentsuchasthatprescribedbyHomoeopathy。Itisdoubtfulhowfarcasesofthiskindwillbetrustedtoitstendermercies,butwhereveritacquiresanyconsiderablefoothold,suchcasesmustcome,andwiththemtheruinofthosewhopractiseit,shouldanyhighlyvaluedlifebethussacrificed。
  2。Afteritsnoveltyhaswornout,theardentandcapriciousindividualswhoconstitutethemostprominentclassofitspatronswillreturntovisibledoses,wereitonlyforthesakeofachange。
  3。TheSemi-Homoeopathicpractitionerwillgraduallywithdrawfromtherottenhalfofhisbusinessandtrytomakethepublicforgethisconnectionwithit。
  4。TheultraHomoeopathistwilleitherrecantandtrytorejointhemedicalprofession;orhewillembracesomenewerandifpossibleequallyextravagantdoctrine;orhewillsticktohiscolorsandgodownwithhissinkingdoctrine。Veryfewwillpursuethecourselastmentioned。
  AsinglefactmayservetopointoutinwhatdirectiontherewillprobablybeamovementofthedissolvingatomsofHomoeopathy。Onthe13thpageofthetoofrequentlycitedManifestoofthe“Examiner“
  Ireadthefollowingstatelyparagraph:
  “Bigelius,M。D。,physiciantotheEmperorofRussia,whoseelevatedreputationiswellknowninEurope,hasbeenanacknowledgedadvocateofHahnemann’sdoctrinesforseveralyears。HeabandonedAllopathiaforHomoeopathia。“ThedateofthisstatementisJanuary,1840。I