“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