diseased, for a time, but the state of that part not being altered, CHAP. III. it, when the suspension of the life's action in that direction ceased to operate, again drew the life action to itself, and the disease, unmitigated, again presented itself. Again the counteracting, the allopathic power was called into action by the leeches, and the warm poultices, and relief was afforded: but the state of the part affected was not altered, and, at length, nature sunk exhausted in the struggle.

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Here was active treatment; severe diseases," say they, "require severe remedies." The patient had both: and the verdict was not "bled to death."

Here then was a fine, handsome, young female, in the beauty of womanhood, married about seven months, cut off, a victim of system killed by the regular medical course. Had she died under homœopathic treatment a coroner's inquest would have been held, and the verdict would have been, died for want of active treatment.

On the case just recorded it may be said, that the disease treated might not have been inflammation: that the pain might not have been inflammatory: the practitioner, though legally qualified, might not have been really qualified.

He was both legally qualified and properly qualified according to the old system. In fact he was a gentleman, who during his medical education had as a pupil received his instruction, in the virtues of remedies from the author, when acting as a Lecturer at the Westminster Dispensary School of Medicine.

To demonstrate further the destructive action of this allopathic practice, and, in so doing, to demonstrate that the practice in the case referred to was not at all out of the usual course, a case is taken from the practice of an eminent physician of London, one famed for his physiological discoveries. The case is published by the physician himself, namely, Dr. MARSHALL HALL.

“Elizabeth Smith, aged 18, having been much out of health during two months, was admitted into Bartholomew's Hospital on October the 29th, complaining of violent pain across the abdomen augmented on pressure; the breathing hurried, the pulse 110 and hard, the bowels confined; she was placed in bed and bled from the arm, and although in the recumbent posture she fainted when twelve ounces of blood had been taken,

CHAP. III.

"On the 30th the pain continued unabated; she was again bled in the recumbent position, and syncope occurred when fourteen ounces had flowed. Forty drops of tincture of opium were given immediately after bleeding.

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On the 31st, fifteen ounces of blood were taken, in the same manner and with the same effect, and twenty leeches were applied.

"On November the 1st, thirty leeches were applied. On the 3rd the pain and the tenderness of the bowels were increased, the pulse hard and 115; eleven ounces of blood were taken, and syncope was again produced, and seven ounces were drawn from the loins by cupping, still the pain was unabated on the 7th, and she had become extremely feeble, (not unlikely), the pulse was 130, the retina had become acutely sensitive to light; the extremities cold, and the legs swollen; and the urine was limpid and sometimes passed involuntarily.

"She now took the extract of hemlock at bed time and with great relief—this (stupifying) relief continued for six or seven days. The pain then returned, and eventually the patient left the hospital little benefitted."

Here are antipathic and allopathic modes combined.

The bleeding seemed to have afforded but little relief: and at last, finding it ineffectual, and the pain continuing severe, (and surely if the pain was not inflammatory in the preceding case it could not have been so in the present case, and, therefore, the objections as to the unwiseness of the treatment would apply in both) the physician orders an anodyne, the extract of hemlock.

This did soothe the pain, but how? By overcoming the diseased action? By no means: but by diminishing the susceptibility of the nervous system to be impressed: but directly the first effect of this anodyne had ceased, the susceptibility being restored, the pain returns, and the patient is dismissed from the Hospital. Where to? If not to the grave, to suffer all her life from chronic disease.

Another physician, who has attained a prominent position in the metropolis is Dr. SOUTHWOOD SMITH. The following case is one published by himself, and consequently may be quoted as affording a true statement of the case. It is recorded here as

published in the Medical Gazette, containing some notes by the CHAP. III. Editor of that periodical.

"The case of Dr. Dill demands our most serious attention, and deserves that of our readers. It is adduced as an example of severe cerebral affection, in which cases, Dr. S. affirms, the bleeding must be large and early as it is copious.' 'I saw him,' says Dr. Smith, before there was any pain in the head, or even in the back, while he was yet only feeble and chilly. The aspect of his countenance, the state of his pulse, which was slow and labouring, and the answer he returned to two or three questions, satisfied me of the inordinate, I may say the ferocious attack that was at hand.'-p. 398.

us,

"Whatever may be the opinion of our readers, as to the above signs indicating a ferocious cerebral attack, they will one and all agree with that the ferocious attack was met with a ferocious treatment; for an emetic was given without delay, and 'blood was taken from the arm, to the extent of twenty ounces.' This blood was not inflamed. Severe pains in the limbs and loins, and intense pain in the head, came on during the night—and early in the morning blood was again drawn to the extent of sixteen ounces, with great diminution, but not entire removal of the pain.' Towards the afternoon, he was again bled to sixteen ounces. The pain was now quite gone-the blood from both these bleedings intensely inflamed.' [Inflamed, according to Dr. Smith's notions-but mark, in his own words-the first blood drawn was "NOT inflamed." Were the lancet a preventive of inflammation, how came the blood to be inflamed AFTER so many bleedings?]

"During the night the pain returned, and in the morning, notwithstanding the eyes were dull, and beginning to be suffused, the face blanched, (no wonder !) and the pulse slow and intermittent, and weak, twelve leeches were applied to the templesand as these did not entirely remove the pain, more blood, to the extent of sixteen ounces, was taken by cupping. The operation afforded great relief—but the following morning, the pain returned, and again was blood abstracted to sixteen ounces. mediate relief followed this second operation; but, unfortunately, the pain returned with great violence, towards evening; and it was now impossible to carry the bleeding any further.' Typhoid

D

Im

6

CHAP. III. symptoms now began to show themselves; the fur on the tongue was becoming brown, and there was already slight tremor in the hands.' What was to be done? Ice and evaporating lotions were of no avail; but happily for Dr. Dill, the affusion of cold water on the head, the cold dash,' was thought of and employed-and this being effectually applied, the relief was 'instantaneous and most complete.' So that this case, announced as a severe cerebral affection, and treated, in anticipation, by copious bloodletting, BEFORE there was any pain in the head while the patient was yet only feeble and chilly, which grew worse and worse as the blood-letting was repeated, until, after the abstraction of ninety ounces of blood, the patient had become in a state of intense suffering,' and 'imminent danger,' and was relieved at last by the cold dash-this case, we say, is brought forward as a specimen of the extent to which copious blood-letting may sometimes be REQUIRED!! Most sincerely do we congratulate Dr. Dill on his escape, not from a dangerous disease, but from a DANGEROUS REMEDY."Medical Gazette.

As might be supposed, Dr. Dill died: he never rallied.

Such then is the allopathic mode in connexion with the treatment of acute diseases.

An illustration or two may be taken in reference to this method in connexion with the treatment of chronic diseases.

A chronic disease, in which the allopathic system has been most extensively carried out with temporary efficacy but with permanent injury and failure, is Epilepsy.

The patients in almost every case have been subjected to bleeding by the lancet, bleeding by leeches, bleeding by cupping, and these to an extent almost terrific; these means have failed, and the allopathic system under the form of counteraction has been adopted.

The first means adopted is the blister.

This produces considerable irritation in the part on which the blister is applied, and, as long as a discharge is kept up from the blistered surface, the epileptic seizure is kept off or lessened in severity. The fact of the suspension of the attack, while the irritation is kept up, urges the medical practitioner to make every effort to preserve a perpetually blistered surface. He applies a blister first to one spot and then to another, and then

when he had travelled over almost every part of the body that CHAP. III. is blisterable, he attempts to keep up a discharge by applying to the abraded surface some blistering salve. The case seems to prosper favourably, till at last, as if the disease had been, as it were, accumulating its strength, an attack of epilepsy, more severe than almost any the patient has ever before experienced, occurs, and either the desponding practitioner gives up the case, or the disappointed patient seeks other aid.

The patient applies to some other practitioner. This one thinks the previous practitioner did not act with sufficient power. He therefore seeks for a more powerful irritant and vesicant. He finds that iodine powder, sprinkled upon the surface of a plaster and applied to the skin produces a most intense irritation; in fact, the irritation is like to a burning fire. He thinks further, that perhaps the iodine by absorption may act medicinally upon the diseased state. He applies his remedy with great confidence, the patient bears the agony with philosophic resignation, believing that benefit is to result. Benefit does result, the attack is postponed: weeks pass and the patient seems delivered : but, like as in the former case, the irritation subsides, and the attack comes on again and occurs with increasing violence,

The patient is again applied to to have a fresh application of the iodine plaster, but having found no permanent relief, he refuses the repetition of the torment.

The practitioner is obliged to have recourse to some other allopathic medicinal agent. He prescribes the use of tartar emetic ointment. It is rubbed on some part of the body, perhaps on the upper part of the back. The ointment soon causing irritation and itching in the skin, the epileptic patient begins to feel better. Little elevations rise on the skin, they itch and burn. He feels still better. The red pointed elevations assume a different colour; they become filled with pus. The patient feels still more relieved the attack keeps off. But now the pustules begin to heal, and the symptoms, precursory to an attack, begin to appear. The practitioner immediately orders the ointment to be rubbed on some other part of the back: the same process of eruptive itching, burning, and pus-formation, is gone through at the middle of the back, the patient is again relieved, though not to the same extent as he was by the first application of the oint