medical essays-第16章

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And　as　to　one　more　point；　it　is　time　that　the　public　should　fully　understand　that　the　common　method　of　supporting　barefaced　imposture　at　the　present　day；　both　in　Europe　and　in　this　country；　consists　in　trumping　up　〃Dispensaries；〃　〃　Colleges　of　Health；〃　and　other　advertising　charitable　clap…traps；　which　use　the　poor　as　decoy…ducks　for　the　rich；　and　the　proprietors　of　which　have　a　strong　predilection　for　the　title　of　〃Professor。〃　　These　names；　therefore；　have　come　to　be　of　little　or　no　value　as　evidence　of　the　good　character；　still　less　of　the　high　pretensions　of　those　who　invoke　their　authority。　Nor　does　it　follow；　even　when　a　chair　is　founded　in　connection　with　a　well…known　institution；　that　it　has　either　a　salary　or　an　occupant；　so　that　it　may　be；　and　probably　is；　a　mere　harmless　piece　of　toleration　on　the　part　of　the　government　if　a　Professorship　of　Homoeopathy　is　really　in　existence　at　Jena　or　Heidelberg。　　And　finally；　in　order　to　correct　the　error　of　any　who　might　suppose　that　the　whole　Medical　Profession　of　Germany　has　long　since　fallen　into　the　delusions　of　Hahnemann；　I　will　quote　two　lines　which　a　celebrated　anatomist　and　surgeon　（whose　name　will　occur　again　in　this　lecture　in　connection　with　a　very　pleasing　letter）　addressed　to　the　French　Academy　of　Medicine　in　1835。　　〃I　happened　to　be　in　Germany　some　months　since；　at　a　meeting　of　nearly　six　hundred　physicians；　one　of　them　wished　to　bring　up　the　question　of　Homoeopathy；　they　would　not　even　listen　to　him。〃　　This　may　have　been　very　impolite　and　bigoted；　but　that　is　not　precisely　the　point　in　reference　to　which　I　mention　the　circumstance。

But　if　we　cannot　easily　get　at　Germany；　we　can　very　easily　obtain　exact　information　from　France　and　England。　　I　took　the　trouble　to　write　some　months　ago　to　two　friends　in　Paris；　in　whom　I　could　place　confidence；　for　information　upon　the　subject。　　One　of　them　answered　briefly　to　the　effect　that　nothing　was　said　about　it。　　When　the　late　Curator　of　the　Lowell　Institute；　at　his　request；　asked　about　the　works　upon　the　subject；　he　was　told　that　they　had　remained　a　long　time　on　the　shelves　quite　unsalable；　and　never　spoken　of。

The　other　gentleman；　＇〃Dr。　Henry　T。　　Bigelow；　now　Professor　of　Surgery　in　Harvard　University。＇　whose　name　is　well　known　to　my　audience；　and　who　needs　no　commendation　of　mine；　had　the　kindness　to　procure　for　me　many　publications　upon　the　subject；　and　some　information　which　sets　the　whole　matter　at　rest；　so　far　as　Paris　is　concerned。　　He　went　directly　to　the　Baillieres；　the　principal　and　almost　the　only　publishers　of　all　the　Homoeopathic　books　and　journals　in　that　city。　　The　following　facts　were　taken　by　him　from　the　account…books　of　this　publishing　firm。　　Four　Homoeopathic　Journals　have　been　published　in　Paris；　three　of　them　by　the　Baillieres。

The　reception　they　met　with　may　be　judged　of　by　showing　the　number　of　subscribers　to　each　on　the　books　of　the　publishing　firm。

A　Review　published　by　some　other　house；　which　lasted　one　year；　and　had　about　fifty　subscribers；　appeared　in　1834；　1835。

There　were　only　four　Journals　of　Homoeopathy　ever　published　in　Paris。　The　Baillieres　informed　my　correspondent　that　the　sale　of　Homoeopathic　books　was　much　less　than　formerly；　and　that　consequently　they　should　undertake　to　publish　no　new　books　upon　the　subject；　except　those　of　Jahr　or　Hahnemann。　　〃This　man；〃　says　my　correspondent；referring　to　one　of　the　brothers；〃the　publisher　and　headquarters　of　Homoeopathy　in　Paris；　informs　me　that　it　is　going　down　in　England　and　Germany　as　well　as　in　Paris。〃　　For　all　the　facts　he　had　stated　he　pledged　himself　as　responsible。

Homoeopathy　was　in　its　prime　in　Paris；　he　said；　in　1836　and　1837；　and　since　then　has　been　going　down。

Louis　told　my　correspondent　that　no　person　of　distinction　in　Paris　had　embraced　Homoeopathy；　and　that　it　was　declining。　　If　you　ask　who　Louis　is；　I　refer　you　to　the　well…known　Homoeopathist；　Peschier　of　Geneva；　who　says；　addressing　him；　〃I　respect　no　one　more　than　yourself；　the　feeling　which　guides　your　researches；　your　labors；　and　your　pen；　is　so　honorable　and　rare；　that　I　could　not　but　bow　down　before　it；　and　I　own；　if　there　were　any　allopathist　who　inspired　me　with　higher　veneration；　it　would　be　him　and　not　yourself　whom　I　should　address。〃

Among　the　names　of　〃Distinguished　Homoeopathists；〃　however；　displayed　in　imposing　columns；　in　the　index　of　the　〃Homoeopathic　Examiner；〃　are　those　of　MARJOLIN；　AMUSSAT；　and　BRESCHET；　names　well　known　to　the　world　of　science；　and　the　last　of　them　identified　with　some　of　the　most　valuable　contributions　which　anatomical　knowledge　has　received　since　the　commencement　of　the　present　century。　　One　Dr。　Chrysaora；　who　stands　sponsor　for　many　facts　in　that　Journal；　makes　the　following　statement　among　the　rest：　〃Professors；　who　are　esteemed　among　the　most　distinguished　of　the　Faculty　（Faculty　de　Medicine）；　both　as　to　knowledge　and　reputation；　have　openly　confessed　the　power　of　Homoeopathia　in　forms　of　disease　where　the　ordinary　method　of　practice　proved　totally　insufficient。　　It　affords　me　the　highest　pleasure　to　select　from　among　these　gentlemen；　Marjolin；　Amussat；　and　Breschet。〃

Here　is　a　literal　translation　of　an　original　letter；　now　in　my　possession；　from　one　of　these　Homoeopathists　to　my　correspondent：

〃DEAR　SIR；　AND　RESPECTED　PROFESSIONAL　BROTHER：

〃You　have　had　the　kindness　to　inform　me　in　your　letter　that　a　new　American　Journal；　the　'New　World；'　　has　made　use　of　my　name　in　support　of　the　pretended　Homoeopathic　doctrines；　and　that　I　am　represented　as　one　of　the　warmest　partisans　of　Homoeopathy　in　France。

〃I　am　vastly　surprised　at　the　reputation　manufactured　for　me　upon　the　new　continent；　but　I　am　obliged；　in　deference　to　truth；　to　reject　it　with　my　whole　energy。　　I　spurn　far　from　me　everything　which　relates　to　that　charlatanism　called　Homoeopathy；　for　these　pretended　doctrines　cannot　endure　the　scrutiny　of　wise　and　enlightened　persons；　who　are　guided　by　honorable　sentiments　in　the　practice　of　the　noblest　of　arts。

〃PARIS；　3d　November；　1841：〃

I　am；　etc。；　etc。；

〃G。　BRESCHET；

〃Professor　in　the　Faculty　of　Medicine；　Member　of　the　Institute；　Surgeon　of　Hotel　Dieu；　and　Consulting　Surgeon　to　the　King；　etc。

I　first　saw　M。　　Breschet's　name　mentioned　in　that　Journal

Concerning　Amussat；　my　correspondent　writes；　that　he　was　informed　by　Madame　Hahnemann；　who　converses　in　French　more　readily　than　her　husband；　and　therefore　often　speaks　for　him；　that　〃he　was　not　a　physician；　neither　Homoeopathist　nor　Allopathist；　but　that　he　was　the　surgeon　of　their　own　establishment；　that　is；　performed　as　a　surgeon　all　the　operations　they　had　occasion　for　in　their　practice。〃

I　regret　not　having　made　any　inquiries　as　to　Marjolin；　who；　I　doubt　not；　would　strike　his　ponderous　snuff…box　until　it　resounded　like　the　Grecian　horse；　at　hearing　such　a　doctrine　associated　with　his　respectable　name。　　I　was　not　aware；　when　writing　to　Paris；　that　this　worthy　Professor；　whose　lectures　I　long　attended；　was　included　in　these　audacious　claims；　but　after　the　specimens　I　have　given　of　the　accuracy　of　the　foreign　correspondence　of　the　〃Homoeopathic　Examiner；〃　any　further　information　I　might　obtain　would　seem　so　superfluous　as　hardly　to　be　worth　the　postage。

Homoeopathy　may　be　said；　then；　to　be　in　a　sufficiently　miserable　condition　in　Paris。　　Yet　there　lives；　and　there　has　lived　for　years；　the　illustrious　Samuel　Hahnemann；　who　himself　assured　my　correspondent　that　no　place　offered　the　advantages　of　Paris　in　its　investigation；　by　reason　of　the　attention　there　paid　to　it。

In　England；　it　appears　by　the　statement　of　Dr。　Curie　in　October；　1839；　about　eight　years　after　its　introduction　into　the　country；　that　there　were　eighteen　Homoeopathic　physicians　in　the　United　Kingdom；　of　whom　only　three　were　to　be　found　out　of　London；　and　that　many　of　these　practised　Homoeopathy　in　secret。

It　will　be　seen；　therefore；　that；　according　to　the　recent　statement　of　one　of　its　leading　English　advocates；　Homoeopathy　had　obtained　not　quite　half　as　many　practical　disciples　in　England　as　Perkinism　could　show　for　itself　in　a　somewhat　less　period　from　the　time　of　its　first　promulgation　in　that　country。

Dr。　Curie's　letter；　dated　London；　October　30；　1839；　says　there　is　〃one　in　Dublin；　Dr。　Luther；　at　Glasgow；　Dr。　Scott。〃　　The　〃distinguished〃　Chrysaora　writes　from　Paris；　dating　October　20；　1839；　〃On　the　other　hand；　Homoeopathy　is　commencing　to　make　an　inroad　into　England　by　the　way　of　Ireland。　　At　Dublin；　distinguished　physicians　have　already　embraced　the　new　system；　and　a　great　part　of　the　nobility　and　gentry　of　that　city　have　emancipated　themselves　from　the　English　fashion　and　professional　authority。〃

But　the　Marquis　of　Anglesea　and　Sir　Edward　Lytton　Bulwer　patronize　Homoeopathy；　the　Queen　Dowager　Adelaide　has　been　treated　by　a　Homoeopathic　physician。　　〃Jarley　is　the　delight　of　the　nobility　and　gentry。〃　　〃The　Royal　Family　are　the　patrons　of　Jarley。〃

Let　me　ask　if　a　Marquis　and　a　Knight　are　better　than　two　Lords；　and　if　the　Dowager　of　Royalty　is　better　than　Royalty　itself；　all　of　which　illustrious　dignities　were　claimed　in　behalf　of　Benjamin　Douglass　Perkins？

But　if　the　balance　is　thought　too　evenly　suspended　in　this　case；　another　instance　can　be　given　in　which　the　evidence　of　British　noblemen　and　their　ladies　is　shown　to　be　as　valuable　in　establishing　the　character　of　a　medical　man　or　doctrine；　as　would　be　the　testimony　of　the　Marquis　of　Waterford　concerning　the　present　condition　and　prospects　of　missionary　enterprise。　　I　have　before　me　an　octavo　volume　of　more　than　four　hundred　pages；　in　which；　among　much　similar　matter；　I　find　highly　commendatory　letters　from　the　Marchioness　of　Ormond；　Lady　Harriet　Kavanagh；　the　Countess　of　Buckinghamshire；　the　Right　Hon。　Viscount　Ingestre；　M。　P。；　and　the　Most　Noble；　the　Marquis　of　Sligo；all　addressed　to　〃John　St。　John　Long；　Esq；〃　a　wretched　charlatan；　twice　tried　for；　and　once　convicted　of；　manslaughter　at　the　Old　Bailey。

This　poor　creature；　too；　like　all　of　his　tribe；　speaks　of　the　medical　profession　as　a　great　confederation　of　bigoted　monopolists。　　He；　too；　says　that　〃If　an　innovator　should　appear；　holding　out　hope　to　those　in　despair；　and　curing　disorders　which　the　faculty　have　recorded　as　irremediable；　he　is　at　once；　and　without　inquiry；　denounced　as　an　empiric　and　an　impostor。〃　　He；　too；　cites　the　inevitable　names　of　Galileo　and　Harvey；　and　refers　to　the　feelings　excited　by　the　great　discovery　of　Jenner。　　From　the　treatment　of　the　great　astronomer　who　was　visited　with　the　punishment　of　other　heretics　by　the　ecclesiastical　authorities　of　a　Catholic　country　some　centuries　since；　there　is　no　very　direct　inference　to　be　drawn　to　the　medical　profession　of　the　present　time。　　His　name　should　be　babbled　no　longer；　after　having　been　placarded　for　the　hundredth　time　in　the　pages　of　St。　John　Long。　　But　if　we　are　doomed　to　see　constant　reference　to　the　names　of　Harvey　and　Jenner　in　every　worthless　pamphlet　containing　the　prospectus　of　some　new　trick　upon　the　public；　let　us；　once　for　all；　stare　the　facts　in　the　face；　and　see　how　the　discoveries　of　these　great　men　were　actually　received　by　the　medical　profession。

In　1628；　Harvey　published　his　first　work　upon　the　circulation。　　His　doctrines　were　a　complete　revolution　of　the　prevailing　opinions