^WIITti (Euk) The. p£opi£^j3oo^i tSt-yi. OuoLdU*4^*i*^t. *'? 0 ^ )' \ . I oyiXk /A- , Go THE PEOPLES' BOOK. AN ADDRESS . TO THE , VA . ABO T#K PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES, ON POISON, HEALTH, DISEASE, VEGETABLE MEDICINE, AND MANNE* OF CURING THE SICK. ,' BY ELI AS SMITH, Botanic Physician1. "The whole need not a Physician, but they that are nick." " I will also Vhetv you mine opinion." • Elihu. BOSTON: BENJAMIN TRUE, PRINTER. v-"v'. .">->. 1836. >C*i'l^.» A^.-fi-sr- 7 (CTEntered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1836, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. A v SECTION I. TO THE CITIZENS OF BOSTON, AND OF THE UNITED STATES. Fellow Citizens, It is now about nineteen years since' the com- mencement of my practice among you as a physician. At that time it was thought by many a strange thing for any man to give medicine, excepting those called regular doctors; and also a strange thing to pretend to cure without poisonous minerals or vegetables. Bleeding, Blistering, Seatons and Issues were consid- ered so needful, that it was thought a cure could not be made without some of these unnatural things. How different the state of things now! People who then would scarcely hear one word against pois- oning the sick, or giving them innocent vegetables, are now so in favor with them, that they will run the risk of dyin?, rather than be poisoned with opium, mercury, arsenic, or any other mineral or vegetable poison. At that time reasoning against poison, or in favor of vegetables, was in many cases worse than useless. Many were so enraged, that men in favor of vegetables were in danger of losing, not only their reputation and business, but their liberty and right of citizens. . Nineteen years ago, fevers, consumptions, cholera morbus and diseases of this kind were much more a 2 4 frequent than now. About sixteen years ago, the whole number of deaths in Boston, as published by the "Board of Health" was fourteen hundred and twenty in one year, out of about thirty thousand people. Now there are not far from seventy eight thousand: The deaths in Boston in 1834 as pub- lished by the "Board of Health" were not far from fifteen hundred; only about one hundred more than when there were not half so many people. What can be the cause of this difference? Boston stands where it did in 1818; the land, the water and the air is the same as then, unless an increase of land, buildings and people tends to make the city more healthy. I consider the cause to be, using so much less of poisonous minerals and vegetables. I do not believe there is a twentieth part so much minerals administered to the sick now, as heretofore. Some of the Apothecaries say there are now more vegeta- bles used by the sick than there was fifteen years ago. There are at this time many families in Boston, who have wholly laid aside the old practice of bleed- ing, blistering, seatons and issues, besides abandon- ing Mercury, Arsenic, Antimony, Calomel, Opium, Laudanum, and all other things connected with these deadly poisons. As a proof of all this, see how many infirmaries, hospitals and private houses there are, where the sick are received from different parts of the city and country and are cured. There are at this time several of these houses, where the sick are at- tended from various parts. There are also several men who visit and attend the sick and lame at their houses, with great and good success. As soon as people know what they take from the Apothecaries'1 shops, they will wholly cease to use them; this the doctors know for certainty. If the 5 doctors wished the sick to know what they give them, their prescriptions would not be written in Latin, a language which the great mass of the people do not understand. Though the Apothecaries have the business of preparing what they call medicines, and dealing them out according to the direction of the doctors; yet they do not know the use of what they sell for the sick; and more likely than not, some of the doctors who direct what medicine must be given the sick, would not know the medicine if they saw it. If an Apothecary is sick, he sends for a doctor to know what medicines he must take to restore him to health ; this to me is a ridiculous affair. A man is employed to deal out medicine for the sick, who does not know what to take himself when sick. If I were to tell people of medicines of my pre- paration good for the sick, and yet did not know what to take myself when sick, the public would rightly consider me a blockhead, more fit to dig in the mud, than to deal out medicines to young and old. How this would appear to an intelligent foreign- er ! An American is sick,—he sends to an Ameri- can Physician for assistance;—he sends to an Ameri- can Apothecary for medicine for the sick man;—the prescription is in Latin—the medicine is marked with a Latin word or words—neither of the three speak the Latin language: What is all this for ? To keep the sick man and his family ignorant of what he is to take I suppose. • In vain do we blame the Catholics for praying and preaching in Latin, while our Physicians and Apothecaries do the same thing. Why is all this done ? I think there are two rea- sons for it. One is, that the people may remain en- tirely ignorant of what is done for the sick, that those who profess the healing art, as it is called, may have all to do that the sick need. I am often astonished at a3 6 the ignorance of multitudes of young and old, as it respects medicine. Many people of good sense as to other things, are children as to knowledge of med- icine. They conclude the doctor knows, and con- tent themselves to remain in ignorance, and do as the doctor says, even when they think his directions are unreasonable and contrary to nature. If the doctor says, "the outside must be blistered to cure the inside," they consent to have from one to a dozen put on, and sometimes one after another on the same sore spot. If the doctor says, " burn a hole in the arm or leg and keep it sore with a. pea, or a piece of wood," they consent to have it done to obtain a cure, and though they grow worse and worst% yet they persevere to the last of life. If the doctor says " bleed often," they consent to this until they look like dead men sitting up and trying to walk. If the doctor says, "go without eating, ex- cepting some very light food, and but little of that," they obey, though they havean excellent appetite, and food does them good. If the doctor says, a leg or an arm must be taken off, it is done, and some- times they have taken off the wrong leg. If the doc- tor tells them that " the most innocent vegetable medicines are poison and the most violent mineral, or vegetable poison is the most suitable and valuable medicine for them to take, they refuse the good, and swallow the poison; and ihough they see their friends take poison anil die ^ yet they will take the same kind, and hopefor a cure till the last moment of life. At the present time*.multitudes of young and old begin to think for themselves, and conclude that what will kill a well rat, will not cure a sick man. Another reason for this latin wrapper is, to pre- vent people from knowing what poisonous things are given the sick under the name of medicine. 7 There is no doubt in my mind, that many who give poisonous things for medicine are honest, though not consistent. One proof of this honesty is, that some take the same poisons when sick, that they give others; but this I think is not a general practice among doctors. We will now give a description of some of the mineral and vegetable poisons used to cure the sick. 1. Mercury, is the first mineral poison we shall mention. There are various names given to this mineral; some we shall mention. The first is Quick- silver, or Liquid Silver, because it resembles liquid silver. The Germans called it quack salbar, and aa it was used privately in private diseases, the doctors who used it were at first called " quack salbar doc- tors," and at last quack doctors, or men who gave poison to the sick. This is Dr. Parr's account of it, and all who use quicksilver are quack salber, or quack doctors. Now they fix the name quack on those who are entirely opposed to quackery, or quicksilver for medicine. At the close of the fourteenth century, mercury was used by some as a medicine. Not far from that time it was called mercury, or the god of medicine, as Paul was called mercurius or mercury, because the people of Iconium thought the god of eloquence had come down in the likeness of men. Dr. Parr, in his " Medical Dictionary," page 171, gives the following description of this mineral. "The people who work in the quicksilver mines soon die. When first affected, they are seized with tremours, after which, a salivation comes on, their teeth drop out, arul pains of the whole body, particularly "the bones seize them." Hypocrates does not seem to have been acquainted with it. Aristottle and Dioscorides rank it among the poisons. Galen says it is corrosive. Messue the Arabian, was the first who used it as a medicine, and he only applied 8 it in the form of an ointment in cutaneous diseases. Avicenna observes that it may be swallowed crude, and that it passes through the body. About the end of the thirteenth century, it was introduced into Eu- rope as a medicine, but not esteemed a safe one, un- til the Venerial disease was found to yield to its effi- cacy. The first internal mercurial medicine which gained real credit was the Pulul Barbarosa, which was composed of quicksilver, rheubarb and musk." Here you have the words of a learned doctor, who declares it poisonous, and that the men who dig it out of the earth, live but a short time. Supposing I were to tell the world that the vegetable medicines I use, often destroy the lives of those who gather them? Would any one dare to use them 1 You answer no ! This mineral is used continually, though the most learned doctors say it is poison, and death to those who dig or use it! ! SECTION II. We will now give a few extracts from an Ameri- can physician, and author. We will select from the many,Dr. James Thatcher, of Plymouth, Mass. aman who has stood high among his brethren as a writer, and practitioner. We take the following from his dispensatory. He says, " mercury taken into the stomach in its metalic state, has no action on the body except what arises from its weight or bulk. It is not poisonous, as was vulgarly supposed, but per- fectly inert. There is nevertheless indubitable evi- dence, that persons who work in the mines, or are otherwise exposed to the fumes of quicksilver, fre- quently experience its destructive consequences. A- mong other diseases, Hoffman mentions palsies, apo- plexies, epilepsies, hectic fever, fyc. these remarks are corroberated by a recent occurrence which took place on board two vessels in which, from the fumes of quicksilver, an alarming illness broke out among 9 the crews, all of whom were more or less sali- vated." It is all in vain for Dr. Thatcher to say that mer- cury is not poisonous, after telling of its destructive consequences. No poison can be worse than the ef- fects of mercury above mentioned. Hypocrates, Ga- len and many others say it is poisonous, and all who take it, have occasion to say the same.—See Thatch- er's Disp. page 233. The ruinous effects of mercury are seen and felt in every part of the world, when it is administered under the name of medicine. 2. Arsenic is another mineral poison given to the sick, under the name of medicine. Of this poison, Dr. Thatcher says, p. 305. " Oxide of Arsenic is one of the most sudden and violent poisons we are acquainted with. In mines it causes the destruc- tion of numbers who explore them, and it is fre- quently the instrument by which victims are sacri- ficed, either by the hand of wickedness, or impru- dence. The fumes of arsenic are so deleterious to the lungs, that the artist should be on his guard to prevent their being enhaled by the mouth, and swal- lowed with the saliva; effects will take place similar to those which follow its introduction into the stom- ach in a saline state ; namely, a sensation of a pierc- ing, gnawing, and burning kind, accompanied with an acute pain in the stomach, and intestines, which last are violently contorted; convulsive vomiting, in- satiable thirst from the parched and rough state of the tongue and throat, hiccough, palpitation of the heart, and a deadly oppression of the whole breast succeeds next; the matters ejected by the mouth as well as the stools, exhibit a black, foeted and putrid appearance ; at length with the mortification of the bowels, the pain subsides, and death terminates the sufferings of the patient. Soon after death, livid 10 spots appear on the surface of the body, the nails become blue and often fall off along with the hair, and the whole body becomes speedily putrid. When the quantity is so very small, as not to prove fatal, tre- mours, paralysis, and lingering hectics succeed. On dissection, the stomach and bowels are found to be inflamed, gangrenous, and corroded, and the blood isfluid." How is it possible that any man after giving such an awful description of arsenic, can recommend it as one of the best medicines to be administered in the worst cases of sickness!! This same Dr. Thatcher after describing the horrors of this mineral poison says on the same leaf, " though the most violent of mineral poisons, arsenic according to Murry, equals, when properly administered, the first medicines in the class of tonics. This is well displayed in its efficacy in the treatment of intermitent fever the dis- ease in which it has been principally used. The employment of oxide of arsenic is now extended to remitting fever, periodical head ache, dropsy, hy- drophobia, lepra elephantiasis, and certainly with safety and success; though its administration will always require to be conducted with the utmost care." It is employed medicinally under various forms: The arsenical solution introduced by Dr. Fowler, being in general preferred, will be found in its place under the head of preparations. In the diseases mentioned above, particularly intermittents, it has been found to be a safe and efficatious remedy by Dr. Fowler, Withering and other respectable prac- titioners; a preparation similar to that directed by Dr. Fowler, and called the white tasteless ague drops, has lately been given with singular efficacy in the whooping cough." 11 Notwithstanding all the various preparations of arsenic its nature is the same—" the most violent of mineral poisons," do what you may with it. Can wheat flour be made a poison by a different mode of cooking ? Can cicuta be made healthy by any pre- paration ? Surely not. It is not strange to me that injurious minerals should be wrapped in Latin by those who administer them to the sick. Let the doc- tor tell his patient he must take the most violent pois- on to obtain a cure, and see if he will take it! 3. Antimony is another mineral poison. The word antimonium means, anti monk ; because it kill- ed the monks who used it as medicine. The word anti means against, and this mineral is not only gainst the monks, but all others who take it under the name of -medicine. Dr. Parr in his Medical Dictionary, vol. 1. p. 135, gives the following account of it. " Antimony is sometimes found in a particular ore, but most fre- quently mixed with other metals. Basil Valentine a German Monk, gave it, as tradition relates, to some hogs, which after purging, it greatly fattened, think- ing in like manner to feed his brother monks, all died by3 the experiment; hence the name Antimony, Anti- Monk. It is called satanus devorans, or a devour- ing Satan or Devil, from its power of devouring or destroying as it were all metals when in fusion with it." Dr. Thatcher says of Antimony, Disp. p. 35.-— '« Antimony in the modern nomenclature, is the name given to a peculiar metal. The Antimonial metal is a medicine of the greatest power of any known substance ; a quantity too minute to be sensible in the most delicate balance, is capable of producing violent effects, if taken dissolved, or in a soluable state. All the metalic preparations are uncertain, ai 12 it entirely depends on the state of the stomach, whether they have no action at all, or operate with dangerous violence." Any person of common understanding must be con- vinced by reading the above, that all preparations of Antimony are dangerous in the extreme. " Let him that readeth understand." 4. Nitre, or Saltpetre.—Dr. Thatcher says, Dispensatory, p. 334—" This salt consisting of nitric acid and potash is found ready formed on the surface of the soil in warm climates. Animal and vegetable substances, in a state of decomposition, are mixed with a quantity of carbonate of lime, -and exposed to the air but protected from the rain." Animal and veg- etable substances in a state of decomposition means dead flesh, and rotten plants of any kind-r-curious medicines! made from dead hogs, dead hens, dogs and horses, with rotten cabbage, onions squashes, turnips, &c. That this salt is poison we have only to read Dr. T's account of it, p. 284. " This power- ful salt, when inadvertently taken in too large quan- tities is one of the most fatal poisons. There are several attested cases on record, and some recent instances might be added, in which from half to an whole ounce has occasioned violent vomiting, con- vulsions, swellings, and other painful symptoms, in persons who by mistake, had swallowed it in a dis- solved state, instead of glauber or similar salts. For some interesting observations relative to the deleteri- ous properties of salt petre, the reader is refer- red to Dr. Mitchell's letter to Dr. Priestly." The above is Dr. Thatcher's account of the poisonous na- ture of salt petre, which is recommended as medi- cine for the sick, and the doctor tells us how to take the same to obtain a cure. People put this poison- onous salt on their beef, bacon, and some into butter 13 to make the meat tender and to keep the butter cool. When bacon is fried it foams, to shew the poison; sometimes the meat crumbles from the bone of the bacon. " Death is in the pot." 5. Opium.—This is a vegetable poison, by which multitudes have died. Opium means the juice or milk of white poppies—this juice exposed for a few days to the sun and air, thickens into a stiff tenacious mass which in fact is opium. It is then worked up into masses and covered with poppy or tobacco leaves. That opium is poison, is certain, not only from the effect it has on those who take it, but also from what is said of it by medical writers. Dr. Thatch- er says (see Disp. p. 295,) " Opium, taken into the stomach in a large dose, gives rise to confusion of the head and vertigo, the powers of all stimulating caus- es of making impressions on the body are diminish- t ed, and even at times, and in situations when a per- son would be awake, sleep is irresistably induced. In still larger doses, it acts in the same manner as the narcotic poisons, giving rise to vertigo, headache, tremours, delirium and convulsions, and these termi- nating in a state of stupor from which the person can- not be aroused. This stupor is accompanied with slowness of the pulse, and with stertor in breathing, and the scene is terminated in death, attended with , the same appearances, as take place in an apoplexy." It is a wretched argument in favor of giving opium, that some have found relief, or at least have lived through the operations of a dose of clear opium, or a preparation of it called laudanum, or some other preparation of it. It is the same as arguing upon the safety of falling overboard, because some have lived afterwards. Dr. T. has in this quotation said enough to con- vince any rational man of the danger of taking opium B 14 on any occasion excepting when he means to des- troy his own life, instead of waiting to die a natural death. SECTION III. Having mentioned a few of the most fatal mineral and vegetable poisons, we will notice a few of the very many preparations of mineral and vegetable poison, published in books on this subject, by those who are appointed to attend and administer to the sick. Mercurial preparations are numerous. 1. Purified Quicksilver.—This is quicksilver separated from its carbon, and any foreign body or metal it may have contained in its natural state by distilling it with fil- ings of iron. What a nourishing preparation this must be for a sick man ! Equal to the broth of boiled shingle nails! 2. Mineral Quicksilver or Corrosive Sublimate.— This is a preparation of quicksilver, sulphuric acid, and dry muriatic of soda. Corrosive sublimate means the highest preparation of quicksilver,—corrosive means consuming, eating or waisting away. What but learned ignorance would have ever contrived such a mess to cure a sick man. .As well might the wild ass grow fat by snuffing up the East wind, while the range of the mountains are his pasture. 3. Sub Muriate of Quicksilver, or Calomel.—This is a preparation of muriate of quicksilver and purifi- ed quicksilver. This is the famous Calomel so much used, it is quicksilver and quacksilver. It looks to me like a cake made of coarse and fine indian meal. What would this be but an indian cake ! It hides it- self under a new name, but it is quicksilver after all the cooking. A new name for the old poison. 4. Precipitated Submuriate of Quicksilver.—This is another kind of calomel. It is made of diluted ni- trous acid, purified quicksilver, muriate of soda, and 15 boiling water. This differs about as much from the other calomel, as an indian cake shortened and sweet- ened does from one of the same kind without either shortening or sweetening. 5. Mt hop's Mineral—This is made of purified quicksilver and sulpher equal parts. Dr. Thatcher says of this poison, page 451, " this is perhaps the most inactive of the mercurial preparations." Who is there that would dare knowingly to take inactive or deadening poison into the stomach in hope of ob- taining relief] 6. Blue Pills.-"These are made of purified quick- silver, conserve of red roses, each an ounce, and two ounces of starch." Having mentioned a few preparations of mercury, and some of the other mineral poisons used for med- icine, we will now name a few other poisonous -pre- parations which should be avoided as such by the sick and healthy, being all in their nature contrary to health, and tending to destroy life and health.— Br. 7''s. Dispens. 1. Prepared Sulphurct of Antimony. 2. Glass of Antimony. 3. Cerated Glass of Antimony. 4. Golden Sulphur of Antimony. 5. Antimonial Pow- der. 6. Butter of Antimony. 7. Emetic Tartar. 8. Panacea of Antimony. 9. Lunar Caustic. 10. Amo- nia of Copper. 11. Iron. 12. Purified Iron Scales. 13. Salt of Steel. 14. Calcined Vitriol. 15. Martial Flowers. 1G. Phosphate of Iron. 17. Purified Quicksilver. 1H. A- cetate of Quicksilver. 19. Calomel.20. Precipitate Mer- cury. 21. ^Ethop's Mineral. 22. Sugar of Lead. 23. Extract Lead. 24. Flowers of Zinc. 25. Arsenical Solution. 26. Yilrolic Ether. 27. Dulcified Spirit of Vitriol. 2--«. Dulcified Spirit of Nitre. 29. Ins- pissated Juice of Aconite or Wolf s Bane. 30. Ins- pissated Juice of deadly night shade. 31. Inspissa- 16 ted juice of black henbane. 32. Infusion of com- mon fox glove. 33. Strong Tincture of Spanish Flics. 34. Liquid Laudanum. 35. Paragoric E- lixir. 30. Tincture of Thorn Apple. 37. Wine of Tobacco. 38. Wine of Opium. 39. Antimonial Wine. 40. Wine of Iron. 41. Copper Pills. 42. Mercurial Pills or blue Pills. 43 Ointment of Quicksilver. 44. Blue Ointment. 45. Ointment of Verdigris. 46. Ointment of oxide of Zinc. 47. Plaster of Quicksilver. 48. Prussic Acid. 49. Golden Sulphur of Antimony. 50. Compound Mix- ture of Iron. Here are fifty poisonous preparations ready to be given the sick when the inventors of these dreadful calamities are called upon to deal out such vials of wrath. We will give the composition of one of them called Tartarized Antimony or Emet- ic Tartar. Dr. Thatcher says, this scourge of na- tions is composed of " Oxide of Antimony with Sul- phur, nitrate of Potash three parts, super tartrate of Potash, four parts, distilled water, thirty-two parts." As all the above preparations contain more or less mineral or vegetable poison, it seems to me almost needless to do more than to lay them before my fel- low citizens as poisonous, for them to avoid such pois- ons as they regard their health and lives. No pre- paration can alter the nature of poison. Those learn- ed overseers of the sick tell us what to do when these things poison the sick. Minerals always do that in a greater or less degree. When people take poison to kill themselves, they only take what the doctors give the sick to save them from death. Any one who doubts these statements may read Thatcher's Dispensatory, and find the articles here recorded as poisonous. It would make a large vol- ume if all the poisonous preparations were written, with the dreadful effects they have produced, and are 17 now producing in every part of the world where pois- on is given the sick instead of that medicine the Lord has created out of the earth, Ly which he heals men, takes away their pains, and makes peace through all the earth. SECTION IV. In p. 187 of Dr. T's Disp. is the following Ta- ble showing the proportion of Antimony, Opium and Quicksilver contained in some compound medicines. tartrate of antimony. " Wine of Tartrate of Antimony contains two grains of tartrite of antimony in the ounce. OPIUM. Opiate Electuary contains in each drachm about a grain and a half of opium. ^Electuary of Catechu contains in each ounce about two grains and a half of opium: for one grain of opium is contained in one hundred and ninety- three grains. Powder of Ipacacuan and Opium contains six grains of opium, in each drachm or one grain in ten. 3 Opiate Powder contains one grain of opium in ten. Opiate Pills contain six grains of opium in each drachm, or five grains contain half a grain of opium Tincture of Opium is made with two scruples of opium in each ounce of the liquid, or with five grains in each drachm. Animoniated Tincture of Opium is made with about eight grains of opium in each ounce of the li- quid or about one grain in each drachm. Tincture of Soap with Opium is made with about fifteen grains of opium in each ounce of the liquid. Troches of Liquorice with Opium, contain about one grain of opium in each drachm. Camphorated Tincture of Opium, contains nearly one grain of opium in three drachms. b3 IS QUICKSILVER. Quicksilver Pills contain fifteen grains of quick silver in each drachm. Quicksilver Ointment contains about twenty-five grains of quicksilver in each drachm. Mild Quicksilver Ointment contains twelve grains of quicksilver in each drachm. Quicksilver Plaster contains about sixteen grains of quicksilver in. each drachm. Ointment of Nitrate of Quicksilver contains in each drachm four grains of quicksilver and eight of nitrous acid. Milder Ointment of Nitrate of Quicksilver con- tains in each scruple half a grain of quicksilver, and one grain of nitrous acid." If reading and understanding all these preparations of antimony, opium and quicksilver does not convince men of the ruinous tendency of them, 1 know of but two ways to convince them: one is to give those things to their friends and if that is not enough, take the doses themselves. These poisons for the sick strongly urge upon my mind the words of the Prophet Isaiah v. 20. " Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness: that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter." If this is not the case in the above preparations, I am not capable of judging between good and evil. Can good bread be made from bad flour ? Can a good dinner be made from tainted meat, mouldy bread and frozen potatoes ? Can evil be turned into good, or good into evill Can darkness produce light or light produce darkness 1 Can bitter be made sweetl Can sweet be made bitter? Can poison produce healthl Can health produce disease ? Should the public be told that many medicines I 19 use cause death to those who gather them, would any believe that healthy medicines could be prepared from them ? All join to say no! no ! Dr. T. says that the minerals used for medicine are some of the most fatal poisons ! And afterwards he calls these evils good. When will the time come that men shall have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil, and to know that good cannot be evil, nor evil good, even " when the doctor says so?" SECTION V.—MISCELLANEOUS. Having given a short description of mineral and vettetable'poisons collected from the writings of those medical doctors, who profess to be skilled in Materia Mcdica. Before entering upon the subject of Veget- able Medicine, &c. I shall take up three subjects. 1. Monarchy. 2. Religion. 3. Medicine. With monarchy, I shall mention kings; with religion I shall notice priests of various orders ; with medicine, doctors or physicians of various kinds. In America for some years past, this question has been agitated. Are the people capable of governing and taking care of themselves, or are they not? Some have°said no, they are their own worst enemies —the swinish multitude—the vulgar—the scum of the political pot : their huge paws are more suitable to handle the plough than volumes of laws. On the other hand it is contended, that they and they only can govern themselves. To decide this matter we must refer to the past and the present time According to the scriptures, there was a time when there were no kings, priests, nor regular doctors—no devil___no hell, or future state of misery known. What was their situation then? Read Genesis, xi. 1, 6. " And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech, and the Lord said, behold the people are one, and they all have one language." 20 What situation could be more pleasant and profita- ble, when people were all of one heart, all spake the same language, and were all brethren, calling on the Lord with one consent! They must, have governed themselves, and were their own best friends. After all this union and happiness, appeared King Nim- rod, the mighty hunter. '' And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erah and Accad and Cal- nah in the land of Shinar." Genesis, x. 9. This kingdom begun by Nimrod in Babylon, was perfected by Nebuchadnezzar, long after Nimrod. This was the parent kingdom, and all the other mon- archies are founded upon the same principles, and have in general the same .effect upon mankind, which is to make them poor and wretched, and mis- erable, and blind, and naked. Nebuchadnezzar was called the hammer of the whole earth, because he broke in pieces all other kingdoms. There was one thing done by Nebuchadnezzar which other kings have upheld to this day. After he had obtained power over men, and their property, there was one lack ; he could not controul their minds. To do this, he invented a kind of worship for all to practice. This same worship is called religion, not that pure religion mentioned in the scriptures; but that kind invented by Nebuchadnezzar. This he incorporated with other things in his general government. This worship must be attended to, for death was the con- sequence of a refusal. This is recorded in Daniel, iii. 1. " Nebuchadnezzar, the king made an image of gold, whose height was three score cubits and the breadth thereof six cubits; he set it up in the plains of Dura, in the province of Babylon." This was the object of worship, and all the officers in the kingdom were commanded to come to the ded- ication of it, and all the people were commanded to 21 worship the image when they heard the music ; that is to fall before the image. If they did not, they were to be burnt alive. Some would not bow, and were cast into the furnace where they remained unhurt. This is the religion or law worship, found in all king- doms to this day, which multitudes bow before, and which many refuse to worship. This kind of wor- ship has come down to our time, and country, and has lost its power since our nation was delivered from monarchy and monarchial worship. This is the worship or religion which atheists, de- ists and infidels are now shooting at, which is called Christianity. This kind of worship is as different from the worship or religion recorded in the scrip- tures, as jnidnight darkness is from noon day. In- fidelity never can overthrow the doctrine which drops a> the rain, but all worship which is of man, will come to nouglit. Deism and every species of infidel- ity are the children of this mother; they live upon it, and when this worship dies, infidelity will die for the want of nourishment; but the doctrine of Christ, which has withstood all opposition from this worship, and the worshippers, will become a great mountain and fill the whole earth. Look in every Kingdom, and see the King the head of the Church, or in some way directing the worship or religion of the kingdom ! After this worship obtained its growth, another set of officers were produced dependent on the govern- ment, or commanding Kings to protect them, and punish nil who would not support or defend them.— This worship or religion in Rome, produced the Pope, his Holiness, Christ's Vicar on earth, "our lord god the Pope." In Greece, this worship produced a Pa- triarch. In England a Bishop and right reverend father in God, Vicars, Deans, Arch-Bishops, lords 22 spiritual as well as lords temporal, Lord Primate, &c. In others it has produced Reverend Clergy, Doctors of Divinity, Parsons, &c. This'is the worship which Constantine established under the name of the Christian Religion, and which many fear will finally come to nought. Their fears will compel Kings to keep the People in subjection to them, and kings have invented every kind of cruelty, and so things remain to this day in Monarchies. All kind of weapons are now in readiness if the people attempt to be free; swords of all sizes, guns of all sorts and sizes, prisons, stocks, pillories, racks, gallows, gulitine, floating prisons, dungeons, and eve- ry thing to awe the people into subjection. The ministers of this wors.'n'i) have used all these weapons and carried their doctrine of terror into a world of endless misery, and they tell all who do not submit to their creed, that the God who made them will torment them eternally if they do not believe what they say. The Bishop of ( Rome went beyond all others, and brought the Kings in such a state of subjection, as to make them hold his styrrup, lie un- der his table like a dog, and kiss his great toe ! This was the ripe fruit of that worship which Nebuchad- nezzar set up in the Plain of Dura. Look at the in- vention of these priests! Witness the Bastile, the In- quisition, Purgatory, Penance, Monasteries, and Nun- eries, in Europe, with fornication doubtless, and all other kinds of wickedness, with persecuting heretics under the name ol the followers of Jesus- See what desolation they have spread wherever they ruled ! be- fore them is a garden, and behind them a wilderness ; they devour every green thing. SECTION VI. Let any man read these things, and then judge in which state men are the most happy ; ruling them- 23 selves, or being ruled by kings and priests, under such a government as kings will uphold, or where people have the rule without kings, or priests ruling the land. There was one thing more to be established by this cruel government. The kings and priests had the bodies and souls of the people to take care of, as they pretended. There was one thing more needful.— Our subjects are liable to diseases, and some must at- tend to this part ; this brought out Physicians, but as the people knew how to cure themselves with herbs and roots, the physicians had but little to do, so they made regular Doctors, as I think, and a law was then passed that no others should practice within six miles of London, excepting the privilege of giving herb drink. Soon the people forget their herb drink and roots, and the physicians marked their drugs in Latin, and as minerals took up less room than vegetables, they were introduced instead of herbs. This was law, and now they have almost every kind of poison intro- duced into the shops, and dealt out to the sick. This is our wretched condition while I write. When we were delivered from Monarchy, we were delivered from law religion or popular Christianity in name, in a great measure ; but the other part of Mon- archy remains to this day, and laws are made to make outlaws of our citizens. A few years ago one man rose up against the prac- tice of poisoning the sick to cure them ; but how great was the violence against him. Since that time many have engaged against mineral poison, and hun- dreds of thousands, and perhaps millions in this coun- try are determined to lay aside these poisonous prep- arations, and use the medicines which God has crea- ted out of the earth, even herbs for the service of man. 24 When all the principles of Monarchy are done away here, these things will go with Monarchies, Heiruch- ies, &x. We have looked at the past, and will now look'at the present. Here is a government of the people, made and adopted by the people for the people, when the voice of the people prevailed above the voice of Kings, Arch-Bishops, Popes, and all other Ecclesias- tics. A majority ruled in every department of the State Government, and also of the General Govern- ment. Our monarchical and state religion would be nobility, have been crying out against it, and foretell- ing its downfall; but it stands yet, and like the live oak strengthens as it increases. SECTION VII. Where is there a kingdom on earth so free from what they call a national blessing, viz. a national debt as the people who rule themselves ? they have paid their debt made by fighting tyrants, who wished to take care of them in their own way. The nations wonder how a nation can be free from debt. Let them rule themselves, and they will soon learn. Spain has begun—the inquisition and other ' needless institutions are given up, and the money gone to help the kingdom. Did the American people understand the things given to the sick, or the poison prepared for the sick, as they understand the oppressions of monarchy, and , . the superstitions and oppressions of those clergymen > who had a salary of sixteen thousand weight of to- bacco a year, it would not be long, before a bill would be brought before the Legislature of Massachusetts, to make it criminal for a physician to make use of , any kind of mineral or vegetable poison, to be admin- i, istered to the sick as medicine. _^-BSMiMB 25 There is one remarkable thing in the government of the United States ; there is no kind of religion or worship mentioned in it ; but to the contrary ; it says " Congress bhall make no laws respecting religion, or the free exercise of it." The men who framed the Constitution, knew that true religion was a matter be- tween God and man, and not between magistrates and men, and they left the subject where it belonged. Medicine ought to be left in the fame manner.— Take off the " Latin Wrapper" from the Apotheca- ries drawers, and the doctors prescriptions, and let it read on the drawers and bottles, arsenic, quicksilver, nitre, antimony, &c. Alter the words menury, and arsenic and say poison, and people would flee from such a place, as from a pestilence, or den of lions. Why do not the vegetable doctors use latin ? Be- cause they wish the people to know what they give. being certain if they know the vegetable medicines prepared for them, they will refuse the bad, and choose the good. The only way to bring poisonous preparations into contempt is, to begin with the peo- ple, and keep on with them, until they become gene- rally acquainted, with that medicine designed in the creation to heal the sick. A reformation among the mineral doctors is impossible. Let the people begin, and the doctors must and will conform to their wish- es, rather than to be thrown out of business. In this way the clergy have done. They opposed plain scrip- ture declarations, and contended for things as scrip- tural not mentioned, until they were likely to loose their houses ; then they tacked about, and said they would do it. Witness their conduct as to baptism, and the calvinistic doctrine. They profess to be cal- vinists and preach armenianism, unless calvinisim is turned into arminanism ! c 8(1 SECTION VIII. I cannot better express my mind upon the state of the nations and Kings, priests and poisoning doctors than by the following, which we will call a picture of THE PRESENT STATE OE NATIONS. A great noise issued from the west; which direct- ed my attention to that quarter, multitudes appeared, along the streets and public squares. My ears, struck with their cries, which ascended to the very heavens, distinguished at intervals, these sentences : " What can be the meaning of this novel and strange pha- nomenon V " Whence this cruel pest ; this latant scourge ?" '' We are a numerous people, and yet we are in want of hands !" " We have an excellent soil, and yet there is a scarcity of provision !" " We are active and laborious, and yet we live in indigence !" " We pay enormous taxes and imposts, and yet we are told, that they are insufficient !" " We are ex- ternally at peace, and yet our persons and property are not safe even at home !" " What then, in the name of wonder can be the secret enemy, that thus devours us ?" Several voices, proceeding from the midst of the throng, replied aloud : Erect a standard in token of distinction, and let all those, who by their useful la- bors, contribute to the necessary support and main- tenance of society, gather round it, and it will not be long before ye discover the latent enemy that preys upon you. And, on the standard being erected, the nation found itself all on a sudden divided into two distinct but disproportionate bodies, the disparity betwixt them afforded a striking contrast. The one, no* to be numbered, and nearly constituting the whole, exhib- ited, in the general poverty of their dress, and in their meagre and swarthy complexions, the evident marks 27 of toil and indigence ; the other, a petty group and no more.arithmatically speaking, than an insignificant fraction compared with the former, presented, in their rich attire glittering with gold and silver, and in their plump and ruddy countenances, the general symp- toms of physiognomy of leisure and fortune. On ob- serving these people more attentively, I perceived, that the large body was composed of laborers, arti- san< tradesmen, in fine, of every profession, that can be considered as useful to' society, and that in the small group, there were none hutbishops, priests, and clergy of every rank and denomination, oficcrs of the revenue, commanders of troops, men with badges, ar- moride equipage, and other marks of distinction—in a word, the civil, military and religious agents of the government. The two bodies, stationed in sight, front to lront, eved one another with astonishment ; when I per- ceived the feelings of indignation and resentment be- gin to show themselves in the one, and a sort ofpa?nc in the other ; and the large body said to the small one ■ Why do ye stand apart from us ? are ye not of our number 7 No, replied the other ; ye are the peo- ple ; but, we are quite of a different order ; we are a dignified and privileged class; we have separate laws, customs and rights, peculiar to ourselves. People..—A.n& what species of labor is it, that ye have a share in performing, in this society of ours? Prii). Class.—None; we are not made to labor. Proplr.—Uow then have ye acquired your wealth ! P Class.—Kv taking the pains to govern you. /V0„/,,._To Govern us, to be sure ! a pretty kind of governintr truly! We have the toil and you the en- joyment;' we produce and you spend; wealth flows from the sweat of our brows, and you engross it to c2 98 yourselves. Go, ye dignified and privileged, who are not of the people, go and form a nation apart, and govern yourselves. Then, deliberating on their novel and critical sit- uation, some among the group said:—"Let us at once join the people, and voluntarily share their burthens and their toils; for they are surely men as well as ourselves." Others on the contrary, rejoin- ed :—" To mix and place ourselves on a level with the common people, would be beyond all measure de- grading, and villifying. What! are they not born to serve us ? and are we not men of a totally distinct blood and superior pedigree? And the civil governors said : " the people are mild and tractable, and naturally servile; we must speak to them in the name of the Jcing, and the law, and they will shortly return to their duty. P. Class.—It is the royal will and pleasure of our sovereign lord the king, he commands and gracious- ly ordains. People.—The king has no will or pleasure of his own, in his political capacity, independent of the safety and welfare of the people ; he ean neither command nor ordain but according to the sovreign voice of the law, under which like ourselves, he is a subject. Civil Governors.—The law calls upon you for sub- mission. People.—The law is the general will; and a re- formation of abuses is our will. Civil Governors.—Ye are, in that case, a.rebellious people. People.—Nations never revolt; tyrants only are REP.ELS. Civil Governors.—The king is on our side, and he enjoins you to submit. 29 People.—Kings cannot be separated from their re- spective nations, of which they form a constituent part or member. The king of ours cannot, of course, be on your side ; ye can, therefore, have nothing but his bare shadow to substantiate your pretentions. Then the military governors advanced, and said: "The people are timid ; let us threaten them ; there is no way of bringing them to obedience but by force. Soldiers chastise this insolent rabble /" People.—Soldiers, are not we all of one kindred, and children of the same natural family ? Will you strike your own brethren ? If the people be destroy- ed, who will support the army ? And the soldiers grounding their arms, said to their chiefs: " We too are a part of the people; show us the enemy." " Then the ecclesiastical governors said : " There is now but one resource left. The people are super- stitious; we must awe and intimidate them with the names of God and religion." Priests.—Our dearly beloved brethren ! our faith- ful children ! God has specially commissioned us to govern you. People.—Produce the patent of his commission. Priests.—Ye must have faith ; reason bewilders and leads men astray. People.—And would you govern without recourse to reason ? Priests.—God is the God of peace;—religion en- joins you to obey. People.—Peace naturally supposes justice ;—and obedience implies the observance of an acknowledg- ed and pre-existent law. Priests.—Men are only sent into this world for trial and suffering. c3 30 People.— Show us the example by suffering your- selves. Priests.—Would you live without Gods or Kings ? People.—We wish to live without tyrants. Priests.—You cannot do without mediators to in- tercede in your behalf. People.—Ye mediators with God, and with kings! Ye Courtiers and Priests! your services are too expen- sive ;—henceforth we mean to take the management of our affairs into our hands. Then the small group exclaimed :—-We are lost, it is all oner with us : the people are enlightened. And the people replied : " No, no, by being lost, ye are saved ; for since we are enlightened, our pow- er shall not be abused : our desires extend not beyond our just rights*—Resentment it were impossible not to feel, but we shall now bury it in the grave of ob- livion :—we were slaves,—we can now command; but our will is only to be free, and, by willing it, we are so." SECTION IX. The above description of the plump and lean com- panies, are a complete representation of the nations under Popes, Patriarchs, Sultans, Deys, Emperors, Kings, Queens, Lord Arch Bishops, Right Rever- end Fathers in God, Bishops, Deans, Vicars, Cu- rates, &LC. &LC. The large and oppressed company who willed themselves free, and were free ; completely repre- sent the " thirteen United States of America," who declared themselves free and independent, and who stood to the Declaration, until the tyrant power that oppressed them, acknowledged them free and inde- pendent states, and treated with them as a " great, free, and independent nation." This independent nation soon taught the world, that 81 they were capable of ruling themselves, and this they have done for about half a century. The republican form of government has stood till this day, though assailed by its enemies from within and without. This government excluded all privileged classes, whether political or ecclesiastical. This greatly dis- tressed the " small group" win never learnt to live, excepting on those they oppressed. There were three things which monarchy has en- deavored to uphold—government, religion and medi- cine. The government of kings this nation threw off, when they declared independence from the crown of England. Under that tyrannical power, the peo- ple iu° England and here, wete-'treated as criminals, who did not submit to what the king, the head of the church called religion. This brought on im- prisonment, stripes and death upon many of the best citizens of the land. The non conformists suffered generally in England and in this country ; particularly the Baptists and Quakers. In Salem, the quakers were hung, imprisoned and banished. A Baptist minister was publicly whipped in Lynn, for preach- ing in the town without permission from the parson. "Some of the Baptists were imprisoned in Boston, banished &,c. Witness Roger Williams, who re- mained iii perpetual exile until the day of his death The men who framed the Constitution of the U. States, knew all these things; and wisely guarded against such wickedness on the part of tyrants, and such distress on the part of the oppressed. It was expressly stated in the amendment of the Constitu- tion of the United States, " that Congress should make no laws respecting religion," or to prevent the free exercise thereof. This of course abolished all the old English religious establishments in this coun- try; and left the monarchial clergy, as the fish are 32 left when the water is drawn from them—they stran- gle and die in a "free air!" In the New-England States, there was a general alarm. The cry of the clergy was, religion is com- ing to nothing! We shall all be turned out of busi- ness ! Their prophecies are in part true. Multitudes have been dismissed, and men more useful have taken their places and denominations. Their deadly wound has never been healed, and I think never will be. They have continued to make more ministers than are needed, which to this day remain in heaps. Paul said, "They shall heap to themselves teachers." Some are now Editors, some School Masters, some home Missionaries, some keep boarding houses, and some cultivate the earth. In Virginia, the English Episcopal Clergy were established by law. They generally had the glebe land of five or six hundred acres ; sixteen thousand 'weight of tobacco, twenty shillings for attending a wedding, and forty for a funeral. Happy times in- deed under monarchy ! When the State of Virginia repealed their monarchial religious law, the tobacco income ceased at once ; and belonged to the right owners. There was one remaining difficulty, after repeal- ing the tobacco laws. The clergy would not leave the parsonage houses. Riding one morning in com- pany with Col. Darn (a rich planter) from Fairfax county to Washington City, we passed three stacks of chimneys, without any house. Inquiring the cause, he said, "this is our glebe land, and when the clergy were dismissed under the new government, they would not leave the houses. One of them (said he) lived here. One night, some one set fire to the house, and then alarmed the clergyman and his family, who fled, and saved their lives by flight." I observed to 33 him that I had often heard of wolves being smoaked out of their dens, but never saw it done before. He stated that he lived a poor drunken wretch for some years, and at last died of cold and drunkenness. Old Virginia is now free from such clogs to national prosperity. From the day of our national independence till now, the " little group," of plump faces, smooth counte- nances, soft hands with rings on their fingers, have remained in a state of comfortable commotion. At the close of the war, they were left like unweaned children, without a mother, and only a dry nurse. They loved the milk of queens, and the nursing of kings. Their dry nurses are old prayer books, creeds, thirty-nine articles of the church of England ; the pomp and imitation parade of monarchies, lords, archbishops, and about all which comes from Eng- land, they admire, and on this side of the Atlantic, it is home made, course, fit only for the vulgar, the swinish multitude, the scum of the political pot, their own worst enemies, not fit to govern themselves. This " little group," seem to think they possess all the riches, talents, virtue and religion. They have fixed themselves out with a variety of names. Their first name given by the large compa- ny was tories. They called themselves Federalists, National Republicans, Whigs, &c. Without all these names, they are the same " little group," growing less and less. They talk of the honorable, the gen- tlemen of distinction, they speak of themselves as one class, and " the people" as another, so they remain. If a man happens to be in office contrary to their choice, he is a " kitchen president." "A Jackson man is not fit to place his huge paws on volumes of law, &,c." In consequence of the republican government of 34 this country, the great mass of the people have be- come acquainted with what is their right as to gov- ernment and religion. All excepting the leaders of the " little group," think it their right to believe and act for themselves; and this ends the strife; and here only does persecution cease. There is now only one thing more for the people to learn, and we should be the most happy nation on earth. That one thing is medvine ; or " what is best to cure a sick man." What was once called govern- ment and religion, remained in latin, and no com- mon man could read what it meant. Government is now a simple thing—keeping ourselves in harmony under rulers of our own choice. Religion now means our duty to God, ourselves, and each other. The book which contains this, is now in almost all lan- guages ; and almost every person can read now, and understand for himself. This is certain that the more knowledge people have of the scriptures, the more peaceable they are among themselves. Popular medicine is now wrapped in latin even among Americans. Why is this ? It is said that if people knew it, they would make a bad use of med- icine and kill themselves. This is not true ; if they knew what it is, they would not use it at all. Let an apothecary put on his drawers quicksilver, arsenic, or ratsbane, whoever saw this, would flee from it as a deadly poison. When the translation of the Bible into the English language or mother tongue, was first proposed, the clergy raised a great cry against it, as some doctors do about medicine. Some said it would ruin the na- tion, and that it would be the means of bringino- re- ligion to nothing. One clergyman said, if a common farmer should read this text—" No man putting his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the 35 kingdom ;" if when ploughing he should happen to look back, he might go distracted, fearing he should go to hell for such an act. Farmers have more sense. All the objections against an acquaintance with medicine are of no weight. The work is begun, it mu>t and will prevail. When a law was made to prevent any one from administriug medicine in Lon- don, and within six miles, unless a member of the " Medical Society" it was stated, that no one should be prevented, or hindered from administering, or tak- ing any kind of herb, roots, &c. This is all needful for the sick. SECTION X. That people generally ought to become acquainted with that medicine best for the sick and infirm, is evi- dent from the following considerations. 1 The example of the beasts and birds urge us to an acquaintance with medicine. Men in general think themselves much above the beasts and creeping things ; but some of them are ahead of man. When a sptdcr stints a toad, he knows what medicine to use as a cure. He bites the plantain leaf, and is cur- ed The cat u'hen sick eats catnip, and is cured of fits and other difficulties. The dog, when sick, eats a certain kind of grass, and soon is well. So with the horse, he knows what medicine will cure his d.s- ease * let him run free, and he will soon find it, and be well. Some say this is instinct, if this is instinct, and better than reason, let us either give up our rea- son for instinct, or. use our reason 1:1 going beyond instinct, and there be wiser than the beasts that perish, instead of falling below them. > Another reason why men generally ought to be- come acquainted with medicine, is, that the natives, the wild men of the woods are acquainted with it.— How manv people there are who, after trying ad the 36 Doctors, as they term it, have been cured entirely by some old Indian, or squaw ! They never think ofgiv- ing poison to the sick, to effect a cure. And who ever saw an Indian bleed or blister a sick man to re- move disease ! A man cannot have a high opinion of his knowledge of medicine.when the beasts, birds and wild men use none of them. 3. Another argument in favor of a knowledge of medicine is, that in ancient times, it was generally known. It is but a few years since the knowledge of medicine was confined to a few. Much of what is called medicine, was unknown to the ancients, either the physicians, or common people. Hypocratcs did not know Mercury as a medicine. He called it corro- sive. Celsus called it poison, so did Galen. How many men and women there were fifty years ago, who understood medicine, to what there are now. Since the introduction of mercury, antimony, and other mineral poisons, the knowledge of medicines, which grew out of the earth, has been in a great measure lost, until within a few years. That vegitable medi- cine were generally known, is plain from what David said,—" He gave grass for the cattle, and herbs for the service of man. Vegitable medicines are clearly described as in general use in the Book of Ecclesias- tecus, chap. 38, ver. 1 to the 15th " Honor a physi- cian with the honor due to him for the uses which ye may have of him ; for the Lord hath created him.— For of the Most High cometh hcjalipg, and he shall receive honor from the king. Th^skill of the phy- sician shall lift up his head ; and fffrthe sight of great men shall he be in admiration. The Lord has creat- ed medicines out of the earth ; and he that is wise will not abhor them. Was not the water made sweet with wood, that the virtue thereof might be made known ? And he hath given men skill, that he might be honored in his marvelous works. With such doth he heal men, and taketh away their pains. 37 Of such doth the apothecary make a confection ; and of his works there is no end ; from him is peace over all the earth. My son, in thy sickness be not negligent, but pray unto the Lord, and he will make thee whole. Leave off from sin, and order thy hands aright, and dense thy heart from all wickedness.— Give a sweet savor, and a memorial of fine flour ; and make a fat offering, as not being. Then give place unto the physician, for the Lord hath created him, let him not go from thee, for thou hast need of him.— There is a time when in their hands there is good suc- cess. For they shall also pray unto the Lord, that he would prosper that which they give for ease, and re- medy to prolong life. He that sinneth before his Ma- ker, let him fall into the hands of the physician."— These things are all plain, and need no comment. 4. Another reason. It is generally acknowledged that it is needful for the common people, at least, to be acquainted with what is best to be done in the com- mon business of life. We all allow that it is best that men should well understand the business they expect to follow for a livelihood through life. Women should be taught all things belonging to house keeping. Woe to the "man whose wife was brought up ignorant of what is to be done in a family. There is not so much skill required in preparing vegitable medicines as to do all in the various branches of cooking. What should we do if the knowledge of cooking food was confined to a few, and all others must depend on their preparation ? It would then be with food as it now is with medicines, we must take what they give, though it make us sick, or make vis die. 5. Another reason why medicines of a vegetable kind should be generally known is, that in all countries where the earth produces food and clothing, it produ- ces such medicines, in quantity and variety altogether suitable a nd sufficient to cure all diseases, if applied D 38 in season. This is a received opinion among our fel- low citizens at this time. It is astonishing to see the vast variety of medicines which is the growth of our own country ! For one difficulty there are many things ■lseful, some for one, some for another, according to the age or strength of the sick, according to the age, state or stage of disease, so that if one plant is too weak or strong, another is exactly suited to the case, and this is proved by the one which performs. 6. One argument in favor of vegitable medicine is, that so much is now written on the subject, and yet so little known. Hyppocrates appears among the first who wrote upon medicines; he lived twenty-one hundred years ago; or three hundred years before the birth of Christ. He was a real physician, and not barely a professional one. He said there was in every man a kind of im- moriallity, which he called nature. This he said was heat; he said it operated to throw off the bad and hold the good. This is the true principle in man. He said there is a medicine, or vegetable, which would clear the stomach of filth ; collect the same from all directions into the stomach, and then throw it off from the man and thus restore him to health. He does not tell us what that medicine is, but we have found the vegita- ble which does all this, and restores to health and strength This is one of the greatest discoveries ever known by man, as it respects disease and health Celsus wrote considerable on vegitable medicines anc\ Galen was a botanic physician. Some objected to his plan, as too bulky, and that he gave too much. To remedy this, they distilled the vegitables ; which «/T w I lV]rtUu 0iihem- Next they used miner- als, which brought all into a small compass, and so they go to this day. So I have read in some 'author Nicholas Culpepper, an Englishman, wrote much upon vegetables; he was born October 18, 1616 and 39 died January 19, 1654, aged 33 years and three months. According to these dates, his book was written about one hundred and eighty five years ago, or not far from that time. I have now one of his books printed about the year 1644, and another in 1191, much improved in language, and some enlarg- ed. Silsby printed an edition about the year 1796, with another volume of his own. In the first volume, Silsby has described towards five hundred plants and roots, and given the shapes of the medical plants, mentioned by Culpepper. This is a valuable work, and ought to be known. Besides these, we have ma- ny modern books on vegetable medicine, by American authors, which are calculated to do much good, if at- tended too. The following are among the many—Dr. Thatch- er's Dispensatory is one ; though manjfclriineral pois- ons are recommended, yet there are very many val- uable vegetables described. Dr. Evvel, has written a large volume on medicine, in which are many excel- lent vegetables described. Dr. Beach has written one large volume, nearly all upon vegetables, and their use as medicines. Dr. S. Thomson has written, or some one for him, a small volume on vegetable he thinks the best on earth. Dr. David Rogers, of New-York, has published a small volume on a variety of vegetables, with their uses, which is worth reading and attending too. Dr. Steward has published a small volume, in which are many good vegetables described. E. Smith, has pub- lished a volume, called the " American Physician," &c. and contains a description of vegetable medicine, manner of preparing and using them, in various dis- eases. He is calculating, soon to write a volume, much larger than the present one, and in it to de- scribe many more vegetables than the present volume contains, and to include between thirty and fifty com- 40 pounds, which have never yet been published, and which will contain some of the most useful prepara- tions ever yet made known to the world. This work will be afforded to subscribers for five dollars per volume, and put to press as soon as one thousand copies are subscribed for. From this view of the many who have written upon vegetable medicines, no one can be excused for re- maining ignorant of vegetable medicines, for want of various descriptions of them. 7. One reason more in favor of the knowledge of vegetables is, the great advantage derived from the knowledge and use of them. The compound vegetable medicines prepared and used by the author of this work, have exceeded all others in usefulness, on himself, his family, and in various parts of the United States, in Europe, Asia, and Africa. People from all these countries have been cured in Boston, and gone to their homes in health. Some one or more of the preparations mentioned in the latter part of this work, have been used with astonishing effect, when even the Thomsonian system has failed. The abundant proofs of the usefulness of vegetable preparations is the extent of country where vegetables are now used. The regular Doctors acknowledge that two mil- lions of people now use vegetables instead of minerals. Some of the regulars appear alarmed at its rapid spread, and some conclude vegetables are much better than mineral poison. The number is daily increasing who say, " we will not take poisons any longer." Having given a description of mineral and vegeta- ble poisons, which are given to the sick, under the name of medicines; and proved, that vegetables are the only real medicines for the sick ; the readers are here presented with a considerable number of com- 41 pounds, and simples; which are prepared by the author of this book, and which he and many others have used many years, and are now using, to the great benefit of those who take them according to the directions given. We shall begin with compounds and then add a list of common simple medicines, the produce of our own country. SECTION XL AT THE HEAD OF ALL OTHERS IS SMITIPs PANACEA, OR A GENERAL REMEDY FOR GENERAL DISEASE* The word Panacea means an Universal Medicine, or that which has a beneficial effect over various pafts of the body. This compound Medicine differs ma- terially from all others of this name ; being prepared without having either seen or tasted any other kinds of Panacea. This vegetable preparation is excellent in cases of Dispepsia, Liver Complaints, Colds,Coughs, Shortness of Breath, Pain in the Stomach, Bowelsand Sides, Ner- vous Complaints, Diarrhea, Cholera, St. Vitu's Dance, Fits, Cramp, Spasms, Convulsions, Cholic, Pain in the Back and Kidneys, Stranguary, Diabetus, Jaun- dice, Female Obstructions, and other difficulties peculiar to them. Also, to prevent puking or raising Blood, and for almost all internal complaints, to which men, women and children are subject. Directions.—It may be taken from a table spoonful to a whole wine glass, at any time where the state of the disease requires it. In some cases, it may be tak- en before breakfast and dinner. In cases of violent pain, or distress, it should be given often in small quantities until the cause is removed. Give children d2, 42 about half the quantity directed for an adult, in cases where people are but a little unwell, taking this medi- cine two or three times in a day, will prevent much sickness, pain, distress and expense.—Price $1,25 per bottle—62 cents half bottle—25 per cent discount to those who buy to sell again. SUPERIOR HEALTH RESTORATIVE This Health Restorative, is prepared from Vegeta- bles only, and is remarkably useful in cases of pain, and wind in the Stomach and Boivels ; Indigestion, or Dispepsia; Obstructions in the Liver and Kidneys; for Stranguary and Female Complaints in general ; and may be used with safety in all cases whatever. Directions.—Take from half to two thirds of a wine glass full before breakfast, and before dinner ; and at any other time when troubled with wind or pain, or any other difficulty caused by cold, obstructions, or costiveness.—Price $ 1 per bottle—50 cents half bot- tle—33 cents quarter bottle—25 per cent discount to those who buy to sell again. CHOLERA CORDIAL. This preparation, in several respects, is different from any thing ever prepared for the Cholera, or Cholrea Morbus; which has within a few years prov- ed fatal to millions in various parts of the earth. Dr. Buchan gives the following description of it. " The Cholera Morbus is a violent Purging and Vom- iting attended with gripes, sickness, and a constant desire to go to stool. There is hardly a disease that kills more quickly than this, where proper means are not used in due time for removing it. It is generally preceded by heart-burns, sour belchings and flatu- lence, with pain of the stomach and intestines. To hese succeed excessive vomiting, and purging of 43 c. Directions—To be taken from one tea-spoonfiilI,to a table spoonfull, several times in a day. Children, or grown people, troubled with any kind of Cough, should take it whenever the cough is severe, by day or niirht. Children shou d take about half the quan- tity given to an adult. 46 VEGE TABLE BlTTERS. Directions for Making and Using. Put what is contained in the paper, into an earthen mug or pitch- er, add one quart of boiling water, let it boil till the strength is out, then strain it out and let it stand un- til it is cool, then add a half pint of Gin. If the person is troubled with Costiveness, add the Gin, if relaxed, add Brandy, as above directed. Take one wine glass before breakfast, and one before din- ner, daily. The Bitters contained in the paper, with half a pint of Spirit, is sufficient for one quart. Theye Bitters are excellent for indigestion, loss of appethe, pain in the stomach and bowels, costiveness, and ull bilious complaints. DISPEPSIA BITTERS. These Bitters are remarkably good for Dispepsia, Indigestion, loss of Appetite, pain in the Stomach and Bowels, Faintness, and all kinds of Bilious Com- plaints. Directions for making and using the Bitters—Put what is contained in the paper into an earthen mug or pitcher ; add one quart of boiling water, and let it boil till the strength is out of the powder ; then strain off the liquor, let it stand until cool ; then having a- bout one and a half pint of the liquor, add to this half a pint of best Holland Gin, bottle it and shake the liquor and gin together, and it is fit for use.— Take from half to an whole wine glass full, before breakfast and before dinner, and at any other time when troubled with pain or uneasiness in the stomach or bowels. BOTANIC OINTMENT. This Ointment is excellent in the following com- plaints ; Bruges, Sprains, Gout, Rheumatism, Num- 4-; ness in the limbs, Stiffness in the neck, or Joints, Hip Complaint, Shrunk Cords, or Muscles, Chil- blains, Chopped Hands, distressing Corns, Salt Rheum, weakness and pain in the Back, or in any other part; Sores, Ringworms, Cuts, Bums, Weep- ing Sinnews, Erysipelus, Swellings on any part of the surface, Humors, of any kind, in the head, face, hands, arms, feet, and legs. This Ointment has been used in various parts of the United States, for more than ten years, and is known to be superior to all other Ointments prepared for outward application. There is no danger of in- juring the system by using it, as every part is from - vegetables, perfectly harmless in their nature. Directions— Bathe the parts affected night and morning, and oftener when the case requires it.— When the Ointment is not enough, bathe with the Bathing Drops prepared by E. Smith. Bathe first with the Bathing Drops, and immediately after with this Ointment ; keep the parts warm with flannel, or some other covering, till a cure is effected. OLIVE OINTMENT. This Ointment is an infallible remedy for the Salt Rheum, and other Erruptions of the Skin, of a simi- lar nature. „ Directions for using it—The parts where the diffi- culty is must be bathed with the Ointment, night and morning, and covered with gloves or flannel. After bathing once, if in the morning ; at night, before bathing again, what was put on in the morning, must be washed off with Holland Gin, and then bathed again, and so continue, until a cure is effected. N B After putting on the Ointment a few days, the parts will be more sore than before—by continu- ing the Ointment, the soreness will go off and the difficulty removed, which is commonly within one or two weeks. AMERICAN HYGEIAN COMPOUND. This Compound is a new and valuable medicine, for young and old, male and female. It is useful in cases of Cholera, Dysentery, Colds, Foul Stomach, Head-Ache, Jaundice, pain in the Stomach and Bowels, Loss of Appetite, Fever in the first stages, Cold Hands and Feet, Female Complaints, caused by Colds, and obstructions generally. Directions for using it.—For an Adult,put a heap- ing tea spoonful into a tea-cup, add as much sugar, then pour the cup half full of boiling water, stir it to- gether, when cool, drink it every night in bed. In violent cases, take the same quantity morning, noon and night. For Children—Give half the quantity, as for an adult. For very young Children—Strain off the li- quor, and let them drink it without the powder.— Should this cause some vomiting, it will be more useful. If given in the first of any common disease, a few doses, two or three times in a day, will com- monly cure ; especially when the " American Bo- tanic Pills," are taken with the compound, according to the directions on the paper which goes with the Pills. VEGETABLE POWDERS. These Powders are a very valuable composition for young and old, male or female. They are use- ful and safe for violent Colds, Fevers, Foul Stomach, Head-Ache, Jaundice, Pain in the Stomach and Bowels, Dysentary, Cholic, Loss of Appetite, Cold Hands and Feet, Palpitation of the Heart, Rheuma- tism, Female Complaints caused by Colds, and all kinds of Humours. Directions for using the above Powders—For an adult, put an heaping tea-spoonful into a tea-cup, and 49 add as much sugar—then pour the cup half full of boiling water, stir it together, and when cool enough, add one tea spoonful of Vegetable Elixir, if you bave it, if not, take it without. For Children—half or two thirds the above quantity. Take it in bed at night, and also in the morning in violent cases. If taken in the day time, sit by the fire with a coat or blanket over you, until the warmth which the medi- cine causes, has abated. Sometimes when the Stomach is very foul, the Pow- ders will cause the person to puke, if so, they are the more beneficial. Q5^If given in the first stages of disease, a few doses seldom fail of effecting a cure. AMERICAN BOTANIC PILLS. These Pills are excellent, for Costiveness, Pain and Dizziness in the Head, Indigestion, cold and foul Stomach, and Female Complaints generally. They cause an easy and beneficial operation, with- in twelve to twenty-four hours, and are safe for young or old, male or female, in all cases where medicine is needful. The public may rest assured that they contain nei- ther Mercury, Arsenic, Opium, nor any other vege- table or mineral Poison. Directions—Take from two to four, every other nicrht or morning. If this number does not operate sufficiently, increase the numher to five, six or seven Sold in whole boxes at 50 cents, half 2o cents. A generous discount made to those who buy to sell again. Orders punctually attended to, and medicine sent according to direction. COMPOUND SALVE. This Salve is prepared from vegetables only and is designed to cure old and cankered Sores. It op- E 1 50 ens the pores, causes a discharge of dead matter, and prepares the flesh for healing itself. It may be bath- ed on by the fire, or spread on a clean cotton or linen cloth, and used till the sore is healed. CO UGH P O WDERS. This powder is designed for the cure of any kind of Cough, caused by cold, directly or indirectly. If the throat is sore, if there is a difficulty in swallowing food or drink ; or if there is hoarseness, or if the person is troubled with the Croup, Whooping Cough, Asthma, or a dry hard Cough, this will generally give relief in a few days. Directions—Take an heaping tea spoonful of the Powder in a tea cup, add one table spoonful of mo- lasses to it. Stir it altogether, as you would sulpher and molasses. For a grown person, take from two to four tea spoonful at one time ; particularly when in bed at night. It is best to take it whenever a per- son has an hard time of coughing. Mix the same quantity for children, as for adults, give them only half as much at once. Should this powder cause vomiting, it will give the more relief, or do more good. This Powder as given above directed, has saved many sick children from death. CANCER PLASTER. This is an innocent, and powerful preparation in- nocent on the person who makes use of it, and pow- erful against the disease it is prepared to cure It must be spread on a piece of soft glove leather,' and put on the cancer or sore. The sore eats the plaster, and not the plaster the sore. Whenever the plaster is off the leather more must be put on, until the sore is well. The plaster will not have any effect on well flesh, but onlv can cers and sores. J 51 ^ This is good for all kinds of old Sores, Ulcers, Chilblains, and any thing of the kind, and is always safe. PECTORAL EMULSION. The design of this preparation is to relieve a cough which other cough preparations will not cure. It serves to moisten and oil the throat; to pass through the stomach and bowels ; warming and softening ev- ery part on its way. It is perfectly safe for young or old, male or female. A grown person should take from half to an whole wine glass full once or twice a day ; Children about half the quantity. CEPHALIC SNUFF. Cephalic Snuff, means snuff for the head ; calcu- lated to releave the head from pain, cold, dizziness, Catarrh, and too much water in the brain. There are three things peculiar to it—First it penetrates—Sec- ond, phyics or loosens the cold—Third, it calms the various parts of the head. Using it several times in a day, has a good effect in removing the above men- tioned difficulties. This has often been tried and proved. EYE WATER. This is wholly a vegetable preparation, not only safe, but useful. It is designed to remove canker from the edge of the eye lids ; which it will general- ly do, by applying it with the end of the finger sever- al times in a day. When the eye ball is red and inflamed ; letting it go into the eye, it will remove the infiamation gene- rally. If the ball of the eye is cold, and in pain, bathing the upper eye lid, will commonly take away the pain. k2 52 If there is danger of a Cataract or pheglm coming on the sight of the eye, there is no better preparation than this eye water to prevent such difficulties. If the preparation as it is fixed for use, is too strong, for young or old, it may be weakened by adding a little rose water, or soft spring water. ITCH OINTMENT. The Itch is an unpopular disease of the skin, and uncomfortable as it is unpopular. No one is so much to be blamed for having it; as for concealing or ly- ing about it. Several remedies have been prepared ; The worst of all is that of fire and brimstone ; a ter- rible and much dreaded remedy ; now gone out of use. There is a preparation made of quicksilver and lard, which is a dangerous compound and ought nev- er to be used. The ointment recommended here, is wholly vege- table, and a sure cure. It must always be shaken up before it is applied. It must be put on where the disease appears, night and morning, until a cure is obtained, which is generally not far from a week. There is no need of changing the clothes; as the ointment purifies the clothes, while curing the dis- order. While applying this to the surface, the "Vegeta- ble compound"—and "Pills"—must be taken; the powders every night, and the pills every other night. See " American Physician." Page 104. TINCTURE OF LOBELIA. This is a weak preparation of the " emetic herb" designed for the relief of children, from their birth to two or three years old ; and for people troubled with shortness of breath ; Phthisic or Asthma. It is a sure relief when timely and rightly applied. It 53 is excellent for children in cases where they have what mothers call " a stuffed cold"—for hoarseness, swelling of the glands of the throat, whooping Cough ; or any other kind of Cough ; for Measles, Chicken pox, sore throat, cold and foul stomach, Directions—For very young children, it must be given from one to two tea spoonfulls in about one table spoonfull of Pennyroyal tea, sweetened, and blood warm. Take about one third of it. Wait irom ten to twelve minutes; and give one third more. In twelve minutes more, give the remainder. After that, give Pennyroyal tea freely, till it has done operating. In some cases it will relieve with- out vomiting; no bad consequences will follow. Children" from three to six years old, should take from three tea spoonfulls to a table spoonfull—the same as the small quantity is given, to young clul- When given to grown people, for Asthma, or Phthisic, from half to an whole wine glass should be given in Pennyroyal tea—afterwards, once in halt an hour,-a tea spoonfull of Hyge.an powders should be .riven, two or three times, to makeAhe operation useful -this course in children, should be repeated every day, or every second or third day, until a cure fs performed. Grown people should take it every other, or every third day, until a cure is performed. LIQUID EMETIC. This is a very strong preparation from the emetic seed, or seed of the Lobelia, and designed for adults onW being too strong for children, generally. It U chefly designed to be used in cases of fits, cramps, 'collisions* spasms, lockjaw f^J^J^ lent pain in the stomach or bowels,-and to remo<.e poison when taken by accident or design. 54 I have used it in all the above cases, and it has never once failed to relieve. It is always safe when given as is directed. Directions—In common cases of cramp, and any of the above difficulties, give from one table spoon- ful! to a common wine glass, clear. If one dose does not relieve in fifteen or twenty minutes, give another, and if needful give a third between twenty and thirty minutes. After giving all the liquid emetic needful, give one, two, or three doses of Hygeian compound, of an heaping tea spoonfull each, in half a tea cup of Pennyroyal tea. VEGETABLE LIN A MEN T. This Linament is designed wholly for an outward application. It is good for stiff joints, callouses, corns. In rheumatic cases, it often gives great re- lief by bathing the parts afflicted night and morn- ing. CATHARTIC DROPS. This liquid is designed to regulate the stomach and bowels, particularly the bowels. In general, where people are very costive, the stomach is out of order, as well as the bowels. This medicine will re- lieve both,—by using it, as it is designed to be used. Directions.—For young children, give one or two tea spoonfulls of it, night and morning in one table spoonfull of thoroughwort, or pennyroyal tea. If two tea spoonsfull does not remove the difficulty, take one or two tea spoonfulls more until the costiveness is removed. For a grown person, take at night from one table spoonfull, to two thirds of a wine glass full, in thor- roughwert tea, or pennyroyal tea. 55 NERVE DROPS. This is a preparation designed to calm the whole, or any part of the system, and to restore the natural tone of the body. Multitudes complain of being nervous; they mean easily agitated. They are either troubled with trembling, starting, dreaming of frightful objects, or imagining they see them when their eyes are closed, or something of the kind. Some lie awake many hours before they can sleep at all. Others sleep well a few hours, and remain •awake till morning. Some, to produce sleep, take opium, laudinum, paragoric, fyc. They sleep by taking these things, but such sleep is not natural nor refreshing; it only stupifies, and leaves the person worse in the end. These drops cause no such ef- fects. They calm in reality, causing a rest which is natural. Directions—For young children, give one or two tea spoonfulls, in a table spoonfull of Pennyroyal tea, several times in a day, as their situation may require. Grown people should take one table spoonfull with the vegetable powders, or Hygeian compound every night in bed, or as much in warm Pennyroyal or Motherwort tea, until they a.e relieved of what is called nervous complaints. It is always a safe and excellent remedy ; and wholly supercedes the use of opium or any other poisonous preparation. POULTICES. There are many cases, where my poultices are very useful. In various kinds of swellings caused by colds, sores, boils, bruises, canker, or humours, also for sprains, swellings caused by rheumatism, ague sores, salt Rheum, St. Anthony's fire, gout, old cankered sores, burns, chilblains, and where much dead flesh needs taking off. 5(5 There is one thing peculiar to these poultices; put them on cola, and they will seem to grow v/arm, because they raise the heat,—open the pores, and cause the dead matter to discharge,—to prepare the sore to be healed. These different poultices are so prepared, that they take out the canker or proud flesh, disperse the cold, or cause the sore to break,— and discharge the corrupted matter freely, and ease the pain which is peculiar to such sores. Directions—In common sores, the part must first be bathed with botanic ointment, then the poultice put over the whole. When the poultice becomes dry and hard, it must be taken off, the sore washed in soap suds ; bathed again with ointment, and an- other poultice put on ;—and so continue till the canker is out, and the swelling gone. After this, put on ointment or salve, till the part is well. SWEATING POWDERS. These powders are designed to give quick relief in cases of violent cold, oppression on the stomach, accompanied with a general langor, a sense of weari- ness, and symptoms of a fever. Taken according to the directions, they frequently give relief in one or two days. "These produce an appetite for food, because they promote digestion,—they promote di- gestion, by exciting an healthy action of the stom- ach ; they remove morbid obstructions, and give tone and vigor to the whole system. Every Botanic Phy- sician, should know how, and when to use them." Directions—Take, in common cases, an heaping tea spoonfull, add a tea cup half full of hot water, and one tea spoonfull of sugar. Take it two or three times in a day ; morning, noon and night. In cases, when there are symptoms of a fever, take the above quantity, once in three or four hours, for twen- o* ty four hours. This course will generally restore the tone of the system, give ease, and comfort. EMETICS. Much is said of Emetics, at this time ; some say one thing, some another; and the people are confus- ed. Some doctors condemn all emetics ; some give emetics, as the only cure in all cases. These are extremes to be avoided. In some ca- ses, it is best to vomit, in others it is not best. There are cases, when the stomach cannot be cleared with- out puking ; at such a time, it is best to give an emetic There are many cases, where obstructions in various parts of the body, can only be removed in this way. The emetics generally given by those called " reg- ular doctors," I consider useless, or injurious gener- ally. The tartar emetic is poisonous, so is the antimonial, and every mineral emetic. Indian root, or Ipecacuanha, is perhaps the least injurious of any of the Doctor's emetics ; but this is an hard one, and not always useful to the sick. There have been cases where people have taken some of these kinds, and died in the operation. If emetics are useful, there is a kind, which can be given, not only with safety, but beneficially. That emetics are useful, and natural, is plain from animals, who vomit, and are relieved from sickness. Young children throw up milk, and take more, without be- ing sick, and such are often the most healthy chil- dren. Those doctors called " Thomsonians," give emetics in almost all cases of sickness ; considering it a general remedy ; but this does not always cure. There is another class of Doctors, who do not give any kind of emetics; but they are much limited in their practice. II their common preparations do not 58 cure, they give up the patient as incurable ; and oth- ers afterwards, by emetics, and other applications, have restored the same persons to health. There are many cases, where the right kind of emetics will cure, when all other applications have failed. 1st. When the stomach is very cold and foul, and the bowels are much disordered. Giving the right kind of emetic, in such a case, will restore the tone of the stomach, and bowels, and regulate the whole system. 2d. In cases of Dropsy in the head, or a general dropsy through the body and limbs ; the emetic I use, will not only clear the stomach, but will raise the heat through every part; and drive off the water, and reduce the person to a natural size; this has been done many times, as many can testify. 3d. In cases of Phthisic and asthma, my emetic will cure in all curable cases. This emetic raises the internal heat high enough, to restore the tone of the abdominal muscles, so that breathing becomes easy and natural. People can be produced who have in this way been cured. 4th. In cases of dispepsia, and liver complaint, this emetic is sure to cure, if applied in season. More people have applied to me with these difficul- ties, in eighteen years, than in any other, and have almost universally been cured. 5th. Where people have consumptive complaints, if attended to in season, this kind of emetic, and other things connected with it, are sure to restore to health, as many can testify. 6th. In cases of violent rheumatism,—rheumatic fever, and gout; this kind of emetic will as certain- ly remove rheumatism, as warm weather will take all tiie frost out of the ground. 59 7 th. The Palsy, and Epilepsy have been cured by this kind of emetic. This has been done many times. These are only a few of the many cases, where my emetic has cured and will, if timely ap- plied. There are four preparations of emetics which are used in my practice. 1st. One is for general use, for all classes, except- ing young children. This is varied according to the strength or weakness of the patient; and according to the age, and strength, or weakness of the disease"! This is always safe in all cases, if rightly applied, There is no curable case, where it is not safe and useful, if given understanding^; this is good in all the above mentioned cases. 2d. One kind is prepared to give immediate re- lief, in cases of fits, cramps, spasms, lockjaws, to remove poison, swallowed by accident or design. 3d. Another kind is prepared for young children, who are troubled with fits, croup, cramp, asthma or phthisic, cold and foul stomach, measles, whoopino- cough, and all other internal difficulties peculiar to young children. It is so prepared, that mothers may give it to their children without having a physician to administer it, excepting in extreme cases. 4th. There is one kind called emetic powders, designed, to be given in cases of violent colds, pains and distress in the stomach and bowels, sickness in the stomach and head-ach. Giving this according to the directions, will not only give immediate relief, but often prevent a fever, and a long confinement by sickness. One thing ought to be remembered by all who read this book. In every sick person, there is some- thing which makes him sick. This must be remov- ed, before he can be well. These emetics, will GO remove the cause of sickness. When that is remov- ed, the man is well. It appears to me the commou doctors do not know this. They try to cure, without removing the cause. This looks to me like making a garment clean, without removing the filth. STEAMING. This course of operation on a sick man, has many advocates, and opposers. I once considered it need- ful for the sick, being told that it was useful, though the propriety of it was not always manifest. About fourteen years ago, I gave it up as either hurtful, or needless. My reasons for giving up the practice, are the following : 1st. Those who were steamed often lost more heat than they gained. The patient, is steamed after taking the emetic ; and is often in a state of free perspiration. Taking him out of bed in this state and placing him over a steam, or in a steam box' he must loose some heat, and some in getting him back to the bed again ; after washing him with cold water, or pouring a pailful on his head. 2d To raise the heat so high upon the surface must drive the cold into the man, instead of driving it out as the emetic is calculated to do. Many under the operation of steaming have fainted, because the cold was driven back into the stomach and bowels Some have died in the operation of the steam The argument is that a perspiration must be produced. lhis is not always needful, no more than it is need- tul or a man always to perspire, because he is at work. " • 3d' PeoPle have applied to me for help, after tak- ing 1 nomsonian emetics, and steaming because all this had not removed the disease. One man told me he had taken ten emetics, with steaming, and 01 was not cured of his difficulty. Three of my emet- ics, without steaming, or washing with cold water, entirely relieved him. 4th. Another reason against steaming is, that it is sometimes dangerous. We know there have been instances, where people have died in the steam box. The heat was doubtless raised too high. I have seen people steamed so high, that it was difficult to revive them again. 5th. My last reason against steaming is, that it is unnecessary. In attending people about fourteen years, I have cured them sooner, and with more ease to them and myself, than by steaming. One Thomsonian at the west, thinks he has found an ointment, which is superior to steaming. By raising the heat inside gradually, electrifying, and applying Botanic ointment, the sick are cured with less trouble and expense, than by the old way of steaming and pouring cold water. These remarks are not made from any unfriendly feelings towards the Thomsonians ; but to shew why my practice excludes steaming ; as many now think steaming is in my system of medicum ; though it is not. I consider the " old practice" of minerals, one extreme; and the steaming another. One is too cold, the other too hot. A medicum between these extremes, is to me the most rational. Too much heat raised by cayenne is painful,—^too much cold water on the surface, after steaming, I consider dangerous. Those in favor of steaming, have the same right to use it, that I have to omit it. EMETIC POWDERS. Something of this kind has been wanted for many years, which is now placed before the public, for gen- F 1 (52 eral use. There are many cases where a gentle emet ic taken in season, would save much sickness, trou ble and expense. In cases of violent cold, symptoms of fever ; in distressing head ache ; pain in the stom- ach, caused by unwholesome food, or by food not well digested; cholic, wind, or pain in the bowels; a small emetic would relieve immediately, so that the person might soon be able to attend business as usual. In such cases, this Emetic Powder may be used with safety and success, by attending to the following Directions.— 1. It must always be taken in bed. 2. Put an heaping tea spoonfull of this powder in half a tea cup of warm pennyroyal tea and drink it sweet- ened. 3. In, from fifteen to twenty minutes, give as much more, (the same as the first) if the first or sec- ond dose causes vomiting, stop at the second, and af- terwards give pennyroyal tea freely. If neither op- erate to vomit, give a third dose, in twenty minutes, and no more at that time. Give pennyroyal tea free- ly, after the third dose. If all this does not relieve, give one or two doses of vegetable powders according to the directions on the paper which contain them. In one or two days after taking this powder, ac- cording to the directions, another may be given, and so continue, till relief is obtained. In common cases one course will be sufficient to relieve. WARMING POWDERS. This Powder is an excellent medicine for warming the throat, stomach, and bowels, as it operates gradually through the whole system, without violence on any part. When any one has taken cold, this powder in pennyroyal tea, or a tea made of yarrow, thorough- wort, catnip, or motherwort, is excellent to remove soreness from the throat, and in the limbs, and to make the perspiration natural. 03 From one to two tea spoonsfull in from half to one pint of the above tea i* sufficient for once. It should be taken several times a day, or night. It is a simple vegetable and may be used with perfect safety, given to young or old. SIMPLE MEDICINES. Emetic Herb—At the head of every vegetable medicine on earth, stands the emetic herb; called by some, " Indian tobacco," " Lobelia infala" and which I call, " The plant of Renown." Much has been said of this plant in thirty years past; and much is known of it in various parts of "the United States." It is now, not far from twenty years, since my first acquaintance with it as a medicine ; and have administered it to others nineteen years. Administer- ing it constantly so many years, and taking it my- self, has made me thoroughly acquainted with it; and am certain, that this, with other vegetables which I have used with it, compose the best emetic which can possibly be administered to the sick, young or old, male and female. I have administered it to very young children, and to people of all ages, up to 82 years. I have given it to people of different na- tions, tongues, and languages; and have found it always impartial. In my book,—(" The American Physician")—this plant is extensively described, with the manner of preparing and using it. This short description of it, must suffice here. PENNYROYAL. This is an excellent herb, and ought to be gener- ally known, and much used, as it contains many valuable properties. Dioscorides, an ancient wri- ter says of it; " Pennyroyal is good to make thin and loosen tough phlegm, to takeaway coldness from any 64 part of the body, and to digest raw or corrupted matter in the stomach. Made into a strong tea, it removes female obstructions, and afterbirths, is good to remove sickness from the stomach, and to prevent vomiting. Taken in honey, it is good to clear the lungs, and bowels of cold. Applied to the nostrils with vinegar, it revives such as are subject to faint- ing. The green herb, bruised and put in vinegar, U good to cleanse foul sores, and to take away marks and bruises about the eyes, and redness of the face, when kept too^long near the fire. Pliny says, it is good to help faintings, to ease pain in the head, breast, and bowels, and to prevent gnawing in the stomach. TH OR O UGH WOR T. This is an excellent herb, far more valuable than is generally known. The flowers and leaves are the most valuable part of the plant. The following des- cription of it is worthy of notice. " This plant is very nausiously bitter to the taste.— By different preparations and management, it may be made to produce a variety of effects. A strong tea prepared by long steeping, or by boiling, and taken freely while warm, may, according to the quantity, be made either to produce perspiration, and assist in raising pheglm from the lungs, or to purge or vomit, taken cold, and in more moderate quantities it gives strength. In one or the other of these methods, it may be useful in common colds, influenza, malig- nant pleurasy, low fevers, agues, indigestion, and weakness in general, being managed as above direct- ed, according to the effect desired. A tea made of the leaves and flowers of this herb, is excellent for children in cases of croup, asthma, fever, foul stom- ach, indigestion, cholic, costiveness, and pain in the bowels, 4*c" 65 POPLAR BARK. There are threejcinds of Poplar. The lombardy, the black and the" white. The white poplar, with smooth bark, is the kind meant here for medicine. There is perhaps no one thing better in common cases to help the digestion, than this bark. It is good in all consumptive cases, and in what is called the jaundice. A man may drink about half a tumbler full, two or three times in a day. A strong tea made of poplar bark and thotough- wort, each equal parts, is good for cases of dispepsia, what is called liver complaints and costiveness, and to help the appetite. It takes away faintness, and restores the tone ot the stomach. Try it. BITTER ROOT. The root is the part for medicine. It is an excel lent medicine in cases of costiveness, as it does not relax, but moves the bowels naturally, without pain, and a return of costiveness. A teaspoonful of this nowder given in warm water every night, or in the vegetable or hygenian powder will help the stomach and bowels in a short time. LIST OF MEDICINES, Kept for Sate by JE. Smith, Bitter Sweet, Bitter Root, Burdock Root, Burdock Seed, Ash, Prickly, Agrimony, Alder Bark, Archangel, or Bugle, Ash, White, Balm, Baberry Bark, Bitter Herb, Black Cherry Bark, Birch Bark, Blood Root, Beth Root, Balsam of Fir, Butternut, Extract, Birch, White, Comfrey, Catmint, or Catnip, Cayenne, American, Cayenne, West India, Cayenne, African, Camomile, Cranesbill Root, Castor Oil, Clover, Extract, Dock Root, Dandalion, Herb, Dandalion, Extract, Elecampane, Evan Root, Elm Bark, Elder Flowers, Gold Thread, Golden Seal, Gum Myrrh, Ginger, Hops, Hemlock Bark, Hourhound, Lobelia, Liquorice, Maidenhair, Marjarum, Sweet, Mandrake Root, Mullen Leaves, Motherwort, Mayweed, 66 Marshmallows. Olive Oil, Pennyroyal, Poplar Bark, Plantain, Peppermint, Pondlilly Root, Rheubarb, Raspberry, Extract, Raspberry Leaves, Solomon Seal, Sumac Bark, Spikenard, Sweet Flag, Spearmint, Skunk Cabbage, Sumac Berries,- Sarsaparilla, Saffron, Sage, Sassafras Bark, Snakehead, Thoroughwort, Tanzy, Unicorn Root, Valerian, Vervain, Wintergreen, Wormwood, Whortleberry, Bears, White Pine Bark, White Oak Bark, Yarrow. G, WORM POWDERS. These Powders are good for old or young, when troubled with worms in the stomach or bowels. Directions.—Put two heaping tea spoonsful in a cup, add one or two table spoonsful of molases—stir it all together, take—from one to three or four tea spoonsfull two, three or four times in a day. For a grown person, take double the quantity as for a child. From DrJ. Thatcher's (M.D.) Dispensatory, p. 374. "It was the observation of Professor Cullen, one of the most celebrated writers on the Materia Alediea, that any age has produced. That the writing on that subject are, for the most part, a complication of mis- takes and falsehoods. And he adds, that these er- rors arise from the obstinacy of old professors, and their blind attachment to theory, as well as the vari- ety of young physicians, being the authors of obser- vations that are hastily made and dressed in the clos- et ; and besides many of the operations of nature have been falsely imputed to the effects of medicine, pretendedly founded on experience. So distant are they from a true and faithful delineation of nature— Allied to the evils are the numerous frauds and so- phistications of chemistry and pharmacy, and the reprehensible practice of administering nostrums or secret remedies, and other popular impositions, the fertile and disgraceful sources of empiricism. A knowledge of the medicinal possessed by the indi- genous vegetables, of which our own soil is so abunt- ly productive, should be deemed an acquisition of primary importance. However disparaging to medi- cal erudition, it is but justice to confess, that we are indebted to the bold enterprise of illiterate pretend- 63 ers for the discovery of some of our most active rem- edies." Note.—Every person of discernment, who reads the above, may see Cult ens opinion of the writings of the mineral doc- tors. He says the most part of their writings, are, " a com- pilation of mistakes and falsehoods." He says this of other writers before him, and may we not say the same of those who have followed them 1 Dr. Thatcher says, that their most active remedies and discoveries are made by illiterate pretend- ers," as he unjustly calls them. This is a curiosity in- deed ! The learned are ignorant, and the ignorant know the most as to useful medicines. The candid confession of Dr Richard Reece, of Lon- don, member of the Royal College of Surgeons, Sfc. " The charter of the « Royal College of Physicians' is found to contain a singular licence, which is, per- mission to any one and every one to practice the healing art by the use of herbs only. Now we really do consider this as ample permission as any man would require, for poor must be the resources of that physician's mind, and very narrow his knowledge of medical botany, who could not from the vegetable kingdom alone cure most of the diseases of the hu- man frame: even the specific of mercury, if we were driven to the necessity of a substitute, might proba- bly be rivalled in some of these productions of na- ture. We know not whether we have most reason to hail this mercury as a blessing, or regard it as a curse, since the diseases it entails are as numerous as those which it cures. Our best informed dentists declare that they can clearly witness the progress of the use of mercury, in the increasing diseases and decay of the teeth. There are serious objections also to other articles of the metallic world : antimony, iron, arsenic, are dangerous remedies in the hands of the ignorant, and mankind, perhaps, in the aggregate, would be benefitted by their expulsion from medical practice." 69 CALOMEL. Physicians of the highest rank, (To pay their fees we need a bank J Combine all wisdom, art and skill, Science and sense, in Calomel. Howe'er their patients may complain, Of head, or heart, or nerve, or vein, Of fever high, or parch, or swell, The remedy is Calomel. When Mr. A. or B. is sick— " Go fetch the doctor, and be quick"— The doctor comes, with much good will, But ne'er forgets his Calomel. He takes his patient by the hand, And compliments him as a friend ; He sits a while his pulse to feel, And then takes out his Calomel. He then turns to the patient's wife, " Have you clean paper, spoon, and knife ? " 1 think your husband might do well " To take a dose of Calomel.!' He then deals out the precious grains— " This, Ma'am, I'm sure will ease his pains; " Once in three hours, at sound of bell, " Give him a dose of Calomel." Fie leaves his patient in her care, And bids good-bye with graceful air;— In hopes bad humors to expel, She freely gives the Calomel. The man grows worse, quite fast indeed— '• Go call for counsel—ride with speed"— The counsel comes, like post with mail, Doubling the dose of Calomel. The man in death begins to groan— The fatal job for him is done ; His soul is wing d for heaven or hell— A sacrifice to Calomel. Physicians of my former choice, Receive my counsel and advice ; Be not offended though I tell The dire effects of Calomel. And when I must resign my breath, Pray let me die a natural death, And bid you all a long farewell, Without one dose of Calomel. 70 Dr. E. SMITH'S HOSPITAL AND BOARDING HOUSE, No. 54, High Street, Boston, Mass. This large and convenient house is pleasantly sit- uated in High Street, No. 54, between Federal and Atkinson Streets, nearly in the centre of the city, and of easy access, from all parts of the city. The subscriber has taken much pains to make it conve- nient and comfortable for such as come from various parts of the city and country, to obtain relief from disease or difficulties in the limbs. The following are among the many advantages of this Hospital, to encourage the sick and lame, to re- Bort to it for relief. j 1. It is pleasantly situated in a healthy spot, with only one house near it. The air of course is free and pure. 2. There is but little noise in the street to disturb the sick, or alarm the distressed. 8. The house is nearly one hundred feet long, and the rooms are large, light and warm in winter, and pleasant in summer. 4. The house is well furnished with good beds, and other things needful for the sick. 5. In the Dining Hall, which is large and pleas- ant, there is a sweet toned organ, and one well skilled to play on it, which is calculated to cheer and revive the spirits, of such as come to take medicines. In the parlour, near where the sick are attended, is one of the first rate Piano Fortes, which is for the use of the sick when they wish it. Besides these, there are oth- er smaller musical instruments. 6. Besides two experienced physicians, there are male and female attendants to wait on the sick, as their situation may require. 7. Suitable carriages are kept for the convenience of the sick; to convey them from any part of the 71 city to the Hospital, or from it, to any part of the city, or the country around Boston. . 8. In connexion with the Hospital, is an Apothe- cary's Shop, containing all the simple and compound Medicines mentioned in this book, in large or small quantities, as they are needed ; and not one poison- ous article among the whole. 9. The " American Phtfmcian and Family Assist- ant," written by the author of this, is kept constant- ly for sale. In this is contained.a description of va- rious Vegetable Medicines, suitable for the sick; the manner of pr«P*ing and using them, with a descrip- tion of disease, and manner of cure.—If all this is not endngh—" Come and see." The following are the conditions on which the sick and lame are received. I. Nothing of a poisonous nature shall be given on any occasion whatever, such as quicksilver, arsenic, antimony, nitre, opium, laudinum, nor any other vegetable or mineral poisons. m For one course of medicine, two dollars and fiftf rents (N. B.-—Those who are poor, will have an a%tement from the common prices.) 3 Far boarding men, from three to four dollars per we™. Women from two to three dollars per week. 4 All str^ers, who come to stay some time, mui pay from five to ten dollars in advance. N. B. Five per cent discount on all money paid in advance. Advice free. . . 5 Money due for board must be paid every week, unless an agreement is made to the contrary. > People who come to be attended once and stay one or two-nights, must pay from three to three dol- lnrs fifty cents. , , , • j 7 All boarders must be in by ten o'clock, and no gambling, nor profane language allowed, nor exces- sive drinking. 72 CONTENTS. Address to Citizens, 4 No. of Deaths in Boston in 1820, 4 Increase of Vegetable Medicines, 4 Conduct of Apothecaries and Doctors, 5 People obey the Doctors, 6 ThegLatin Wrapper Description of Mercury and Qii&cks Hfjfocrates and others disown V* ercury First use of Mercury for Medi- cine, • » Dr. Thatcher's Description of Mercury, Arsenic—a violent Poison, Its Destructive Effects, Use of it in Sickness, Antimony—means kill the Monk,11 Dr. Thatcher's Account of it, II Nitre, or Salt Petre, ' ,lS Opium, a Poison, 13< Its Dreadful Effects, 13 Mercury variously prepared 14 /Ethiop's Mineral—Blue Pills, 15 Fifty Mineral and Vegetable Poisdnous Preparations 15 Mineral" Poisons unalterable 16 Quantity of Minerals in various Poisonous Preparations 17 Woe to them that call Evil good, and good Evil, 18 Monarchy—Religion—Medicine, 19 Nebuchadnezzar's Kingdom 30 Monarchial Worship—the Idol, Kingly Religion—Instruments of Death to support it, Monarchial Doctors and Medi- cines American Government, superi- or to all others on earth Reformation as to Medicine, must begin with the People, not with Doctors, Present State of the Nations described by two companies, The two companies addressing each other, The Small Group attempting to govern the large Company, 28 The large company refuse to obey, 29 The Freedom of the large Com- pany, 30 21 24 27 The United States represented, f Quacken and 30 Sufferings of Baptists under Monarchial Religion 31 Medicine as well as law, arid Religion ought to be in our own Language, 34 ropriety of using Vegetables instead of Poisons to the sick 35 Ancient Physicians used Veget- able Medicines * 36 Hypocrates Testimony, 38 Celsus and Culpepper's Testi- mony, * 38 American Affefaprs in favor of Vegetable!,^ 39 Panacea, its use, 41. Health Resistive, Cholera Cor- dial^,- J&L *.. 42 Vegetable •iHr; 43 Golden Cordial, Peach Cordial, Wine Bitters, «. ■ 44 CathtHicon, and Cough Dropi, 45 Vegetable Bitten, Dispepsia Bit- ters, 46 Botanic Ointment, 46 Olive Ointment, .47 Hygenian Compound, Vegetable Powders, 4n American Botanis Pills, ConfF poundSalve, f 49 Cough Ptwders, Cancer Plaster, 50 Pectoral Emulsion, Ceriklic Snuff, Eye Water, 51 M 51 Itch Ointment, TincturPLobelia, 52 Liquid Emetic, 53 Vegetable Lina«ent, Cathartic Drops, 54 Nerve Drops, Poultices, 55 Sweating Powders, 56 Emetics, 57 Steaming, 60 Emetic Powders, 61 Warming Powders, 62 Emetic Herb, Pennyroyal, 63 Thoroughwort, 64 Poplar B»k, Bitter Root, 65 List of Adlcines, 65 Worm Powders, 67 Dr. Thatcher's Testimony, 67 Confession of Dr. Reece, 68 Hymn on Calomel, 69 Hospitai in High St., Boston. 70 Volume 1.—No. 1.