DR. JAMES H. MILLER'S " THOMPSONALGIA" EEPORT, TO THE -.^ TRUSTEES OF THE BALTIMORE COUNTY ALMS HOUSE WITH COMMENTS^-'r/f^'v. PRECEDED BT ''c'f'iS -' , f A PEW INTRODUCTORY REMARKS RELATING TO THE SAME. BY THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE Of the Thomsonian Friendly Botanic StKety of Maryland. • A few remarks are necessary to introduce the reader to the subject embraced in the succeeding pages.—They have a bearing principally to certain matters de- signed to ascertain if practicable, the truth of Dr. Miller's official statement ma, hgaing the Thomsonians of this city, and those friendly tp the botanic prac- tice. r From the Dr.'s boasted high standing; the "sphere in which he moves'* in "soctfty, far elevated above the influence of vulgar infatuation, both by intel- ligence and moral worth"—[if the Dr. has forgotten, the public have it still in remembrance that, but a short period since, when he boldly played the demagogue. his associates were not exactly of the class he at present enumerates,]—it was deemed expedient and proper . not to permit the Dr.'s hostility against the Thomsonian system, t6 go before the community without at least endeavour-, log to ascertain Irow far it comported with strict truth, and to enter into its de-, fence with a zeal commensurate with the malignitv of the attack. Hence the following card was published in the Republican of the 15th inst. and the Chroni- cle of the following day :— . DR. MILLER'S "THOMPSONALGIA." g> Dr. Jas. H. Miller, Physician to the Alms House of Baltimore County having"made an official report to the Trustees, in which he, Ishmael-hke, raises his hands against all our medical institutions which were incapable of apprecia- ting his superior merit and great medical genius; and having indulged in a ma- lignant attack on the Thomsonians, the latter respectfully solicit a suspension of public opinion in relation to certain allegations, until the appropriate constitu- tional organs of the " Thomsonian Friendly Botanic Society of Maryland" may have it in their power to investigate their truth.and report thereon. In the meantime they tender Dr. Milter their grateful acknowledgments, for the opportunity thus afforded of awakening pubjic enquiry into the merits of the poisonous mineral and blood-letting practice of "humanity's commons" and the Botanic practice, and pledge themselves, to notice his publication in due form, «little delay as practicable. * rs are respectfully requested to give the preceding a place in their re- papers, accompanied by the famous " Thompsonalgw* report of Dr. Mil- ler." Diligent enquiry was forthwith instituted by the » Committee of Inspection " whose duty it is to, enquire into all cases of death or of mal-practice, if reports * 2 of su^h be circulated, and make them known to the " Committee of Correspond- ence;" but no information could be had respecting the case; nor could the name of the " reckless administerer" of " steam and peppered spirits" be ascertained ; hence no other alternative was left us, but a direct application to Dr. Miller, to furnish it together with his place of residence. With this view the following Id- ler was addressed and personally delivered to him at his office, on the evening of the same day in which it was written: Baltimore, January 16, 1836. Sir:—After so minute a detail as you have been able to furnish the board of Trustees of the Baltimore County Alms House, of the '■'•pepper, steamed and No. 6." case, treated by you in May, 1835, and which terminated fatally, it is scarcely to be presumed that you did not make yourself acquainted with the name of the " reckless and daring" pperator. It is probable there may be unauthorised or incompetent persons among the Thomsonian right holders, who sometimes act as physicians; and no doubt others may have assumed the practice from either good motives, or with a view to private emolument, as you concede that it is a "popular impiricism," (although in your estimation, the " cobbling of old shoes,"" would be a more profitable em- ployment,) hence if such be the case, we are constrained to acknowledge there may be quacks among the Tnomsonians, as well as among the diplomatized regular physicians. It is, however, our honest and sincere desire to caution and guard the public against such characters; and with this view we respectfully so- licit the name (and place of residence, if known to you,) of the individual above alluded to. As early an answer as may be convenient without encroaching upon the time necessarily devoted to your professional duties, will be duly appreciated, and may be left at the residence of any of the undersigned, or lodged in the post of- fice under cover, directed to either. With due respect, your ob't servants, PHILIP RE1GART. ^ L. FRAILEY, I n ... cn MICHAEL LAMB, Committee of Correspon- ROBERT NEILSON, \ dence. Thorn Friendly JAS. SEARLY, | Botanic Society of Ma- WM. J. ALCOCK, ry an THOMAS MORGAN, ._ Dr. J. H. Miller. Up to the 30th inst. no reply was received to our communication. Having waited 14 days, we came to the conclusion that, for reasons best known to that high dignitary, the pauper physician and professor, Jas. H. Miller, we were not deserving of his notice. Consequently we have been impelled to give amore ex- tensive circulation to his report than was perhaps designed; and thus essentially aid him in spreading his fame beyond the limits of the poor-house farm and the learned faculty, accompanied by such comments as the nature of the case seemed to justify. We publish it the more readily, from a desire of letting the people know, what the most malignant of our enemies ind persecutors have to say against us, that by our conduct and by our acts, more especially, they may be enabled correctly to judge and testify in our favour and place the seal of rep- robation upon the assertions of interested calumniators. Why this murderous affair has been concealed from public knowledge, from the first day of May, 1835, to the 6th of January, 1836, is inexplicable. Perj__Ts the well known thrift and economy of the people from the "land of steady h_l have taught the Dr. a lesson. If he had published it at a certain date iefl pJPJ perhaps have cost him a trifle, and hence he preferred chronicling his meolcal dignity and fame to the world, by taxing the very individuals whom he vituper- ates, with a portion of the expense. This bantling of the Dr. partakes of the na- 3 ture of the institution in which it was born. Having been cast upon the public as a pauper we have volunteered our feeble aid in commending it to the charity of the public. Like all great men the Dr. appears to be seeking for posthumous fame, as well as for present honors and emoluments. So far as Thomsonians are concerned, it will be accorded to him.—In recording all the various incidents of Gen. Jack- son's chequered and eventful life, and transmitting them to posterity, it will be utterly impossible to omit the circumstance of the attempt to assassinate him, whilst retiring from the capitol; and that will necessarily render immortal the name of Richard Lawrence. And Dr. Samuel Thomson's name will descend to posterity encircled with a bright halo of glory among the proudest and noblest of reformers in the healing art; and with it will descend the names of Drs. French and Miller, in a blaze not transcended in brilliance since the period which immortalized Eratostralus the Ephesian ; all will, in the language of Pope, be * " Damned to everlasting fame." THE COMMITTEE. Baltimore, January, 1836. REPORT OF ATTENDING PHYSICIAN. Baltimore Alms House, May 1st, 1835. To the Trustees of the Baltimore Mms House. Gentlemen :—On reviewing the transactions of the medical department of this institution during the past year, many events and circumstances of a peculiar character obtrude them- selves upon our recollection, some of which, it may not be improper to place under your con- sideration. 2. The number of admitted and domestic cases of disease has outgone that of any preceding equal portion of time, and although the bill of mortality is greater than the last, yet in its ratio it will bear comparison with any previous year. In such establishments the mortality must always be great, much greater than in private practice, because, such are the resorts of worn out lives, they are humanity's commons, where the usless and incurable are " turned out to die ;" and they are also known as the portals of oblivion, into whicli are thrown many of the victims of mal-practice. Such, however are the common and inevitable reasons why alms house practice is shaded with darker results; yet there are, perhaps, some others which have been peculiar to the last year and to this place. It is a disgraceful fact, that, some of the older nations of the world oppressed by pauperism, are endeavoring to transfer a portion of their burdens upon this young and abundant country ; and we fear our geographical position and readiness of access are ob- noxious to an over'proportion of expatriated paupers. Greater facilities than usual have been afforded to the transfer of hopeless cases from our own hospital s and infirmaries, or patients who have exhausted both their funds and the skill of their physc ians, and in this forlorn pre- dicament are sent here to obtain quiet graves [The Dr. speaks of "humanity's commons,"as a place where the "useless and incurable are turned out to die." The figure is not only a new one to us, but is, upon the whole, extremely felicitous and worthy of the lofty genius of Dr. Miller, who is likely to immortalise himself, for his discovery of a new disease as well as the remedy, by which 9 out of 11 have been wrested by his skill from a wretched death by "steam and peppered spirits." This "humanity's com- mons," however, irresistably reminds us of the "commons" where four legged brutes, after a long series of ill treatment by their biped masters, are "turned out to die," and in our juvenile years was termed "horse heaven."—The Dr. will par- _^M^he term. Kappears that "great facilities have been afforded to the transfer of hopeless "GkWs from our hospitals and infirmaries, of patients, who have exhausted both "theirfunds and the skill of their physicians, and in this forlorn predicament are "sent to the Alms House (under the charge of Dr. Miller)lo obtain quiet graveju "In this establishment are also thrown many of the victims of mal-practice!" / 4 Here then,we have the astounding fact acknowledged by a member of the regu- lar faculty, that a cold and selfish heartlessness predominates in our public insti- tutions, upon which the people's money has been lavishly squandered—that the patients are leeched of their blood and their money—and when the latter is exhausted, they are sent to "humanity's commons;" that is, '"turned out to die" like brutes. Is nothing done for them after the "portals of oblivion" are open for them ? This is shockingly revolting to humanity and appears almost incredible. If however, Dr. Miller speaks the plain unvarnished truth, why does he not also fearlessly expose to public reprobation, the aiders and abettors of such cruelty and flagrant injustice ? Why is it that the Dr. passes over such reprehensible conduct on the part of the conductors of our public institutions, without exhibit* ing t,he indignation and warmth of feeling manifested against the Thomsonians. The latter he acknowledges may be "misguided ;" but such a term is in no case, they will say, applicable to "regular physicians"—men of scientific attainments. There must then be either quackery or incompetence among a portion of the regulars, or there could be no mal-practice. It is not our province to decide whether Dr. Miller, in this instance speaks the truth, or "bears false witness" against his brethren; but we are fully justified in remarking that, if the coiner of a counterfeit term against the friends of the Botanic system, has. spoken the truth, it is passing strange how kindly and gently he has dealt with his regular associates, after charging them indirectly with dishonorable conduct. In fact it does appear a3 if jealousy and ambition, justified the college dignitary in exposing the bad work of some of his colleagues, by way of accumulating fu- ture grist for his own mill—whilst all unite in the cry of heresy against those who cannot exhibit the sheep-skin. In the mean time the credulous are duped and quacked of their money and their health. And this state of things will continue so long as the people are too indolent to inquire and judge for themselves.] 3. Many other causes might be advanced, as tributary to the amount and severity of the Cases we have treated; such as the hitherto unexperienced inclemency of the seasons ; the re- moteness of the public works from which a large portion of our inmates are sent, rendering the cases chronic by the delays necessarily attendant upon distance ; for the most of* these remain under such poor accommodations as their situation afford, until their condition becomes desper- ate, and they are hurried off with scarce a hope of reaching their destination alive. [The Dr. speaks of "chronic cases" caused by "delays necessarily attendant upon distance." Let the faculty abandon the exhibition of their bone rotting calomel and the murderous use of the lancet, and we shall seldom if ever have our ears assailed with the term "chronic."] 4. But the most prolific source is the too prevalent vulgar practice of over stimulation, by the steam and scalding portions of a now popular impyricism. The bare mention of this latter cause may to some seem invidious, but I trust I shall be shielded from all such imputations by you, and those who know me, and are acquainted with the sphere of private practice in which I move ; a society far elevated above the influence of vulgar infatuation, both by intelligence and moral worth; yet in addressing you, the guardians of the class which requires protection from the arts of designing or misguided imposters, acting upon their native or acquired imbecility, I feel officially bound to render the outlines of the reasoning and facts upon which my declaration is founded. [The most prolific source, saj s Dr. Miller, as tributary to the amount and severi- ty of the cases we have treated is the vulgar practice of "over stimulation, by the steam and scalding portion" of the Thomsonians—yet this most prolific source has furnished according to his own tabular statement, but 11 cases out 2,571 treated at the Alms House, which are alphabetically arrayed in all the gorgeous splendour of the learned technical jargon of the faculty. But we deny the correct- ness of Dr. Miller's judgment for reasons to be found more at large in our ments on paragraph 6. Whatever skill and judgment may have been impi' Dr. Miller, we fearlessly declare that any physician who is incapable of u guisbing a case of well defined small pox from a common eruption, and thus jeopardises the lives of the inmates of the establishment over which he presides by exposing them to the consequences of so foul and loathsome a disease' ur cmn- crUPn- 5 may coin base and malignant terras against his adversaries, but cannot be relied on when he decides that certain forms of disease are owing to Botanic medicines, without a knowledge that they were administered, and that none of the poison- ous drugs of the faculty had been taken by the patients. There is no small quan- tum of bombast and bloated egotism displayed in the preceding paragraph. The Dr. has left the goddess of his fame in a neighboring state, and appears to be de- termined henceforth to become his own trumpeter ; and his direful anathema against the Thomsonians, is a mere salvo, apparently designed to conceal his own ignorance or mal-practice. Dr. Miller appears not to be aware that maugre the attempted ridicule of such men as himself, "steam quackery" has found favour both in England and France. In London it has elicited the approbation of the Lord Mayor, and in Paris the pat- ronage of Magendie, who is the acknowledged head of the French faculty ; but he may, in the estimation of the learned Dr. Miller, be a mere charlatan in medi- cine. Query—Does not Dr. M. possess and use a steamer, constructed upon Thomsonian principles ? We answer, aye !—But recollect, rejoin his friends, he is a skilful engineer. 5. The cases enumerated in the accompanying tabular view under the head of Thompso- nalgia, (pardon the new coined term,) are such only, as were traceable to the effects of this system of mal-practice, upon the most trivial indisposition; those that have been injured or ren- dered incurable by the same means, were they segregated, would constitute a most appalling amount, but they are diffused through the table and not particularly marked. [You observe that "the cases enumerated by you under the head of Thomson- algia, are such only as were traceable to the effects of this system of mal-practice Upon the most trivial indisposition, and that those who have been injured or ren- dered incurable by the same means, would constitute a most appalling amount." It appears from your own statement that the mortality at the Alms House has been rather on the increase since you assumed the direction of the medical de- partment of that institution ; and you make an attempt to account for this increase by implicating the Thomsonians, and casting odium upon them. Now as the past year has been particularly remarkable for the healthiness of our citizens, and we Thomsonians know at the same time that the city of Baltimore never con- tained more right-holders, nor a greater number of others who avail themselves of the benefits of the Botanic practice ; yet, notwithstanding this, the Alms House, (to which Thomsonians have no access in a medical capacity,) presents an increase of mortality ; whilst the city, to which they have free access, (except to receive pay for services rendered,) presents such gratifying, cheering, and hap- py results,—Results which we attribute in a great measure, and which from uni- versally admitted facts like these, we have a right to attribute to the diffusion of a knowledge of Dr. Samuel Thomson's invaluable system of medicine. Let then every friend of humanity and of science (as defined in our Lexicons) cast off his prejudices, and candidly and thoroughly examine the merits of this sys- tem of medical practice, based as it is on principles congenial to our nature ; and if convinced of its superiority, cordially unite with us in our philanthropic efforts to extend its blessings to all our fellow creatures. We find by official returns from the health office, that there were 2,747 deaths in the city in 1834, and 2,050 in 1835; shewing a decrease of 697 in one year. During the same period there were by official returns from the Alms House i!,57l patients admitted, and 244 deaths, and in the preceding year 1,960 admitted, and 205 deaths. The patients admitted in the two years, differing a little in number, in order to «in a correct and impartial view of the subject, we must so adjust this matter shew how many in proportion would have died, if the number of patients ed had been equal. Agreeably to this calculation, there would have been in the returns for 1834, 268 deaths. Now, as the number of deaths in the city in 1834, 2,747, is to the number in 1835, 2,050, so is the number of deaths that would have happened in the Alms House in 1834, 268 to the number that should 6 have occurred in 1835. This number will be found on calculation to be 200 ex- actly ; so that if the decrease in the Alms House had been in the same proportion as in the city, there ought to have been 44 less than the official returns exhibit!!! This, however, is placing the subject in as favorable a light for the Alms House as could be desired even by the doctor himself; because we must bear in mind that the population of the city has increased, and therefore the chances of an in- creased number of patients have been greater, and they probably were greater; but the Thomsonians interposed their powerful medical aid, and were thus instrumental in preventing an increase of mortality. If we disregard this difference in the number of patients admitted, and consid- er the increased population in the Alms House to be in the same ratio as in the city, then there ought to have been only 153 deaths, thus making a difference of 91. The Alms House patients being of the same class of people, as they always have been, possessing a considerable advantage over a similar class in the city in regard to food,cloathing and cleanliness, we might fairly anticipate a pro- portionate decrease in the mortality of that institution ; and we firmly and consci- entiously believe that there would have been, if the Thomsonians had only the same chance afforded them there, as they had in the city. Our worthy mayor observes that, "much of the general freedom from disease, is to be attributed, no doubt, to the sanitory ordinances of the council, faithfully executed, as they have been, by the commissioners of health." One of the most important of these ordinances relates to cleanliness. If this, then, be considered as having such a powerful influence in contributing to gene- ral health, the Alms House, which is the very essence of cleanliness, would cer- tainly entitle its inmates to anticipate some advantages on that account; but, un- fortunately, official returns have disappointed their just expectation. • We have not yet done with mathematical demonstration. We are particular- ly desirous on all suitable occasions of appealing to figures and official returns. From these returns it appears that there were, as before stated, 1960 patients ad- mitted in the Hospital from May 1st, 1833 to May 1st, 1834; and in the same time the total number of paupers admitted in the Alms House, including all those that were in at the commencement of the term, was 1343 ; making the number of patients 617 more than the whole number of paupers: so that many of them must have been cured more than once! How unfortunate it is that they wont remain cured for so short a period. But the discrepancy is still greater in the succeeding year, as appears from the official returns. There were 2571 patients admitted in the Hospital, whilst the whole number of paupers received in the same time, including all those that were in, at the commencement of the term, amounted only to 1601, making a differ- ence of 970 : which is nearly twice as many patients as paupers!—Heavens pro- tect us, what an exhibition ! The Alms House paupers, during the last year, have been nearly twice through the Mineral Mill! What an industrious, scientific Miller they have got at the head of that establishment!!! We will now ask the Doctor a few plain questions. Will he please to inform our illiterate, unscientific fraternity, what course of treatment it was that render- ed the case of Ptyalism, reported by him, incurable ? Were they Botanic or min- eral medicines, or steam ? What is it that has injured, and rendered incurable thousands that have been consigned to a premature grave, by that fatal disease well known by the faculty, termed mercurial? Was it the Botanic and sweating process, peppered spirits or No. 6 ? What is it that has injured and renderedin- curable, and I may add in many instances (where the constitution was nearl^^R- son proof,) miserable for years, that distressing and fatal complaint, entirerJPm- known where the Thomsonian practice was first resorted to, but very commonly found where the poisonous drugs of the faculty have been administered, and commonly designated by the name of a complication of disorders; but what we 7 would call (if permitted to coin a new term,) Mineral-a/gia So long as the degen- erate sons of Esculapius, continue to worship at the shrine of their god Mercu- ry, so long as they employ this fatal messenger of disease and death, will this de- structive complaint continue its pestilential ravages in the human family. We do not know whether he still continues his avocation of conducting the souls of the dead to the infernal regions; but we do know that he prematurely conducts millions of the tortured bodies of poor deluded mortals to their quiet graves! " There is another trait in the character of this heathen deity, that we perceive he still maintains to this day. He robbed Neptune of his trident, Venus of her girdle, Mars of his sword, Jupiter of his sceptre, and Vulcan of many of his me- chanical instruments; and he still continues his thievish propensity by robbing his ignorant and credulous devotees of their health? The merchants of Rome yearly celebrated a festival in honour of Mercury, in a temple near the Circus Maximus. Here they entreated him to forgive whate- ver artful measures, false oaths, or falsehoods they had used or uttered in the pur- suit of gain. Do the mineral merchants annually assemble together to confess their mani- fold medical sins, and implore the assistance of Mercury to aid them in their widely destructive practice; and entreat him to forgive whatever artful measures they had undertaken, or falsehoods they had used or uttered in the pursuit of gain, or in the slander and persecution of Thomsonians ? Do they stand in need of music to calm their troubled consciences ? their favorite deity can accom- modate them. It is said he invented the Lyre, with its seven strings! Nero fiddled, whilst Rome was in flames!!! Although it may not suit the views of many members of the faculty to state candidly what kind of medicines they really do believe injure and render incu* rable, yet we find some who have honesty and independence enough to admit that the various preparations of Mercury, Antimony, Arsenic and Prussic Acid, &c. do produce these results, are traceable to the effects of this system of mal- practice upon the most trivial indisposition ; and that the ignorant, credulous, and confiding victims of learned quackery do constitute a most appalling amount, but they are diffused through the community, and are therefore not particularly marked, being sublimated into immortality. The world, it is true, has been long duped by medical pretenders and impos- tors, and among the many schemes of medical abuse which have disgraced the annals of humanity, we have never been presented with any more fatal in itself, or more widely destructive in its tendancies, than the present bleeding, blistering, mineral and vegetable poison practice of the law protected faculty. This scheme, from its truly imposing exterior, and pompous parade of technicalities, is partic- ularly adapted to impose upon the imbecile and uninformed—they look up with wonder and astonishment when they hear the learned doctor descanting on their diseases, in a mysterious, unintelligible jargon; and whilst he proffers to cure them, gratifies their strongest propensities, by frequently recommending brandy and other impure stimulants! It will be perceived on a reference to Dr. Miller's famous " Thompsonalgia" keport, that the above are his own words, with some slight alterations, calculated to place the subject in its true light. What the doctor has asserted without proving, and applied to the Thomsoni- ans, is in our opinion, which we will endeavor to establish by proof, applicable to the regular faculty. *^Rfcer since the time of Paracelsus, who introduced the mineral quackery, (as it vSfe then termed) the world has been duped by medical impostors, and deeply has the whole family of man suffered by the imposition. By his succes- sors the country has been flooded with a tide of human gore, sufficient, if collect- ed in one grand reservoir, to float the whole phlebotomising fraternity. To prove what we have before asserted respecting the fatality and destructive 8 tendency of the regular practice, we will offer a few remarks in relation" to one of the minerals in their long catalogue of remedies, some of the preparations of which are very frequently prescribed by the faculty; and indeed, from its pecu- liar properties, it would appear to us to answer as a general remedy to be ad- ministered by them on all occasions. The mineral alluded to is Antimony, which "destroys and dissipates alf metals fused with it, except gold." If such be the effect on metals in a state of fusion, when applied to them, what may we expect to result on their introduction into the human stomach ? May we not anticipate a corresponding destruction of that delicate organ, and indeed of the whole internal viscera, as long as there are heat and matter to act upon ? Strange that any mortal should have conceived the idea of administering in any form a metal so formidable, so powerfully corrosive. What daring, reckless, audacious quack, tried the first experiment? for.a first experiment there must have been ! This certainly was then deemed a dangerous impiricism ; quackery, rank quack- ery, by those who were aware of its destructive properties. When did it cease to be esteemed as such by the legitimate sons of Esculapius ? Not until they became possessed of the faculty of administering it in various forms, and in,such portions as not always to kill immediately, but so as to enable their patients, with the powerful aid afforded them by nature, partially to recover, and thus give them an opportunity of future practice, by a repetition of similar remedies, until they have gradually introduced them to their "quiet graves!" "Antimony, (says Boyle) alone or in company with one or two associates, is sufficient to furnish an Apothecary's shop, answering the physicians desire whe- ther he wants cathartics, emetics, diuretics, sudorifics, &c." With an article like this, possessing such various and important properties, we might fairly conclude that the faculty could very well afford to abridge considerably their long cata- logue of remedies. For if they sincerely believe that Antimony is not injurious to the human system, but that it always acts in harmony with the living principle, and merely serves to cleanse the bowels, stomach, kidneys and pores, why not adopt this mineral, in it's various preparations, exclusively to subserve these im- portant purposes? But this would tend to render their system too simple; some of the ignoramuses might adopt it, and then alas! there would be an end of the craft and the profit, altogether. Thomsonians have in their materia medica, medicines which they know from practical experience, are congeneal to our nature, and harmonise with the prin- ciples of life, that will answer all the above mentioned purposes; and which they freely and fearlessly use on all. occasions, when they deem it proper to pro- duce a cathartic, emetic, diuretic or sudorific effect. Believing that we have as much right to coin new terms as Dr. Miller, we take the liberty of adding another word to our vocabulary, and, though it should not be quite as classical as that of our scientific opponents, yet we think that our lan- guage now requires such an addition to it, as it designates a disease of modern date, and one too that is peculiar to the regular faculty. The word alluded to, is Thomsonphohia. This virulent disease attacks the faculty at various intervals, and is characterized by the following symptoms :—» Restlesness, loss of patients, great irritation of ihepericranium, when they invol- untarily ejaculate, Lobelia! Pepper!! Steam!!! It is attended with a high fever, and delirium, the pulse being hard, hurried and spiteful! the patients rav- ing and cursing the Thomsonians! It always terminates in a falling off of gig wheels, great elongation of the phiz, and a vacuum in the purse. Many glaring falsehoods have been privately circulated and published from time to time in various public journals, particularly in Philadelphia, detailiniLex- aggerated statements of par-boiling with steam and crisping the stomach ana in- testines of patients by the Thomsonian stimulants; which, by the bye, are daily more and more used by the faculty themselves. These have been flatly nailed to the counter as base coin, and of course their circulation was promptly stopped. 9 We confess, however, that of all the knights of the laucet and calomel, no one has yet appeared upon the stage of action so worthy of the distinguished appellation of Dr. Munchausen or Dr7 Longbow, as Dr. Miller, from the pretended facts he attempts to impose upon public credulity, in the preceding- and following para- graphs.—They will be more fully commented on in noticing what immediately succeeds. 6. In illustration of these positions many cases might be recited; however, as most of them are familiar to you, 1 shall tax your attention with only one. A young, athletie, and generally healthy journeyman mechanic, from the land of steady habits, on Saturday evening, after quit- ting work, mentioned his intention of taking a dose of salts'to obviate a slight inconvenience he experienced, but his employer being one of the Thompsonian enthusiasts, who are deter- mined to let slip no opportunity of practice, insisted that in lieu of the salts, he must take a course of their treatment, to this he objected; but at last being made to understand most une- quivocally, that he must either submit or lose employment, he most reluctantly yielded con- sent, under the belief that it would be unwise to lose his place for the difference between two doses of medicine , accordingly he swallowed their No. 6, after a very restless night, he was really unwell, hot stuffs were repeated until his mouth and throat became so parched he could swallow no more ; he was then subjected to the steam-bath, until he became so emaciated and debilitated, that fearing his immediate dissolution he was informed that all his pecuniary re- sources were exhausted, and he must be sent to the Alms House. On admittance here, he was excessively attenuated; the lips, mouth and fauces, were inflated to a red flannel aspect, and he complained that every breath he drew, felt as if he were inhaling flames; his pulse was small and frequent; his tongue was small, painted and blood-red; and the glands of his mouth, jaws and neck were tumid ; his stomach could receive or retain nothing; he had a colloqua- tive diarrhoea, and complained of the most agonizing pains throughout the whole frame, and es- pecially along the alimentary canal. Every thing we could devise for his relief was unavail- ing, he rapidly sunk, and as long as he was able to articulate, cursed the Thorapsoniars and their practice. [Here then we have the bare,though unqualified assertion of Dr. Miller,that the exhibition of certain medicines, particularly No. 6, (terrible No. six I) produced certain symptoms and dire effects upon a poor sufferer placed under his care,which, although he had cured nine cases out of elepen, of the mortal distemper, created by taking a few innocent botanic remedies—baffled all his learning and skill.— Did Dr. M. see them administered ? We presume not, or his spirit of philan- thropy would have induced him to prevent them from boing taken; or, failing in that, he would, at least, have raised a timely hue and cry of ''murder," and had the reckless offender indicted! Whence then did Dr. M. derive his information ? From the sufferer, of course; for he has not had the manly courage to inform us who his en >loyer was, that a full enquiry might have been instituted.—Did Dr. M. inform himself what remedies had been previously taken ?—He has not in- formed us what he administered with a view of relieving him; but acknowledges that"every thing we could devise for his relief was unavailing." We have, as will be manifest in our comments, especial reasons for wishing to be informed on these points. There is every probability, however, that copious bleeding was re- sorted to, to strengthen the system and enable it to bear ample doses of the heroic medicines, such as calomel, &c. These, however, are life destroying agents— agents warring with the living powers, as well as conflicting with the medicines of the Thomsonian system of practice. There is no principle in physical science more firmly established than the sim- ple fact, that the remedial agents used by the Thomsonians, are perfectly harm- leas, and may, under all circumstances, in sickness or in health, be used without any apprehension of dangerous consequences—that they war only with disease, or the poisons given by the faculty to cure disease: and we boldly and fearlessly give it as our decided opinion, founded upon the universal result of the Thom- sonian practice, and the experience of all its practitioners and fiends, as well as its venerable founder, whose experience extends to a period exceeding the age of most of his scientific calumniators, that no such consequences as those describ- ed by Dr. Miller ever have occurred, or possibly cmx occur, \\\ha a primary exhi- bition of their remedies. If the Paracelsian quack u.udicines, havo been taken either before or after, there tnu.M; needs be a conflict in the system, the safeiijiin^ 10 agementof which cannot be confided to those who only deal in medicines, such as never fail in sickening, if not jeopardising the healths and lives of the most robust, who have the temerity to use them. None of us feel disposed to boastof the "sphere" in which we "move;" nor of the "intelligence or moral worth of the society" we keep, and we congratulate Dr. Miller that he pronounces himself "elevated above the influence of vulgar infatuation"—this is at least a desirable reform. The friends of the botanic system, it is true, cannot exhibit their sheep-skin, from a medical college, which is not unfrequently bestowed upon talentless individuals, to get rid of importu- nity—and is, at least, in this state, a badge of being paupers upon legisla- tive bounty. Perhaps, however, upon an average, our general characters are as clear from imputation of moral or legal crime, as Dr. Miller's, or any of the craft. Be that as it. may, we are willing also to test our skill in medicine upon such terms as the chivalry of a true knight of the lancet cannot honorably decline. We will first, however, permit the Dr. to select any one of our number, to whom any or all the usual Thomsonian medicines, in teaspoonful doses shall be admin- istered in thejeourse of 12 hours—sick or well—and of the terrible No. 6—ten doses, such as are usually given, shall be administered—including forty minutes steaming, at a temperature of 180° Fahrenheit, (with a "cobbler" for an "engi- neer,") and a dashing of ice water;—if he will only permit us, in return to give him single grain doses of five articles we shall designate, used as medicines by the regular faqulty, some of which are never dispensed with on any occasion.— This is certainly fair,—but if the Dr. declines taking his own heroic medicine— as is generally the case with the faculty—we will deal generously by letting him off; the paupers would certainly lose his services as the physician of "human- ity's commons"—and comply with our stipulation to the very letter. Besides, we propose to the trustees of the Alms House, who, according to Dr. Miller, are familiar with his fads, tkat an equal number of patients, under cir- cumstances as nearly alike as practicable, shall be entrusted especially to the care of Dr. Miller (with all the aid he may derive from the students in that institu- tion, and two consulting physicians, of his own selection into the bargin, (inhib- iting, however, the use of lobelia and Dr. M's steaming apparatus,) and to two Thomsonian mechanics (say shoemakers, potters, last makers, or carpenters,) to test the boasted science and skill of the regular faculty. A deposite of $100 shall be made on each side, in the hands of our venerable and patriotic mayor, to be awarded to the party, who shall effect the most cures in the shortest period of time. We offer this proposition in sincerity and ask its acceptance, S3 as to ena- ble us to make the necessary preliminary arrangements.—We are aware of the le- gal protection afforded to the faculty, for if they Art// it is according to law, and they cannot be punished ; but if any of our patients should die,—and innocent medicines cannot kill—it would be contrary to law, and our necks would be in jeopardy—but we cast the glove and dare the boasting coiner of base and malig- nant terms—the vaunting curer of sham disease, to take it up. Let not this proposition be sneered at—let it not be termed boasting ; because we are ready and willing to stand the test. We know by direful experience, as well as by the public acknowledgments of many of its former devoted friends, that the regular practice of medicine, although of forty centuries standing, is still in its infancy—in its very swaddling clothes, and there will remain so long as its practitioners continue the use of the lancet and administer poison as remedial agents to cure disease:—that it is uncertain in its results and has been pronounc- ed, by eminent medical men, who have practiced it for 30 years, and have been honest, and not ashamed to acknowledge and speak the truth, a mere system of guessing—that the late celebrated Dr. Rush of Philadelphia compared it to a "temple, uncovered at the top and cracked at the foundation," and frankly ac- knowledged before his class that "dissections daily convince us of our ignorance uof the seats of disease, and cause us to blush at our presumption.— What mis- 11 uchiefhave tee not done (he adds) under the belief of FALSE FACTS and FALSE "THEORIES ? We have assisted in MULTIPLYING diseases;-we have done "more—we have INCREASED their MORTALITY !"—Here is the honest con- fession of Dr. Rush; and what a commentary does it furnish upon the science of medicine. Yet Dr. Miller hopes that all his facts will be received as true by a discerning public; when it is notorious that he was incapable, as already said, of distinguishing a well defined case of SMALL POX from a COMMON ERUP- TION ! Let not the trustees startle at this fact—he will not dare publicly deny it, although he has not reported any cases of "smallpox," as having been treat- ed in the Alms House; but concealed them from "vulgar" gaze under the tech- nical jargon "Variola." We must however, act somewhat charitably, and not condemn every one who has learned what he sincerely believes to be an honest trade, and has no other available means left him to earn so easy a subsistence as the practice of medi- cine affords, besides the wealth and honors that await him. It is a fact—let who will deny it—that multitudes have gained celebrity, and accumulated a large amount of this world's goods, by practising what they knew to be impositions upon the credulity of the " infatuated vulgar," (above whose influence Dr. Mil- ler boasts he is far elevated) in pseudo religion, in politics, in medicine, &c. Where effrontery, backed by talents, predominated, and a competence, or an in- dependence, had not been acquired before the imposture was detected, the scene of action only has been changed, because the mode was easy and required no hard labor; and false pride, and a disinclination to toil, encumbered with po- verty or a destitution of enlarged means to cut a figure, forbade them being honest! They practised upon the maxim of one of the ancient fathers—" Vult vulgus decipi; decipiatur," which the Dr. would anglicise, "the 'infatuated vulgar' are fond of being deceived; let them be deceived." Dr. Miller attempts to be exceedingly severe on what he terms "impiricism" and imposture; and yet we venture to affirm that he has frequently, like many of the faculty, practised imposition upon some of his fat patients, (which are only found in a high "sphere of private practice,") afflicted with the hypo, and im- portunate for relief, by giving bread pills, rather than lose a good customer. Whether be ever recommended the prescriptions of Drs. Jamieson &. Ewell,both regular practitioners and professors of equal if not superior rank with himself, we are not able to determine ; we have appended them merely to let the people judge whether or not there is any real quackery among the regulars. In a conversation, (by one of the committee) with a gentleman of the "regu- lar faculty," he remarked " that he had frequently witnessed such appearances as described by Dr. Miller." No doubt of it. Such appearances must necessa- rily exist where violent and corroding poisons are given to cure disease. Let it also be remembered that all the medicines given by the regulars, possessing powerful qualities, are RANK POISONS, and that some of these agents of the craft, particularly Calomel, have lain dormant in the system for weeks, nay months, without producing the effects desired or predicted by the'skilful exhibi- tors of life destroying potions; but have been roused into action and driven from their lurking places, as soon as the more powerful, though innocent (because in perfect harmony with the living principle,) Thomsonian remedies for disease have been duly administered. Of this we have abundant proof—nay the result, in such cases, is an absolute, a perfect unity. We will briefly relate one, which, if Dr. Miller will but intimate a responsible doubt, the public shall have it verified. Mrs.-----, of Virginia, had long been afflicted with what is termed a " com- plication of disorders," and was under treatment by Dr.-----, who had well plied the Sampson of the craft, Mercury, without being capable of producing ptyalism, that is, rotting out her teeth. He at length attributed his failure to the quality of the Calomel, and told his patient he would send to Baltimore for some good fresh Calomel, and then be would continue the progress with more certainty and ef- 12 » feet. After the lapse of two or three days, he oxultingly waited upon his patient with his fresh goods, and manfully pursued the rotting process for a considerable time, without being able to accomplish his object, and finally abandoned the case as hopeless. The lady was advised to proceed to Baltimore and try the "popular impiricism," and became somewhat relieved after the second course of " steam, pepper and lobelia," &c. The third course, struggling gallantly with the regular's Sampson, at length vanquished the hero and drove him from his lurking place,—the lady finding herself powerfully salivated, and it was with dif- ficulty she could resist the efforts of gossiping friends to persuade her that it proceeded from the Botanic remedies, until she reflected and candidly acknow- ledged the facts above detailed. In a short period she was perfectly restored to health and joined her friends to the great surprise of Dr.-----, who never ex- pected to see her again. Now let the reader pause for a moment and reflect upon these facts, and he will irresistably be led to thp conclusion that Dr. Miller's patient, admitting the truth of his statement, had taken some poisonous or deleterious drug, " to obvi- ate a slight inconvenience he experienced," which afforded him no relief,but, as a natural consequence, rendered him worse—perhaps his "funds were exhaust- ed," and he hoped to cure himself with a " dose of" salts." In this state of the case, Thomsonian medicines may have been given him, which roused into action the poison lurking in his system, and thus might possibly have produced some of the appearances described by Dr. Miller. But we reiterate the assertion, that if no poisonous medicines were taken before or after resorting to Thomsonian means, such a result as depicted by Dr. M. as a fact, is absolutely and utterly impossible ; and to convince any numoer of honest practitioners, willing to em- brace the truth—nay the whole learned faculty of Maryland—of the verity of this'our unqualified denial of Dr. Miller's "Thomsonalgia" facts, any one of the committee is at their service, on whoic the experiment may be tested—and we challenge them to test it. Every genuine Thomsonian is aware, that no purgative medicines are used in their system, consequently if " he had a colloquative diarrhoea and agonising pains along the alimentary canal," they were produced by the " every thing" the Dr. and his aids devised for his relief; and the curses he heaped upon the Thomso- nians only furnish an evidence that the sufferer was deranged by poisons; for if he had been compos mentis, those curses would have fallen, with strict justice, upon the administerers of such articles as medicine to cure disoase. We cannot at present notice all the Doctor's positions at large. We labour under, the disadvantage of having no press at our command,—and it is with diffi- culty we can be heard in our defence against the most malignant slanders pub- lished officially, and for whose publication we are taxed ; but this we expect will be obviated in the course of the ensuing spring, when we shall balance our ac- counts with Dr. Miller and others of the craft. In the mean time we offer our acknowledgments to the editors of the Republican and Chronicle for giving our notice, requesting a suspension of public opinion, as published in the preface, a place in their respective papers; the editors of the Patriot, Gazette, and Ameri- can, having refused or declined its insertion. 7. On post mortem examination, the only thing worthy of particular remark, was the ali- mentary tube, which was greatly injected, and in many places they sphacilated from the low- er to the upper extremity ; proving incontestibly, that death had been the result of the entire arrest of the sources of nutrition, in consequence of the alimentary organs being thrown into a condition incapable of retaining or digesting food 8. Mankind never grow wiser by the impositions practiced upon them by pretenders in me- dicine, deception follows deception upon vu'gar credulity so rapidly, that it seems to generate a kind of morbid appetite for imposition, which forms a habit of being duped, which like all other habits becomes incurable. But among the innumerable schemes of medical abuse which have disgraced the annals of humanity, we have rarely been presented with any more mischie- vous in itself, or widely destructive in its tendencies, than that which is now so industriously And enthusiastically propagating in this country, under- the name of the Tbompsonian. This 13 scheme is particularly well adapted to impose upon the imbecile and uninformed, because, whilst it proffers to cure their diseases, it gratifies their strongest propensities. [Dr. Mrller says, with much truth, that "Mankind never grow wiser by the im- positions practised upon them by pretenders in medicine." System has followed system for 4000 years, in rapid succession—and yet, even now, " their temple is still unroofed and the foundation cracked"—it is acknowledged that whilst all the physical sciences have advanced to a state of perfection, medicine has retro- graded—for instead of simples, the most deleterious chemical compounds, de- structive of health and life, are_given as medicines, and prove how astonishingly great is the vix inedicatrix naturae—the healing power of nature—that she so frequently resists the regular physicians' efforts to destroy life, by poisoning all its springs. That the Thomsonian remedies gratify the "strongest propensities of the im- becile and uninformed," is a daring and reckless libel upon the truth. No in- temperate person drinks No. 6, fiom choice—whiskey is too plenty and much cheaper; and if Thomsonians desire a stimulant they resort to Cayenne. There is not perhaps a practitioner in this city, having any regard for the ordi- nary decencies of life, who would have had the effrontery to make so sweeping a denunciation, as to term the Thomsonian practice " a medical abuse disgrace- ful to the annals of humanity, mischievous and widely destructive in its tenden- cies." We have offered the faculty a challenge to prove the truth or falsity of this denunciation, and shall not shrink from meeting them. And we will now state a fact, not to be questioned, which will not tend to corroborate Dr. Mil- ler's position. The Thomsonian right hloders in this city, considerably exceed the number of the regular faculty, and their families generally are greater in num- ber. When any of the members of the regular faculty are sick, no doubt exists that their utmost skill and care is called in requisition to save them. Yet the deaths in their families greatly outnumber these of the system "so widely de- structive" of life, as may be seen by the following statement, of tho correctness of which we can fully satisfy the regulars. Deaths in families of Regulars. In families of Thomsonians. 1834, 23 5 1835, 18 3 1836) Jan. 30, 2 0 Total, 43 8 This requires no further comment. 9. Man naturally requires excitement. If incapable of intellectual, he will the more crave physical. Persons of inactive minds must necessarily be sensual, consequently, whatever sa- tiates their appetites will be sought with avidity ; to such, the love of artificial stimulants be- comes the ruling passion, and its indulgence ultimately debases them to the level of public cha- rities. 10. This pretended system of medical practice, does little more than minister to the innate propensity of our animal nature, and by accustoming the stomach to repeated and powerful ex- citants, creates a kind of necessity for reiterated dram-drinking, and this induces confirmed in- temperance. It will therefore be vain for moralists to declaim, or temperance societies to enact laws against the most demoralizing evil, whilst these enthusiasts are countenanced and tolerat- ed in elevating excitement by their steam, and peppered spirits. [The Doctor has himself exhibited a fair specimen of the truth of the remark, that ' man naturally requires excitement,' when he found it his interest to play the demagogue. There was some nice calculation, and it appears to have added up satisfactorily in the aggregate. We have no objections to his change to in- tellectual excitement; but if his "Thomsonalgia" report is his first fruit, he has made a miserable faux pas in his intellectual Alms House debut. So far as the occasional use of No. 6 is concerned in " inducing confirmed intemperance," (and ardent spirits, or Alcohol, are used more sparingly by Thomsonians than he regular faculty) we are perfectly willing, as a body, to be compared with our 14 opponents, without any apprehension that in point of temperance, in all things, they will bear the palm. Let Dr. Miller muster the regulars, and we will mus- ter the irregulars, or law-denounced. We are willing to abide the decision of honest judges of his own, appointment. We must be permitted to make a few remarks upon the Doctor's great solici- tude for " temperance and public morals." We mean nothing personal. We find in the sixth paragraph, that the "victim" was "subjected to the steam bath until he became so emaciated and debilitated that his immediate dissolution was feared"; but in the preceding (par. 10,) we discover that steam, as well as pep- pered spirits, creates an "elevated excitement"—that is,steam creates, in Thom- sonians, a pleasurable feeling and healthy action—" That's a fact." But only hear Dr. Miller. " It will be in vain for moralists to declaim, or temperance so- " cieties to enact laws against the most demoralising evil—that is, a pure vapour " bath and a teaspoonful of No. 6 is the most demoralising evil—whilst these " enthusiasts are countenanced and tolerated—yes, TOLERATED—in ele- u vating excitement by their s*eam and peppered spirits." How fortunate it is that Dr. Miller's power is limited ; for with means com- mensurate with his tolerance spirit, poor Thomsonians might be impaled for using steam or pepper; and who knows what influence a royal medical decree, such as " We, James H. Miller, most puissant chief M. D. ordain, &c &c might have upon steam navigation and rail road locomotives. Besides, how could the medical treatment in the Alms House be successfully prosecuted if pepper and whiskey, alcohol and wine (the latter we presume is for the dinner table of the Doctor and his aids) were prohibited ; for the trustees' statement shows, that during twelve months, ending on the 80th of April, 1835, there were used as hospital stores, ordered by said Dr. Miller, 33J gallons Alcohol; equalling in first proof spirits, gallons - - 82 7 do Brandy, (4th proof we presume) - - 7 44| do Whiskey, - - 44| Si do Port Wine, - - - - - - 31 6 do Teneriffe . - - - - 6 Gallons 170* Besides the following thirst-creating stimulants : 521 lbs. Tobacco 200 lbs. Snuff 10 bottles Cayenne Pepper 77 lbs. black Pepper This we dedicate to the Temperance Society without further comment. 11. In this age of wonder working steam, it is little short of temerity to affirm, that there are limits to its power ; yet it may be presumed that even its greatest adulators, many in their sober judgments admit, that it must have its bounds, and that it cannot be made to do every thing. The enormous power of this agent is alene sufficient to teach, that great skill is de- manded for its application; for that which is capable of exerting the most benefit is, by per- version, equally potent in producing the utmost evil. Admit that steam may be usefully ap- plied to the propulsion of animalized machinery, the delicacy of structure in the healthy condi- tion, and itc extreme fragility in disease, ought to enjoin the extremest caution, and require the direction of the ablest and most experienced engineers ; whether it is admitted to the exterior of our bodies, or internally generated by the fuel of heating drugs, introduced into the digestive cavities, a thorough knowledge of the formation and capabilities of the parts is indispensable, to inform the operator how to adjust his agent with sufficient nicety to avoid fatal explosions. When the human machinery is running too fast, we cannot hope to restrain it by putting it un- der a still heavier pressure. In fever, which constitutes nine-tenths of our maladies, the sys- tem is in a headlong career; would then common sense let on more steam, or throw more fuel into the boilers? Whatever theories or hypotheses may be indulged, it is notorious, that a large proportion of human disease is the effect of too high living or over excitement; can we there- fore rationally hope to remove the effects, by a reiteration of the causes? These Thompsonians are infatuated with a delusion, Which has been but too common and detrimental to the science 15 and practice of medicine,—that of referring every act of the animal economy to some general and exclusive principle. They insist that heat is life, and that the more heat the more life; and in their zeal to generate heat, they oftentimes sublimate life into immortality. [On the subject of steam we will only remark, in addition to what has already been said,, that the Russians undergo the operation of steaming at a very high temperature, and immediately plunge into or roll in the snow with impunity. They are a hardy and long-lived people, almost entirely free from rheumatic af- fections. The Doctor belongs to an antiquated school of medicine, judging from his assertion that " fever constitutes nine-tenths of our maladies." Such may be the case at the Alms House; but if fever is a disease, it is one, frequent- ly manufactured by the quackeries of the doctors, by giving, in "slight inconve- niences," or trifling colds, medicines eminently calculated to derange the whole system, and then call in the healing power of nature to resist their quackeries. We view fever as a friend not as a foe—we cherish, aid and support him, in- stead of endeavouring to kill him with refrigerants. Such was the opinion of Cullen, Hunter, Johnson, Gregory, Terry, Ripley, and many of the most enlight- ened medical men of the age. The "Thompsonian delusion" is certainly a very agreeable and desirable one, if they judge from the result of their family prac- tice as noted in a preceding page. We shall not contend with him about the ex- pression "heat is life"—but simply remark that where there is no heat life must be extinct. Will Dr. Miller oblige us by a single example wherein Thomsonians, " in their zeal to generate heat, oftentimes sublimate life into immortality." One case, Doctor, if you please; your reputation as a man of truth, demands a com- pliance. It wont do to say it was a mere figure of speech—for that might be ap- plied with great force and truth to your whole report. 12. The practice of medicine at best, must always be imperfect, because it must be an exer- cise of human mind and skill, it must necessarily be in just accordance with the judgment and tact of the practitioner; and as in every other human art, he will practice best who has the most knowledge, familiarized by frequent and continued application. Hence then, every phi- lanthropist will encourage assiduity in the acquisition of all the literature and science which can enrich the mind, clear the judgment, and facilitate the practical talents of those members of society, who in the exuberance of human sensibility and virtue, forego the pleasurable and pro- fitable paths of life, and volunteer to seclude themselves in the dark chambers of affliction, for no other reward than the pleasure arising from the consciousness of alleviating the misery and woes of suffering fellow beings; whilst they must frown indignantly upon any attempt to destroy the science that already extsts, arrest all further inquiry and improvement, and throw the most refined and benevolent profession into the hands of illiterate unscientific men, who are so ignorant as not to know their own incompetency, or who are so reckless as to jeopardize hu- man life for sake of a compensation, no greater than they could obtain for cobbling old shoes. [We shall at some future period notice the "imperfect practice of medicine"— the "skill" with which poisons are given, as though arsenic were more poison- ous, and apter to kill, if given by a fool than by a diplomatised physician—and the great sacrifices the faculty make in " foregoing the pleasurable and profitable paths cf life"—the assumption that Paracelsian chemical quackery is a science, and the frowns Dr. Miller bespeaks for those who dare question its absolute un- certainty, besides sundry other matters, not forgetting, that although physicians forego the "pleasurable paths of life," Dr. Miller's severe duties among the in- mates of "humanity's common," has been quite a "pleasurable recreation.n [See paragraph 15.] 13. Excuse me for descending to notice this popular infatuation ; that it will be short lived as its compeers there is no doubt; but it is to be feared that the habits it will form will long out- live even its memory. [" Excuse me, says Dr. Miller, for noticing this popular infatuation." This is one of the most vain and arrogant efforts of mock dignity, perhaps ever perpetra- ted in the annals of medicine. Here, we find Dr. Miller as the pauper physician in the Alms House; and as such affects having made a. most important dis- covery, which had eluded the vigilance and keen researches of the whole medical faculty of the United States; notwithstanding, they had unceasingly had their noses in the wind, like blood-hounds on the scent for game, to find something by 16 which this opposition to the regular craft might be put down. In short, he has found out that a few vegetable substances, which any person in health may take with the most perfect impunity, and in Thomsonian hands never failed in reliev- ing or curing maladies, if within the reach of medicine, will, the moment a per- son, who has taken them, fall into the hands of a dealer in mercury, arsenic or other poisons, produce a distinctive and unique disease, called " Thompsonalgia" MILLERia. He is not only the original discoverer of this terriffic malady ; but has actually in his pauper practice, cured nine cases out of eleven! He has considered it his duty officially not only to denonnce Thomsonian "impiricism" with a view of protecting the "victims of (regular) mal-practice" from the "arts of designing or misguided imposters," but magisterially, in a kingly tone decreed, that it ought not to be "tolerated." If all the Dr. has said upon the subject of this "impiricism" is true, it was certainly his duty to report to the trustees;—why then,—uwith cap in hand and cane to nose,"—with a low courtly bow to those functionaries, does he evince such wondrous affectation of having descended from an high elevation to notice what was an imperative duty! If he could lower him- self from his boasted "respectable sphere of private practice" to become the phy- sician to those loathsome objects, who^are "turned out upon humanity's commons to die" and pass into "oblivion," there certainly is no point, however low it might be, to which he would not aspire, if a salary, commensurate with the assumed dignity of the aspirant, appertained to the station. We shall certainly excuse Dr. Miller for his great condescention in noticing this "popular infatuation." Forty odd years ago but one individual, Dr. Samuel Thomson, was sufficiently infatuated to abjure calomel, arsenic, prussic acid, opium, Spanish flies and the lancet, and use innocent botanic remedies in their stead—now upwards of two millions of free men are in the constant habit of using nothing but these innocent remedies. If in less than half a century one- eixth of the population of the United States are converted from the use of poi- sons as remedial agents, to innocuous herbs, when will Dr. Miller's prophecy of its " short-lived career" be verified ? We pause, Doctor, for a reply. In thus noticing Dr. Miller's vituperation, we desire that our testimony against him should, without prejudice, pass for what it is worth; we are not the assail- ants, but stand on the defensive against a legalised craft—an aristocracy—a char- tered trade, distinct from all others, because specially protected by law. Our ground is at least as tenable as Dr. Miller's—he having made certain allegations against the Thomsonians, their medicine and practice, unsupported by any colla- teral testimony. We have denied the truth of those allegations. To test which party has truth on its side, we have offered ourselves as objects of experiment, fearless of the result, because, we know, from experience, that the boasted sci- ence of medicine, as taught in schools from 6ooA;s and closet-made theories, will, nay must, succomb to that which is based upon facts and experience. We have ho feelings of personal hostility against those who practice the Paracelsian art of quackery; it is against their health and life-destroying system we arc contending, and so we deisretobe distinctly understood. If Dr. Miller has volunteered as the champion of the craft, we are ready to meet him in a fair and open combat, by exhibiting undeniable facts in relation to the practice of the faculty and Thomsonian "impiricism." We care nothing about names of diseases or oppro- brious epithets levelled at us, any more than such patients as have been aban- doned by them and cured by Thomsonians, care whether they have been cured by "impiricism"—qnackery—or science—so that their health is restored. There is nothing more absurd than the continued efforts of the faculty to bol- ster their medical practice upon the principle of its being a science. Every man, woman and child capable of reading, knows or can know, if they will consult their dictionary, that science is a " certainty grounded upon demonstration"— and that medicine, as practiced by this same law-protected faculty, is as unlike " certainty" as light is unlike darkness. The perfect uniformity of phenomena in 17 the mixture of certain ingredients, as pieces of zinc, sulphuric acid and water, afford indubitable evidence of the science of chemistry; before we commence the process we pronounce, with perfect confidence, that the water will be decom- posed, hydrogen evolved, the zinc oxydated, theoxyd dissolved, and sulphate of zinc produced; and ihere is in no case the smallest doubt apprehended as to the predicted result. This is really scientific; but there is nothing like it in the whole science of regular medicine, so far as relates to curing disease—but there is a certainty m at least one thing; and that is, if we have a general aching of teeth, which are slrongly and firmly set in our jaws, mercury will extract them without the necessity of applying to a dental surgeon and undergoing the pain- ful application of steel. With people possessing common sense it was perfectly useless to excite their "indignant frown," in consequence of an "attempt to destroy the science of me- dicine.'? We boldly deny its claim to rank with the rhysical sciences and pro- nounce it, what many honest practitioners lave admitted it to be, s mere system of "guessing"—a game of hazard. The doctor, as D'Alembert relates, is the blind man, armed with a club. He is called in when nature is contending with disease, to settle the difference. He tries to make peace ; if he fails, he raises his club and strikes at random ; if he strikes the disease, he kills it;—if he strikes nature he kills nature—and there is an end of the patient; and this is a fair sam- ple of the science of medicine. Dr. Miller well knows,—every physician of the old school, of any experience, knows,—that his medicines act differently on different individuals, and at differ- ent limes on the same individual—that he has no means of ascertaining what the effect will be without hazarding the consequences of an application of his remer dies. When he gives his most potent drugs he is not certain that the issue will not be fatal; he frequently does it with great fear; but the risk msst be encoun- tered whatever may be the consequence. If the patient dies, the disease kills him, and it "was the will of the Lord!" Thus rank fanaticism itself is called into requisition to cover the bungling practice of learned quackery. Hope, false and delusive hope, is held out to the last moment; because it would not comport with the dignity of "science" to doubt the anticipated results of scientific prac- tice. But the '■"end is nigh.' Maugre their penal enactments—their being fenced in by statute law—the delusion of medical quackery is fast dissipating. Nei- ther Alms House nor university thunders—nay the terrific denunciations of the hend of a pauper establishment, though he claims to be "above the influence of vulgar infatuation, standing high in the sphere of private practice" and have many wealthy dupes who pay him well for his "pills and potions"—all this can- not arrest the rnillenium in the unsophisticated practice of medicine, founded upon nature and reason.and the well known principles of life; which repudiate the exhibition oj POISON TO CURE OUR MALADIES. 14. As far as compatible with the interests of humanity and charity, we have economized your means. The chief unusual expenditures we have made, was in adding to your surgical instruments a few that became requisite and indispensable from the number and variety of operations we have had to perform. This ycu will not deem extravagant, when you reflect, that we have thus restored lo usefulness a large number of persons, who otherwise must have remained for years, and until the lerminaticn of their existence, charged upon your bounty. Again, when you contrast the minuteness of this charge with the cost of their operations in private practice, you will rerceive that you have been great gainers ; for at the fewest mode of computation, their aggregate would have exceeded fifteen hundred dollars. Farther, your hearts will rejoice in the reflection, that you have thus relieved from the sofferirgs of loath- some diseases upwards of one hundred fellow creatures, and placed them in a condition to en- joy the~cbmforts and pleasures of life. 15. Of the young medical gentlemen attached to the institution, it affords ire a most grate- ful pleasure to say, that the zealous and assiduous performance of their duties Las not only lightened my labors, bnt has, from their uniformly kind attentions, conveitrd my task into a pleasurable recreation. And now gentlemen', permit me to say, that your continued approval of my conduct, has cheered me lo exertion, and shall ccntmce to prompt ire to'cmulate you in kind offices. Most respectfully, yours, &c J. H. MILLER. 3 18 In conclusion we would remark, that experience in our own families (where its members are favorable to the system; and we use neither importunity nor co- ercion to induce them to be,) has fully confirmed us in the great advantages of the Thomsonian botanict over the regular mineral practice. In the support we af- ford it, our motives are honest and sincere, and withal disinterested; we are not practitioners, nor are we manufacturers or venders of Thomsonian medicines ; or directly or indirectly concerned in their manufacture or sale. Having witness- ed the effects of both practices, and aware of the means used as remedial agents in them, it has required but a moment's reflection to decide which system to prefer; and this decision has also determined us never, knowingly? to suffer blood- letting or permit any poisonous substances to be administered in any form of disease. We can, we do, conscientiously and unfeignedly commend the Thomsonian Botanic system of medicine to all desirous of extending their sojourn on earth, and escaping the ills which flesh is heir to—and last, not least to be considered, a- void the tremondous levies made upon their industry and hard labour, by the enor- mous charges of scientific practitioners, whose remedial agents seldom fail, when they afford relief, to en?ure a. protracted recovery and a long bill. THE COMMITTEE. Baltimore, January^ 1836. N. B. We are constrained to give Dr. Miller great credit for some other won- der performed by him in the Alms House, besides curing nine cases of "Thorn sonalgia." We notice, however, but one case of ptyalism—salivation by mercury, given by order of a doctor. This is therefore a death occasioned by regular medicine and acknowledged as such by Dr. M., and proves that mercury is not always under the government or control of the faculty.—But in looking over his tabular statement, we perceive that three "still bom" cases were admitted, and, by the beard of Esculapius, he cured the whole of them ! This was acquiring honor enough for one year. There were also admitted 36 cases of "moribund"—that is in a dying state—of these none were cured. They were sent there for that purpose—that is "turned out upon humanity's commons" to die; and they did die. ADDENDA. Extract from "The American Domestic Medicine," by Horatio Gates Jameson, "M. D., honorary member of the Medical Society of Maryland, late surgeon in "the General Hospital for the army at Baltimore," and consulting physician to the Baltimore board of health : "Bite of Rattlesnake and Copper-head. ^Drawing with small cupping glasses is advisable. * * * If such glasses "are not to be had, a hen may set with the NAKED FUNDAMENT UPON "THE PART; and I have been credibly informed, this has succeeded well, and "that several have heen thus killed in one case, which seems to raise the belief "that the poison was thus forcibly extracted." [Baltimore, 1818, p. 412.1 Extract from "Plain Discourses on the laws or properties of matter," by Thomas Eivell,M. D. of Virginia, one of the surgeons of the United States' navy: ".Kernes' Mineral; or Golden Sulphur of Antimony. "Besides the above preparation of antimony, the metal is given in the form of "a pill, in the metallic state. It appears to be soluable in the stomach, in small "quantities, and excites slight purging. This was called the Perpetual Pill, as "it was frequently kept for ages in families, who, AFTER TAKING AND VOID- ING IT, preserve it FOR FURTHER USE."—[N. York, 1806, p, 249.] [This could not have been esteemedi quxckery by the learned Doctor, or it would not have been so favorably noticed.] 19 MEDICAL QUACKERY—MYSTERY. If the reader is desirous of testimony to confirm the opinion expressed by the late Rev. John Wesley, in the following extract from his writings, that the self- styled faculty designed the bulk of mankind should not pry into the myste- ries of their craft, we request him to look over the list of diseases at the Alms House, cured, &c. by Dr. Miller, and he will find four-fifths expressed in a lan- guage not understood by the very individuals to whom the report was made, un- less the Dr. condescended [bless his meek soul, perhaps he did condescend] to translate or explain the terms. It has been said that this report was intended only for professional men ; why not then have sent it to the Colleges and Infirm- ary, instead of to the Mayor, to be promulgated at the expense of the city ? In timesgone by, it was also maintained that the scriptures were intended only for the priesthood; but the doctrine has long since been exploded. We are pleased to see the reports of the indefatigable and worthy Secretary to the Board of Health, dressed almost entirely in an English garb, and we advise the Trustees to direct the physician of " humanity's commons" to follow the example, for the informa- tion of the people. John Wesley says—"profit attended their employ, as well as honor;" no won- der Dr. Miller should be afflicted with THOMsoxpAooia, when the "empirics," as he alleges, undertake cures "for sake of a compensation no greater than they could obtain by cobbling old shoes !" We can prove that they have undertaken cures for even a less compensation than cobbling, and succeeded when patients were abandoned by Paracelsian quacks:—But let us hear John Wesley:—"As theories increased, simple medicines were more and more disregarded and dis- used; till in a course of years, the greater part of them were forgotten, at least in the more polite nations. In the room of these, abundance of new ones were introduced by reasoning, speculative men ; and those more and more difficult to be applied, as being more remote from common observation. Hence rules for the application of these, and medical books were immensely multiplied; till at length physic became an abstruse science, quite out of the reach of ordinary men. Physicians now began to be held in admiration, as persons mho were something more than human. And profit attended their employ, as well as-honor. So that they had now two weighty reasons for keeping the bulk of mankind at a distance, that they might not pry into the mysteries of their profession. To this end they increased those difficulties by design, which were in a manner by accident. They filled their writings with abundance of technical terms, utterly unintelligible to plain men. " Those who understood only how to restore the sick to health, they branded with the name of Empirics. They introdnced into practice abundance of corn- pound medicines, consisting of so many ingredients, that it was scarce possible for common people to know what it was that wrought a cure. Abundance of ex- otics, neither the nature nor the names of which they their own countryffien un- derstood." (Copy Right secured according to Law.) PHGENIX ESTABLISHMENT. WHOLESALE AND RETAIL Thomsonian Botanic Medicine Store, The subscribers have the largest and most valuable collection of BOTANIC MEDICINES In the United States, comprising all the various Compounds and Crude Articles recommended by Dr. Samuel Thomson—part of which are as follows: African Cayenne, Composition, Lobelia, or Thomsonia Prickley Afh, Balmoney, Conserve of Hollyhock, Emetica, Saspberry Leaves, f<**erry, Cough Powder, Do. Seed, Skunk Cabbage, Sayberry, Ginger, Mrve Ointment, Slippery Elm, Buttr Bool, Golden Rod, Nerve Powder, Spice or Ladies Bitten, Butter-Nut Syrup, Golden Seal, No. 5—No. 6, Vni orn Root, Cancer Plaster, Gum Myrrh, Pond Lilly, Wake Robin, Sfc. Clivers, Memlock, Poplar Bark, Superior Wine Bitters for the Dyspeptic. This valuable article has been found highly beneficial in restoring the natural tone of the stom- ach of weak and dyspeptic patients—it needs but a trial to recommend it. Rheumatic Tincture, for Rheumatism, Sprains, Swelled Joints, Bruises, Inflammations, &c. The subscribers having rebuilt their STEAM MILL, expressly for grinding all of the above Medicines, they are enabled to se?l on the most favorable ierros, and war: ant their Medicines to be genuine and pure, and clear of any deleterious or poisonous qualities, as they do not ad- mit any thing of that nature about their establishment. Those who favor them with their or- ders will be promptly attended to. Also, for Sale,Dr. Samuel Thomson's Family Eights and Guide to Health, Dr. Robinson's Lectures on the Thomsonian System, and the Thomsonian Recorder, upon the same terms as they are furnished by Dr. Thomson or his General Agents—bv WARD SEARS & Co, No. 20 S. Calvert-st. Agents for "The Thomsonian Friendly Botanic Scciety of Maryland." The "Committee of Inspection" brg leave respectfully to report, That in obedience to a con- stitutional requisition, they instituted a general and rigid examination of ihe Thomsonian Bo- tanic Mediciues compounded by WARD SEARS & Co., at their Phoenix Establishment, in the city of Baltimore, and have found none but such as they are free to recommend as of the beet quality made of sound and pure materials, and pat up in the best condition. GEO. EVANS, HUGH DEVALIN, FOLGER POFE, To Cor. Com. Thomsonian F. B. Soc. of Md. HENRY RICHMOND, Baltimore Nov: 9, 1835. Committee of Inspection. BALTIMORE, (Md) Nov. 10, 1835. At a meeting »f the "Corresponding Committee of the Thomsonian Friendly Botanic Society of Maryland," located in the city of Baltimore, it was Resolved, That this committee heartily concur in the testimony of the "Committee of Inrpec- rton," (whose duty it is to examine such preparations as are vended under the name of ThomsO' nian Medicines, and report thereon) in favor of WARD SEARS & Co., recognised by this So- ciety as "Manufacturers arid venders of Thomsonian I otanic Medicines," and confidently re- commend their preparations to the favorable notice of Thosnsonians and others desirous of test- ing the efficacy of GENUINE MEDICINES, calculated in an eminent degree, to remove eve- ry form of curable disease, to which the human family is subject, when timely and properly ad- ministered. Having individually patronised the establishment of Ward Sears & Co from the period of their adoption of the Thomsonian System, they are enabled to speak from experience; and they afford this testimony in favor of Ward Seais & Co as a simple act of justice to their laud- able enterprise, industry, and indefatigable ztal ard fdelity in promoting a general diffusion of the valuable remedies embraced in the Thomsonian System, and the many sacrifices they hava made in promoting the cause. WM HOULTON * L. FRAILEY, IstV.P. MICHAEL LAVIB, 2d V. P. ROUT. NEILSON, JA9. E SEARLY, ^est, ALFRED H. REIP, Joseph Walkeb, Secretary. Corresponding CommUtt*. *Late President—Resigned recently in consequent of removal from the city.