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fit- ' 
 
AN  ESSAY
ON
BILIARY  DERANGEMENT,
AND THE
EXCESSIVE USE OF CALOMEL, AND OTHER MERCURIALS:
      BY


DAVID WARD, M. D.
    GRADUATE OS' THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT.





              ADRIAN:
MAMMOTH PRESS OF IHE JOB AND PUBLISHING ESTABLISHMENT OF
        THE WATCH TOWER--R. W. INGALS.
                1846. 
9 
INTRODUCTORY  REMARKS.
  The author of this little  essay, has neither motives of ambition or
profit to gratify  in submitting it to the scruteny of an enlightened
public.  If either or both,  were only to be taken into consideration,
he would most assuredly have remained silent.   The  most control-
ing motive which has  actuated him, is a sincere desire to do good.—
He believes the physician, who fancies he has done all  that is requir-
ed of him as a member of the  profession, when he has prescribed
correctly for his  patients, has but limited conceptions of his duties to
the rest of the profession,  and the public generally.   Much yet re-
mains to be learned,  and  much error  removed before the medical
profession can claim to have arrived to  that degree of perfection, of
many of the sciences, these are  in time to be overcome  by  promoting
the one, and exponging the other, the task of which legitimately be-
longs to members of the medical faculty ; and they should enter up-
on the task boldly, but honestly, with a sincere desire  to elicit truth
in all of their investigations.   The following treaties will be mainly
devoted to the consideration of some important medical errors, that
are prevalent in this community, to an alarming extent. To remove
them entirely, is  more than he anticipates.   But if he should succeed
only  in part, he may be the means of saving many valuable lives
from a premature grave, and thereby richly reward himself for all
his trouble.   lie does not claim that the principles and doctrines here
advocated,  are original with him,  they  are the principles, and doc-
trines of the books.  He is aware they are not in accordance with
the doctrines, of many of those who claim to be members of the reg-
ular medical faculty in this vicinity, or that of many of their patrons.
He nevertheless contends  they are true.
  An other object of the following treaties, is to remove many erroni-
ous  and false representations, that have been put in  circulation with
regard to himself by dishonest and designing  medical  men.
  An other inducement which has had much weight,  is the urgent
solicitation of many warm  friends.
  These are most of the controling motives, which have induced him
thus  to  appear  before the public.   However they may appear to        %
others, to him they have appeared impearative, and to  posses a con-
troling power, which he cannot think it is his duty to resist.
  That all the good that may be desired, should be accomplished, is 
4
more than is expected ; but that much may be accomplished, and the
health and life of many human beings  preserved, is  confidently an-
ticipated.  He is  aware he labors under the prejudice of erronious
preconceived  opinions, assiduously promulgated by those who  pre-
tend to be of the medical profession, adverse to those which he shall in-
cuicate. Hewould therefore request, that his remarks may be read in
an impartial and candid manner ;  although the reader may not at first
adopt all the conclusions of the*author, that they may be preserved for
future referance, they may be the means of presei ving a dearly beloved
child, wife or other relative, from a premature grave, or from becom-
ing  mutilated  objects of pity, lothsome to behold. He is aware he
exposes himself to renewed persecution,  for promulgating doctrines
so much at variance with most of those who claim to be of the medic-
al faculty of this place ; as they a ppear to think it an unpardonable
sin in him, not to^talk and think as they do, although  our  best medi-
cal outhorities are against them, he has however,  this consoling reflec'-
tion, that he is not the first medical reformer, who has been perse-
cuted.   He is confident what  he has said and done already, has made
an impression on  this community,  that will continue after  he is in the
grave, and this is a  stimulus to reniewed exertion.   He disclaims
all sinister or pecuniary  motives   in  this work, or  respecting  the
course he has heretofore taken upon the subjects which it treats.


             BILIARY DERANGEMENT.
  Awi/oMY, physiology and pathology,  are the main pillars of med-
ical science, and any theory  or hypothesis  which is not construct-
ed on these, is mere speculation, and will ere long crumble into ruins
before the vanquishing influence of truth and reason.   A knowledge
of structure,  and its laws and functions,  must constitute the starting
o&nC of all successful medical inquiries.   And if we loose sight of the
lights offered  us by that knowledge, we are lost in a vortex of vision-
ary speculation, and are liable to embrace the grosest pathalogical er-
rors, and  thereby the  most distructive and irrational practice.  An
error of this description, is preavolent  among a large portion of those
wiio claim to belong to the  medical profession in this community,
who have  assiduously inculcated the erronious idea, that  Biliary de-
rangement is the cause of all, or nearly all, of the diseases  incident
ro the human system.  A more futile, simple  hypothesis never en-
rered the brain of a visionary  enthusiast.   It is not a doctrine taught
in the books, either  ancient or modern.  And one would not hazard
much to say it never would  be ; for  a medical man who had science
enough  to write a book, would not devote his time in writing such
foolery.
  The Books on the contrary discountenance  such  an idea.   One
uclebrated author has justly  remarked,  that "the term Biliary de-
rm* ;-nent,  hides much ignorance," virtuly saying, that the  ignorant 
5
 pretender when he does not know what ails his  patient, calls it bil-
 iary derangement, and thus hides his ignorance.
   The human  system is endowed with  many  organs, each of which
 has a function or office peculiar to itself; and when these functions
 are performed  correctly, and exactly, it constitutes  a state of health,
 and  with such harmony are they performed, that they proclaim un-
 wisdom of an Infinite Creator.  To say that anyone of these organs
 are always getting  deranged, and thus produce all the diseases  inci-
 dent to the human family, is indirectly charging Deity with imperfec-
 tion, and contrary to all sound pathology.
   Some of these organs are the  following :  The Stomach, Brain.
 Kidneys, Intestines, Pancreas, Liver, Lungs, Skin,  Eye, Ear, Xose.
 Spine &c.
   If one, a part, or "all of these organs become impaired in its func-
 tion, it  produces disease.  One of the most important offices of these
 organs, (and perhaps  the only one, of some  of them,) is its secretory
 function.   The stomach secretes its gastric  juice, the kidneys urine.
 pancreas pancreatic juice, the liver bile, (or what is familliarly knowi;
 as gall..)  That the secretory function of the liver does  in some in-
 stanses become impaired, as in jaundice, and in some  instances du-
 ring the progress of disease, is undoubtedly true.   And  where this
 is the case, the person may be said to be bilious, because the bile (or
 gall,) is in a deranged state.
   It is  equally true, that the functions, of all the organs  above men-
 tioned, as well as others become impaired, thereby producing disease,
 and some of them much more frequently than the liver.  We might
 with as  much propriety  attribute all  diseases to a deranged state of
 the kidneys or  pancreas, as to the liver.
   There are many things which serve either directly, or indirectly to
 produce a deranged state  of these organs or their functions.  We
 are surrounded with external objects, and things which occasionally
 produce disease, by impairing some^or all the functions.   To say that
 a deranged state of  the functions of any one of these organs, is the
 cause of all or nearly  all  the diseases incident to the human system.
 is not agreeable to sound pathology, and is  in fact gross  empiricism
 and will lead to the  most fatal errors in  practice.
  It is astonishing,  since the physiological and pathological discover-
 ies of Bichat and  Broussais, that men who make any  pretentions to
 medical science, should adopt such an inconsistent and vague hypoth-
 esis as that biliary derangement is the cause of most of the diseases
 incident to  the human system.   A deranged state of the  bile cannot
 produce such alarming symptoms, as are frequently attributed to it.
 One  would think unacquainted with its properties, to hear these learn-
ed Doctors talk, that it was one of the most# deleterious poisons in the
human stomach, and that it was eternaly getting there, and  thereby
producing disease as well as evidence of biliary derangement.   Now
the facts are it seldom or never gets there, except it is in the last stage
of severe puking; and if it did, it would  not  produce  much incon- 
6
venience.   It cannot injure the stomach as its properties  are harm-
less to it.
  Ox gall or bile, is rocomended  to be given in certain diseases  by
high authority, and it is said with good effects.  In common vomiting,
if the patient pukes up a  gallon of yellow  or green fluid,  these  very
learned doctors exclaim with  much  self confidence, " I told you that
you was very bilious."  Now if it was not for  their extreme ignor-
ance of Anatomy and Physiology, they would have known  it  was  no
more bile or gall, than a thrashing machine.  The  natural recepti-
cle of the  bile, ^gall bladder) is not larger than a mans thumb, yet
these very  learned  doctors  would have us believe that  patients of
theirs puke from two  quarts to a gallon of pure bile, in a short time.
What ignorance!   There is  no  communication between the stomach
and liver;  the only outlet from the  liver,  is through  the  Biliary or
Hepatic Duct, and Cystic duct,  which pass directly  from the  biliary
recepticle  to the intestine  called  Duodenum some inches  below the
stomach.   Besides there  is a valve at the  lower or  pyloric orifice of
the stomach, which prevents the contents  of the intestines from  pass-
ing readily back into the stomach.   The  perestaltic  motion  also of
the  whole  alimentary canal  tends to propel the contents of the stom-
ach, and  intestines downwards, this motion must be inverted before
the  contents of the stomach or intestines can pass upwards, and the
contents of the intestines must be thrown upwards with considerable
force, to overcome the resistance  of the valve at the lower orifice of
the stomach above mentioned.  All this must take place before a per-
son can puke bile, and the perestaltic motion of the intestines does not
become inverted with sufficient  force to overcome the resistance  offer-
ed by the  valve of the stomach, until after much hard puking.  This
yellow or green fluid, which  is vometed up in  ordinary puking, is in
many instinces a vitiated secretion of the stomach, which  instead  of
secreting its heatlhy gastric juice, secretes  this fluid.   In some instan-
ces, in consequence of the functions of the stomach bocoming impair-
ed, the aliment and fluids taken into the stomach, may be changed in
color to a green or yellow.   Now as I have observed before, patho-
logical errors will lead to distructive and irrational practice,  and this
idea of biliary derangement, being a cause of nearly all disease, to-
gether with the practice which follows in its train, has been the  cause
of more deaths, and human misery in this  section of country,  than in-
temperance, pestilance, famine, fire  and sword.
   I have never known one of these  eternal biliary derangement hunt-
ers, (who were of the regular faculty,) but what were injudicious and
excessive calomel mongers.   And I have no doubt that their erronious
notions of biliary derangement, have led them into  this  destructive
practice.  I do not deny but where there is biliary derangement, as in
jaundice and a few other instances, but calomel or some other mercu-
rial would have a tendency to remove it.   As  much may be said of
many other articles of the  Materia  Medica,  less liable to  produce
injurious effects in the system. 
EXCESSIVE USE OF CALOMEL AND OTHER MERCURIALS.

   It is nearly thirty years since I commenced my professional studies,
and from that time to the  present, I have entertained sentiments ad-
verse to the excessive administration of calomel, and other mercurials.
My medical preceptors were among the most eminent physicians and
surgeons of New England, who seldom  gave calomel, or other mer-
curial preperations, and when they did, but little.  I attended my first
course of medical lectures at the Castleton Medical School, (at that
time connected with Middlebury College.  I afterwards  attended two
full courses at the University of Vermont, located at Burlington, (at
this Institution I graduated.)  The medical professors of both these
Colleges  condemned the excessive use of calomel, and other  mercu-
rials in the severest terms.  I have now pursued the practice of med-
icine and  surgery, more than a fourth of a century, and in that time, I
have not prescribed as much calomel or other mercurials, as some of
the Adrian physicians have given in three months; and I do not think
I have as much as they have given in one month.
   I practiced medicine and surgery in the State of New  York, some.
thing rising twenty years, and have been in this place more than four.
When I commenced the practice of my profession in this place, I was
astonished at the quantities of calomel and other mercurials adminis-
tered by those engaged in  the practice of medicine in this  village.—
They were giving it for every disease, and every stage of disease ; if
they prescribed for a patient either at their office, or at the residence
of the patient, these learned doctors would invariably say:  "you are
very bilious,"  and would not fail in one case in fifty to give calomel or
other mercurials.  Although I was satisfied at that time such^a practice
was not tolerated in the books, but was the grossest quackery,and des-
tructive to the lives of many, and healths of thousands.   I knew if I
should  express my honest convictions at that time, respecting such prac-
tice, I should incur the displeasure and persecution of all those engaged
in this pernicious practice. If I had said at that time openly and above-
board, as I have for the last two years, that diseases were  different and
require different remedies  for their cure, that it was as much quackery
to always give calomel  or  blue pills, as it was to  always  give cayenne
peperor lobelia, that hundreds went to a premature grave in this coun-
ty annually, and that thousands had their constitutions impaired, which
would coutinue as long as they lived, in consequence of the excessive
use of mercurials; If I had said this at that time, as I  have  for the
last two years, it would have been very doubtful whether  I could have
sustaind myself against their persecutions; and the only reason I did
not at that time as I have since, was that 1 had just came to the place,
and bad not become known as a medical man,  nor acquired a medi-
cal reputation.   But as soon as I thought I could sustain myself against 
8
their  persecutions, I expressed myself freely on the subject.  J think
I have done my duty for the  last two years,  and if God will forgive
me for holding my peace the  first two  years of my  residence in
Adrian, when I saw so much injury done by this system of quackery,
I will never be guilty of it again under similar circumstances.   In the
regions of country where I practiced medicine in the State of New
York, the physicians did not give one fiftieth part of calomel to what
many do here, I expressed myself there openly & above board to mem-
bers of the medical profession,  and to the public generally, against the
excessive use of calomel, and other mercurials, yet I was elected presi-
dent of two county medical societies.  I mention this fact merely to
show that the medical  faculty there, took a very different course from
what they have here.
   I will mention one circumstance,  that I have often thought of, and
one that has mortified me extremely,  when I have reflected on it.   It
is this, there are botanic physicians in this community, who have had
no opportunities for  obtaining  the science of the  profession, except
what  they have obtained from botanic books at home, who have better
success in business, and loose less patients in proportion to the amount
of business than any of  these calomel mongers, who boast of their med-
ical opertunities.   Now if this is true, one of two other things is  also
true :  either the science of the  profession  is entirely useless, or these
learned doctors do not follow its requirements and precepts.  I unhesi-
tateingly declare it is the latter.   The science of anatomy, physiology,
pathology,  chemistry <Sf-c, are  of immense value tojthose who under-
stand  them,  and carry out their principles in  practice.   I have no
doubt but the sick  would  do  better to have  no physician at all, and
restrict themselves to diet and regimen, than by  this excessive system
of mercurialization.
  I will now quote from one of our best and most  eminent medical
authors, which will speak  for itself.   Doct. Mackintosh says:   " It is
a despicable practice to give blue pills in every disease connected with
the digestive  function  ; and it is much to be regretted that the great
name of Abernethy  should ever  have been associated with such in-
sufferable quackery."   Now  this is as strong as I  talk.  The same
author in another place, uses the following  language :  " Some phys-
icians trust almost entirely  to  the action of calomel in fevers, and in
India  more particularly it is deeply to be regreted, that a great waste
of human life has consequently  taken place.   Some years since Doct.
Haliday of the East India Company service, was by the  order of the
Marquis of Hastings  put under arrest, and deprived of rank and pay,
for  showing by most  incontrovertable evidence, that in the General
Hospital of Calcutta, the enormous quantity of 26 lbs of calomel were
given, and that under the painful digestion of this mineral, the propor-
tions of deaths, was one in about six of the whole sick list.  While
under a more rational  treatment  the mortality was reduced one half.
In fact the mortality bore almost an exact ratio  with the quantity of
calomel exhibited.  After a delay of many years, Doct. Haliday  was 
9
restored to his rank, by the express order, more than once repeated of
the India directors.  This transaction has never been brought before
the British public, but having carefully perused.all the evidence, I have
no hesitation in saying, that as a piece of persecution frombegining to
end, there is no paralel case to be found in the annals of any free coun-
try.   The result of the  practice of the rising medical faculty in India,
has fully corroberated the statements formerly made by Doct. Haliday.
and calomel is going rapidly into disuse ; and as pathological knowl-
edge  advances  in India, which it is doing rapidly, calomel will be less
trusted to."
 "In  1796 the deaths in the West Indies under Doct. Chrishoms mer-
curial plan,  were never exceeded, amounting to nearly one  half of
the whole number of troops."  I might quote  many  other  similar
passages from  the same author, and other equal high authority, and
will do it if it should be questioned,  this may therefore suffice for the
present.  It will be perceived that this eminent  author,  speaks in
very  decided terms both against the excessive use of calomel and
blue pills.   He also says that the number of deaths among the troops
bore almost an  exact ratio to the amount of calomel exhibited.  Now
this is agreeable to my observations.   The most excessive calomel &
blue pill mongers that  I have ever known, have been the most unsuc-
cessful practitioners ;  and I have never known these articles admin-
istered as unmercifully as  they are by some in this village.   In the
summer of 184G,  I commenced taking notes and observations in this
place.  Among other  things I took  the amount of all  the deaths of
those attended by the Adrian physicians, which came to my knowl-
edge  • I noted  also the name of the person dyeing, the  disease  they
died with, and thejiame of the attending physician.   With an inten-
tion of noting my own success as well as  others,  although I com-
mensed and continued these  observations  with a sincere desire to
elicit truth for the benefit of the profession, and the public generally,
I like Doct.  Haliday, was rewarded  with the severest  persecutions.
The whole kennel of calomel and blue pill mongers, from the regular
licentiate, down to the vilest, most  self confident, clownish, boasting
quack among them commenced an unhallowed persecution on rne, so
much so that I  discontinued my observations after continuing them
three months from the first of July.
   The physicians residing here, who do  not use  calomel and  other
mercurial preperations, (to their credit be it said,) took no exceptions
to these observations ;  some of them even offered me their asistance
in procuring the required  information, and were of service in this
way for which I am under obligations.  During the time that I  made
those observations as above mentioned, two of our noted calomel and
blue  pill mongers, lost  between forty and fifty patients, which they
attended during their sickness,  others of this class were equally un-
successful.   In the summer of 1847, which was  last summer, they
were  still more unsuccessful,  two of them had at  one time six  patients
in the village dead, above ground.  I will now mention my own sue- 
10
cess, during the time of three months of each year, from the first of
July,  which I do reluctantly, and which I do for no other  purpose
than to show the differance between giving calomel and blue pills for
every disease,  and not giving it at all, or but seldom.   I  do not pre-
tend that during this time, or any other time, that I have had very ex-
traordinary success, or such success as is worth boasting of.   I hope
therefore  the reader will  excuse any appearance of egotism, in my
mentioning the following,  although it  relates to  myself;  and I
pledge him my veracity, that it is true, and I challenge any one to
controvert it.
 During the first three months, I did not loose a single patient, com-
mencing three months from the  first of July, 1846.   The last three
three  months commencing the  first of  July 1847, I lost four patients
and that is all.   During the time my own health was good,  and I
done all the business  I was able to do, in fact I could not attend to
over two thirds of the calls I  had.  I am confident I done as much
business as any physician in this place, I have not lost a  single pa-
tient with the fever since I have been in the country, that was origin-
aly my patient, and but one that I have taken from the hands  of other
phyiscians.  As I remarked above, I do not mention this to boast of
my own  success, but I would appeal  to an enlightened  public, and
ask if such success should not have  stoped the snears, sarcasms and
persecutions of an illiberal brotherhood.
   Since I have lived in this place, I have observed closely  the suc-
cess of the different physicians of this village, and as I have  been in
all parts of the  country, my opertunities for making such  observa-
tions have been good,  and judging from these obervations, I am con-
fident that some of the most noted calomel mongers, loose more than
fifty patients each annually.   We have some dozen men who prac-
tice medicine in this place, all of whom attend more or less to ob-
stetrical  business,  some  fifteen or twenty woman have  died since  I
have lived in Adrian, in child bed, who were attended by the Adrian
physicians.  Now I am about to make a  remark, which if true is
worthy of  much consideration, and I say that it is true.  All of these
women, were attended by the calomel and blue pill mongers.   I have
been  particularly informed of the circumstances  attending  many of
them, and I must say they are such that they reflect much discredit on
their medical attendants, as well as on some others unconnected with
the profession.
   The other physicians have not lost a single case of this kind, since
I have lived in town, to my knowledge ; to my mind this is conclusive
evidence that these physicians are either miserable accouchers or bad
practitioners, or both.  Such reckless practice must lead to ill success,
not only in this branch of the profession, but in every branch of it ;
and they will continue to be unsuccessful practitioners until they em-
brace  sounder pathalogical doctrines, and adopt a more rational prac-
tice.
  We would naturally suppose, as calomel & other mercurials produce 
11
such delterious. effects in the system, that those who resort to their
excessive use should save  more patients from the grave in propor-
tion to their busines, than those who do not use it at all or but seldom,
or they would not be justified in continuing the excessive use of it.—
But so far from  this being  the case, I have come  to the conclusion,
after much reflection, and observation on the subject, that they loose
from five  to ten times as many patients in doing the same amount of
busines, as those of the  regular faculty who pursue a more patologic-
al, and a more rational practice, and a practice more in accordance
with our best medical authorities.
   I will mention an other circumstance, which to my mind, proves
something against the excessive use of calomel.  We have two young
and enterprising physicians  in practice in thisjvillage, whojdo an exten-
sive business, (I allude  to  Doctrs. Graham and Decker,) who seldom
use calomel  or other mercurials; their preceptors also reside here,
who use calomel and other mercurials extensively in  their practice.—
Now I know for a  certainty that those young physicians, have much
better success than  their preceptors.  Now I do not pretend that all
of the extraordinary amount of patients who die under this  excessive
calomel and blue pill system, are killed by mercury, but many of them,
I have no doubt are.   And that others die for want of proper reme-
dies  for removing   disease  which would  have cured them, had they
been properly administered, but have been laid aside  to make room
for this eternal calomel or blue pill,  which does not, and cannot cure,
except in  some particular instances, and even in those few cases, some
other article  of the Meteria  Medica, might do it better, in less time,
and with more safety.
   We have in our  drug stores, many drugs and nostrums, purporting
to be patent medicines;  on  the labels of each kind, are  advertisements
claiming that each particular preperation, will cure almost every dis-
ease that the  human system is subject to.   I  have  ever  considered
such preperations and advertisments gross  empiricism.  And I have
frequently heard some of our most noted calomelites say, that they con-
sider them in the same light.  Now I would ask with  all  due deffer-
ence, if these learned Doctors are less guilty of empiricism,  in  always
prescribing or recomending calomel, or blue pills, to cure almost every
complaint the human system is heir to.
   The  fevers of this  country are much easier controlled  by proper
remedies, than they are in  the State of  New York, or in  the New
England States. I am confident calomel or other mercurials, seldom,if
ever do anything towards removing them,6they are  generally adminis-
tered in combination with other remedies.which  perform the cure,while
the calomel gets the credit.  Many suppose that an agent capable  of
produciug so  much  injury to the system,  must  consequently,  also  be
capable of producing much good.  Now, agreeable to this mode of
reasoning, the poison of the asp or that of the  rattle-snake, or that of
the canine species  which produces  hydrophobia, would be efficatious
remedies. 
12
   I am confident, patients  with fevers of this  country,  are more
sure to recover,  get up  sooner with much better countenances and
much less liable to relapses without calomel  than with.   Yet I have
known patients with the common fevers, disentaries and  other diseas-
es incidental to this country mercurialized for weeks, and in some  in-
stances for months, if they had  the fortune not to  be  destroyed under
such reckless  practice.   In most instances all  that remains of their
constitutions is a mere wreck ,•  I had much rather have the fever of this
country twenty times, and run my chance of being  cured  without calo-
mel, or other mercurial, than to be  as severely salivated as patients
have formerly been in this community in fevers under this  mercurial
system.
   Now that these learned doctors may  not think or say,  that I am
more severe  on them  than our best medical  authorities, I  will quote
again from the justly celebrated doctor Mackintosh, who uses the fol-
lowing language :  " Much mischief is done  in  this country by the
conduct of many medical practitioners, who  denominate every little
indisposition " a fit of the bile," and  attribute a great deal  too many
of the phenomina that daily present themselves, to disorder of the liver."
   " They either pour mercury quickly into the system, or keep people
for months, under the gentle influance of an alternative course of blue
pills.   All this is too frequently done, when nothing whatever ails the
liver.  Many examples of this description, fall under my care annually,
in which a properly restricted  diet,  gentle  unirritating  laxitives,  a
warm bath twice  or thrice a week, & the application of contrairatants
occasionally for a month or six  weeks, produce as  much relief as
can be expected after years of maltreatment and quackery."
   I might relate many very interesting facts connected with this mode
of practice.   It would increase however, the size of this  essay beyond
the original  design ; and the feelings of some unconnected with the
profession might be wounded thereby, I will therefore withhold them
for the present.
   There is not a person who has resided in this community any length
of time, but what has seen his friends and neighbors hurried to a  pre-
mature grave, in consequence of the excessive and injudicious admin-
istration of calomel and other mercurials ; others have had  their con-
stitutions ruined ;  many  made criples. and others have been mutilated
and disfigured.  In consequence of the doctors asserting so much, that
it  was necessary  to give calomel or other  Mercurials,  as  they  said
for every disease, many had settled down  into the belief that it was
necessary, to  give calomel for  every departure from health; yet
they^  thought  it  a peculiarly unfortunate circumstance,  that it  pro-
duced  in many instances much  more delterious  effects in the system,
than was to be apprehended from the disease for which it was given ;
and it has afforded them much satisfaction to know that diseases can be
much more successfully treated with other remedies, that do not leave
those  delterious  effects in  the system.   I admit  that this system of
always giving calomel or other mercurials, is a convenient mode of 
13
getting along; the articles are light and easy carried, and it saves the
trouble of investigating cases, as calomel or blue pill will cure it what-
ever the nature of the disease ;  and I doubt very  much the propriety
of physicians who adapt this irrational practice, of going to see  their
patients at all, neither do I discover  the necessity of their knowing
what disease the patient labors under.   In prosecuting my profession,
since I have lived in this place, I have  daily witnessed ruined constitu-
tions, and mutilated objects of  pity, the wrecks of men, women and
children ;  some of whom have lost their jaws or a  part of them, others
have lost the use of their limbs, some have lost the bones of the  nose,
and palate ;  some have lost a part of the face ; some  are  severely
salivated every time  they take cold, although they  have not taken cal-
omel for many years; some have inveterate ulcers.   All  of which
have been produced  by the excessive use of calomel, and other mercu-
rials, while the grave-yard conceals the remains of thousands destroy-
ed by calomel.   When I have  witnessed these  things my feelings
have been extremely wounded, and I could but grieve at the ignorance
of some part of the profession.   When I have witnessed these effects,
I have had one consoling reflection, viz: that I was not either directly
or indirectly the cause of them.   This consoling  reflection  the guilty
instrument in producing them, cannot  have.  When I have observed
these effects  in those who act for themselves, I  have regreted it very
much ; but when  I have seen them in children, who do not,  my feel-
ings have been much more wounded.   And I must say that those pa-
rents who have lost children, or had them  mutilated, and their consti-
tutions ruined under this system of quackery, have incured a responsi-
bility which they should have avoided, and which  should have caused
them serious  apprehensions, and reflections,  yet  I  know  many
such parents, as  if they  were determined  that these  dreadful effects
should  not  stop  with their own  families, who  have through  their
urgent solicitations and recomendations, indirectly been the cause of
the same effects upon others, by this same system of infernal quackery.
The legislature of the State of Michigan, have  in their wisdom legal-
ized quackery and quacks to any extent they may desire.  A year ago
last winter a bill was before the legislature of this State, the object oi
which was to regulate the practice of medicine, and prevent quackery,
which would had it passed, excluded more than one half, and probably
two thirds of the calomel  mongers, as it prohibited anyone from  prac-
ticing medicine who had not licence.   It put some  of this class of prac-
titioners in this vicinity in quite  a panic at the time, for, said they, if it
passes we cannot practice medicine.   Previous to my coming to this
State, I was aware that the medical profession of this state, was at the
lowest ebb, so far as  the science of the profession  was concerned.  I
had known many instances of men emigrating to Michigan to practice
medicine, with no other medical education, than a few weeks study of
the  Materia Medica,  most of them used calomel; these  men wrote
home to there friends that they  were doing an extensive busines.   I
know some of this class in this vicinity, who have  had no better oper- 
14
{unities, who are doing a lucrative business, and deal out calomel as
though it had no more power than chips.
  I have mentioned many of the evil effects of calomel, and other mer-
curial preperations, there are others which I consider equally import-
ant.   I have long been  sensible that  when a person  has been once
mercurialized or salivated, that he is ever after more subject to disease.
It has a tendency to impoverish the blood, by depriving it of its  fibrin
and collering matter, thereby rendering the system  ever after much
more liable to many diseases, such as dropsy,  scrofula,  consumption,
dec.   It produces, long after it has been taken, pains in the bones like
rheumatism, and may be  the cause of  rheumatism  itself.   It  is  the
cause  also of many  foul ulcers,  and caries  of the bones  &c.   I
have abundant  authority to sustain me in  these  assertions.   I will
quote from JDruitts sergery, one of our most  eminent authorities ; he
uses the following language :   " A very large  portion of what  is re-
garded, and treated as scrofulous disease, in this part of the country,
appears to me to be merely the result of  indiscreet  mercurialization,
under the prevolent idea  that biliary  derangements, either constitute
or coexist with every departure from health.  Some form of mercury
is administered in almost every  prescription, and the whole capilliary
system of persons who happen to be occasionally unwell, soon become
impregnated and poisoned, by the subtle mineral."
  " So also if an alterative impression is desired  under any  morbid
condition whatever, instead of employing regular diet & harmless med-
icaments, it is common to resort indiscriminately to mercurial agents,
the consequences of such reckless  medication, present themselves to
the physician, in dispeptic affections, chronic head aches, pains  in the
limbs called rheumatism <&ic.   And to the surgon in the more striking
forms of alvioler absorption and adhesions, inveterate ulceratians of the
faucies and nostrils, and various degenerations, malignant or semima-
lignant of glandular organs."
   " Moreover the evil does not stop with the individual, for where  im-
portant elementary tissues are deteriorated in the parents, a constitution-
al influence will be impressed  on the offspring, which if it may not
properly be called  scorfulous from birth, is the  most  favorable condi-
tion possible for the devclopement of the phenomina, of that diathesis,
whenever co-operating influences shall assail the unfortunate subject."
  "The interests of humanity, no less than the  honor of  medicine,
demand that those  who observe and  understand these things, should
utter on all proper occasions, the most unqualified protestations against
such abuses."  An other eminent author uses the following lan^ua^e :
" Mercury in all of  its preperations, or differnnt modes of giving it in
some states of the lungs, is as certainly  fatal, as  the  dagger or pistol."
"In some  sections of our country, calomel as it is given, is a most
dreadful scurge."
   " In many parts of the United States,  cities,  towns,  villages  and
country, are strewn with the wrecks of living men, women & children,
while  the grave-yards conceal  the decaying  remains of thousands 
15
killed by  mercury.  This is not every where the case ; I am happy
to present the city of Philadelphia,  as an exception, more calomel is
consumed in some small towns than in the whole city of Philadelphia."
  " Every consumptive  should understand, that whenever he takes
calomel or uncombined blue pills, he does  it it at the risk of his life."
  "There is no doubt  that mercery will remain in the  system many
years after it is taken,  and produce injurious effects, even twenty years
after it has been swallowed or rubed into the skin."  " Calomel admin-
istered to the children  of consumptive parents, is very liable to bring
on consumption.  If tubercles exist in the  lungs, calomel softens and
inflames them, and thus develops consumption."
  It will be perceived by the above quotations, that these eminent au-
thors assert all  I have  endeavoured to maintain, respecting the  evil
effects of calomel, and other mercurial preperations.  The first quoted
authority asserts in addition to what I have said, that where the system
has been severely mercurialized, that the evil does  not stop  here, but
that the parent communicates a tendency to disease to his offspring.
   He also says that " the interests of humanity, no less than the hon-
or of medicine, demand, that those who observe and understand these
things, should  utter the  most  unqualified  protestations  against such
abuses."   Now for doing what this eminent author says the interests
of  humanity, and the  honor of the profession demand  I should do, I
have received the most unrelenting and unhalowed persecutions from
those who claim to be members of the medical profession.   I can  as-
sure them  I shall not be detered from  uttering my  honest convictions
respecting the  mode of practice, of any part of the  profession, or  that
of any physician, although  they should continue  to calumniate  and
anathematize me, at every corner of the street.  I have said no more
against their practice, than I should have said, were they my brothers,
and engaged in a practice, that I believed  to be  as distructive to the
healths and lives of community,  under the circumstances, I should have
been unworthy of the profession, if I had said less.   I harbor no feel-
ings of animosity to any of them, on the contrary I would do them a
kindness, were it in my power, I do not know that  I could  do them a
greater one, than to convince them of their  errors.   If it should be said
that I have been severe, this is my answer : The nature of the subject
required  that errors should be  exposed, that our  best medical author-
ities, are more severe against this  pernicious practice, than I have
been, and that the case was a severe  one, and could not be  removed
without severe remedies.
   It is more than twenty five years, since  the reform  commenced  in
the United States, as to the excessive administration of mercurial pre-
perations,  since that time they have been continually going more into
disuse by the  most scientific portion of the profession.   Thirty years
ago there was but one  medical school in the city of Philadelphia the
medical professers of this school, taught and recomended  the excessive
use of calomel and other mercurial preperations, and probably done
more injury by doing so than any other medical institution in  the world. 
16
 So much so that the reaction in that city and even  in the whole State
 of Pennsylvania,  has been  astonishing.   There are at the  present
 time three medical Institutions in this city, all of which are  almost en-
 tirely anti calomel,  many of the most eminent physicians of this city do
 not use it at all, while the rest but seldom resort to its use, and this re-
 action has pervaded the whole State.   Some five years since the  leg-
 islature of that State, were petitioned from all parts of the  State to pass
 a law to make it a penal offence to give calomel, in any case whatever,
 a bill was introduced to that effect which came  very near passing.  I
 do not mention vthis because I suppos it was a  case that  required leg-
 islative action, my object is merely to show the reaction in that State.
   The reform has already commenced among the people of this com-
 munity, and it is from them I  anticipate still greater  reforms ; already
 the excessive calomejites acknowledge  they have given too much,  and
 that they do not give as much  as they formerly did.  If they do not it
 is because they know the minds of a largo, portion of community are
 adverse to it, they will give just as much as  they think  their amployers
 will take, and here they must stop.
  It is more than two years since the author entertained  the design of
 publishing his views of biliary derangement, and the excessive use of
 calomel, and other mercurial preperations, but which he has neglected
 until the present time, and which might have been delayed much longer,
 had it  not been for his feble state of health, that not only afforded him
 occasional opportunities to write, but admonished him  of his duties to
 the profession, and to the public generally.
  He is well aware that  there are many imperfections in this essay ;
 there may be in some instances some ambiguity or tautology, and in
 others  that connection may not have been observed, that might be de-
 sirable, as  he had to write at odd spells, as his state of  health would
 permit.  But as to  the principles and doctrines here maintained, he
 unqualifiedly contends they are true ; and he  chalenges those of the
 medical profession of this community, who have maintained and prac-
 ticed different doctrines and  principles, to refute  them in any way,
 except by mere denial of them, or by  snears, sarcasms and persecu-
tions, (as they have formerly that met them,) which he does not con-
sider very  powerful arguments.
  In my advertisement two years since, I  observed, that it was not a
certain indication  of great medical acquirements, to  have given enor-
mous quantities of calomel;  and that 1 believed the  time was not far
distant, when medical jnen would not be held in estimation, in  pro-
portion to their having administered  such quantities of calomel.  I
will now add, I believe a radical reform, cannot much longer be post-
poned in this community ;  the interests of humanity, ae well as the
interests and honor of the profession demand it.