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FAMILY
PHYSICIAN:
   DR. S. S. PITCH,

Author of "Six lectures on the Causes, Prevention and Cure
    of Consumption," " Health, Its Aids and
      Hindrances," etc., etc., etc.  f~-.
9
DR. S. S. FITCH,

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PREFACE.
   When Gibbon, the Historian, had  finished his great
 history, "The decline and fall of the Roman Empire,"
 which had been the labor of his life, and the monument
 which was to bear his name and fame to all coming ages,
 he experienced a feeling akin to sadness, that the com-
 panion of his life, the inspiration of his hopes, and  the
 solace of his years, would henceforth cease to beguile
 his time.   With similar  feelings I dedicate this, my last
 work, to my friends and readers.
   It has been my lot to be a popular  Medical Teacher,
 and to have succeeded vastly beyond my highest expec-
 tations.
   My first work on  Dental Surgery was  published at
 $4 per copy.   For many years past it has been sold at
 $30 per copy.
   My six lectures on Consumption, etc., has  become a
 Medical Teacher to hundreds of thousands of people in
 this country and  Europe, and wherever  the English
 language is known.
   The object of  this  little work is to teach  all families
the art of combating and curing all those diseases which
persons not medically educated  may  safely treat and
certainly cure.
  In this work I have  introduced to all anxious inquirers
                                          (1) 
                         F S4C«

2                   PREFACE.

the extremely important fact of the eurability of cancer,
fortified with the most convincing proofs.
  To gentlemen and  ladies I have presented the novel
subject of the complexion, with suggestions of  its  ex-
treme importance, and instructions so as always to have
the highest ideal of beauty, a ravishing, attractive, pure
and lovely complexion.
  I have always written for the benefit of my readers,
and have been most generously rewarded by their ap-
probation and confidence.
                    S. S. FITCH, A. M., M. D.
                            114 Broadway, N. Y.
   May 1, 1868.
MY  FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.
  This book sent free to any address.  Write to me,
f 14 Broadway, New York.
ARMED FORCES MEDICAL LIBRARY'
      WASHINGTON, D. C. 
FAMILY PHYSICIAN.                 3
HS^ Consultation  Fre®i *&&

  Dr. S. S. Fitch makes no charge for consulation or advice,
whether personally or by letter.  His office is at

          714 Broadway, New York.

  For the  benefit of those who cannot visit him, he has so
arranged his practice and prepared his remedies that he can
treat them  successfully and satisfactorily at a distance, although
he prefers that the patient should give him the opportunity of a
personal examination, whenever it  is practicable, by calling at
his office.  But, when this cannot be done conveniently, inva-
lids may write  a full statement of their case, answering the
questions below, and stating all facts necessary for a full under-
standing of their symptoms and condition, with whatever re-
quest they have to make, and mail it to Dr. Samuel S. Fitch,
at his office in New York.   A candid opinion in  regard to the
case  will be promptly returned.  Remedies may be sent by
express to  all parts of the country, and the treatment conducted
by letter.   His treatment, conducted upon this plan, has been
attended by the most gratifying results, and  its  benefits have
been extended to thousands who could not leave their distant
homes, and must, therefore, if they had been required to do so,
have failed of relief.  The remedies he employs are carefully
prepared under his own hand.
  His charges are moderate ; and those in poor circumstances,
who  want  his assistance, should not  hesitate to  apply to him
because they may fear that their means may not allow them to
procure his remedies and  counsel.  All such persons will find
him considerate and liberal. 
4                  PR. S. S.  FITCH'S
           QUESTIONS TO INVALIDS.

  Those applying to Dr. Samuel S. Fitch for consultation or
advice will  please write  him a full statement of their condition
and symptoms.  The following questions will aid them in doing
so.  These they may answer, and add any facts or circumstances
not embraced in them, which are necessary to a complete under-
standing of their cases:
  Give name, age, residence, occupation ?  family consumptive,
or what complaints subject to ? where born and brought up ?
married or  single ? strong or delicate ? lean or fleshy ? tall or
short ? straight or stooping, or deformed ? height and size around
the waist, two inches above the hips ? color of hair ? complexion ?
have you any humor, scrofula,  cancer, skin disease, headache,
cough, asthma, rheumatism, or pain, anywhere, loss of voice,
hoarseness,  catarrh, dropsy, expectorate  much, raise  blood,
fever or night-sweats, chills, confined  to bed or house,  palpita-
tion, nervous fits, palsy, bad dreams, sour or sick stomach,
dyspepsia, flatulence, distress at stomach, colic, all-gone feeling
anywhere,  costiveness,  diarrhoea, appetite good or bad, piles,
fistula, gravel, heat of urine  or scanty sediment ?  If a lady—
married ? had any female complaints ? irregularity ? weak back ?
pain anywhere ?  any bloating ? bilious ? worms ? indigent or
easy  circumstances ? any  bad  fits of sickness ? taken much
medicine ?
  In writing, if you wish an answer, always  put  in a  postage
stamp, give the name of your post-office, county, and State in
full.   Do not neglect this.  Address

            DR. SAMUEL  S.  FITCH.
714 Broadway, New  York. 
FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.
                     BV
            S. S. FITCH, M.D.
   As light to one in darkness ; as sunshine through the storm ;
 as fire to the freezing; as food to the starving; as wealth to the
 poor ; so is health to the sick.
   He who, by medical knowledge, medical experience, or medi-
 cal remedies, can cure the sick, becomes a  benefactor of hia
 race, and deserves the rewards, the honors, and the gratitude
 of mankind.
   If such exist, it is of the last importance that the sick, and the
 friends of the sick, should know where to obtain relief, and on
 whom they may and can  truthfully bestow their confidence. It
 is every thing to the invalid to know that he can be cured, and
 who or what can cure him.
   My father and grandfather, and myself, have practised medi-
 cine one hundred and  twenty years, unbroken.   I have  been
 consulted during the last twenty years  by about 100,000  per-
 sons, suffering from every variety of human malady.
   I here  most solemnly record my belief  that there are no dis-
 eases incurable in themselves, but their final fatality is owing to
 ignorance of remedies which do actually exist, and which would
 cure the sick if seasonably employed.  A disease wholly incur-
 able by one physician  is often  perfectly curable by  another.
 The sick should never despair of help, but keep seeking and
 trying remedies until  they find relief.  They should also know
that old chronic diseases usually require some considerable time
for a permanent cure.
  In the course of a long  practice I never lost but one patient,
when I was the first physician called.
  I will enumerate some of the diseases which I especially treat,
and treat successfully.
                                               (5) 
6
DR. S. 8. FITCH'S
  After forty years of most incessant application to the study
of medicine, and  its successful application to  all diseases,  I
have been able to establish my Medical Institute at 714  Broad-
way, New York, which is most completely furnished with every
thing that can minister to the well-being of the  sick, and con-
duce to a rapid and  permanent recovery.  Probably no Insti-
tution in the world can present such a varied collection of reme-
dies or such a record of  cures.   The  record of cases comprise
500 volumes.  The invalid visiting New York  for medical aid,
or writing, will here find fair treatment.  No promise of  cure is
made where none is possible or probable.   No false hopes ex-*
cited; no false representations made.  No imposition attempted.
No  medical  speculation dreamed of or practised.  No plunder-
ing  strangers.   No high, exorbitant or unjust  charges, and no
charges ever exacted, except such as the invalid or his or her
friends approve.  The sole object and purpose  of this Institute
is to cure the sick.  Dr. S. S. Fitch's experience is ripe, varied,
and successful.  Consultations by letter or personally are al-
ways free.
  Six Lectures on the Prevention and Cure of Pulmonary Con-
sumption, Asthma, Diseases of the  Heart, &c.   With rules to
preserve life and health to 100 years.  By Dr. Samuel Sheldon
Fitch, A.M., M.D.  354 pages. Sent by mail, postage  free, to
any address.  Price one dollar.
  No money required until received, read and approved.
  This work has now been twenty-two years before the public. It
has always received the highest approval from persons of all pro-
fessions, trades, classes  and ages.  It  is read from the  Chief
Justice of the United States to the sailor before the mast, from
the child of  twelve years to the man of eighty.   To all  it is a
fountain of true medical advice and instruction.   The most par-
ticular mother may give it to the most delicate child.   It  has
not a thought or any expression to offend the holiest instinct or
the most refined taste. No household should be without it.  To
those inclined to consumption or  delicate health, its teachings
are so important that, if carefully followed and fulfilled, no  one
can have consumption.
  It  has been read aloud in a great  many schools of young 
FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
1
ladies. It has educated this whole nation to the intimate con-
nection between fine figures and fine health.  When it was first
published, a straight good figure was rarely seen in this country,
and now a crooked person  is an extremely rare sight.  It was
one of the first medical books that taught the intimate connec-
tion between the practice of the Christian virtues and the con-
sequent enjoyment of good health.
            A  TEEATISE  ON

DISEASES  OF  THE  HEART.
Five Engraved Plates, 168 Pages.
                      BY

               DK. S. S. FITCH.

  Price 50 cents, sent by mail, postage free.  No money required
until received, read and approved.
                 HEALTH,

ITS  AIDS  AND  HINDEANCES.

  A large work, describing carefully nearly all serious diseases.
Price $3.
                       BY
DE.  S.  S. FITCH. 
8
PB. 8. 8. FITCH'S
  I here give  a  list of diseases that I treat, and in nearly all
cases successfully treat, and cure.  Of course there is no disease
but what may, under some circumstances, from 'neglect or very
long continuance, or peculiar malignity, so  prostrate  the  sys-
tem as to place it beyond the reach  of any remedies ; but, ex-
cepting these peculiar cases, I cure  nearly every case of sick-
ness or disease that is ever put under my care.
  Some cases require much longer doctoring than others ; some
are liable to return, and require watching and remedies until all
traces of the disease and liability to it are wholly eradicated
from the system, which will always  be  the case where proper
remedies are used for a sufficient length of time,  and  where
proper preventions are employed and proper precautions taken.
  It  should never be forgotten that a disease may  be wholly
cured, and the patient, by placing himself under the influence of
the same causes that diseased him at first, may bring on the dis-
ease a second time or more, which would never have been the
case  if former causes had been avoided since his first cure was
completed.

                Diseases of the Head, &c.
  Headaches of  all kinds, all affections of the scalp, the mem-
branes covering  the  brain, diseases and affections of the brain
itself, &c.—such  as : Sick headache.  Nervous headache. Neu-
ralgic headache.   Catarrhal headache.  Rush of blood  to the
head.  Congestion of the brain.  Dropsy on the brain.  Confu-
sion of ideas.  Loss of  memory.  Sudden blindness of  one  or
both eyes.  Noises in the head.  Weakness of brain power, &c.
Sudden loss of  hearing. Tetter and eruptions on the scalp,
heat itching, burning, falling of the hair, Epileptic fits,  &c.
  Catarrh.   Sore throat.  Canker  in  the mouth and throat.
Swelled tonsils.   Ulcerated tonsils.  Filling  up of the throat
Mucus and  phlegm in the throat.  Loss of voice.   Weak voice.
Hoarseness.  Scrofula and King's Evil on the outside of the
throat  and  on the neck.  Goitre.   Swelled  neck.  Lumps.
Swellings.   Tumors, &c.  Tickling  cough.   Bronchitis.

                  Diseases of the Face.
  Tetter.  Ringworm.  Blotches, pimples and boils.  Eruptions.
Swelled red nose.  Erysipelas.  Rose  blush  on the face, &c. 
FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
9
and cancer on  face, lips, &&  Moth.  Freckles.  Yellow and
brown spots.  Tan.
                       Sore Eyes.
  AH sore eyes.  Catarrh in the eyes.   Weak eyes.  Weeping
eyes.  Red inflamed eyes and eyelids.  Dimness of sight, &c.
   All diseases of the Lungs and weakness of the chest.  Con-
 sumption.  Bleeding lungs.  Ulcerated lungs.   Scrofula on the
 lungs.  Congested lungs.   Salt-rheum and all humor on the
 lungs.  Asthma.   Asthma in all its varieties, and at every age.
 Dropsy on  the chest.  Pain  in the chest and sides.  Short
 breath.   Contracted and narrow chest.  Stooping shoulders.

                   Diseases of  the  Heart.
   Enlarged  heart.   Diseased valves.   Hypertrophy of the
 heart.  Dropsy on the heart.   Ossification.  Thickening of the
 heart.  Dilatation of the heart.  Angina Pectoris.  Palpitation.
 Fluttering.   Stoppage,  &c.  Throbbing.  Spasms.  Rheuma-
 tism on the heart.  Humor on it, &c.   Spasms in the chest.

                 Diseases of  the Stomach.
   Dyspepsia.  Indigestion.  Sour stomach.   Throbbing  pain
 or wind in the stomach.   Bilious stomach. Chronic  vomiting
 and sick stomach.  Loss of appetite.   Weak, ulcerated and can-
 cerous stomach.   Humor on the coats of the stomach.   Loss of
 action in the stomach.  Spasms and cramps of the stomach.

                     Liver Complaints.
   Jaundice.   Enlarged liver.   Tuberculated, obstructed, torpid
 and ulcerated livers.   Defective and  poisonous bile.  Too little
 and too much bile.  Bleeding from the liver.   Gall stones  in
 the gall bladder.
                  Diseases of the Bowels.
   Chronic diarrhoea.  Weak bowels.  Falling  of the  bowels.
 Costiveness and stoppage  of the bowels.   Inflammation, pain,
 soreness, heat and lameness of the bowels. Flatulence, colic,
' colicky  pains and wind in the bowels.  Enlarged and protu-
 berant  abdomen.    Ruptures.   Swelling and  diseases of t\\o
 omentum. 
10
DR. 8. S. FITCH'S
                Diseases of the Kidneys.
  Diabetes.  Gravel.  Bright's disease of the kidneys.  Heat,
and scalding of the water.   Too  much,  too  little.   Scanty.
Stoppage and incontinence  of water.   Burning.  Too often.
Pain in passing water.

                Diseases of the Bladder.
  Catarrh of the bladder, and all  Humor affecting the  bladder.
Pain.   Thickening, &c.

                   Female Complaints.
  Diseases of every kind peculiar to Females.   Swelling and
enlargement of the ovaries, womb, &c.  Cancer of the womb.
Stoppage of nature.  Painful.  Irregularity.
All diseases peculiar to Males.  Weakness, debility, &c.
  Spinal affections.   Pain between the  shoulders.  Pain  and
weakness of the back.   Paralysis of the spine.  Paralysis of the
limbs.   Partial or general paralysis.   Inability to walk.
  All humor in  the blood.   All  skin  diseases.   Salt-rheum.
Tetter.  Shingles.  Boils.  Acne.   Erysipelas,  &c.   All skin
diseases affecting the  face  and injuring the complexion.  Clo-
asnia.  Pimples.  Scarlet blush, &c.
  Neuralgia and Rheumatism.  Acute and Chronic Rheuma-
tism.   Swelling of  the  joints.   Inflammatory  Rheumatism.
Contraction of the cords and tendons, and stiffness of the joints.
  Scrofula.  King's Evil.  Scrofulous sores.   White swellings.
Sore legs.   Fever sores.   Goitre.  Swelled neck, &c.
  All the varieties of cancer, especially on Ladies' breasts, and
on the face, lips, tongue, gums, &., or anywhere on the surface
of the body and limbs. 
FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.
11
  I will in this place designate a few medicines, which, if kept
in families or by individuals, and used as directed and as occa-
sion  requires, will  be found most valuable, indeed  absolutely
priceless, and by the use of which almost every disease in a
family may be cured, if used as soon as possible after the attack
and persevered in until the disease is cured.
  The diseases cured by these few medicines are as follows:
Sick Headache,                Dysentery,
Colds,                        Bloody Flux,
Pneumonia,                   Diarrhoea,  or  Summer Com-
Pleurisy,                        plaint of Children, attended
Inflammation  and Congestion    with green stools,
  of the Lungs,                Indigestion of   Children,  at-
Croup,                          tended with pain, colic, vom-
Sore Throat,                    iting and diarrhoea,
Measles,                      All Bilious attacks,
Whooping-cough,              Typhoid Fever,
Scarlet Fever,                 Diphtheria,
Cholera Morbus,               Quinsy.
Diarrhoea,
  The medicines are \                           Price.
Cathartic Pills.........'....................................$  25 per box.
Biliary Corrector......................................... 1 00  "  bottle.
Expectorant................................................ 1 00
Anti-Dyspeptic Mixture............................... 100 "
Life Ointment.............................................. 100 "  box.
Whooping-cough Cure, for one case................ 1 00
  One dollar each case will be enough.
  These medicines can always be had of me at 714 Broadway,
N. Y.                                ,

  Mr. and Mrs. Henry Carlisle, merchant, of Sheldon, Ver-
mont, thus speak:
  In our family we have used your medicines for twenty years;
we have given them to our  sick neighbors and friends, in hun-
dreds of instances, with unvarying success, when timely used,
and in many cases when  all hope of recovery had fled.   They
are truly precious.   In all bowel complaints of young children,
the  Anti-Dyspeptic  mixture  seems like the hand of God himself
—so prompt is the help it gives. 
12
DR. S. S.  FITCH'S
  Pulmonary Consumption.  In 1840 I first began to lecture
on  Consumption in  England.   I  afterwards lectured in  the
United States.  In  1846 I published my six lectures " On  the
Uses of the Lungs.  On the Causes, Prevention and Cure of
Pulmonary Consumption, Asthma, Diseases of the heart.   On
the Laws of Life and Mode of Preserving Male and Female
Health to One Hundred Years."
  The teachings first enunciated in these lectures, and spread
everywhere by the  press and by intelligent lecturers  and pro-
fessors of medicine  in this country, have materially lessened the
prevalence and fatality of Consumption among all the educated,
intelligent classes in  the United States.  My own impressions
are, that among these classes in this country Consumption has
declined one-third in twenty years.
  In 1857 I published a large work on Consumption.   In this I
described twenty-four different diseases called Consumption.
No disease to which we are liable is so entirely preventable as
Pulmonary Consumption.  It is also curable before the lungs
are very greatly disorganized.

                    CONSUMPTION.

  I need not describe this  disease, it is  so  universally known.
As a general thing, it is indicated by a cough and expectoration,
pain, shortness of breath, chills, fever, night-sweats, loss of flesh
and strength, a general wasting of the  system, which, if un-
checked, in a longer or shorter time lays the  sufferer in the
grave.   In some cases, especially in those who are consumptive
by their family, its beginning  is hardly noticed.  One of the
earliest symptoms of Consumption is a sense of weariness, loss
of strength, easily overcome by exercise or labor; slight  short-
ness of breath,  much increased by any exertion;  a disinclina-
tion to exercise, &c.  When these symptoms are noticed in any
person, especially the young, and those who have any taints of
Consumption in their family, either near or remote, they should
receive prompt attention, and be cured.  It  is often the case that
many  are struck with  Consumption long  before they have  a
cough.  Read carefully the following letters, and you will get
as clear an idea of  Consumption, and its symptoms and cura-
bility,  as I can describe. 
FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
13
                       BRONCHITIS.
  # This is a skin disease, that affects the skin or membrane that
 lines the windpipe and vocal organs,  and all the air-pipes and
 air-cells of the lungs.   I mean  all those surfaces which the air
 touches when it enters the chest.   The effect of Bronchitis is to
 produce hoarseness, weak voice, loss of voice, cough and Con-
 sumption.  Indeed,  there are very few cases of Consumption
 where  Bronchitis is not  more or less present.   Bronchitis is
 usually a true Salt Rheum.  The cough in Bronchitis is usually
 attended with a copious expectoration of mucus, and even pus:
 of course the quantity raised will depend much on the extent of
 the disease.  In some cases the cough is dry.

                        CATARRH.

   This is a skin disease, located in the nostrils, often extending
 to all the nasal passages; backwards, it occasionally reaches the
 Eustachian  tubes, causing  partial  deafness ; upwards, it often
 enters between the plates of the bones of the forehead, inducing
 at times severe and long-continued headaches, pain in the fore-
 head, temples, &c, often of a highly neuralgic character: some-
 times only one side of the head is affected.   I have seen catarrh
 produce fearful ravages in the nasal bones, so as to remove them
 entirely.  Frequently catarrh is attended with a very offensive
 odor from the nostrils and parts affected.
  These three diseases,  Catarrh, Bronchitis,  and Consumption
are often found together in one person, and so are usually
grouped together.  Separately or together, they are curable.
          How can their Curability be proved ?

  I think, best by the testimony of intelligent persons who have
suffered from them and have been cured.
  I give this proof from persons who can be easily referred to,
personally or by letter.
  Should you write to them, by all means enclose a stamp to pay
the return  postage.  I especially  request my friends never to
answer a letter of inquiry if a stamp is not enclosed.
  The writer of the following letter, Wm. Clayton, Esq.,  mar- 
14
DR. S. S.  FITCH'S
ried Mrs. Parkinson, widow of Wm. Parkinson, Esq., who with
his uncle formed the celebrated law firm of Parkinson & Nephew,
London,  old England.  They were solicitors to the Duke of
Wellington, also to Coutts' Bank, and to the late Duchess of
St. Albans.
  Mrs. Parkinson, now Mrs. Wm. Clayton, suffered greatly for
fifteen  years from inveterate  dyspepsia and female troubles.
Mr. Clayton applied to me for her relief, and  before long she
regained her health.  In London she told me, " You have Bared
my life."  After Mrs. Clayton recovered, by her and Mr. Clay-
ton's advice, many of their relatives and acquaintances placed
themselves under my care ; and all who did so were cured.  Mr.
Clayton always keeps my remedies on hand for the relief of any
sufferers that come under his notice.
                   CONSUMPTION:
        Wliat is said of Dr. S. S. Fitch in London.
                No. 10 Warwick Gardens, Kensington,
                         London, Nov. 13, 1863.
 Dr. S. S. Fitch :
  Dear Sir :—Six weeks ago I was sent for to see a young lady
 twenty-one years of age.  She had been given up by four of our
 best doctors.  They all told her she had Consumption and could
 not live many weeks.  She had nearly lost the use of her legs.
 Her finger-nails were quite black.  A bad cough.  Nature had
 stopped eighteen months.  I told her father and mother I could
 cure her with your medicines, and I am most happy to  inform
 you that she it getting better very fast.  She can now walk up
 and down stairs well by herself.  Before I saw her, all hopes of
 her recovery were given up.  Several persons have been to see
 her.  They all think it quite a miracle.
  A gentleman happened to call to see her a few days ago who
 had just returned from New York, and of'course  they asked
 him if he had ever heard of Dr. S. S. Fitch in New York.   He
 told them, " Yes; he is the best physician in New  York, and very
.much thought of there."  Mrs. Clayton,  Mr. Parkinson,  Mr.
 Scantlebery and Mr. Townsend all send their kind regards  to
 you.
                         Yours, ever sin Co fly,
                                WILLI AM  CLAYTON. 
FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
15
Case of John Carhart, Gilderland, Albany county, New Tort,
                   aged seventeen years.

  Called on me in May last.  The February before he had an
attack upon his lungs, which greatly affected them, leaving him
with a bad cough, pain in his side, short breathing, &c.  This
continued on him four months.   All medical aid seemed un-
availing ; all hope of his recovery was abandoned.   His parents
were urgently advised to consult me, which was done.  In four
months all cough, all expectoration, and all  pain  left him, and
he is now in good health.   His right lung was badly ulcerated.
 New York, March, 1864.
    March, 1868, is well.
                    Mariners' Harbor, Staten Island,
                         New York, Feb. 15, 1864.
Dr. S. S. Fitch:
  Dear Sir :—I applied to you in August, 1858.  I had then
a very weak chest,  cough,  spitting blood a  little at different
times.  My left lung very weak, and said to have been ulcerated.
I have fully recovered my health  years ago.  Last year my
health was better than I ever remember it,  and is now very
good.  I have the utmost confidence in your remedies.   Two
years ago I lost a sister by Consumption.
                     Yours,  truly,
                            THEODORE  M. DECKER.
  February, 18G8, is well.
                         Brandreth House, New York,
                                 June 10, 1862.
Clarke Rice, Esq. :
  Dear Sir :—I have just heard from my friend, Dr. S. S.
Fitch, of 714 Broadway, that he purposes  to visit Watertown
for a few days.   I  have been long and intimately acquainted
with Dr. Fitch.  He cured me of a bad cough, expectoration,
&c, which had affected me eighteen months.  I have sent many
invalids to him, suffering with  sore throat, cough, bleeding
lungs, heart-troubles,  dyspepsia, &c, aud  have in  every case 
16
DR. S. S.  FITCH'8
Witnessed relief, and in many cases most astonishing cures.  I
have witnessed  Dr. Fitch's immense practice and great success
for many years, until  I am forced to believe that he is one of
the first of all living physicians.   He leaves home a while for
the  benefit of  country air.  Your citizens  will have a rare
opportunity of profiting by his great science and experience.
You can recommend him to your friends with the most perfect
confidence.
  Please accept my affectionate regards.
                              GEORGE  H. MALLORY.
            A Case of True Consumption Cured,

      Interesting Letter from Cornelius de Revere,  Esq.

                Tarrytown, New York, March 10, 1854
Dr. S. S. Fitch :
  Dear  Sir :—I feel it to be a duty I owe to yourself and the
community to  make a public acknowledgment of the fact that
under your  treatment, by the blessing of God, I  have been
restored  to comfortable health after going down to the very
borders of the grave with true pulmonary consumption.
  As I am informed by physicians, it is nearly or quite impossi-
ble to  determine with absolute certainty that  any  individual
now in health ever had true consumption,—that although con-
sumption may be curable, still the facts of such cure can only
be obtained  by a post-mortem examination of the lungs.   This
may, in most cases, be true; but it is  not in my case, as the
circumstances which I will relate conclusively show.
  Consumption first began to develop itself in my lungs in
1842, by  a cough, and  the usual attending symptoms of decline
in strength and flesh, pain about the region of the chest, through
the shoulders, and under  the  shoulder-blades. The disease
continued slowly but steadily and obstinately to progress.  The
best medical advice  and assistance I  could get  appeared to
oppose no check to it.  By the year 1845 I  had become very
feeble,  coughed much, expectorated  largely, with all the ordi-
nary indications  of diseased and wasting lungs.  During the
last named year,  a  new feature presented itself:  a large abscess
gathered in the left  side, and broke, discharging a great quantity 
family  physician.
17
of thick matter, resembling very much that which I coughed
up.  This discharge continued until I called on you  in 1847.
It proved to proceed from a cavity in the lungs.   Ulcerous and
tuberculous, cheesy matter was discharged ;  but  what showed
conclusively that the opening  penetrated into the substance of
the lungs was that the air passed out through the abscess.   I
could, and did frequently, blow out a lighted candle, by placing
it immediately before the opening, and making a sudden effort
at inspiration.   Here was positive proof that extensive ulcera-
tion, involving the substance of the  lungs, was going on.   All
my symptoms indicated consumption,—cough,  expectoration,
distress for breath, hectic fever, night-sweats, &c.  My friends
and my physician regarded me as certainly doomed to the grave
by the disease which was on me as though I  had been already
in my coffin.
   This was my apparently hopeless condition when, in January,
1847, I most  fortunately applied to you.  I did so with very
little hope of relief.  You yourself did not express a very con-
fident hope that you could rescue me from the grasp of a disease
so firmly fastened, but still  encouraged me by saying that you
thought it possible I might be cured  if I adopted  and faithfully
pursued your treatment.  I did so ; and with gratitude to God
for his blessing upon the means you employed, and with grati-
tude to you for your skill and kindness in treating me, I can
say that I have  been in the enjoyment of good health for the
last four or five years.  I pursue my ordinary business, have no
cough, no  pain, have my usual  flesh, and nearly my usual
strength.  I do  not suppose  that I  am as strong as I would be
with lungs that had never been diseased.  The front lobe of the
left lung is nearly all gone.
   My case  may  appear almost incredible to those  who regard
seated consumption as incurable.  But if the skeptical will write
or cab1 on me at Tarry town, N. Y., I can,  I think, convince
them that  at least  one case has been cured  by your admirable
treatment.   With the sincere  wish that others similarly situated
may apply to you and find relief,
                    I am, most gratefully, yours,
                            CORNELIUS DE REVERE.
   Mr. Revere is still in good health, 1865.
   Mr. Revere died, 1866, of fever. 
18
DR. 8. 8.  FITCH'S
              Little Falls, Herkimer Co. , New York,
                           March 3, 1804.
Dr. S. S. Fitch :
  Dear SiR :—You wished me to write you a full  statement of
my case : I will try and do so as near as I can.   In December,
1863, I was attacked with a severe turn of bleeding at the lungs.
I was very much  reduced, and so weak that I could not raise
myself in bed nor even feed myself.   I was  attended by skilful
physicians, who did all they could to relieve  me; but the relief
I obtained was  only momentary.   I had  daily hectic fever,
cough, expectoration, sore throat, and at times a great heat and
dryness and tickling in my throat.   Had  severe palpitation of
the heart, pain through my chest and shoulders, great  pain  in
my back and sides, also costiveness,  piles, sour  stomach, bloat-
ing of the bowels, coldness of the lower limbs, night-sweats very
bad.   Physicians and  friends thought  consumption would soon
lay me in the tomb: indeed, I  thought myself that dread dis-
ease had fastened upon me with an iron grasp, no more to be
unloosed until wrapped in the cold  and icy arms  of death.   I
had lost father and  mother and other relatives with consump-
tion, and I soon expected to follow them.   I was in this state
when my wife called on you at Utica,  July 10, 1863, and stated
my case to you.  You gave her no encouragement.  Your an-
swer was that, under all the circumstances, the probability was
that  medicine would do no good, more than to relieve me for a
short  time, for you considered my case hopeless, but  said If I
wished you would give me medicine, with shoulder braces and
supporter.  I took them faithfully, but saw no change for nearly
four  weeks;  only my appetite seemed to  be  improving.   In
about two weeks I was able to ride out, seemed to gain strength
daily, and am now enjoying  a comfortable  state of health,  al-
though I have to be very  careful of myself, as my lungs are still
very weak.  March 1, 1864, I  called on you at Utica, the only
time I have ever seen you. On examining  my chest, you said,
by strictly following your directions a few  months longer,
through God's  blessing, I would again become a healthy man.
I would advise all those  similarly afflicted not to  give up until
they have given your remedies a trial.  Kind sir, allow me again
to thank you for the kindness you have ever  manifested toward/" 
FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
19
me;  and I sincerely hope your valuable life may be spared many
years to come, and may Heaven's richest blessings  rest upon
you,  is the sincere wish of your friend,
                                     R. W. WHEELER.

  March, 1866, Mr. Wheeler is well.
                         Thompsonville, Connecticut,
                                    March, 1866.
Dr. S. S. Fitch:
  Dear Sir :—I cannot express the gratitude I feel for the kind-
ness you have  shown  me and the benefits I have received from
your remedies.
  It is near two  years since  I  heard you visited Providence,
Rhode Island.   I had  heard of  you before,  and at once deter-
mined to see you.  I was then very low, could not do any thing
for self or family.  I had given up all hope.   Lungs congested,
expectoration  constant, hacking cough,  night-sweats, palpita-
tion, female troubles, fever, and so weak that  to walk seemed
impossible.  Such I came to you.  I had no appetite, could not
sleep or rest nights for palpitation of heart and pain in the chest.
Your words of hope and sympathy at once won my confidence.
You told me I must be faithful  in all you told  me to do, and  I
would get well.  I believed  you, and did every thing you pre-
scribed for me.  Your supporter and shoulder-braces gave me
great ease and comfort.   I cannot speak highly enough of their
benefit to  me.  All your remedies acted well upon me; and
slowly, as  you told me, I have yet surely gained.  Thanks to
you, I am  now  able  to  do my work for five persons in my
family, and perform all the duties which devolve upon  me.  I
have no pain, no night-sweats, no cough, do not take cold near
as easy as before taking your remedies.  I am proud to tell of
the kindness and sympathy you have ever shown me, which, to
a nature as sensitive as mine, has great power.  I can eat, sleep,
and work, walk, and feel a new life.  I am quite convinced that
 Consumption is in your care curable, if the patient will  not get
 discouraged, but faithfully and long enough  persevere.  I have
 allowed nothing to discourage me :  I relied on your word as a
 gentleman, and in doing so felt safe.  I shall with pleasure an- 
20
DR. S. S.  FITCH'S
swer any inquiries, and hope you may long be spared to be a
blessing to others.  I hope to continue to  see you, as long as
you come near me, so to be firmly established in health.
  With every good wish for your health and success, I am, sir,
                           Very truly yours,
                                      JANE FRANCIS.
               Case of Mrs. Abby J. Hadly.
  If there are any who deny the curability of Consumption, tLa
following case ought to satisfy them to the contrary.
                 Amsterdam, New York, March 5, 1864.
Dr. S. S. Fitch :
  Dear Sir :—In December, 1862, I was taken with  a cough
and trouble of  my lungs, especially the right lung.   This  in-
creased, with fever.  My expectoration became very copious;
I raised a great deal of pus.  I suffered from chills, fever, and
night-sweats.  I lost flesh and wasted rapidly.  My appetite
was very poor, and my monthly nature left me entirely.  The
ends of my fingers  became knobby, and the ends of the  nails
turned inwards; there was a  dark purple color under my nails.
Great quantities of matter would  seem to accumulate in my
right lung; finally, an ulcer opened through the chest  between
the fourth and fifth ribs, about four inches from the breast-bone,
nearly in the centre of the front of my  right  chest.  When I
drew in my breath, the air would rush out through this opening,
so that I could blow out a candle from it; the air would make a
whistling, rushing sound whenever the  ulcer  was uncovered.
Through this opening a  great quantity of pus passed out every
day.  I have known as  much as one  pint to come out at once.
Most usually about half a pint would come out  night and morn-
ing when the ulcer was opened.  I was wholly confined to my
bed, and had a bad  cough, chills, fever, night-sweats,  poor ap-
petite,  &c.   In  this situation  I lay in my bed five months, and
was reduced to a mere shadow of my former self.  My  face was
pallid and utterly sunken.   All hope of my recovery had dis-
appeared.   I had the best medical advisers the country  afforded.
All faces reflected on me but one  look—that of hopeless  pity.
On the 19th day of October, 1863, I  commenced taking your
medicines and  following your directions.   Without the  least 
FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
21
shock to my system, and hardly apparent at first, I began to re-
cover, and  every symptom of my dreadful disease improved;
my cough lessened, my appetite returned, I raised less, and the
discharges through the ulcer became less, until, finally, all symp-
toms of disease disappeared.   I  am now very well; color has
returned to my cheeks; indeed, I think my complexion is better
than before I was taken sick.  I have not entirely recovered my
strength, but I am very well.   I have no cough and no expec-
toration, no pain, &c.  I need not say any thing of your reme-
dies, directions, &c; the result of my case tells enough of them.
I have only to thank a good God for having directed me to you,
and to thank you for your most benevolent kindness.
                                     ABBY  J.  HADLY.
  Mrs. Hadly is very well, March 27, 1868.
Throat-Disease and Loss of Voice for Twenty-five Tears per-
                       fectly Cured.

             Jeffersonville, Indiana, October 22,1854.
Dr. S. S. Fitch .
  Dear Sir :—In 1828 I began to lose my voice.  In six months
I was entirely speechless.  I tried the  best physicians in five
different  States, without benefit.  I applied to you last spring. I
was then speechless, and coughing almost  incessantly day and
night, with short breathing, and pain in the left shoulder.  I
commenced using your  remedies and  following your advice
strictly, and the  result is my voice is perfectly restored, and I
am entirely free from bad feelings, which had never left me for
one hour in twenty-six years.  I lived a mute twenty-five years,
but for the last two months can talk and sing as in my youthful
days.  My health is good.
                        Very truly, yours,
                              Mrs. LUCRETIA LEWIS.
                Case of Consumption Cured.
                         Oberlin, Ohio, March 25,1866.
Dr. S. S. Fitch :                          m
  My Dear Sir :—It is about three months since I wrote, t.
improved condition of my health not requiring it.  I can but fi 
22
DR. S. S. FITCH'S
when I attempt to express the sense of gratitude I feel that God
has been pleased to  direct me to  one through whose agency
health, that most desirable earthly blessing, has been regained.
I cannot forbear giving a synopsis  of my case.  In 1862 I was
attacked with bleeding of the lungs, which my physician told
me came only from the throat; but the attending weakness and
prostration convinced me that it came from a more vital part.
After several weeks, I seemingly recovered.  Six months later,
was attacked again, and bled now  profusely.  After a lapse of
about the same length of time, had  a third and still more violent
attack;  and thus the disease continued growing on me, accom-
panied by a severe cough, night-sweats,  pain in the chest and
sides, wasting of flesh, and general debility and prostration.   I
consulted the most talented and experienced medical men in the
State, who pronounced me  labelled, said my lungs were full  of
tubercles, and  that a few months at most would  confirm their
opinion.  Was  unable to attend to business; and, being aware
that  I was  constantly and  rapidly failing, I despaired of ever
being any better, and my friends gave me  up, as gone in con-
sumption.   I was advised by one who knew of your successful
treatment of that disease, and as  a  last effort, to see you ; and,
I must say, with little hope I went  to your office in New York,
the 6th  of  February,  1865.   You gave me remedies, which I
began using immediately after my return, using them regularly
and carefully as directed.  It was but a few weeks until I began
to realize that the current had turned.  My cough was allayed,
pains subsided,  appetite  improved, strength accumulated;  in
short, life seemed renewed.   There were times, however, when
I became discouraged, because of  a  relapse occasioned by ex-
posure or a cold; but I could but know that I was steadily im-
proving, and in July,  having used your medicines six months,
I returned to my business, and since then have not been inter-
rupted at all by lung difficulty, and have labored from ten to
eighteen hours per day, and have gained twenty pounds.  I now
eat well, sleep well, and feel well—in fact,  am in better health
than I have been for six years.  Had I yielded to the prevailing
prejudice, that all pretension to cure consumption is quackery,
I should inevitably ere this have yielded to the penalty of this
most fatal error. 
FAMILY PHYSICIAN.                23
  Remembering your kind and attentive care, and appreciating
your success, I remain, my dear sir,
                       Yours, very truly,
                                   L. R. DRAKE,
             Prof, of Penmanship, Union Business Institute.
  Case of Throat, Lungs and Stomach, lung diseased, Cured.

Dr. S. S. Fitch :
  On the sixth day of February, 1866, I called on you in this
city.  I had a bad cough four years, raised blood and a great
deal of phlegm and  matter.  My throat was so sore and closed
up that at times it seemed to me I must choke to death.  I suf-
fered cruelly from dyspepsia and distress in my stomach.  Often
after meals, I would feel as if I had swallowed  a handful of
needles.  I suffered terribly from  other  complaints.   I had
utterly despaired of any cure.  My father and  grandmother
died of consumption.  Your remedies, in  a few months, cured
me wholly  in all respects.  What a  delightful summer I have
passed ! I have taken some cold this fall, but for this, my health
is excellent.
                                     Refer to
  55 Wetbosset Street,       Miss H----M. S----.
    Providence, R. I., April, 1868. Very well.
                Case of Consumption Cured.

Dr. S. S. Fitch :
  Two years ago, last August, I called to see you.   I had had
a cough three years ; disease called true Pulmonary Consump-
tion ;  raised a great deal, much reduced, discouraged, no reme-
dies useful, knew not what to do.  My brother sent me to you
—you encouraged me.  For three months hardly any gain, even
worse.  I say this because many not better soon, or even worse,
give up, who by good counsel and perseverance would have got
well.  You encouraged me. After three months I gained rapidly,
in ten months cough was gone, I was  well.  In May left off
flannels, took cold and a bad relapse ;  was worse than ever; your
remedies again, faithfully used, cured me.  My brother, not half 
24
DR. S. S.  FITCH'S
so ill as I was, applied to you two weeks after I did, declined
treatment as not sick enough, and died of consumption in ten
months.  I believe with your remedies he would now have been
living.  I most urgently entreat others to seek your assistance.
Gratefully I thank you for your interest in me and my cure.
  No. 1 Broad Street,          Miss A. W. PECKHAM.
    Newport, R. I., April, 1868.  Very well.

    Conclusion of a very interesting Case of Long Illness,
                 Newport, Rhode Island, April 16,  1866.
Dr. S. S. Fitch  :
   Dear Sir :—I write to-day, not to ask for medicine or advice,
but to tell you how well I feel.  I have continued to improve in
health ever since I saw you.  It  is true, I am not entirely free
from aches and pains, and get tired very easily ;  still, I am most
happy to call myself well.  I am not taking any medicine now;
I do not feel the need of it.  Let me thank you once more  for
your kindness to me.  I have but one regret about not needing
medical advice; and that is, I dislike very much to lose sight of
one who has been so generously kind to me, and taken such an
interest in me.  You will ever  be remembered most kindly by
                                                * * *  *
                        ASTHMA.
  Asthma, sometimes called phthisic, is a most distressing com-
plaint, affecting the lungs and the breathing.  At first it comes
by attacks, lasting from two hours to five or six days and nights.
It is characterized by short breathing,  greatly aggravated  on
attempting to talk, or walk, or move, often not able to lie down
at night.  On first attacks there is, in many persons, a dry cough,
which in some cases continues dry until the fit  of asthma is
over.   In most cases, in from one to three days and nights,  the
cough becomes humid,  and much phlegm or mucus is expecto-
rated.  In this way the attack goes off,  and may return in one
week  or  many months.   Often these attacks increase  in fre-
quency, until the unfortunate sufferer is affected  all the time,
and cannot  lie down at all at night, but is forced to  sit  up,
oftentimes leans forward on some support, and for hours strug-
gles against  apparently impending suffocation.  I have known 
family physician.
25
cases where for months and years they could not lie down at
night.   I knew one case of fifteen years continuance, that
during the last three years the sufferer, a lady, could not, from
debility and the disease,  sit up or lie down ; a sister held her up
every night.  I had the pleasure of curing this case permanently
in three weeks.   I have now known of her good health ten
years or over.
  I would say to  the invalids, I always cure asthma in  all its
forms and in all its varieties.  All get well.  It is only a question
of time.   Some get well sooner than others, but all get well.
Use the remedies I direct long enough, and you will get  well.
I have seen cases of asthma in aged people which I have thought
advisable only to palliate.
      Asthma of Twenty-Three Year3  Standing  Cured.

        A conclusive Letter from Charles S. Powell, Esq.
                220 Columbia Street, South Brooklyn,
                           August 14, 1856.
Dr. S. S. Fitch :
  Dear  Sir:—I owe it to the public  and yourself to give a
statement of my case.  I was  born and grew up at Islington,
near London.  Occupation, clerk and teacher.  From early life
I was subject to wheezing and asthma.   I of course received the
assistance of  the  best physicians  in   England—Dr.  Leman,
Teignmouth, Dr. Frederick Salmon, of London,  and a great
many others—with only slight relief.  In 1836 I went to Egypt,
where my asthina was relieved some, but had a bad dysentery.
There met.Dr. Abbott.  In 1840 I returned to England, followed
by immediate dreadful attacks of asthma.  I stayed three years
in England,  then went to Syria, in Asia,  and stopped at Beyrout
(asthma  left—had  dysentery),  and visited Jerusalem, in  the
Holy Land.   At Jerusalem I saw Dr. McGowan.  From Syria
I went to England, then to Boston and this city.   I  suffered
dreadfully with asthma in Boston; and, truly, I think my case
was one of the worst I ever knew.  I  obtained no  permanent
relief whatever here, until I applied to Dr. Fitch, 714 Broadway.
For many months  now I  have had no attack whatever,  and
consider myself perfectly cured of that affliction.
                I remain yours respectfully,
                       CHARLES SAMUEL POWELL. 
26
DR. S. S.  FITCH'S
                Case of Miss Mary Bigger.

                        Bin Brook, C. W., March 8, 186-1.
Dr. S. S. Fitch:
  Dear Sir:—For four years I was very much affected by
asthma. I had it some nearly every day, and at times very bad;
often I could not lie down much at night.  Every change of
weather to cold, or wet, or wet and cold, or stormy, my asthma
would at once come, and I would  be very ill with it.  I tried
every thing I could hear of.  Several physicians prescribed for
me, but without much, if any, good effect.  Last September I
applied to you for relief, and used your remedies several months.
The result, so far, is very happy. I have had but one attack of
asthma since I first placed myself under your treatment.  I do
not take cold nor feel the changes of the weather as I once did.
I feel, and have long thought myself,  perfectly well.  Please
accept my best thanks.
                 Case of Donald Mcintosh.

                    Buffalo, New York, March 4, 1864.
Dr. S. S. Fitch :
  I have suffered exceedingly from asthma.   I am forty-nine
years of age.   For six weeks before I saw  you, I suffered all I
thought I could suffer from asthma.  I had a most severe cough,
—would at times cough all night.  I  could  not lie down at
night.  I raised very much; but  the terrible trouble was my
breathing ; for hours together it would  seem to me that I must
expire for want of breath.  My struggles to get my breath were
awful.   Any exercise, or the least attempt to do any work, or
to move about, would at once threaten to kill me.  In this state
I called on you, the eighth day of January last.   I have used
your remedies faithfully as you have directed.   I now find
myself all but entirely well.   I have no cough, no pain, no ex-
pectoration ; all that remains of the terrible  disease is a little,
very little, short breathing on exercise.  Refer any one to me
you please.
                      Respectfully, yours. 
FAMILY physician.
27
                      Asthma Cured,

                  128 Jackbook Street, March 28, 1866,
                         London, Old England.
  Dear Sir :—I am anxious to send you a testimonial to testify
to the  good I have received  from you.   I was afflicted with
asthma for many years, and the attacks at last were of a nature
so severe as to cause my eyes to appear starting from my head,
my complexion to turn black, and the perspiration to pour from
me.  Night after night I was unable to lie down in bed, and my
sufferings  so  great that I have not been expected to  live until
morning.  My medical adviser said he could do no  more for
me—that I could not recover.   My friends also considered my
case hopeless.  I then sent for you,  and  by your kind  and
skilful  treatment, and taking  your invaluable medicine, I  am
thankful to say that in  four  months  I was quite restored to
health.  I find it quite impossible to express my heartfelt thanks
to you  ; but you will ever have my unbounded gratitude for the
inestimable good I have received from  you.
          1 remain, dear sir, yours, gratefully,
                                MARGARET JACKER.
               DISEASES OP THE HEAET.

  These diseases are usually considered fatal by all the medical
faculty.  As far as I know, I am the only physician living who
asserts the curability of heart diseases.  I believe  I  and my
pupils are aione in this branch of practical medicine.  During
the last twenty years I have treated a great many cases of heart
affection and disease.  Nearly  all  have got well, and stay well.
I treat heart diseases with great pleasure, as I always cure them,
or nearly always.  The exceptions are very few, both in young
and old.
  Heart disease is characterized by pain about the heart and left
breast, often extending to the left arm,  also a crowding in the
left chest, very  uneasy,  strange  feeling there; also irregular
action of the heart, quick, rapid beating, on exercise, stoppage
of one or more  beats; beats  rapidly,  and stops with a sudden
jerk, as if turning over; fluttering in the left side and pit of the 
23
DR. 8. 8. FITCH'S
 stomach, like a bird ; throbbing in the stomach ; long breaths
 often instantly cut off by a sharp pain  under the lower part of
 the breast-bone or left side ; throbbing at the pit of the stomach ;
 great difficulty or impossibility to go up-hill or up-stairs ; pant-
 ing breathing; choking often in swallowing ; any effort, walking
 against the wind, or lifting, or any unusual or sudden exertion,
 will produce palpitation and stoppage of the heart.  If very bad,
 not able to lie down  night or day; very nervous, and alarmed
 by any sudden excitement.  Eating  heavy  meals affects  the
 heart.   Dyspepsia,  indigestion,  and costiveness all  aggravate
 the heart-trouble.   The  head is often  confused, fulness of the
 head, rush of blood to the head.  A strong tendency to palsy
 and apoplexy ; weakness of all the left  side ; sudden starting on
 going to sleep ; swelling of the face and  under the eyes ; swelling
 of the feet and across the stomach.   In some  cases,  sudden,
 acute shocks of pain dart like lightning  through the chest and
 heart, at times affecting most severely the left arm at the inser-
 tion of the deltoid muscle. Fulness and throbbing in the head ;
 often a throbbing is  felt all over, especially on first going to bed ;
 often a sudden starting up, just as falling to sleep.  All sedentary
 persons, scholars, teachers, professors, bankers, clerks, judges—
all especially of full habit, fleshy, and who take little exercise—
may become subject to diseases of the heart.   Late suppers are
often fatal to such persons.
Case of George D. "Webber, Conductor on the  Hudson  Eiver
                         Eailroad.

  This gentleman  called on me  September 1, 1859.  He was a
young married man, living at 569 Broome street, in this city.
He once had suffered from rheumatism.  He had suffered nearly
all his life with sick headache.  For two years past he had ex-
perienced very much palpitation, pain, and distress at his  heart.
At times swallowing was difficult, and he would have spells of
very short, difficult, panting breathing.   He suffered much from
dyspepsia;  his food would lie heavy upon his stomach, as if a
heavy ball were in it.  His food would ferment and sour, gener-
ating much wind.   He was very bilious.  About once in  a
week or ten  days all his suffering would  be  much increased 
FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
29
with sharp, severe pains through his heart,  his left side, and
back.  His liver was much affected.  His bowels would be very
costive sometimes, then changing into a bad diarrhoea.  His ap-
petite was poor, his strength feeble, at times  hardly able to do
any thing.  On examination, his heart was found  to be  much
enlarged, so as to lift up the ribs over it, and to push the  gullet
towards the right side, at times;  and also to  press upon  the
left lung,  producing very short breathing.  From the  heart
itself proceeded a heavy rasping sound, showing that the valves
were much affected.  The circulation was very feeble.   His feet
and hands were habitually cold.  In person, he was of medium
height and spare.  He had been doctored two years,  without
much, if any, benefit, but growing worse every month.  All his
medical advisers had  pronounced his case hopeless.  This was
his situation and hopes when he applied to me.   His heart was
so enlarged, and his  constitutional injuries so great,  that he
was obliged to take medicine two years—all the time, however,
continuing at his business.  His recovery was at first slow, as
such bad cases usually are.  I met him a few weeks ago, and
he told me he was perfectly well. *
  New York, March 12, 1866.
              * Died in 1867, but not of heart disease.
    From the Hon. John Kelly, M. C. from New York City.

                              New York, Nov. 24, 1857.
Dr. Samuel S. Fitch :
  My dear Sir :—Supposing that  others, afflicted as I have
been, may be benefited by the knowledge and use of your reme-
dies and treatment, I am induced to write you this communica-
tion.  You may make any use of it  you may deem proper.  For
a number of years I have been afflicted with what I supposed to
be disease of the heart.   At times  I have had great distress in
the region of the heart and left side, occasionally violent palpi-
tation and fluttering of the heart; the circulation of the blood
seemed to be slow and obstructed  in some way ; my digestion
was  very imperfect; I was nervous and despondent;  was
troubled with headache  very much, and had turns of sinking,
faint prostrate feeling, which were distressing and  alarmed me.
Having tried numerous  remedies,  as recommended  by physi- 
so
DR. 8. 8.  FITCH*8
cians, and without any apparent benefit, I gave up all hopes of
obtaining relief, when I was advised by a friend of mine to call
upon you, as he felt confident that you would be able to relieve
me.  I am glad to inform you that his predictions  have  been
fully verified.  The medicines and treatment you prescribed for
my case have had a well-nigh miraculous effect upon my system.
I am now nearly restored to my usual good health, and by the
aid of your remedies and the help of a kind  Providence I  hope
finally to be completely so.   I would most certainly recommend
your treatment to any who may be afflicted as I have been.
                         Very truly, yours,
                                  JOHN KELLY, M.C.
  Mr. Kelly is well, March, 1868.


          From Mrs. E. K. Clement, Pennsylvania.

                       Strotjdsburg, Monroe Co., Pa.,
                                 February 23, 1854.
Dr. S.  S. Fitcti :
  Dear Sir :—It will be three years next winter since I called
to see you.  I was then pronounced in the last stage of the
heart disease by the physicians of this place.   They said  there
was no hope for me.   I was then induced by entreaties of my
husband to go and see you, yet with  but very little hope of
being cured.  You gave me remedies,  &c, which I took, and
followed your directions  to the letter, and in six months time
I could say, "lam well."  I can sleep as  sweetly as  a  little
babe, and on my left  side as well as my right, which I could
not do for years previous.
  Since my cure of the heart disease, many have been  induced
to try you, and several more are going to see you this spring.
Our doctors must and do acknowledge  that you can cure that
disease.
                     Yours truly,
                          ELIZABETH K. CLEMENT. 
FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
81
              From John Knowls, of Virginia.
                           Norfolk, Va., April 11, 1858.
Dr. S. S. Fitch :
  Dear Sir :—It is with pleasure that I state to  you that the
remedies you have prescribed  for  me have had  a wonderful
effect already.  I feel as if I were a new man.   I  have had no
palpitation for the  last two weeks; and  I  have only had that
throbbing at the pit of the stomach twice since I commenced to
take your medicine.  I will be very thankful to you if you will
send me some more of your Heart Corrector and some Pills, as
I am entirely out.   With heart-felt gratitude for the good  you
have done me, I am              Yours, truly,
                                      JOHN KNOWLS.
       Another Most Eemarkable Cure of Heart Disease.
  If the following homely, but graphic and truthful, narrative
does not convince the reader that heart disease may be cured,
and excite at least some interest in that system of treatment by
which this cure was effected, it must be because his prejudices
are invincible.

                         Tamworth, Carrol Co., N. H,
                               December 9, 1857.
Dr. S.  S. Fitch :
  Dear Sir :—I must apologize to you for not writing to you
before.  I certainly ought to have done so.  At the time I ap-
plied to you I had taken so much medicine that did me no good
that I gave up all hopes of recovery,  and, to  be honest about
the matter, I thought the same of yours.  But, sir, to commence
the narrative of my case.  Nine years ago I was taken with a
slight pain in my heart, and just before I had the pain there ap-
peared to be a raw or sore spot on the  heart about  as big as a
five-cent piece.  But it may have been imagination.  It was, at
all events, pretty sore, and I suffered the most excruciating pain
in the heart.  Then the  heart commenced palpitating, and by
spells it would entirely stop.   One time  in  particular I fell
&e*Meless in my house ;  the neighbors were called, and by their 
32
DR. 8. S.  FITCH'S
timely aid—by rubbing and putting something stimulating Into
my mouth—I came to myself again.   My family became more
alarmed than ever, and also my friends ; they  said that they
thought I was past cure.  I called on the best doctors of the
day,  as they were thought to be ; they said,  all as one, it was
the heart complaint, and could not be cured.   I was then very
weak.   Some of  them  told me they could make me easier.
They left me some medicine, but all  they prescribed hurt mc,
and I gave it back to them, one after another.  After taking the
medicine of the last one of them for some days, he came to see
me, and found me lying upon the floor, for I had not lain on a
bed for five weeks.  I told him his medicine would kill  me, and
he had better take it away, which he  did.  The doctors all said
that  my disease was incurable. By chance I got  one  of your
books: I read it, and it gave me some hopes.   But my hopes
were small;  for I had not laid my head on a pillow for about
three years.   I had to sit up in bed with my  shoulders  covered
up : I could not breathe if I laid down.  Then,  as the  last re-
sort,  I thought I would  write you—I think it was in October,
1852 ; and I stated my case as near as I could.   You wrote me
that my case was a bad  one, but you thought you  could help
me.   Even this encouragement almost gave me new life. You
prescribed for me, and I got your medicines.  In a few days I
went out to my shop, some twenty rods from the house, where
I had hands at work ; I had not been there for six weeks.   My
health rapidly improved.
  Some of the doctors told  me, before I got help, that if  Dr.
Fitch helped  me so that I could ever work  again, they would
go in for him on heart complaints : they are surprised now to
think that I am so well.  I now do as much work on my farm
as I ask any man to do.   If any one  wishes to address me, he
is at perfect liberty to do so.   This is at your service ; and may
God ever bless you, here and hereafter I
                     Yours, with respect,
                          BENJAMIN F. TWEMBLY. 
FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
33
Case of true Heart Disease Cured.—Case of Capt. Geo. W. Cobb.
Dr.  S. S. Fitch :
  January 10, 1866, I called on you at your office in Boston.  I
had been ill a long time, and could obtain little or no relief from
any one.  I had severe pain in  my left breast and  side, in my
heart, back, shoulders, &c.   Great crowding and sense of ful-
ness and suffocation in my left chest, a great deal of palpitation,
stoppage, and fluttering and hard beating of my heart.  Breath
very short, which on  exercise increased so  much that I could
walk but very little, or do any  work, or take any bodily exer-
cise.  I was wholly given up as an incurable.  I have now been
under your  care ten months.  I am very well.  I have been as
well the last summer as in twenty years past.   I have recom-
mended many invalids to you, and your success with  them ex-
cites my admiration and wonder.  I would  say to  all invalids
troubled with short breathing, palpitation, pain, headache, diz-
ziness, especially elderly or fleshy persons, go at once to Dr. S.
S. Fitch for  relief.   I  feel as if twenty years have been added
to my life.
                  (Signed,)             GEO. W. COBB.
  Dighton, Mass., Nov. 10th,  1866.
                       DYSPEPSIA.

  This is a disease of the stomach, existing in all degrees, from
very slight to great  sickness, almost unable to eat any thing,
attended with sour stomach, belching of  wind, great  oppres-
sion at the stomach.  After eating, the food lies  like a heavy
load.  At times great pain is felt in the stomach, and swelling
and distention.  The food remains long on the  stomach, fer-
ments and sours.   In some cases it continues in the stomach
weeks and months, many articles becoming wholly indigestible.
The liver is  usually sluggish and the bowels constipated ; but
in some cases a diarrhoea will exist. This  state of the stomach
often deranges the whole system, causing palpitation and great
nervousness,  pain  between the shoulders,  nervous headaches,
and great debility.   Dyspepsia at times leads to fatal diseases,
and may itself become fatal; olteu ends in cancer of the stomach. 
34
DR. 8. S.  FWCIl'8
                   Causes of Dyspepsia.

  There are two principal causes of dyspepsia.  One is a  uni-
versal  debility  of the system from long-continued sickness.
scrofula, debilitating studies, excesses, &c.
  But the most  common cause of dyspepsia is a humor on the
coats of the stomach, which occasions a burning in the stom-
ach, and tenderness at the pit of the stomach, and congestion
and thickening  of  the coats of the stomach.   In some cases
patches of  the  mucous membrane become denuded by the hu-
mor.  Canker and eruptions come on the coats oi  the stomach,
which extend up the gullet to the throat and mouth, occasion-
ing hoarseness and cough.  At times dyspepsia affects the eyes,
causing floating specks before them and dimness of vision.  I
could  add a great  many more symptoms,  but have  not the
space.
                       39 Hammond Street, New York,
                                     March 23, 1858.
Dr. S. S. Fitch :
  Dear Sir :—I write to say to you that I have derived very
great benefit from the use of your remedies.  For the last thirty
years, until recently, I have been subject to violent bilious at-
tacks, commencing with  a chill, pain in the head and back, and
in the bones, followed by fever, sickness, and great prostration,
often lasting several days.  No remedies that I could get, or
advice of physicians,  would prevent a recurrence of these at-
tacks.  Two years ago I commenced using your remedies, with
entire success.   I have hardly during my life enjoyed such un-
interrupted good health as since I have made use of your reme-
dies.  One of my daughters, who has been during most of her
life subject to violent attacks of sick-headache, has been entirely
cured.   You are truly a  public benefactor.
                          Yours, respectfully,
                                         A. SEYMOUR. 
FAMILY PHYSICIAN.                35
          Six Mile Run, Somerset County, New Jersey,
                                   January 12, 1858.
Dr. S. S. Fitch :
  Dear Sir :—It is due that I should thank  you for the very
great benefit I have received from your remedies.  For several
years I have suffered with sick-headache and a torpid liver.
The attacks of headache came on periodically, and lasted gene-
rally three or four  days, sometimes a week;  and the pain and
sickness I endured  are indescribable.   For more  than a year,
now, I have been free from them, having been completely re-
lieved by your remedies.  I would with great confidence recom-
mend your treatment to others similarly affected.
                             Yours, truly,
                                         JOHN POOL.
Rev. James Wells, of this city, (New York,) says:
  I cannot forbear expressing to you my gratitude for the most
delightful relief I have experienced from your remedies.  I was
for years the victim of  distressing headache, which made my
life a burden, and at times almost  totally disabled me from any
mental effort; in fact, disqualified me for any duty.  Thanks to
a kind Providence, last November I made use of your reme-
dies.  In the course of three or four days my head was relieved,
and I have had but little return of the pain, which I at once re-
lieve by your remedies.
  January 12, 1858.
                 CHEONIC DIAEEHCEA.
                 Brewerton,  Orange Co.,  New York.
Dr.  S.  S. Fitch:
  Dear Sir :—I have been out of health for a year past.  One
year ago,  or  a little more,  I  had a run of the bilious fever,
which left me in a very low state of health.  I had a constant
diarrhoea—for several months could not exercise at all without
bringing it on.  I tried various medicines, and consulted a
number of physicians, but all without relief.  I was very soon
cured by your remedies.   I can cordially recommend them.
                     Yours, truly,
                               CHARLES  P. ADAMS. 
36
DR. 8. 8.  FITCH'8
     Case of George 0. Marshall, Esq., of Poughkeepsie.
  This gentleman called on me September 20, 1858.  He was
very pale, utterly prostrated, exceedingly emaciated.  He had
a constant  diarrhoea,  and most distressing piles.   He almost
utterly despaired of cure from any quarter, as all remedies had
failed.  Within three  months he was restored to health.   The
last time I saw him he was very well, and  had regained all his
usual flesh and strength.  He had been out of health four years
and a hah".
               Case of Baron H. Tatiosyan.
  July 10, 1851, I was urgently requested  to call  on a gentle-
man living in 101 Fourth Avenue, below Thirteenth  street,
east side.  I found him very ill with chronic  diarrhoea.   He
said, "You are  the  pne-hundred-and-twenty-third doctor I
have consulted in three and a half years past.  I have expended
seven thousand five hundred dollars trying to regain my health.
I spent six months in England trying to obtain relief.   I con-
sulted  the best physicians in London, but without  any good
effect.  The sea-voyages did me no  good.  I have consulted
every physician of any note, in New York,  without relief."
The back part of his mouth was covered with canker, which
extended down the gullet and spread over the coats of  his
stomach.  His bowels were  badly ulcerated,  and  discharged
large quantities of pus every day.  He  could  only eat a little
beef-tea with a cracker soaked in it.   Nearly all food distressed
him exceedingly.  This gentleman entirely recovered his health.
AVithin four weeks he  returned to  his business, and  in  six
months was very well.  I met him some time  ago; he was
very well.
             PILES,  0E  HEM0EEH0IDS.
  This complaint is always troublesome, and at times dangerous.
  There are three varieties of piles.  The first is piles proper,
where bunches grow from the internal coat of the lower bowel,
neaHts termination.  These bunches often come out, at times 
FAMILY  PHYSICIA'N.
8T
suppurate,  and break, causing great pain.   In a great many
cases, most intolerable itching is experienced.
  Piles are supposed  to produce  or lead to fistula.  In some
cases, dreadful pains take place before and at stool.

                       Blind Piles.
  Blind piles occur wholly within the bowels.  Nothing comes
out.  They are often indicated by great pain at the evacuations,
and by most intense pain'in the back, between the hips, &c.

                      Bleeding Piles.
  This form  of piles is very common.  They are mostly inter-
nal, often bleeding very profusely, most usually after evacua-
tions.  Great debility  and prostration of the whole system may
be produced, so as at times to lead to most dangerous results.
  I cannot dwell long  on piles.   They are perfectly curable.
I have treated many thousand cases with unvarying success.  I
always promptly cure  them, when I think it advisable to do so,

                UEIEAEY  COMPLAINTS.
  Diseases of the kidneys, bladder, &c, are always annoying,
mortifying,  unpleasant; and at times they become the  most
awful and distressing  and dangerous diseases that can affect the
human system.
  Gravel, diabetes, incontinence of urine; ulceration ot the
kidneys,'bladder, and  urethra ;  stoppage,  scalding,  burning
urine sometimes clear  as spring water, at other times  high-
colored • scanty, thick, red or white sediments or mucus in
the wate'r ; suppression of water, and finally stone in the blad-
der •  bleeding from the bladder, kidneys, &c.
  Most  diseases of the kidneys, bladder, water-passages, &c,
arise from a bad humor in the blood,  which settles on  these
parts   Stone in the bladder is often produced by drinking lime-
water   In  most of the limestone districts,  many  old per-
wns, who have for a  long time drank of the lime-water,  suffer
fearfully from stone and gravel.
   Suppression of urine, even if partial, soon produces most dan-
gerous consequences to the system. 
38
DR. 8. 8. FITCH'S
  I have treated a great many cases of urinary diseases with the
best success, often when previously declared fatal; and this in
persons of all ages and sexes, from three to eighty years old,
always curing gravel, and sometimes bad  cases of stone in the
bladder.

                 FEMALE COMPLAINTS.

  These complaints always call for all the sympathies of the
good physician.  The most lovely ladies, both single and mar-
ried, at times fall a prey to diseases peculiar to their sex.   These
diseases and disorders arise often from falling of the bowels and
displacement of the  internal  organs ; but the most frequent of
all causes is a humor in the blood, which settles on all the parts
affected.  Any  cause which weakens these parts, or irritates
them, will cause a humor (in those who have impure blood) to
settle on them, producing enlargements, discharges, ulcerations,
with all the dreadful symptoms that cause a suspension of all
the healthy functions;  preventing pregnancy, and, at  times,
forcing the unfortunates  to bed, unable to walk or stand, and
this for years ;  profuse  hemorrhages, unnatural  discharges,
loss of  strength and hope, and,  in  some cases, fatal results
occur.
  I have been consulted, during the last twenty years, by near
thirty thousand ladies, suffering  every variety  of  disease or
disorder incident to  females.   It  is indeed rare  that any have
ever failed  of cure.  Numbers of bed-ridden ladies  have been
restored to health and activity.   How  many have become happy
mothers, who had  long  despaired of it ?   How many cases of
happiness restored to families ?  I could give hundreds of cases
and letters, but  have  time or space for very few.
  It is one of the most pleasing reminiscences of my life to re-
call the hundreds of lovely ladies who, by God's blessing, I have
restored to  charming happy health, with all  its delightful con-
sequences.  Ladies may  apply  to me with  perfect  confidence
of cure.
  1 must here warn ladies to avoid all physicians and surgeons
whose  practice  is to apply caustics extensively to the womb,
under pretence  that  it is ulcerated.   It is only in the last ten
days that a lady died at or near Springfield, Mass., from caus- 
FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
39
tics applied to the womb.   A lady told me a few days since that
she was  present when caustic was applied to the womb of a
young single lady not seventeen years old; after the application
she fell on the floor in convulsions.  Such practice as this  is
simply infamous, and  usually aggravates the disease and pro-
longs the cure.  I never adopt any thing  of the kind, as I never
fail to  cure without it, and  without  exposing  the lady in any
manner or causing any pain.
        From John Gordon, Esq.,  of Ottawa, 0. W.
              Aylmer, Ottawa, C. W., October 20, 1856.
Dr. S. S. Fitch :
  Dear Sir :—Two years ago I called on you as the bearer of
a letter, citing the case of Mrs. Mary Gordon, the wife of my
brother, who was  then a very distressed  and hopeless invalid.
She had some two months previously been severely sick with a
violent attack of erysipelas, which had confined her to the bed
for some weeks, and which left her much diseased. She was
confined to her house, and could not walk across the floor with-
out assistance. Her whole system seemed to be poisoned.  She
had great distress, dizziness, and a sense of fulness in the head,
pain in the chest and sides, between the shoulders  and under
the shoulder-blades, with a distressing, sinking  feeling at  the
pit of the stomach, with cold chills running down the back and
limbs.  She had falling of the womb for seventeen years, which
was constantly growing worse.  The  pain in  her head  was
agonizing, and she and her friends feared at times it would drive
her crazy.'   She availed herself of all the medical  advantages
which this part of the country affords, but without relief.  You
prescribed for her, and sent her remedies, abdominal supporter
and braces, with medicines.   They have cured her:  she is com-
pletely restored to her health, and can now  walk twenty miles,
if need be   Her case has been considered very  remarkable by
our neighborhood, and has secured the  gratitude of herself, her
husband and  friends.  Your success in this case has induced
many invalids in this vicinity to apply to you with various com-
plaints, and almost uniformly they have been helped.  Some of
your cures have been wonderful.  I cannot do less than recom-
mend the  sick everywhere to avail themselves of your admirable 
40
DR. S.  8.  FITCH'S
treatment, confident as I am that it is best adapted of any that
is practised to restore the invalid to health.  Among those who
have used your remedies with benefit, I may mention Miss Kel-
logg, whose left lung, her doctor said, was gone : she is well;
alsoMrs. Chamberline,  and Mr. James Reid.  Mr.  Reid was
far gone in consumption, and is now very much improved.   I
could name others, but forbear.
  Trusting that your remedies may be effective in curing others,
                  I am, respectfully, yours,
                                    JOHN GORDON,
                      High Constable, District Ottawa, C. W.
          From Mary J. Winship, Pennsylvania.
              Darlington, Bucks Co., Pa., July 5, 1862.
Dr. S. S. Fitch :
  Dear Sir :—It is with great pleasure that I write to inform
you concerning my health.  Little did I think, when I wrote
you, that I would enjoy as good health as I do now.  I cannot
express the gratitude I feel to you, with the blessings of my
heavenly Father, for the benefit I derived from your medicines.
My health is better  now than it has been these five  years.   My
kind husband has spent a great deal of his hard-earned money
for the benefit of my health; but I found  little relief until I
commenced to use your invaluable remedies.  They have acted
truly like a charm.   I have now no pain in mv side until I over-
exert  myself.  My  boweis are more  reguiar th&n they have
been for the  past five years.   I am in  all respects wonderfully
improved.
              Yours, with many thanks,
                                 MARY J. WINSHIP.

                     EHEUMATISM.
   This is a disease of very frequent occurrence ; it prevails most
in cold, windy seasons, and  in  damp places.  Persons exposed
to  cold and hardship are most liable to  it.  Rheumatism is
characterized by pain more or less intense, which affects the
muscles and joints, and the membranes which cover the muscles 
FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.                 41
and bones.  The joints are mostly affected,  and swell; and if
very long continued, you may lose the use of them.  There are
different varieties of rheumatism ; on the nerves it is called


                      NEUEALGIA.
  At times the large joints, such as the knees, will swell very
badly and be very puffy, but attended with little  paini.  Rheu-
matism is sometimes complicated with gout.  In some it is a
cause of consumption.  It  at times attacks  the  joints of the
fingers, causing them to swell; if left too long, chalk is at times
deposited  in the joints; and finally,  in some cases, the use of
one or more fingers, and often  of  the whole hand, and  even
both hands, will be lost; and some  persons lose thus the use of
their hands so  as never  again  to  be  able to feed themselves.
Dreadful fate!   Always preventable, always curable, taken in
season.   Rheumatism cripples thousands.  It often settles on
the heart, causing heart disease.  I always cure rheumatism if
applied to in time.
                    Case  of Mrs. Tucker.
                                Buffalo,  March 4, 1864.
Dr. S. S. Fitch:
  For about three and a half years I was subject to a bad cough,
bad sore throat and sore mouth, much catarrh, and a great deal
of rheumatism.  These various diseases continued to increase,
until at last I could do no work, and I began to dread a fata]
result.   About one year  ago I called on you in this city,  aad
placed myself under your care.  My complaints were obstinate,
frequently returning  after  being checked ; but finally all began
to yield to remedies, until, in six months, I was all but entirely
well.  My strength returned ; ability to work, to exercise, &c,
all restored ; no  cough, no sore throat, no sore mouth, no rheu-
matism, no catarrh.  I now find I rarely take cold, and consider
myself as well  as most people.   You have all my confidence.
                                 Respectfully, yours. 
42
DR. 8.  S.  FITCH'S
                             Utica, N. Y., Feb. 13, 1858.
Dr. S. S. FiTcn:
  Dear Sir :—When I called on you last fall, you will remem-
ber that I had been sadly troubled with rheumatism for a num-
ber of years.  It seemed to have its seat in my back and left
shoulder, and at times laid me up entirely.   Nobody can tell
what  I  suffered from it.   Liniments and external remedies
seemed to do me no  good.  I tried about every thing.  Some-
times it went to my legs and feet, and again spread all over me.
It was always worse in the  spring and fall.  Your remedies
have cured me.
                       Yours, respectfully,
                               JAMES P. MAYFIELD.
                           Osborn House, Rochester,
                                  Jan. 10, 1864.
Dr. S. S. Fitch t
  I have for years been a great sufferer from rheumatism.  In
winter I have been subject to sudden attacks, so that at times I
was not able to raise one and sometimes both arms to my head.
At other times one or both ankles would be attacked, so  that I
could not walk;  always attended with  severe  pain.   Your
remedies cured  me within a short  time.  I thank you for the
cure ; I thank you for your kindness in thus curing one whom
you knew could only pay you in thanks.
                       Thankfully, yours,
                                  FRANK JOHNSON.
                    SKIN DISEASES.

  Nearly all the diseases that affect the human system  are
caused by humor in the blood.  There are nearly fifty different
diseases of the skin, or that in some form appear on the surface
of the body, limbs, or face.   They are all curable.  Some re-
quire longer time than others to effect a cure.
  The great leading varieties of skin  disease  are those which
are  humid: as salt-rheum,  of which  there is a dry variety. 
FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.                 43
There is  also  tetter, or  ring-worm, with its  varieties;  also
shingles, developing larger pimples ;  others in the form of little
boils, especially affecting the face—in some cases covering  the
face with a most repulsive mask of red boils.   Some develop
scales; others are attended with itching and burning.  Some
produce very little pain,  burning, or itching, &c.  Most skin
diseases may become very injurious to the constitution.  Some
will strike in and affect the throat, the lungs, the brain, heart,
stomach, bowels, all parts—often the eyes and eyelids.
  In doctoring skin diseases, the greatest care should be taken
to cure the humor in the blood,  and thus cure the skin disease,
and not, by injudicious outward application,  drive the disease
to the internal parts.
  I have treated  almost every variety  of  skin  diseases, and
usually cure every case I treat.
                            Norfolk, Va., January, 1854.
 Dr. S. S. Fitch :
   Dear Sir :—Last June I called on you to see if I could be
 relieved of a most mortifying condition  of my face.  It was
 almost black with biliousness.  Little red boils were profusely
 scattered over it—some red, some suppurating—and,  with the
 dark and dusky spaces between them, produced a most repul-
 sive appearance.  This had been so a long time.   I could find
 no help, and had no hope of any relief.   I am certain no person
 of taste, male or female, could endure such a  sight for one
 moment without aversion.  In this condition  you very kindly
 undertook  my cure.  In a few weeks my  face was all I  could
 wish.   I then had my photograph taken, which  the artist sent
 to the great exhibition in Paris, where it received the first prize,
and was sold for forty dollars.   I need not say how much I
thank you.
                        Truly, yours,
                            MARTHA HAINES BUTT. 
44
DR. S. S.  FITCH'S
                 Case of John Eeeves, Esq.
                  Shepherd's  Bush, London, England.
Dr. S. S. Fitch :
  Dear  Sir :—Three and a half years before I saw you I was
attacked  by a painful disease on the back of my hands and on
other parts, attended with much  intolerable itching and burn-
ing. This continued to increase, attended with a discharge of
scalding water from the back of my hands.  For two years my
hands were wet all the time—water running from them so as
to wet my gloves instantly.  I could not take a piece of money
in my hands even for a moment without wetting it.   My lungs
and throat became affected.  I had considerable cough.  During
this time  I consulted the most eminent medical men  in London,
amongst  whom was Dr. Willan, long celebrated for  his treatise
upon, and treatment of skin diseases; also Dr. Ferguson, the
queen's physician.  Not in a single instance did I find any re-
lief. In this state I called upon you at 66  Berners street in this
city.  To my utter astonishment, in two weeks all my worst
symptoms were relieved, all running of water from my hands
was cured, my health rapidly improved, my strength returned,
and I could do a full day's business.  I have now  been very
well for years.  I cannot sufficiently express my gratitude.
  London, January 1, 18C4.
  March 6, 1868,  is very well.
                      Black Rock, N. Y., March 4, 1864.
Dr. S. S. Fitch:
  Dear Sir :—For a long time I suffered from a most mortify-
ing skin disease all over my face.   My complexion was  truly
repulsive, and I suffered much from female troubles.  My face
was thickly set with little red  boils, which were hard, and ter-
minating in little, whitish, festering points, which on being
pressed would give  out a  little soft white matter.  Scattered
over my face, between the little red boils, came out little black
hard points, which they told  me were the heads of worms.
These would remain  a while, and  form a sore and go off', suc-
ceeded by other black points.   In  this way, crop after crop of 
FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.
45
little red boils and black spots would come and go.  I need not
say that my face was utterly repulsive.   Frequently I would suf-
fer a great deal of itching and burning over my face, and fever
in it, that  at times affected my eyes.   A few weeks ago I put
myself under your treatment.  I am  now most happy to say
that  all my female  troubles are cured and my general  health
fully restored.  My face is  all but entirely well, nearly every
vestige of the skin disease is gone, and my complexion is fast
recovering its usual brilliancy.
                                        MARY JONES.
  Moth, brown or yellow spots, red pimples, black points, rose-
blush on the nose or face, freckles  and dark stains, blotches on
the arms, neck, face and forehead  of  both sexes,—these com-
plaints, which often utterly destroy all  beauty, are perfectly
curable, and the beauty of the face and  clearness of the com-
plexion may be fully  restored in a short  time.  No one need
doubt for one moment of a cure.
                      DIPHTHEEIA.
  A few years ago this disease was very fatal from ignorance of
true remedies.   Now it is rarely ever fatal, and is very easily
cured.
  It is in its severe form croup and putrid sore throat combined.
It begins from exposure, wet feet and taking cold, &c.
  The throat rapidly swells, and is thickened and closed up in-
side very much.   The patient feels as if breathing through wool
or cloth.  The throat often swells externally, and if greatly ne-
glected it may be fatal.
  It is perfectly curable in a little while.
  First rub the throat with any good strong irritating liniment,
as hartshorn and sweet oil, oils of hemlock or cedar, &c.  After
this is well done cover the throat around perfectly with a cloth
dipped in ice water, and  cover again  with flannels to cause
prompt sweating.  Let the  wet cloth be  flannel or cotton of
three or four thickness, so as to cover the  throat perfectly, and
top  of the chest,  if the breathing is much affected.  Change this 
46
DR. S. B. FITCH'S
cloth  once in two hours, and if very bad, every hour or half
hour.
  The patient may eat ice  all the time, take little pieces in his
mouth the size of beans,  and let them melt over  his  throat
freely.
  Besides this, take of the following mixture every half hour one
teaspoonful.
Chlorate of Potash..............................................   £  oz.
Muriate of Ammonia...........................................  30  grains.
Liquorice ball.....................................................   £  oz.
Water................................................................   1  gill.
    Mix.
  Use this mixture several days after the throat is better.
  Swab the throat faithfully with the following:
Nitrate of Potash.................................................. J oz.
Chlorate of Potash................................................ £ oz.
Common Salt....................................................... £ oz.
  or 2 teaspoonfuls each.
Loaf Sugar...........•................................................ £ pound.
    Mix all together.
  Swab the throat freely with this  in a dry state,  and rinse the
throat with cold water.
  Take also a half to one teaspoonful of this mixture every half
to one or three hours according to the violence of the disease.
  This will soon wholly cure all the sore throat.
  Avoid taking cold afterwards.
                 Cure of Whooping-Gough.

  Unless whooping-cough is very mild, it should be  arrested
and stopped as soon as possible.   To  adults, and especially if
inclined to consumption, it  is a most  dangerous disease.  No
relics of it should be left on the lungs.   To alleviate and check
it, the Tincture of Lobelia, Syrup of Ipecac, and a  strong tea
made from Chestnut leaves, are all very good.  If any  of these
fail, or are not procurable, apply to me, and I will send prompt
remedies at once.  I usually cure whooping-cough  down to a 
FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.
47
mild cold which may last from four to six weeks, but giving no
trouble and leaving no relics behind.
  My whooping-cough cure soon takes all trouble or care from
whooping-cough, and cures it wholly in four or five weeks, and
stops any dangerous symptoms or effects.
                    THE COMPLEXION.
  It is a duty of the highest importance, and most exacting, that
all ladies should preserve their complexion, preserve it in all its
attractiveness and in all its beauty.  There is much  difference
in our estimate of features ; what attracts and pleases one,  may
almost repel another; but all agree in the impression made by
a clear perfect complexion.  It attracts, it ravishes all beholders.
The charm of  young persons is owing to  their beautiful com-
plexion.   The form in its height or its proportions,  the feet, the
hands, the eyes, the features,  the step, the walk, the gait, the
color  of the hair, the expression of the eyes,  all are noted and
criticised by very varied tastes.  But the  complexion has one
only standard from which no taste  ever differs.
  Some of the  most beautiful women ever known have owed
much, very much of their beauty to their wonderful  complexion.
The skin of the face, hands and arms, and all  exposed portions,
should be pure, clear, without spot or tarnish, and free from all
suspicion of any disease.  The perfection of the complexion re-
quires that its  softness  should be  preserved.   If the unveiled
face is exposed to sun or winds, the skin rapidly sunburns and
hardens.   To  prevent  this, veils are worn of greater  or less
thickness in western Europe and in American countries.  But
in eastern countries,  instead of veils, thick cotton cloth protects
the  face, and the eyes only are uncovered.
  This style of veil in Turkey, Persia, Egypt,  &c, is  called the
Yashmak.  It  is singular that nearly all travellers impute the
adoption and  use of the Yashmak to arise  from  motives of
jealousy on the  part of the  men to prevent the  ladies from
being  recognized, when it is only employed to protect the com-
plexion from the air  and sunlight, which it does effectually.  It
is a device of the ladies themselves  to preserve their complexion.
  To  preserve the complexion soft  and clear, many fading beau- 
48 *                DR.  8.  B. FITCH'S
ties apply to the face at bed-time, and wear it all night, thin slices
of raw lean fresh beef.
  Washes, cosmetics and powders too numerous to detail here,
have  been  and still  are  used :  some of mineral constituents
which often become most injurious.
  Whoever visits  the  European  courts, and the homes and
palaces of their Kings and nobles,  is struck with the  great
beauty of the ladies' complexion, and the immense care and ex-
pense bestowed on its preservation.   It  is very striking to see
the complexion almost as perfect at seventy as at  seventeen.
On looking at them the idea of age is rarely suspected from any
change in the complexion.
      Diseases of the face which destroy the Complexion.
  These are of two kinds.  First, those which affect the skin
and go below it.   Such are tetter, ringworm, acne, red blotches
and pimples like  small boils, little lumps or knots under the
skin.  Some swell out, showing  black points which are called
worms.  Erysipelas in a chronic form often attacks the face and
especially the nose, frequently causing it to swell, and be of a
purple red ; rose blush on the face, &c., is a species of  chronic
erysipelas.  Every one and all of these  skin diseases on the face
are perfectly curable, and never  should be allowed  to exist, as
they are great destroyers of beauty.   Some of these  complaints
are often attended with much heat, flushing and itching.  They
are always caused by a humor in the blood.  At times the whole
face looks like a repulsive mask.  In  some cases these com-
plaints increase to the climax of becoming cancerous;  more
particularly in men than in women.
  All  these cases are perfectly curable.   I  have treated a great
many of them, and uniformly with success.  It is only a ques-
tion of remedies and time.  Some cases require many  months
use of remedies to cure them.   In some  cases constant daily ex-
posure of the face to the heat of stov.es or open fires, will much
retard a cure in cases of a burning humor on the face.
  There is another class of affections of the face that attack only
the scarf-skin which lies upon and covers the true skin.   These
complaints are freckles, moth, yellow and  brown spots on the 
FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.
49
 forehead, under the eyes, and everywhere upon the face ;  these
 last are called cloasma.  Premature formation of wrinkles  at
 the outer angle of the eyes, and extending on the temples, this
 often at to9 early an age.  For all these I have perfect remedies.
   To preserve the complexion in all its attractions and beauty,
 the softness of  the skin  must be preserved, for if it becomes
 hardened, it  becomes rough  and wrinkled, and its delicate
 shades  of color are soon destroyed.  The  person then  looks
 prematurely old.
   To preserve the softness of the skin, and so preventing upon
 the complexion the ravages of time, cold and heat, the sun and
 winds; I have never yet met with any thing that for perfect
 utility and satisfaction could, for one moment, compare with a
 preparation that has been used in all the courts of Europe, for
 the last three hundred years, and there called
             The Kings' and Queens' Toilet.

   It might be called bottled beauty.  Its daily use perfectly pre-
 serves the complexion so  as to continue its color, softness and
 smoothness to a great age.   It will retard the show  of age  at
 least ten to twenty years.  Its use confers delightful health upon
 the face.   No itching, no burning, no pallor, no freckles, no
 spots, no  wrinkles.
   For gentlemen, this preparation is invaluable, in stopping the
 growth of all cancerous formations on the face, and all burning
 and itching and tenderness after shaving.
   It is a most complete toilet article for all redness of the eye-
 lids, running of scalding or hot tears, and weakness of the eyes
 from exposure to the sun or wind, for chapped lips and chapped
 hands, itching and  burning of the scalp, and for all falling of
 the hair.  It forms a beautiful dressing for the hair, and wholly
 prevents its becoming  loose or thin, and when the hair is thin,
 will usually restore a full head of hair.  It has been sold in
 Europe at immense prices.  It is an article that always  gives
 the utmost satisfaction.  Its composition  is  founded on the
 purest principles of science, and never can injure in any  man-
ner.   In the toilet of infants, it is most delightful when diluted
 with soft water, about  one teaspoonful of toilet to one gill of
 soft water.  For all chafing  and excoriations from any cause,
it is excellent.  Its use never disappoints.
'-^ARV 
50
DR.  8. S. FITCH'S
  N. B. Ladies usually feel delicate about placing their names
before the public, so I would request any one that desires it, to
write to me, and I will give them full and satisfactory refer-
ences if requested.
  This beautiful preparation is white as milk, and is purity itself.
No oil, no soap and no minerals whatever are in its composi-
tion.  It is prepared  under my own supervision, and  may be
procured of me and of all druggists.  It is beautifully perfumed
by its own composition.  The price in fancy ground glass bot-
tles, with ground glass stoppers, is one and one half dollars a
bottle.   In plain bottles, it is one  dollar a bottle, or five dollars
for six bottles, and nine dollars a dozen.
  It can be sent by express everywhere.
                    COLOGNE WATEE.
Oil of Lavender.....................................
  "   Rosemary...................................
  "   Lemon.......................................
  14   Bergamot............,.......................
  "   Cinnamon...................................
  "   Neroli........................................
Attar of Roses........................................
Musk ..................................................
Alcohol................................................

                        CANOESS.
  I have always felt a little nervous on the subject of claiming
the curability of Cancers, as my medical and surgical brethren
so uniformly protest that cancers are wholly beyond the reach
of medicine.  Most surgeons usually cut them out.  Now, it is
known to all surgeons that a true cancer,  if cut out, always re-
turns and kills the patient.  I have doctored cancers  twenty
years, and do  not recollect a single case, where my advice and
remedies were  early used  and persevered in, but what the pa-
tient got well.
                    Varieties of Cancer.
  There are two great varieties of cancer.   First, those cancers
which attack ladies' breasts, and begin below the skin.   These
are always curable, if doctored in any kind of season.
 80 drops.
160   "
240   "
240   "
  6   "
320   "
 48   "
 16 grains.
  1 gallon. 
FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.                 51
                 Second Variety of Cancers
Are those cancers which come on the face, cheeks, lips, tongue,
throat, eyes, on the back and elsewhere, and which begin on the
surface of the  skin, increase and spread, eating down to the
bones, and eat  away vast  surfaces, finally bleeding the patient
to death. These are almost the only cancers which attack men.

                     Causes of Cancer,
  All physicians and  surgeons  agree that all cancers, of every
kind, are caused by a peculiar poison in the blood.  It has been
long noticed that in those who had been subject to skin diseases
in early life, often develop cancer in later years.

                    Eemedies for Cancer.
  In treating and curing  cancers I never use caustics, or cut
them out.  I cure them by giving medicines and using remedies
which destroy the cancer  humor, and soon the cancer will die,
and go off, and all the parts affected become healthy and well as
before, save what has been lost by the ravages of the cancer.
  I place the  patients in  as perfect health as I can, and keep
them so until the  cancer is cured.  I also  use my Cancer Spring
Water, from the Sheldon Spring, and add any remedies that the
patient may require ; as it  is frequently the case that the patient
requires more assistance than the water gives.

                   Cancer Spring Water,
  In  treating cancers I* now always use my Cancer Spring
Water.   This  water will not cure all cases of cancer, but in
many cases  farther assistance is required, and this assist"nee I
render whenever requested.
  My Oancer Spring is  situated in  Sheldon,  Franklin County,
Vermont.  There are several springs of mineral water in this
town, and the water is bottled and sold under the name of Mis-
sisquoi Spring Water, and Vermont Spring water, etc.  Sheldon
Spring Water.  My spring is called the Sheldon Spring.   It is
twenty times the size of any of the others, and flows 12,000 gallons
of water  a day.  It is much  the  strongest water of all of them,
and acts finely on the bowels, which the others usually do not. 
52
DR. S. S. FITCH'S
Its analysis shows it to be one of the finest mineral springs in
the world.
  The water is sent everywhere in bottles or in pure oak kegs.
It preserves all its  properties in either.  In kegs it  is much
cheaper to the consumer, and he can bottle it at home.
  Five gallons and keg, delivered at the railroad free of expense,
is four dollars; ten gallons,  six dollars; fifteen  gallons, eight
dollars.
  Orders for this water,  enclosing the money, will be promptly
filled and sent to any address.
  If preferred, the water will be sent in bottles, at about double
the price in kegs.   A letter to me will give  all  information, if
requested.  Orders sent to me, at 714 Broadway, N. Y., will
be promptly filled.

            Case of Miss Day, of Westfield, Mass,
  This lady called on me in New York.  She had a large cancer,
which occupied  the whole of her right breast.  The swelling
extended from above the collar-bone to the lower edge of the
Bhort  ribs.  It was a large cancer.   Twelve weeks after com-
mencing the use of my remedies she wrote to me that, from her
armpits to the soles of her feet, over her whole person, she had
broken out in a flaming, burning red rash.   On recovering from
this, the cancer was  wholly dead;  it then softened down, and
all  ran through  the  nipple.  At the end of one year it had
wholly disappeared.  For some reason, I don't know why, Miss
 Day took no more remedies, and some time after a cancer came
 on the opposite breast, and she died of it.

       Miss Anna Clow, Ghent, Columbia Co., New York.
   This lady called on  me in April, 1864.  Both  breasts were
 cancerous, very  hard,  and feeling to the touch  like bunches
 or coils of snakes, or like a rough cauliflower.  The breasts were
 full of this  scirrhous, cancerous swelling.  She took medicine
 over one year, when her breasts were perfectly well and still re-
 main so.

              Miss Abbey Potter, Newport, E. I.
   In 1864, while on a professional visit to an invalid at Newport,
  R. I., I was consulted by Miss Abbey Potter, aged 33 years, who 
FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
53
had an immense cancer on her right breast.  It was awful to look
at.   It would weigh, I should think, from four  to five pounds,
growing out pointed like.a sugar-loaf.   It was red, and hard, and
grew as solid and firmly to the ribs as if a part of them.  I gave
all the necessary directions and prescriptions to her attending
physician.   In  three  months the  cancer became wholly loose,
and was removed by cutting the skin,  no bleeding or pain at-
tending the operation.  In one week the wound was well.   It
is ten years since,  and she has never had any return of the  dis-
'. ease, or any show of humor in her blood.  She died a few months
ago of brain disease.

                   Case of Jason  M. Jones.
  I visited Sheldon Spring on the 20th October, 1867, afflicted
with a cancer in my right eye.  The sore had  then eaten quite
or nearly to the bone ; my eye so  much inflamed as to be pretty
much or quite useless.  My general health was impaired; my
stomach and bowels  so deranged that I could take but little
nourishment.   I saw no alternative for me  but a certain  and
speedy death.   At this time, the 22d of November, I can freely
and truthfully  say that my general health is  quite  good;  my
stomach and bowels in a good and healthy condition ; the  sore
on my eye is healing fast, and my eyesight quite restored, so
that I now feel confident of being fully restored to health,  and
of finally eradicating the effects of the cancer from my system.
  In my case I credit the restoration of my health, and the cure
thus far of the cancer, to the use of the Sheldon Spring Water
and the application of the clay at the spring.
  My age is sixty-three years, and I reside at Wilbraham, Mass.
                                     JASON W.  JONES.
  Sheldon, Vermont, Nov. 26,1867.

  This is to certify that about the year 1850, myself, wife  and
four children were badly afflicted with a disease we supposed
to be the itch, and every thing we did  for it only made it worse.
At that time I was residing in Sheldon, and  was advised to try
the water of a  spring near Olmstead's Mill, now called Sheldon
Spring—in a few days we were perfectly cured.
                                    L. W. LAMPHERE.
  Montgomery, Vt., Oct. 18, 1867. 
54
DR. S. S.  FITCH'S
Mr. H. E. Emory says:
  In the year 18j7 a little daughter of mine was afflicted with
swellings under the arms and other parts of the body, for three
years from infancy, which several physicians whom I consulted
pronounced to be Scrofula, and probably hereditary, and decided
that they could  do nothing to help her.  We then concluded to
try the water from the then Olmstead, now Sheldon Springs,
from the use of which, by bathing and drinking,  omitting all
medicines for three months, by which time all signs  or traces
of the disease had disappeared.  The child  continued to enjoy
good health for two years thereafter, until she was attacked with
scarlet fever, of which she died.
                                        .H.  E.  EMORY.
  Sheldon, Vermont, Oct. 18, 1867.
               Case of Mrs. Charlotte Eeith.
  I had scrofula and skin diseases from infancy, which increased
as I grew older, until it was so bad that I was unable to wear
shoes, and obliged to keep my hands and feet at times enclosed
in cloths, suffering from the disease as much as any one could.
In the year 1843 the Olmstead, now the Sheldon Spring, was
recommended  to me for the disease.  I spent the summer of
1843 in the vicinity of the Spring, and made use of the water to
drink  and bathe, and from the use of the water I was cured so
that I have not been troubled with the disease since.
                          MRS.  CHARLOTTE KEITH.
  Sheldon, Vt., Oct.  1,1867.
Mrs. M. A. Crane says :
  I consider the water  of the Sheldon Spring to be equally as
good as the Missisquoi Spring, and in my case more beneficial.
  I had been using or drinking the water of the Missisquoi for
6even weeks, without receiving any benefit.   Have now been
drinking the  water from the Sheldon Spring for nearly three
weeks, and thus far feel much better.
  My disease  was  pronounced to be  cancer on the tongue.   I
now have hopes of its being entirely cured by further use of this
water.
                                  MRS. M.  A. CRANE.
  North Williston, Vt. 
FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
55
Miss Anna E. Lyman says :
  I was always subject to attacks of erysipelas, affecting different
parts of the body; sometimes affecting a limb to make it useless
for a time; sometimes confined to the neck, and sometimes in
my face, so badly as  to make me blind.  Any over-exertion in
warm weather was sure to be followed by a severe attack of
erysipelas.
  In the summer of 1856 I  drank the  water of the Sheldon
Spring for three months ;  at the end of that time I was entirely
cured, and have had no return of it since that time.
                                   ANNA  E. LYMAN.
   Sheldon, Oct. 1,1867.
                 Case of Samuel Campbell.
  I have been troubled for twenty-five years with what physi-
cians pronounced liver complaint, accompanied with rheuma-
tism in  the  chest at times.   The  disease was always more
troublesome in the spring than at  any other season.   In the
spring of 1867 I  found  myself running down, until I was as
unwell as at any former year.  As I had often consulted different
physicians, and followed their directions without any benefit, I
decided  to  try the water of  the Sheldon Spring.   Soon after
commencing the  use of this water, the evacuations from my
bowels became as black  as  a  boot, and continued dark, but
growing lighter  for two weeks, by  which time my bowels had
assumed a healthy tone, and the discharges a healthy color, and
have continued so ever since.
  I have not, since that time, had any trouble with either liver
complaint or rheumatism, or  any symptoms of either.
  I have been able, and have performed more manual labor the
past summer, than in any former year, for the three or more
years past.
  I now consider my health restored and quite permanent,
which I attribute to the use of the water of the Sheldon Spring,
as I have not used any other medicine or remedy for the past
summer.
                                SAMUEL  CAMPBELL.
  Swanton, Vt., Oct. 18, 1867. 
56
DR. S. S. FITCH'S
                         CEOUP.
  This disease usually attacks children; yet sometimes adults
aTe attacked with it.  It usually prevails in the cold and change-
able seasons of the year.
  It is always produced by taking  cold.  In  some cases, the
cold  for some days is slight, and does not attract much notice.
In other cases, a cold is followed almost immediately by a sud-
den attack of croup.
  Croup is characterized by hoarseness, wheezing breathing, or
short breath,  with some cough, and a distressing, anxious look.
Thick phlegm chokes and soon begins to fill the windpipe. The
continued passing and almost forcible pressing of the air through
the windpipe  presses and hardens the phlegm, until it takes the
shape of the  windpipe and is called false membrane.   This, if
not stopped soon, chokes the unfortunate person to death.


                        Treatment
  This disease is perfectly curable.  No one affected by croup
should be given up.  Persevere in treating them until they are
well or dead.  On the first attack, or at any time when you see
them, at once put the feet in excessively hot water for fifteen  to
thirty minutes, if not relieved sooner.  At the same time rub on
the chest, all its upper part, and on the breast-bone,  and on the
throat, my Pulmonary Liniment.  It is a  perfect remedy  for
croup.  You may give Tincture of Lobelia, twenty drops to one
teaspoonful, or syrup of Ipecac, one teaspoonful, every fifteen
minutes, until free vomiting takes place.
  My Expectorant is admirable  for croup,  given  in full doses
every quarter to half an hour, until vomiting takes place.  Give
it with warm water.   The Pulmonary Liniment may be rubbed
on the back of the neck and between the shoulders.  Give also
a tablespoonful of goose-grease, or lamp-oil:  this is excellent.
The Pulmonary Liniment and Expectorant  may be used in less
quantities for some  time after the  croup is better, until it is
entirely well.  If you cannot get my Pulmonary Liniment, then
use the liniments given in the article on Diphtheria.  Lard and
Scotch snuff, rubbed together and freely applied to the chest 
FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.                 57
and throat, is  excellent.  Keep the bowels free with castor-oil.
Do not give drenching, exhausting physic.
  I never lost a case of croup in  my life,  and never knew one
tD die under the treatment I have advised.
  After the croup is well, avoid exposure, or wet feet, or taking
cold, until all traces of the disease have left.  Treat any relapse
of the disease exactly as you did the first attack.
  Slight attacks of croup may be  stopped  at once by using the
remedies, one  or all, in much less degree ; but all cases should
be watched, and never allowed to go on for one hour, especially
in croupy children.
                    SOAELET  PEVEE.
  This is one of the most fatal diseases to which children are
ever subject, and is often dangerous to adults.  When not fatal,
it often causes deafness, or leaves running from the ears, &c.
  This disease is of the Erysipelas family, and is catching.
Persons  can  carry the poison, which produces this disease, in
their clothing,  and thus carry it to those who have not had
scarlet fever.   Scarlet  fever rarely occurs twice in the same
person.  It usually occurs in the cold and changeable seasons
of the year,  and sometimes rages with  great fatality.  It is
caused by an infectious poison.  Scarlet  fever usually begins
with a slight chill, heaviness or pain in the head, followed by a
high fever, and in one or more days little red pimples come out
more  or  less  over the whole body, and a burning skin.   In a
little while a  sore throat comes on, which often ulcerates and
mortifies.  Scarlet fever may be very fatal if not properly and
promptly treated.

                 How  to treat  Scarlet Fever.
  Keep the bowels free, but not drenched, with a little castor-
oil, given every day.   The whole surface of the body and throat
may be sponged daily with saleratus  and water, or soap-suds
tepid.  This may be done two  or three times a day, if there is
much fever.   Put the feet  in  hot  water often.  If the fever
should run very high, the patient may be put into a sheet wet
in tepid or cold water, and kept in  it an  hour or so, until the
fever abates.   The greatest danger  in the first stage of scarlet 
53
DR. S. S. FITCH'S
fever is from the throat, which should be carefully noticed.  If
tho throat swells, externally or internally, rub on it externally
some of my Pulmonary Liniment, and wear a wet cloth around
it for some days until it is well.  Look at it inside, and if there
is any soreness, swab it freely with powdered alum and molasses
or syrup, or with borax and honey, or with powdered chlorate
of potash, or powdered  saltpetre and  honey.  Clean and swab
out all  the affected parts most faithfully.  Never neglect this,
as you value the life of the patient.  Powdered gum guaiacaud
molasses is excellent to swab a scarlet-fever sore throat.
   I here give the original remedy for scarlet fever left by my
grandfather,  Dr.  Jabez Fitch,  of Canterbury,  Connecticut.
This remedy has been used by my grandfather, my father, Dr.
Chauncy  Fitch, of Sheldon, Vermont, and  by  myself, in all
one hundred and twenty-five years.   It is one of the most val-
uable of all remedies for scarlet fever, and is very efficacious in
erysipelas.  It will cure  scarlet  fever after mortification has
begun.  I never knew it to fail of cure.
   The throat,  bowels,  &c, may be attended to as I direct.
   Recipe—Take pure,  good vinegar,  add to it as much pearl
ash or saleratus as will  make it sweet  and  remove all acidity.
To this add fine salt as much as the liquor will dissolve.   Give
the patient half tea to one dessertspoonful every half to two
hours, according to the age of the patient and the violence of
the disease.
   The following is much like it:

                     Internal Eemedies.
   Besides wha't I have told you to do, give the patient as follows:

    Recipe—Chlorate of Potash..................... one ounce.
            Water, hot............................... eight ounces.

   Powder the  potash, and then put the water to it.  Take one
teaspoonful to one tablespoonful of this water every  half hour
for one  day ; and after this every hour will be  usually fouiul
sufficient   This is a perfect curative of scarlet fever.  In five to
seven days the patient will be apparently safe.
  Patches of bard skin often peel off, and the red  spots and rash
disappear, and fever leaves. 
FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
59
            SECONDAEY  SOAELET  FEVEE.
  After and while the  fever and eruptions are going off, the
poison is thrown back  into the blood, more or less.   If a cold
is now taken, or any imprudence in eating, or by costiveness,
or over-work, or exercise, most  dangerous  symptoms often
come on.   The head swells all over, with burning heat and
fever.  The head and  eyes are often attacked, and the face
swells.  Universal dropsy often takes place.
  To prevent secondary symptoms, which are often fatal, es.
pecially to grown-up delicate ladies or youths, for at least three
weeks after scarlet  fever has left, keep in the house ; avoid all
possibility of taking cold, all through scarlet fever,  and now.
Let the diet be  very light  and simple;  avoid all excesses of
any  kind.  Keep warmly clothed.  Take three times a day a
portion of the chlorate  of potash, as before directed, and some
gentle physic.   The best of all  is my Cathartic Pills, daily,
from the beginning of scarlet fever to the  end of  it, and at
least three to four weeks after all show of the fever has ceased.
If you cannot get my pills,  use some  other physic ;  but do not
fail  to take something  daily to move the bowels all  the time I
have mentioned.  These are the remedies I advise.  I never
lost  a case of scarlet fever in my life.
              Smithfield, Rhode Island, March 6,1866.
Dr. S. S. Fitch :
  Dear Sir :—In the summer of 1864 I called to see you at the
City Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island.  My health was very
poor.   I had not been able to do any work to speak of for three
or four years.  I could not walk any distance, and it tired  me
very much to ride.  I was very weak, and felt fatigued all the
time.   My head  troubled me ; for several years it seemed like
something pressing on the brain.  I had a very bad throat, my
voice being weak; and at times a hoarseness would come on
that would last several  days, and sometimes I could  not speak
aloud.  I was very short-breathed, especially if I went up-stairs
or up a little rising ground.  I was  very much bloated.  You
told me you thought you could make me pretty well.   I com-
menced to doctor, and in a few weeks I was able to do consid- 
60
DR. S. .S. FITCH'S
erable work.   I can now walk four or five miles at a time and
ride without being tired.  When I first called to see you, it tired
me so to ride that it would take me a week to get over it.  I
don't know but I feel as well now as ever I did.   It is astonish-
ing to see what a change  there is in  me; and I would say to
the afflicted, call and  see  Dr. S. S.  Fitch, for if he tells you he
can help you, you can rely on his word.   I think  your treat-
ment  for the scarlet fever is excellent.  I had  five children sick
with  this fever at  one time.  I doctored them after your pre-
scription ; they all recovered, while  many around me lost their
children.  I  earnestly desire that you will live many years
to do good and  enjoy life ;  and the prayer of my heart is that
you may be strengthened and sustained, and may the Lord  bless
you abundantly,  is the sincere  wish of one that  feels that she
owes her life to you with the help of our heavenly Father.
                   Yours,  truly,
                         Mrs.  MARTHA W. ELLIOTT.
                        MEASLES.
   This is a catching disease, of an eruptive character.  Once
 having it, you rarely have it again, if ever.  It is somewhat like
 the  scarlet fever, and has red patches come out on the skin.
 Scarlet fever comes out in red points all over, and a red, burn-
 ing skin ;  but measles come out in red patches, and very little
 raised up,  whilst between these patches  the skin is natural.
 Measles usually begin with a cough, which  may be on some
 days before the eruption appears.   The disease goes off in five
 to six days, and, if not wholly cured, is apt to fall on the lungs,
 producing asthma, or bronchitis, or consumption.   It often at-
 tacks the eyelids, affecting them for years,  if not cured; whilst
 scarlet fever is more apt to attack the ears internally.


                   Treatment of Measles.

  Measles require to be watched ; and if the cough is bad, take
my Expectorant, or some good cough medicine, and if they do
not come out  well, put the feet in hot water, and rub some  of
my Life Ointment on the front  of  the chest, on the arms and
calves of the legs.  If a  high fever, and  the measles  do not 
FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.
61
come out well, put the patient in a wet sheet for one or two
hours, and cover up warm ;  this will usually produce sweating
and bring the eruptions out perfectly all over.  As the measles
are going off, treat them in all respects as  I  have directed in
scarlet fever: observe the same rules for diet, and avoid all ex-
cesses or exposures, and, above all, take a little cathartic medi-
cine daily for three or four weeks.   Measles  rarely ever affect
the throat.   If there is any cough left after measles, cure it, by
all means.  Do not let it alone, as it is apt to  lead to consump-
tion, especially in those predisposed to it.   If the eyes or eye-
lids "are affected,  keep  taking  gentle cathartic medicines daily.
Wear wet bandages over the eyes  every night, and keep the
patient in a dark room until all trouble of the eyes is removed.
Let no relic of measles remain on you, if you wish for future
health.
                      EEYSIPELAS.
  This disease is of the same family as the scarlet fever, only it
has no eruptions, and may occur many times in the same indi-
vidual.  It is produced by colds, irregularities in diet, and by
some kinds of food in some persons, and chiefly by an erysipe-
latous humor in the blood.  It attacks all parts, but chiefly the
face and head.  Redness, heat, burning and swelling  of  the
parts affected, are its marked  symptoms.   A high fever often
comes  on.  Erysipelas often terminates  fatally in old or debili-
tated or dissipated persons, or when it goes to the brain, or
where  mortification  takes  place  in any part.   It often com-
mences with a chill, and when the person is very bilious.


                        Treatment.

  In the beginning of this disease, put the  feet in very hot  salt
and water, or in wood ashes and hot water.  Keep the  feet in
and the water hot for fifteen or thirty minutes, so as to  induce
some perspiration if possible.   Take also  a  potion of physic,
such as rhubarb and magnesia, my Cathartic Pills, my Bilious
Powder, or, if the person is of a full, robust habit,  he may take
a large dose  of  Epsom salts and senna.   At least, take some 
62
DR. S. S.  FITCH'S
good  physic, that will thoroughly cleanse the  stomach,  gall-
bladder and bowels.   Something to move the bowels should be
given every day until the disease is well.

                        Externally.
  Apply cloths dipped in ice-water and changed as often as they
get warm.   My Life Ointment is  admirable, rubbed  on freely,
and then covered with cloths dipped in cold water.
  A poultice of bruised cranberries cold put on to the affected
part is often excellent, no matter how much the part is swelled.
Give at the same time the following mixture : vinegar, saleratus
and salt, as in Scarlet Fever, or

  Recipe.—Chlorate of Potash...........................one ounce.
          Boiling Water.................................half a pint.

  In severe cases, give one tablespoonful of this every half-hour.
After the patient is better, give this in reduced  doses one to two
hours apart.  All the time keep up a free action of the bowels.
  Let the diet be light and in  moderate quantity, and such as
agrees with the patient.  If the stomach is loaded or disordered,
the erysipelas often returns.   Avoid taking colds, and keep the
bowels free with a little daily physic, and the stomach in proper
order.   This usually  prevents all  erysipelas in any  one,  how
much soever they may be predisposed to it.  Erysipelas is easily
cured if timely treated as I direct.
                    TYPHOID FEVEE.

  It is often the case that persons take a cold, or overdo in some
way, or by great anxiety or mental trouble will feel very poorly
and much indisposed, with failing appetite, or  none,  and night
chills, with a little fever, or none ; sometimes costive, at other
times slight diarrhoea.
  In this state a physician is called.  The disease, he says, is
typhoid fever, and at once large doses of quinine are given, and
these doses are  repeated.  The head, at first  lightly affected
becomes fearfully oppressed ;  the patient soon becomes drowsy
and heavy—answers h° spoken to ; pretty soon, in two to six
days, if this course be continued, he becomes delirious, and this 
FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.                  63
confirms all in the belief that it is typhoid fever, and typhoid
fever is only to be cured by using large doses of quinine, brandy,
calomel,  &c.
  The  skin is hot and dry ; throbbing temples; burning hands;
dry, black, furred, parched tongue; no appetite ; bowels  slow,
or a watery diarrhoea.   In these  cases the patient rarely lives
over fifteen days: some live longer and  some die sooner.  I
most solemnly believe that nearly all the deaths from typhoid
fever would be prevented if proper treatment were pursued.


               Treatment of Typhoid Fever.

  In nearly all diseases of the human system, obstruction to
some of  the  functions of life  exists; somewhere there is too
much of something, somewhere  there is  too  little; and this
something too much is in nearly all cases a poison in the blood,
which oppresses some part—it may be the brain, the nerves, the
throat, the  lungs, the heart, the stomach, the liver, the bowels,
the kidneys, the skin, the bones, the joints, &c.
  The fever, pain, and all the unhealthy actions of the system
are caused by the efforts of nature to get rid of this obstruction,
this poison, this something too much.
  The remedies used should assist nature, not promote or  exag-
gerate  the disease.   In this idea is contained the whole philos-
ophy of medicine.   To get rid of this offending substance, we
must open all the principal outlets of the system, the principal
of which  are the skin, the bowels, and kidneys.
  When this low-state threatening fever begins, do all you can
to open the skin and excite free perspiration.  For this purpose
use hot  mustard foot-baths—let the water come  as  high  up
the limbs as possible.   Wood-ashes may be used, or mustard,
or both.  Keep up the heat of the water long enough,  say one
hour, until  the patient is in a perspiration as  free as possible.
On going to bed, after the foot-bath, or before, give a large dose,
of extract of dandelion  and senna, so as to  freely move the
bowels.  Every day take a portion of physic—pills, or dande-
lion and senna, or my  pills, or biliary powder, or biliary cor-
rector, or picra, or castor-oil.  Sponge the  body over  twice  a
day with strong  soap and  water,  strong* soap-suds.   Do this
when the fever is on. The skin may be sponged with saltpetre 
64
DR. S. 8. FITCH'S
and water  freely, and cold if the fever runs high; cold wet
cloths may be kept on the head, forehead, &c, all the time if
the head is hot;  onions boiled hot, or hot boiled potatoes, may
be kept on the soles of the feet all the time, day and night.
  The diet  should be very light at first, consisting only of flour
or Indian  meal gruel well  boiled.   After  the fever abates,
chicken soup, or beef or mutton  soup—no grease—a little stale
bread, may be used three  times a day or so.   Do not urge the
diet, or gratify a craving  appetite; be most careful until the
patient is well.
  Drinks.—The  patient may at all times  drink  as  much as he
pleases of any herb drink, warm or cold, as he wishes.  After
the fever is over he may take a little good whiskey, or brandy,
or wine, as he wishes, all moderate at first.
  By beginning early and  pursuing this course there is not one
case in fifty but what will recover.  Remember, whatever else
you do,  give some sort of physic every day.   This will prevent
the fever from settling on any part.

                  Typhoid Fever Eelapses.
  Many die from a relapse in typhoid  fever after getting nearly
well.  Avoid all causes of relapse. These causes are overdoing,
over-exercise, overwork, and over-eating, going out too soon,
&c, &c.
  In cases of a relapse, treat  them just as you did at the first
attack.  In case the  patient is nervous  and trembly,  strong
valerian tea may be freely drunk, or the scullcap, or the ladies'-
slipper root tea.  Drink as much of these as you please.  By
treating the patient in this way, and by avoiding quinine entirely
until the fever is well, and using it sparingly at any time,  by
using no calomel whatever, the patient will get well and  not be
injured in his constitution at all.

             How to Prevent Taking the Fever.
  If you are much with typhus or typhoid  fever, take daily a
good  portion of pills or rhubarb, or something to move the
bowels kindly every day.   If you do so,  you will never take it.
You can never take the yellow fever, how much soever exposed
to it, if you move your bowels freely every day with pills or
physic,  and keep the skin  clean. 
FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.
65
                    YELLOW FEVEE.
  I need not describe  yellow fever, or where it prevails.   This
is too well known.  It is  an  enemy that kills in a very short
time if not promptly cured.   Its treatment admits of no delay.
I only give you a perfect cure; it will not fail you.

                         Treatment.
  On the first show of the disease, drink one or two quarts of
strong, warm herb tea, such as boneset or any of the mints. In
ten minutes or so  after drinking the tea, take a lobelia emetic
and vomit yourself for an  hour or more.   Do it most faithfully.
Vomit yourself as nearly to death as you  can and not die. Take
an open chair—say a split cane, or such  open-bottomed chair—
place under it a saucerful  of burning rum or  alcohol; take off
all your clothing,  sit on  the chair and have blankets put all
around you, so as to be entirely covered  except your head, but
bo arranged as to allow the vapor of the burning alcohol to pass
all around you.  Perspiration will run off you as water.  Sit on
this  chair thus perspiring until you faint and  fall off the chair.
Let them take you up and give you one-half a pint, a tumbler-
ful, of castor-oil. Now be placed in bed and covered up warmly;
you  will sleep  some and  sweat several hours,  say five  or six
hours; on awaking, your oil will freely operate and you will be
perfectly well.  You must lay in your bed fourteen days, and
take only water-gruel, not a bit of solid food.   Take not the
least exercise; keep close  from the air,  &c, during the whole
fourteen days.   If you do not do this you will have a relapse,
and  must be treated  exactly as at first.   If exposed to yellow
fever, take some pills or physic every day, so as to move your
bowels freely every day, and you will not take the fever.   Be-
sides this, avoid all irregularities, and eat no fruit or any food
that can disturb your system.  When you leave the yellow-fever
district, pursue the same  course, as regards irregularities, &c.,
until you have been away from the infected district for at least
fourteen days.   In visiting all  hot or tropical climates, never
swallow the pulp of any fruit; only swallow the juice, and spit
out the pulp wholly and entirely. 
66
DR. S. 8. FITCH'3
                  CHOLEEA MOEBTJS.
  I do not now speak of Asiatic cholera, but of cholera morbus.
This disease usually occurs in summer and the early fall months.
It is caused by improper food and by taking  cold after eating
such food.

               Treatment of Cholera  Morbus.
  When it first  begins, unless in a very old or very feeble per-
son, do not check the vomiting or purging, as it is an effort of
nature to expel offending and dangerous matter, but drink very
freely of strong spearmint tea hot, with sugar or milk in it, or
both,  as  you please.  As soon as the stomach  is somewhat
sweetened, give a good portion of buttomut-bark  tea, or my
pills, or castor-oil.  Ten drops of laudanum and one tablespoon -
ful of brandy may be  given with the physic.  Let  the patient
put his feet in excessively hot water for twenty or thirty min-
utes, with mustard in the water.   Now lie down in bed, cover
up very warm and get into a perspiration.  In one to  six hours
the physic will operate freely,  and all trouble will be over. Keep
quiet a day or two, and eat only of gruel.
  This is the way cholera morbus generally ends.  In seme rare
cases the remedies are not used soon enough, or it occurs in old
or very weak people, in which case treat  it as I have told you ;
also give  every ten to thirty minutes one teaspoonful of the com-
pound tincture of gum guiaoum, and with ten to  forty drops of
laudanum.   Flannel or cotton cloths may be dipped in very hot
salt and water and applied to the  pit of the stomach  and over
the bowels.   Hot mustard-water may be used.   If,  however,
the complaint does not yield, use some of my cholera remedy,
of which you will find the prescription in the article on the Asi-
atic cholera.   Black-cherry brandy is excellent, and so is black-
berry brandy.  Take a little;  do not urge medicines beyond
what is necessary.   Keep the patient quiet as possible, and get
him into  a free, full perspiration.  After it is over, keep quiet a
few days, and eat only very light food. 
FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.
61
                   ASIATIC CHOLEEA.
  I need  not describe this  disease.   One  case  never occurs
alone.   Single solitary cases  are only cholera morbus.  Asiatic
cholera, usually termed cholera, never prevails except epidemic-
ally, and,  of course, attacking many people.

                        Symptoms.
  It usually gives its warning by one  or more days of  a  slight
diarrhoea of a watery, almost colorless, discharge, by which it
differs wholly from cholera morbus, which  never gives  much
warning.  No pain attends the diarrhoea.  After one or more
days of diarrhoea, vomiting  and purging begin, with sudden
collapse or sinking of the system, which, if not relieved, soon
terminates fatally.
  Cholera has been in the United States only four times in thirty-
four years.  Only three periods of cholera were of much extent.
Cholera usually appears in the warm season of the year, and
rarely continues in  any locality longer  than  twelve weeks.
When  cholera prevails, it is  well known that  those who live
right all but never have it; but  any imprudence in living, ex-
posure,  excesses, overdoing, dissipation, or improper food, are
almost certain to bring it on.


                   How to Avoid Cholera.
  If possible or convenient, leave the cholera district and reside
where the cholera does not prevail or exist.  Take with you all
you can, and twelve weeks of such seclusion and all danger or
fear of cholera will be over.  Never go to a  cholera district or
return to one you have left until the cholera  has entirely ceased
at least four weeks.  Many have lost their lives by returning
too soon to a cholera district.
  During  a whole cholera season live discreetly, wherever you
are. Should you be obliged  to remain where cholera is, do as
follows : keep yourself clean  and all your premises where you
reside, remove all nuisances and all filth of every kind.
  Avoid taking cold, avoid all excesses and imprudences of every
description.    For breakfast,  eat stale bread, also toast, good 
68
DR. S. S. FITCIl'S
butter, and a little hashed meat, or beef-steak, mutton-chops,
&c, and tea or coffee, if accustomed to use them.   For dinner,
well-cooked, sound meat, weJl-cooked potatoes, bread, boiled
rice, «fec.  For  tea, same  as breakfast,  but  no meat;  and no
supper at all.

                     What Not to Eat.
  Eat no fruit at all, either cooked or raw.  Eat no tomatoes,
no corn, no cabbage, no raw vegetables of any kind.   Eat no
apple-dumplings, no shell-fish, no fresh fish, no smoked fish, or
smoked meat, no bananas, no pine-apples nor oranges, no sweet
potatoes, no nuts, no pastry, no hard-boiled eggs, and no heavy
meals late in the day ; no melons, no cucumbers, no pickles :—
in fine, eat nothing that  can disagree with your stomach : run
no risks and make no experiments in  your  diet.   I  have seen a
whole family swept away by one lobster.
  Keep your bowels free by habit of a daily evacuation.  If ne-
cessary to this, you can chew a little rhubarb,  but take no drastic
physic,  especially salts.   My Biliary Corrector  may be taken
after each meal, so  as to keep the bowels regular; avoid cos-
tiveness or drastic physic.
  Never go to sea, or on any long voyage, in any ship or steamer
that leaves a port where cholera prevails,  as cholera is almost
certain to break out on such ship or steamer.   Cholera on ship-
board is an awful disease.

                .  Treatment of Cholera.

  On the first show of cholera diarrhoea, if you  have been ex-
posed to cholera or are in a cholera district, put one tablespoon-
ful of common salt  into a tumbler, half a pint of hot water, and
one teaspoonful of  ground red pepper; drink this off; in a few
minutes it will vomit you freely.   This will, in nearly all cases,
break up the cholera.  Live on gruel  three days, and you  will
be well.
  If the cholera goes on,  take three drops of camphorated spirits
every fifteen minutes, and  also a little brandy.   Take every
measure to keep warm, and lie as still in bed as you can.  I give
you here a cholera  remedy which is most admirable.  Use it
when you can get it. 
FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.
69
                  Perfect Cholera Remedy.
Recipe.—Gum Camphor...................................   1  oz.
        Laudanum........................................   1  oz.
        Red Pepper.......................................   1  oz.
        Oil of Spearmint................................   \  oz.
        Oil of Cinnamon................................   £  oz.
        Oil of Cedar......................................   £  oz.
        Oil of Hemlock..................................   £  oz.
        Alcohol............................................  12  oz.
  Mix.
  Directions.—Take fifteen drops to a teaspoonful in a wine-
glass to a gill of hot water often, until relieved.
  No one, travelling or resident where cholera is found, should
be without this remedy :  it is excellent.
  If you  have  eaten  any offending  substance whatever that
might hurt you, take a  good portion of stimulating physic, such
as my Stomach Bitters, in large doses, or my pills, or any good
stimulating physic, and keep quiet for a day or two.  Do not in
a cholera district be afraid to take a little stimulating physic, so
as to keep the bowels, stomach and liver free, and not loaded at
all; but do this,  above  all, if you have eaten any of  the forbid-
den articles,  or  any bad, indigestible, or fermentable or acid
food, or if you have overloaded  your  stomach and  feel  symp-
toms of stomach or bowel disturbance.
                   Is Cholera Catching?

  Answer yourselves this  question.  Are you more  liable  to
have cholera where it is, or where it is not?  If you are more
liable to take it where it is than  where it is not, then in that
place it is, in some degree, catching.
  After recovery from cholera, avoid a relapse as you would
death itself.  But for a relapse use the remedies you  used for
the first attack.

  To the foregoing on cholera, I append the directions and expe-
rience of the Rev. Cyrus Hamlin,  who has been for many years
a resident in Constantinople, as a missionary of the American 
70
DR. S. S. FITCH'S
Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. His remarks on
the use of injections where vomiting takes place are  excellent.
His whole directions are worthy of great confidence.


  * * * "Having been providentially compelled to have a good
degree of practical acquaintance with it, and to see it in all its
forms and stages during each of its invasions of Constantinople,
I wish to make my friends in Maine  some suggestions, which
may relieve anxiety or be of practical  use.
  " 1st. On the approach of the cholera, every family should be
prepared to treat it without waiting for a physician.   It does its
work so expeditiously that while you are waiting for  the doctor
it is done.
  " 2d.  If you prepare for it,  it will not come.  I think there ia
no disease which may be avoided with so much certainty *s the
cholera.  But providential circumstances or the thoughtless in-
discretion of some member of a household may invite  the attack,
and the challenge will never be  refused.   It will  probably be
made in the night, your physician has  been  called in another
direction, and you must treat the case yourself, or it  will prove
fatal.
  "3d.  Causes of attack.—I  have personally investigated at
least a hundred cases, and not less than three-fourths could be
traced directly to improper diet, or to intoxicating drinks, or both
united.  Of the remainder, suppressed perspiration would com-
prise  a large number.  A strong, healthy, temperate laboring
man had a severe attack of the cholera, and after the danger had
passed I was curious to  ascertain the cause.  He had  been
cautious and prudent in his diet.  He used nothing intoxicating.
His residence was in a good locality.   But after some hours of
hard labor  and very profuse perspiration, he had lain down to
take his customary noon nap, right  against  an open window
through which a very refreshing breeze was blowing.  Another
cause is drinking largely of cold water when hot  and thirsty.
Great fatigue, great anxiety, fright, fear, all  figure  among in-
citing causes.  If one  can avoid all these, he is as safe from the
cholera as from being  swept away by  a comet.
  "4th.  Symptoms of an attack.—While cholera is prevalent
in a place,  almost every one experiences more or less disturbance
of digestion.   It  is doubtless in  part imaginary.  Every  one
notices the slightest variation of feeling, and this gives an im-
portance to mere trifles.  There is often a slight nausea, or tran-
sient pains, or rumbling sounds, when no attack follows.  No
one is entirely free from these.   But when a diarrhoea commences,
though painless and slight, it is in reality the skirmishing party
of the advancing column.  It will  have at first no single charac-
teristic of the  Asiatic  cholera.  But do not be deceived.  It is
the cholera, nevertheless.  Wait a little,  give it time to get hold,
say to yourself, ' I feel perfectly well,  it will pass off,' and in a 
FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.
11
 short time you will repent of your folly in vain.   I have seen
 many a one commit suicide in this way.
   "Sometimes,  though rarely, the  attack  commences  with
 vomiting.  But, in whatever way  it commences,  it is sure to
 hold on.  In a very few hours the patient may sink into the col-
 lapse. The hands and feet become cold and purplish, the coun-
 tenance, at first  nervous  and anxious, becomes  gloomy and
 apathetic,  although a  mental restlessness and  raging  thirst
 torment the sufferer while the powers of life  are ebbing.  The
 intellect remains clear, but all the social and moral feelings seem
 wonderfully to collapse with the physical powers.  The patient
 knows he is to die, but cares not a snap about it.
   " In some cases, though rarely, the diarrhoea continues for a
 day or two, and the foolish person keeps about, then suddenly
 sinks, sends for a physician, and before he arrives 'dies as the
 fool dieth.'

                 "COURSE OF TREATMENT.

   "1. For stopping the incipient diarrhoea.—The mixture which
 I used in 1848 with great success, and again in 1855, has during
 tins epidemic been used by thousands, and although the attacks
 have been more sudden and violent, it has fully established its
 reputation for efficiency and perfect safety.  It consists of equal
 parts by measure of one part each of laudanum and spirits of
 camphor, and two parts of tincture of rhubarb.  Thirty  drops
 for an adult, on a lump of sugar, will often check the diarrhoea.
 But to prevent its return care should always be taken  to con-
 tinue the medicine every four hours in diminishing doses, twenty-
 five, twenty, fifteen, ten, nine, when careful diet is all that will
 be needed.
   " In case the first dees not stop the diarrhoea, continue to give
 increasing doses—thirty-five, forty, forty-five, sixty—at every
 movement of the bowels.   Large doses will produce no injury
 while the diarrhoea lasts.   When that is checked, then is the
 time for caution. I have never seen a case of the diarrhoea taken
 in season which was not thus controlled, but some cases of the
 advanced diarrhoea, and especially of relapse, paid no heed to
 it whatever.  As soon as this becomes apparent, I have always
 resorted to this course.  Prepare a  teacup  of starch, boiled as
 for use in starching linen,  and stir into it a full teaspoonful of
 laudanum for an injection.   Give one-third at each movement
 of the bowels.  In one desperate case, abandoned as hopeless by
 a physician, I could not stop the diarrhoea until the seventh in-
jection, which contained  nearly a  teaspoonful of  laudanum.
 The patient recovered, and is in perfect health.  At the same
 time I used prepared chalk in ten-grain doses with a few drops
 of laudanum and  camphor to each.  But  whatever course is
pursued must be followed up, and the diarrhoea controlled, or
the patient is lost. 
72                  DR.  S.  8. fitch's
  "2d.  Mustard poultices.—These should be applied to the pit
of the stomach, and kept on till the surface is well reddened.
  "3d.  The patient, however well he  may feel, should rigidly
observe perfect rest.  To lie quietly on the back, is one-half the
battle.  In that position the enemy  fires over  you, but the
moment you rise you  are hit.
  " When the attack comes in  the fori* of diarrhoea, these
directions will enable  every one to meet it successfully.
  " 4th. But when the  attack  ie  more violent, and there is
vomiting, or vomiting and  purging, perhaps also cramps and
colic  pains, the  following mixture is  far more  effective, and
should always be resorted to. The missionaries, Messrs. Long,
Trowbridge,  and Washburn, have used it in very many cases,
and with wonderful success.  It consists of equal parts of lau-
danum, tincture of capsicum, tincture of ginger, and tincture
of cardamom seeds.  Dose,  thirty to forty drops, or a half-tea-
Bpoonful in a little water,  and to be increased according to the
argency of the case.  In case the first dose should be ejected,
the  second,  which  should stand  ready,  should be  given
immediately after the spasm of vomiting has ceased.  During
this  late cholera siege no one  of us failed of  controlling the
vomiting, and also the purging, by, at most, the third dose. We
have, however, invariably made use of large mustard poultices
of strong pure mustard, applied to the  stomach, bowels, calves
of the legs, feet, &c,  as the case seemed  to require.
  '■'■Collapse.—This  is simply  a  more advanced state of the
disease.  It indicates  the gradual failing of all the powers of
life.   It is difficult to say when a case has become hopeless.  At
a certain point the body of the patient begins to emit a peculiar
odor, which I call the death-odor, for when that has become de-
cided and unmistakable, I have never  known the patient to
recover.   I have repeatedly worked upon such  cases for hours
with  no permanent result.   But the blue color, the cold ex-
tremities,  the deeply-sunken eye, the  vanishing  pulse, are no
signs that the case is hopeless.   Scores of such cases  in the
recent epidemic have recovered.  In addition to the second  mix-
ture, brandy  (a tablespoonful every half hour), bottles of hot
water surrounding the patient, especially the  extremities, sina-
pisms, and friction,  will often in an hour or two work wonders.
  " Thirst.—In these and in all  advanced cases, thirst creates
intense suffering.  The sufferer craves water,* and as sure as he
gratifies the craving, the worst symptoms return, and he falls a
victim to the transient gratification.  The  only safe way is to
have  a faithful friend or  attendant who  will  not heed his en-
treaties.  The suffering may be, however, safely alleviated and
rendered endurable.   Frequent gargling the throat and washing
out the mouth will bring some relief.  A spoonful of gum arabic
water or of camomile  tea  may frequently be given  to wet the
* Query, cold water} 
FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.
IB
throat.   ' Lydenham's White Decoction' may also be  given
both  as  a  beverage and nourishment in small quantities, fre-
quently.   In a day or two  the suffering from thirst will cease.
In a large majority it has been intense for more than twenty-four
hours.
  "Diet.—Rice-water, arrow-root, Lydenham's White Decoc-
tion, crust water, camomile tea, are the best articles for a day or
two after the attack is controlled.  Camomile is very valuable
in restoring the tone of the stomach.
  '"'The Typhoid  Fever.—A typhoid  state for a few days will
follow all severe cases.  There is nothing alarming  in this.  It
has very rarely proved fatal.  Patience and careful nursing will
bring it  all right.   The greatest danger is from drinking too
freely.  When the patient seemed to be sinking, a little brandy
and water, or arrow-root and brandy have revived him. In this
terrible visitation of the cholera, we have considered ourselves
perfectly armed and equipped, with a hand-bag containing mix-
ture No.  1, mixture No. 2, (for vomiting, &c.,) a few pounds of
pounded mustard, a bottle of brandy,  and a paper of camomile
flowers, and a paper of gum arabic.                         %
  " I  lay no claim to originality in recommending this course 01
treatment.   I have adopted it from suggestions of able and ex-
perienced physicians.  Having  been  the only doctor of many
poor families living  near me, I have tried various remedies re-
commended by physicians,  but I have found none to be  at all
compared with the above.   During the recent cholera, I cannot
find that  any treatment has been so successful as this.
  "■Contagion.—The idea of contagion should  be abandoned.
All the  missionaries who have  been most with the malignant
cases day after clay, are  fully convinced of the non-contagious-
ness of the cholera.  The incipient attacks, which all have suf-
fered  from, are to be attributed to  great fatigue, making the
constitution liable to an attack.
                                   " Yours, truly,
                                           "C. Hamlin."
             In the Matter of the Asiatic Cholera.

  I omitted to say, in its place, that excessively hot water baths
are excellent, raising the  heat as high as the patient can bear,
and keep it so by continually adding hot water.   Keep in until
the patient is better.   Salt may be freely put in these baths.
  The patient may also drink very hot tea, as  hot  as he  can
bear it.  The  tea  may be made very strong with spearmint,
peppermint, the leaves of cedar, pine, spruce, or of the hemlock-
tree, poppy-leaves, or any of the stimulating bitter garden herbs
or roots.  A few drops of spirits of camphor may be put in the 
u
DR. 8. 8. FITCH'S
drinks.   Let him drink as much as he pleases of these very hot
drinks—not to be cold or tepid on any account.
  The cholera remedies may be put in the drinks.   After each
turn of vomiting, take a full  drink of tea, so as to wash out the
stomach freely.  If the patient gets  much exhausted, put with
his drinks as much chicken water, or soup without  any bits of
meat or vegetables in  it, or very little rice flour or starch may
be put in it and well boiled, as you please.
  In the matter of injections  and  mustard  poultices,  do  as
directed by Mr. Hamlin.
  Brandy may be put  freely in the hot drinks.
  I think Mr. Hamlin, in forbidding water, intended  to mean
cold  water.
                      DYSENTEET.
 « This disease is of frequent occurrence in the hot season of the
year and in the earlier part of the autumn.

                    Causes of Dysentery.
  This is almost universally contracted by eating improper food
and at the same time taking  cold.  When neglected  too long
or badly treated, it is often fatal.

                        Treatment,
  As soon as a show of diarrhoea or dysentery is noticed, at once
take a portion of physic, as, equal parts of dandelion and senna
extract, or castor-oil, or magnesia and rhubarb, or my Biliary
Corrector, or my pills, in  doses adapted to  the strength of the
patient and to their age, and give a little physic daily  until the
disease is well.  At the same  time as you give physic  you may
give, if the patient is in any way prostrated and weak, a table-
spoonful or so of black-cherry brandy, or blackberry brandy,  or
a tea made by boiling blackberry-roots in milk and a little loaf-
sugar and brandy put to it.  Drink freely of this.  Solution of tan-
nin, or oak-bark tea,  all a*e^ excellent, and may be used as you
have them at command.  Never omit the physic;  and  never
give opium or laudanum at the beginning of dysentery until the
bowels have been well evacuated by using the physic.  Opium
or its preparations  often kill the patient by causing congestion
of the brain, if given too early. 
FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.
15
                           Diet.
  Let the  food  be light and  cooling; say, boiled  milk, and
boiled rice and  milk.  Wheat  flour boiled thoroughly in milk
and thickened to a gruel, and eaten freely, is excellent.  In the
beginning of dysentery, when  it has been on only two to four
hours, put one tablespoonful of table-salt and a wineglassful oi
vinegar into a half-pint of boiling water; sit down and sip this
a mouthful at a  time, so as in a half hour to drink it all.  An
old man, who got this remedy from my grandfather, told me he
had  kept house forty years, had  raised many  children and
apprentices, had  often witnessed fatal  dysenteries in his neigh-
borhood, but in  his own family and dependents this salt and
vinegar was all  he ever  used, and had never failed with it to
cure all  cases  in his own family.   No matter what you have
eaten, he  says, this will cure it if used on the first attack.  In
very bad cases of dysentery and no relief on account of no reme-
dies or improper  remedies,  you should still give  physic, and a
suppository of one or two grains of solid opium introduced up
the rectum and left there,  and  the patient  keeping still, will
often soon stop all traces of dysentery. Wild-cherry brandy, or
brandy and laudanum, with castor-oil, may be very freely and
liberally used  in all advanced  stages of dysentery or bloody
flux.  The feet should be kept warm, flannel worn over the
stomach and bowels, and all traces of dysentery will disappear.
Opium is to be used only in very extreme cases, and after free
physic.
   SUMMEE COMPLAINT; or,  DIAEEH(EA OP YOUNG
                       CHILDEEN.

  This disease sweeps of thousands of young children annually.
It is caused almost wholly by indigestion, which is much aggra-
vated by hot weather, bad air, and by teething, and,  above all,
by improper food.  No child need ever die of this disease when
it is properly fed.   Very much depends on its food.
  First, let the child wear soft, warm flannel over  its whole
person, and  stomach and  bowels; change this often enough to
have it clean.  Let the child eat no fruit or vegetables of any
kind whatever, and not a bit of meat, or pastry, or cakes, or 
16
DR. 8. B. FITCH'S
 hot bread.  The diet should be  its mother's milk, and panada,
 which is  bread and milk boiled together well; or cow's milk
 one-half water and thickened with good flour,  and boiled  for
 one hour  or more, so as to be perfectly cooked.   This is an  ex-
 cellent article of food for the child.  In place of wheat flour, rice
 flour is excellent, boiled a3 much as you boil wheat flour and
 milk, &c.
  Carefully notice the child's gums, and if teeth are  coming, so
 as to be plain and distinct, the gums may be lanced ;  but do  not
 do this until the gum is fully lifted up, so that  on cutting  the
 gum the tooth is at once fully exposed.  To cut the gums before
 this is to injure the child very much.   Rubbing the gums over
 freely with a little fine salt very much helps the teeth to come
 through.  If the mouth is very  hot,  put little pieces of ice in
 the child's mouth occasionally, and this will cool it very much.
  The child, whilst  the diarrhoea is on it, should take  a little
 physic every day or two,  say five to twenty drops or  half a
 teaspoonful of castor-oil.  This is most excellent.   Liquid mag-
 nesia is very good—one teaspoonful daily in its milk.  One table-
 spoonful of lime-water daily, put in its food,  is very useful, and
 should not be neglected.  Tincture of rhubarb is valuable.   Do
 not give opium or any of its preparations, as they are so apt to
 bring on fits and kill the  child.   A teaspoonful of wild-cherry
 brandy once or twice a day, put  in the food, after using physic,
 is excellent. If you have no wild-cherry brandy, a little  brandy
 and water, put on wild-cherry bark,  is very good.  Keep the
 child's feet warm with woollen socks, &c.  Change of air.  If
 it is possible, give  the  child a change of air at any sacrifice;
 give it sea-air.  I have seen them  restored by sea-air, when all
 hope had disappeared.   Do not  give  up the child ; if you can-
not have sea-air, go to a lake shore or to the mountains.  Nurs-
ing children are not apt to have summer complaints;  but if
they do, the mother  should be very careful of  her  own diet.
 Children  should never be weaned whilst teething, or  in hot
weather or late spring.  The fall  and winter months are best.
 If a mother cannot nurse her child, a healthy wet nurse should
be procured if possible.  Children should be nursed, if possible,
until they have cut their first teeth.  Children under four years
of age should never be exposed to extremes of weather.  If
 children are costive, or are very fretful, crying, &c, there is 
FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.                 11
nothing better for them than a little castor-oil.  Beware of hard
indigestible food being given to your little children ; awful fits
and spasms arise from it.  Teething and hard, indigestible food
cause nearly all the fits.  Some children may eat this food and
live ;  yet it is true  that nearly all fits arise from it, and nearly
every case of diarrhoea.
  A flannel cloth, wet in brandy or whiskey, or salt and water,
may be worn over the bowels and kept warm.  It may be
bathed daily in a little brandy or alcohol, or whiskey and water.
  My Anti-Dyspeptic Mixture is a perfect remedy for all  diar-
rhoea and green stools of children, and for any diarrhoea or dys-
entery at any age.   It is infallible.
                     SICK-HEADACHE.

   This disease commonly affects persons before forty years old
 —seldom after.   After a time it usually turns to nervous head-
 aches, and often to neuralgic headaches, &c.  True sick head-
 ache is almost always produced by indigestion, acidity, and bile
 in the stomach,  or by a closure of the gall-ducts; very fre-
 quently it is accompanied by sick stomach and retching,  or full,
 free  vomiting.

                            Cure.
  Put the feet in very hot water, and add hot water from time
 to time ;  mustard or wood-ashes may be added.  Keep the feet
 in this hot water for half an hour.  Repeat it every day,  or
 twice a day, until the headache is well.  If there is much vomit-
 ing,  drink freely  of warm spearmint tea, and, as the vomiting
 subsides, take a good dose of any good bitter pills, or a portion
 of dandelion and senna tea, my Bilious Powder,  or Stomach
 Bitters, or something to move the bowels freely and thus carry
off all the bile.  Boneset tea is an excellent drink in these cases.
Be careful to eat nothing that you know causes bile or produces
indigestion.   Where predisposed to it, a cold or excitement will
bring it on.   Do as I have directed, and you will soon get over
these headaches.   For relief from nervous  or  neuralgic head-
aches, if  not cured by what I have already directed, apply  to
me;  all are soon  cured. 
78
DR. S. S.  FITCH'S
                     SEA-SICKNESS.
  This complaint is too well known to require description.  It is
usually very  curable.  I  give a recipe for  a  remedy I have
usually found all that is necessary for a cure; obtain it, and
follow the directions:
Tinct.			5-ii.
u	Veroni c Virginica (Pulvis),		
k	Jalapa (Pulvis),		
(i	Rhei (Pulvis),		
it	Senna fol. (Pulvis),		
u			3ii. Oi.
			
Mix.	Dose is one tablespoonful every	six hours until	wholly
well.			
             MANAGEMENT OF THE HAIE.
  The hair of children should be kept cut until ten years of age
in females, and in males as late as you please.  The great object
with the hair is to have a full head of glossy hair and not to have
it fall out.

                     Loss of the Hair.
  The hair is usually lost by the following causes:
  1st. From fever in the head.  Long-continued headaches with
fever, and from fevers where the head is affected.
  2d. From skin diseases which affect the scalp.  I have seen
a full head of hair utterly lost in a few days by a skin disease
attacking the scalp.
  3d. The hair is lost by being pulled out in shampooing and
combing, and tying up tight so as to be  straining on the roots
whilst tied up.
  In one section of Germany it is the fashion to tie all the hair
on the top of the head into a club as tightly together as possible,
and as close to the scalp as possible.  In a few years nearly all
the females are bald on the top of the head, and this before they 
FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.
id
are twenty-five years old.  The hair should never be combed at
all with a fine-tooth comb,  unless the hair is very thick and
strong.  Dandruff should be washed out, not combed out.  Only
use a very coarse comb about the hair.  Keep the scalp and hair
clean by washing it with pure cold water.  A little borax put in
the water makes a famous lather all through, equal to any soap
and far neater.   After fully washing with this, smooth the hair
with a very coarse comb.  Every gentleman should dip his head
in cold water every day of his life—the colder the better.  This
usually saves the hair, prevents all catarrhs  and fevers, and is
most excellent for the brain and for nearly all headaches.  Ani-
mals shed their hair twice a year; at these  periods the human
hair is apt to be loose, and drops out  easily.   When loose, do
not comb it, but let it alone as much as possible.  Wet it freely
and smooth it with your hands as well as you can.  It will soon
become tight.  Shaving the head to  have the hair come out
thick, usually does much injury, and is rarely beneficial, as far
as my observation goes.  All diseases of  the  scalp should be
cured, or  the hair may be lost.  Scalp diseases  are  usually
easily cured.
  My Kings' and Queens'  Toilet is excellent for falling of the
hair, and all fever and itching  of the scalp, and for keeping the
scalp clean of dandruff.

                 For curing Gray Hair, &o.
  I append the best hair-dye I have ever known.   Observe the
directions for using it.
                       HAIE-DYE.

    Crystals Nitrate of Silver
    Aqua Ammonia.............
    Pure Water...................
  Mix.
  Apply to the hair with a tooth-brush.  No washing is neces-
sary, either before or after the application; only let it dry at
first.'  With all I put up, I forward more minute directions than
I can give here.
& oz.
i oz.
3 oz. 
80                 DR.  S.  8.  FITCH'S


                     Cutting the Hair.
  The hair should never be cut too short, as this is apt to stunt
its growth, especially in old people.   The hair may be cut when-
ever required.   It is well to trim it about once a month.   Some
urge that the hair should be cut only in the first and  second
quarters of the moon—that is, in the moon's increase.  It cer-
tainly could do no hurt to adopt this course.
                         BUENS.
  The treatment of burns is very easy, if understood.  Numbers
perish or suffer dreadfully by burns, who could have been at
once relieved.  I will mention a few things which  are perfect:
you may use them with confidence.  You need look no further,
as any one of these will cure burns.


                        Treatment.
  At the instant of the burn, cover the part with very cold or
ice water, or snow, for a short time.  A poultice of Indian meal
and buttermilk, to thickly cover the whole burn, is  most  excel-
lent.  It stops the pain in a few minutes, or,  at any rate, in a
little while, and all will be lulled to rest.  Keep this on two or
three days until the burning and heat and inflammation are all
gone, and then you may dress it with a salve made of beeswax
and lard, or sweet oil; make it so as to be soft and pleasant and
not irritating.  If the lard or  sweet oil are rancid, they may
make the salve or ointment acrid and irritating, and so inflame
the parts.  Spread the salve on  soft cloth, cotton, &c.
  Leek, Garlic or Onion in pure lard is excellent for burns.


                    Wood-Soot and Lard.

  This is one of the best preparations for a  burn known, how-
ever extensive it may be.   The soot should be rubbed perfectly 
FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.
81
fine, and  then carefully mixed with the lard—one  full table-
spoonful of  soot to three tablespoonfuls of  fresh or sweet lard.
Mix it perfectly together, and spread it on fine cotton cloths,
the softer  the better.   If the burn is extensive, as on the limbs,
extremities, &c, then tear the cotton cloths into strips, two and
a half to three inches wide, and spread the ointment on these,'
and apply it carefully so as to. cover  all the parts perfectly, with-
out any wrinkle, and utterly prevent all folds of the  skin, or
two opposite surfaces falling together, as, if they do, they will
grow together.  If two or more fingers or toes are  burned or
scalded, in dressing  the part, put the dressing between each
finger or toe, and keep  it there on the cloth,  so that the fingers
may not grow together in healing ; and do this with all surfaces
that might grow together.  This dressing may be kept  on until
the parts are perfectly well.  It may be removed if you wish to
take it off, &c.  You  can spread fresh and put it on again.  You
will find it a most reliable and excellent preparation.  It takes
out pain and soothes, often in ten minutes.   If scalded all over,
this is one of the best  preparations I ever knew.   White-lead
paint, as prepared by the painter to use and ready to use, is also
admirable  for a burn.  It may be put on with the paint-brush
and be at  once most  efficacious.
                         BEIJISES.
  Frequently children and grown persons get bruised, &c. The
best remedy is to put the bruised part in ice, and  keep it in ice,
or, if you cannot put  it in ice, put it in ice-water frequently
changed, so as to keep the bruised part very cold.   Do this until
all the pain has left, and then wrap it up in a  soft cloth wet in
laudanum or tincture of arnica, and keep it on until well, which
will be soon.   In all cases of bruises on the face or about the
eyes, put on at once a piece of ice and keep it on for some hours
until all the swelling or pain is gone ; then put on a cloth wet
and kept wet in  spirits of camphor.   Do this, and  in a day or
two all stain of a bruise will be gone. 
82
DR. s. a. fitch's
  MANAGEMENT OP  THE TEETH PEOM INFANCY TO
                          AGE.
  A lady or gentleman having clean, regular, beautiful teeth
will always be attractive and rarely fail of being beautiful.  A
good set of teeth contributes very much to lengthen life ; whilst
the loss of the teeth most surely tends to shorten it.   Decayed,
ugly, irregular, dirty, stained teeth are most offensive and most
repulsive, rendering beauty impossible.
  Diseases of  infancy  and childhood often greatly injure the
teeth.  In my  remarks  on the diseases of infants, I have said all
I need say about cutting the gums, &c, and bringing out the
first teeth.  After the infant teeth come out, they should be kept
clean and free from decay as far as possible.   My tooth-powder
may be used daily, or as often as you please, on the teeth and gums
of young children, from the appearance  of the first tooth until
the first set of teeth are fully grown, and during the continuance
of this set until the second or permanent set of teeth have all come.
A tooth-brush need not be much used, but the tooth-powder
may be applied with the finger—say once or twice a week ; and
daily, if there is much  fever, or swelling of the gums, or heat,
or canker about the mouth.  As the second teeth begin, the first
ones should be loosened  gently with the fingers, so that they
may come out without  pain, and all come out without  interfer-
ing with the growth or regularity of the second set of teeth.
  The second set of teeth are from the sixth to the twentieth
year before they are all fully  grown.   Notice that these teeth
come out regularly and stand free in their places.   If too much
crowded or lapping one over the other, have side or back teeth
enough extricated to give room for all the rest to come into their
places.  Keep the teeth clean  and pure with the tooth-powder,
which may be used once or twice a week, and alwajrs with bene-
fit.  Give the teeth room, by taking some out,  if much crowded.
Keep them clean with the  tooth-powder and cold water, and let
your children  be brought up on plain, wholesome food ; as little
pastry and nicknacks as possible, free open air and exercise, and
not too much confinement or study, and they will have regular,
healthy and beautiful teeth, for which they will bless you all
their days.   Of course, when possible, employ a good dentist to
watch over, and advise, and do all that is necessary for the 
FAMILY PHYSICIAN.                83
teeth.  In sickness and fevers, use the tooth-powder daily if you
can.
  This tooth-powder is perfect, giving health and sweetness to
the mouth and gums, and cleanliness, whiteness and brilliancy
to the teeth, and can never do any hurt.
                   TOOTH POWDEE.
 Recipe.—Peruvian Bark, powdered...................  3 oz.
         Gum Myrrh,        "    ...................  \ oz.
         Nut Galls,         "    ...................  £ oz.
         Cuttle-fish Bone,    "    ...................  £ oz.
         Chloride of Lime................................  £ oz.
         Oil of Bergamot.................................  60 drops.

  Mix and pulverize all perfectly.  Use once to three times a
week.  It has no superiors.
             ST. VITUS' DANCE (CHOEEA).

  I will not describe this disease.  I always cure it.  You may
apply to  me with perfect  confidence.  A cure is certain,  no
matter how hard the case.  Do not let it run on long, as it may
do permanent injury to your child.
                    EPILEPTIC FITS.

  I will not describe these fits, only to say I often cure them.
If you write me about them, for opinion or advice, be very par-
ticular to tell all about the case.
        HOW  TO HAVE GOOD HEALTHY  LUNGS.

  This can always be obtained by having a  large, full chest,
that plays free  and full.  By breathing properly, you can have
a good chest.  As often  as you please,  take long, full, deep
breaths.  Draw pure air into your lungs as long at once as you
can.   Do this as  many times a day as you choose.   Keep your
chest and person  erect and straight, avoid all stooping as far as
possible, and you will have good lungs. 
84
DR. S. S.  FITCH'S
             BOYS AND GIELS AT  SCHOOL.

  Boys and girls should go to school together until of full mar-
riageable age.
  An exclusive  girls' school makes the girls a kind of nuns,
timid,  nervous,  shy,  and health imperfect, frightened at the-
other sex, awkward and constrained in manners, with very few
acquaintances unless  they have great advantages of society at
home.
  Exclusive boys' schools make the boys almost savages.  They
contrive to set up a sort of society among themselves and to ex-
ist without female society.  Finally, they become shy of young
ladies,  are  bashful among them,  but bullies and blackguards
among  themselves.   In this state of mind they leave school
with but few female acquaintances and  not partial to ladies' so-
ciety.  The step is now short to the club-room, billiard-saloons,
gambling and drinking saloons, avoiding the church and assem-
blages where there  are ladies.   Thus thousands go to destruc-
tion.
  All these evils are  wholly prevented, and the sweetest life-
long friendships are formed, by both sexes associating at school
and in every stage of their education.
  God's holy law, as developed in all nature, is  that men and
women shall live together, and of course should be educated
together;  and in all  happy communities they are.   Here the
boys learn  courtesy, manners,  polish, and confidence.  The
girls develop all their gracefulness, become confident, courteous
and attractive, and learn to  suitably prize and not to shun the
society of the opposite sex.   To both sexes the mutual  advan-
tages  and benefits are beyond all enumeration.  This associa-
tion becomes the best part of their education, without which no
man can develop the high-bred, courteous gentleman of which
he is capable.  Nor can  any woman without it attain to those
highest graces and accomplishments of manners, dignity, cour-
tesy and taste, which  would render her absolutely irresistible
with the opposite sex  and a mighty controlling  power in so-
ciety, 
FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
85
                     LAWS OF LIFE.

   There are now living in the United States a great many per-
sons who are over one hundred years old, some one hundred and
ten, some one hundred and twenty, and even over this age.   It
is usually rather felt than expressed, that this  great longevity
results from a coincidence of accidents.  It is not realized that
it is a law of life that the age of men and women may attain to
over one hundred years, and under equal circumstances all may
attain to one hundred years.   God is not partial.  His laws are
equal.
   Let any person live in accordance with the laws of life, using
seasonable remedies for any deviations from health, and  he
may calculate with much certainty upon hving to one hundred
years.
   The laws of life, and the laws for the preservation of life, are
few, are simple, are easily stated and easily remembered.
   The first law of life is the full and harmonious development
of the whole system,  so  as  to  give us perfect symmetry of
person.
   The second law is to have air and the person pure.
   The third law is to have food varied in kind, and sufficiently
nutritive to sustain all the functions of the system.
   The fourth law of life is that all we eat  or drink must leave
the system within a moderate period of time.
   To do this, it is indispensable that all the  great emunctories,
or outlets of the system, should be open, free and unobstructed.
   The  emunctories  are the bowels, the kidneys, the skin, and
lungs.   If any of these are obstructed, or sluggish in the per-
formance of their functions, good health cannot long be main-
tained.
  Hence, free breathing of pure air; wholesome food—enough,
and no more ;  pure skin,  and free bowels  and kidneys, are in-
dispensable to health and long life.
  With all this, never over-work the system, either as a whole
or  in  part.  Two  days' work in one  will soon lay low  the
strongest man  or  woman.  In reading the histories of such
workers we usually find premature death the consequence. 
86
DR. 8. 8. FITCH'S
Great mental efforts should be avoided, and moderation, both
in mental and physical efforts, be maintained.
  I doubt if any person ever died of old age, under eighty years,
and the most would reach one hundred years before dying of
old age.  It is a very common idea that the infirmities of a sys-
tem a  little worn by time, and much by labor, are caused by
age, and cannot be relieved.   I have always found the diseases
of elderly persons as curable and manageable as those of younger
ones.   They must be  doctored with an eye to the fact that the
aged, in their constitutions, become measurably like children,
and must not be treated with harsh or hurtful medicines.  It
has been my delightful task, in a  great many cases, to  restore
the aged to good  health, and  seeing  them  recovering  their
strength and enjoying life  as pleasantly as in their best days.
I think from fifty to eighty years of life, if in perfect health, are
as delightful as any other periods.
           CAUSES OF PEEMATUEE DEATHS.

  There are four great causes of sickness and premature deaths.
  First, a  common  cold,  or checked  perspiration.   At least
three-fourths of all the diseases originate from a cold or checked
perspiration;  this neglected, and hosts are sent to  premature
graves.
  I will not describe a cold, but only tell you how to cure it.
  When you find you have a cold, if any way serious,  put your
feet in very hot water at bedtime.   Keep them in this hot water
at least ten minutes.  Salt, or wood-ashes, or bleaching soda,
may be added, if you choose—two tablespoonfuls of salt or soda,
or half a pint of wood-ashes, to six quarts of very hot  water.
Keep the water as hot as you can bear it.  Next morning wash
the feet in cold water.  Use these foot-baths three or four nights
or more every week, until  the cold is well.
  In addition to the hot foot-baths at bedtime, if young and in
full strength, take a portion of Epsom salts, or senna tea, and a
pint of hot herb tea, pennyroyal, boneset, or mint.  Go to bed,
cover up warmly,  and you will perspire.  The physic in the
morning will usually carry off all your cold.   In persons who 
FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.
81
are weak, m place of salts use pills, such as my Cathartic Pills, or
my Stomach Bitters, or any good bitter physic.  Repeat the hot
foot-baths and physic until well.
  In some cases, if your cold gives you a cough, take some
cough medicines, such as my Pectoral, or Vitalizer, or any good
cough medicines you choose.
  My Vitalizer taken at bedtime, with two or more of my cathar-
tic pills, will usually break up a cold in one night.
  With a cold begin early, and use remedies faithfully until you
are well, be it a  longer or shorter time. Never let a cold run on
you, and you will soon break  up the habit of taking cold, and
thus save you much sickness.                              *
  The second great cause of premature deaths is, eating too much,
eating at improper  times, and slow bowels, or, in some cases,
food which induces diarrhoea or dysentery.
  Improper food causes  nearly all diarrhoea and  dysentery
of children and adults, occurring most in hot or very change-
able weather; but,  with proper food, they will rarely ever take
place.
   I have seen hundreds of our noblest men killed by eating too
much; by  eating suppers; thus obstructing and clogging the
system.                                         ,
   Nearly all our food  should be eaten before two o'clock p. m.
each day.   Late dinners, late suppers, of solid food, are never
eaten by persons after thirty, others after forty, others after fifty,
that are not truly perilous and dangerous.
   In the summer of 1863  I  doctored a very respectable clergy-
man-tall, thin, and forty-seven years old.   He had been con-
sumptive over two  years.   He got perfectly well; resumed all
his clerical duties.  In  September,  called on me at Utica, New
 York  at 6 A  m. He was taking a pleasure-tour to New York
 citv to be  gone three weeks.  I never  saw a happier man at
 his restored health.  That day he arrived  in New York city,
 put up at a hotel, and  next day dined at 2 p. m. ; tea at 6, as
 usual at home.  At home, breakfast at  7 or 8 A. m.^   .
 to 1  tea 6 to 7.  He stayed at this hotel one  day.  On Friday
 he went to a boarding-house, where he had breakfast at 8, lun-
 cheon of cold meats, bread, pastry, pickles, &c, at If. m., din-
 ner at 6, and tea directly after dinner.   This  course he pursued
 trough Friday and  Saturday.  Saturday, at 6 p. m., he dined 
88
DR. 8. B. FITCH'S
 off boiled ham, boiled cabbage, and clams, &c.  After dinner
 he took a walk with his wife, and within one hour fell dead in
 the street—life extinct in a moment.  It was called a disease of
 the heart; but his heart was well.  It was caused by an  utter
 stoppage of all action in the stomach;  if I may use the expres-
 sion, the wheels of life stood still.  No hearty meals should ever
 be taken after sunset.
   Apoplexy and palsy usually result from over-eating or eating
 at improper hours, and are attended with slow bowels.
   A person of full habit should recollect that heavy meals  and
 slow bowels will soon kill.  In such, and all persons, costive-
 ness should  be obviated by  the steady use of  aperients or
 cathartic medicines.   Keep the bowels free at all hazards.
   The third  great cause  of premature deaths is, drinking too
 much of alcoholic liquors, wines,  beer, &c.  This subject has
 been so thoroughly expounded and so eloquently demonstrated
 by some of our greatest and best orators and thinkers, that I do
 not deem it necessary to  add a word here to what has already
 been spoken and written.
  The fourth great cause of disease is, over-work—over-tasking
 our powers.  I hardly need dwell on this, the proposition is so
 clear, the facts are so frequent.
  A clergyman,  for example, attempts to preach  and do  full
 clerical  duties — several  lectures and prayer-meetings  each
 week—at the same time  would acquire several different lan-
 guages, and write elaborate and extensive literary works. Whilst
 all this is progressing, in cold winters,  he travels to various
 places—a very  distinguished lecturer.   He is badly exposed,
 studies or writes his  sixteen or more hours a day, experiences
 colds, pains, disease, and  reeling constitution; still, nobly and
 madly fights on, until death suddenly removes the  brightest in-
tellect and highest acquirements.  Then comes the wicked cant,
 that "God did it."
  A little moderation, a little common sense, and he might have
doubled his days. These remarks apply to all cases of over-work,
mental or physical, or both, and to both sexes.  I  say now, let
your labors not exceed your strength.
  To those invalids who choose me for their doctor, allow me to
 say : There are  very few cases of disease of anypart, or however
produced, or of long duration, but what I cure.   It  is only a 
FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
83
question of time, depending on the recuperative powers of the
system.  Do not expect that a disease of long standing can be
cured in a week ; but take time enough, and use remedies until
you are well;  then use remedies until your health is all confirmed,
when you may confidently  expect to live many years in  good
health.  You will still,  like other people, be liable to take cold,
or contract fevers, or meet with accidents;  but learn to use reme-
dies promptly and faithfully, and you will soon get well, so that
year after year your health  will become strong and permanent.
Keeping good health every day will certainly insure you a life
extending to eighty or one hundred years.
  All who would live  long should have occupation and a pur-
pose in life.   It is of the first importance that we should have
employment,  profitable and  pleasant, if possible,  but,  at  all
events, pleasant—reading some, but physical exercise and labor
more.   Never be idle.  Do something good, something useful,
every day of your lives.
  Thus far I have spoken of physical laws.   Now let me speak
of moral ones, and their effects upon longevity.
  If you would live long and see good days, cultivate all the
virtues and all the affections;  outwardly lead a life of morality,
inwardly a life of piety.    Live close under the wings of the
Almighty. So appreciate God and his gifts that you shall love
him.   So treat all that they shall love you.   Do as you would
be done by, and be not an unequal judge in this matter.  If
there is a sight more deplorable than another, it is that of a per-
son whom no one loves.  I will not attempt to describe them;
but such have existed.  Never lose an opportunity of doing a
favor.  It  is seed that will  produce happiness all  your life.
Drive selfishness from  your heart.  By this course, no remorse
or evil passions will disturb your conscience or rack your sys-
tem, and your memories in old age will be as pleasant as were
your hopes in youth.  Time will embrace you gently.  In phys-
ical strength and  mental  beauty, you will tread  lightly past
your hundredth year.  In the fulness of your days, God will
lift the veil, and you will pass from time fearless and happy. 
 
 
 
 
FAMILY   PHYSICIAN:
BY
         S. S.  FITCH, A.M., M.D.

No. 25  TREMONT  STREET,  BOSTON, MASS.
TABLE  OP  CONTENTS.
Preface,
Consultation free, '
Questions to Invalids,
List of Diseases,  .
Consumption,
Bronchitis,  .
Catarrh,
Consumption, with Cases,
Asthma,
Diseases of the Heart,
Dyspepsia,  .
Chronic DiarrhcBa,
Piles or Hemorrhoids,
Urinary Complaints,
Female Complaints,
Rheumatism,     ,
Neuralgi1,  .   .
Skin Diseases,
Diphtheria,  .
Cure of Hooping: Cough,
The Complexion, .
Cologne "Water,  .
Caucers,
Croup, .
 1 Scarlet Fever,   .    .   ,
 3 Measles,    ....
 4 Erysipelas,  ....
 5 Typhoid Fever,  .
12 Yellow Fever,
13 Cholera Morbus,  .
13 j Asiatic Cholera,  .
14 Dysentery,  ....
24 Summer Complaint,
27 Sick Headache,  .    .   ,
33 Sea Sickness,
35 Management of the Hair, ,
36 Hair Dye.....
37 Burns,.....
38 Bruises,    ....
40 Management of the Teeth, .
41 Tooth Powder,
42 St. Vitus' Dance COhorea), .
45 Epileptic Fits,
46 How to have  good healthy
47      Lungs,
50 Boys and Girls at School,
50 Laws of Life,
56 Causes of Premature Deaths,
57
60
61
62
65
66
67
74
75
77
78
78
79
80 !
81
82
83
83
83

83
84
85 
 

 
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