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ADDRESS
                            or THE FRIENDS Of THE


Thomson ian Botanic System of Medicine,

                                  TO THE
" 0, that mine adversary had written a book."
   The friends and advocates of the Thomsonian Botanic practice cannot urge
 this indignant exclamation of the good and deeply afflicted Arabian, Job, against
 his enemies ; for if one of their  inveterate and interested adversaries has not writ-
 ten a book, he  has  at least disburthened himself of a speech, and so highly esti-
 mated its value and importance as to furnish a copy for publication  in the Mary-
 land Republican, whose editor, with a large share of prejudice against a system,
 of which he appears entirely ignorant, and  placing  full reliance upon the tes-
 timony of an interested partizan opponent, without examining the courtesy of its
 style or incongruity of its parts,  has ushered it to the world with a mighty flour-
 ish of " cow-horns;1' and, under these circumstances, given  his gratuitous opin-
 ion  that Thomsonianism has  been " a kind of rowed  up salt river," by  Dr.
 WILLIAMS, one of  the delegates from Worcester county.
   We rejoice that the Dr. has deviated from the course usually practiced by the
 regular faculty.  They have generally parcelled out their envious and malignant
 darts, to male  and  female gossips, to  be privately sped as time and opportunity
 presented, and  thus shielded themselves  from animadversion or responsibility.
 Dr. W., if less  prudent than most of his brethren of the lancet and calomel,  has
 in this instance  at least, acted  a more  bold and fearless part; and, although  the
 legalised administerers of poison may  feel some weight of  obligation to him, for
 his aid in retarding the establishment of a Thomsonian Infirmary in Baltimore, it
 is problematical whether they  will,  as a body, pass a vote of thanks for having
 the speech he delivered on the occasion, put in a tangible form, for the benefit of
 the people.
   Be that, however, as it may, Dr, Williams shall have no cause to complain 'that
 the Thomsonians used any means to suppress this " great" and " reluctant" ef-
 fort to " row"  their system of practice " up salt river;" they have, on the con-«
 trary,* resolved  to spread it before the people in every part of the State to which
 ready access can be  had—and even  out of  its limits.  Should, therefore, this
 wide dissemination of the Dr.'s fervid and gentlemanly eloquence, scientific at-
 tainments, fertile genius, and extensive knowledge of phys'wlogy, pathology, nos-
clogy, semiology, and  all the ologies of a monopolising craft, (not even excepting
 astroloGY, if it  please him), be the means of procuring  him a call to a lucrative
 professorship in some favored Utopia,  we humbly hope he  will at least kindly
 remember,  if not suitably reward, the efforts of those to whom he will be indebt-
 ed for the dignity.
   As the Thomsonians were not  the assailants in this case, it is justly presumable
 that  their defensive attitude, in  repelling the unjust and wanton assaults which 
o
have been made against them, wil! be justified by a liberal and impartial public.
And if, in giving vent to an honest indignation, they should expose to ridicule and
contempt some of the positions assumed by Dr.  Williams, as well as a part of the
regular and scientific practice of medicine, their motives will also be duly appre-
ciated.
   It has been deemed advisable, with a view of affording the reader a more rea-
dy method of understanding the  merits of the subject, to offer a commentary up-
on Dr. Williams'1  text, in the way  of note.  We beg indulgence of the public, if
the construction of our sentences, or the purity of our language and style, should
be found greatly inferior, and less felicitous than that of our learned and scienti-
fic opponent.  His opportunities have been superior to most of the friends of the
Botanic  Practice.  And as the Dr. has pronounced them "better fitted by na-
ture and education" for  " peaceful and innocent employments," we feel an assu-
rance that our defence will be received, even by him, with a liberal indulgence.
All we desire is to make ourselves understood by the  great body of the people;
hence, we have not been particular in selecting high  sounding words, or using
technical terms,  not comprehended by those whose  interest we  intend to sub-
serve.  We are neither practitioners jor pay, nor manufacturers of medicine for
tale; nor have we, directly or indirectly, any interest in the success of the Thom-
 sonian Practice of medicine,  separate from that of the great mass of the human
 family, the sum total of whose  afflictions we honestly and conscientiously desire
 to see lessened;  and we know, for the fact has been demonstrated, that this can
 only be done  by banishing poisonous mineral and vegetable substances from the
 materia medica,  and abolishing the use of the lancet.
   In conclusion we would remark, that we do not entertain a particle  of ill-will
 towards Dr. fVilliams; for should  he at any time visit our city, and require any
 medical aid at our hands, we promise most solemnly to attend him as faithfully as
 we would any of our own family or friends, without fee or reward—for we like
 the regulars,  do not charge each  other for such services.  The Dr. probably
 raised a hearty laugh, at our expense, in ridiculing the  "old woman" practice
 and exposing our " ignorance  and quackery"—if we, therefore, in our turn, un-
 mask and place him before the public as  the  defender of learned "quackery "
 possessing also a few of the harmless qualities ascribed to us, and convince the
 people, besides, of the fact, that he acted as the willing instrument of the regu-
 lar faculty, instead of  the  "reluctant"  opponent of Thomsonians,—which to
 ^rVS^etLapi;arfnt;~We h°pe he VTiU.take k a11 vvlth as mu<* good humor, as
 we did the reluctant " rowing up salt river" which friend Hughes avers Dr Wil-
 liams gave to                                            °
    April, 1835.                                 THE  THOMSONIANS. 
MARYLAND  HOUSE  OF DELEGATES.
                Dr.  Williams9  Remarks
On the Bill to Incorporate  the Thomsonian  National  Infirmary,
                              March, 1835.
Mr. Speaker—
     Being entirely unaccustomed to public speaking,  and feeling inadequate to
do that justice to the subject under consideration, which would have been done
it, by those whose seats I am sorry to see unoccupied,  it is with great reluctance
that I rise on this floor, in the midst of those who have so often entertained, and
who are so  able to entertain this house with their eloquence, to  present, in my
feeble manner, the views I entertain in regard to it.  But as one of the commit-
tee to whom this bill was referred, and  who concurred, both in the conclusions
and details of the report, presented by the very intelligent, high-minded, and ho-
norable chairman, I feel bound in duty to the majority of that committee, in duty
to the citizens of my State, and in duty to my own  opinion, to say something, or
attempt to say something, in support of that report. (A) What, sir, is the subject
now before  this  house ?  It is a bill to incorporate  certain men, their associates
and successors, to practice the healing art, on the Thomsonian System.  Is this,
sir, the real subject, or is there not something behind the curtain?  Is this  merely
intended for the benefit of the few individuals who come here and  apply for this*
act of incorporation, and to be confined within the limits of Baltimore ? (B)  Do

   (A)—Dr.  Williams is very candid in thus acknowledging  his "inadequacy"  to  do
justice to the subject under consideration.  Before we  have done  with it, we  confi-
dently expect to prove his utter ignorance of the Botanic system, notwithstanding Mr.
Hughes, the editor of the Maryland Republican, has gratuitously announced  that it
had been by Dr. W.  "rowed up salt river."   There is not  an honest man in the com-
munity who  would not discredit Dr. Williams, upon the simple principle of being an
interested witness ; because he belongs to a law-protected  craft, and appears in court
as advocate,  judge and juryman in a case in which he, as a craftsman, is a party con-
cerned.   Query—Was he not  selected expressly for that duty, and prepared a  written
speech, which he afterwards placed in the hands of Mr. Hughes for publication ?  We
Mask for information."  Was it net also a matter of great indelicacy that Dr. W. should
have permitted himself to  be named as a member of that committee ?  Would  he not
have objected to the  appointment of Thomsonians to report, even upon what is univer-
sally acknowledged, viz.  that Calomel is a  rank and   deadly poison?  Certainly he
would.  The subject  of the Botanic practice is now before the legislature of New-
York, where it was proposed  to  refer it to a committee  composed in pait of physi-
cians of the calomel tribe, but the motion was withdrawn upon the principle that they
were a party interested.   The committee, to whom it was   referred, mude a favorable
report on the 16th of February,and a bill in conformity with ihe report was made the
special order for the 26th ult.  It was, of course, opposed  by the regulars, but  car-
ried by a vote of 46 to 36.
   (B)—Dr.  W., one of the interested craftsmen, "concurred, both in  the conclusions
and details of  the report," against an antagonist sjstem of medicine !  Wonderful !
And, moreover, he thought there was "something behind  the  curtain."   Now what
could that "something" be!  We  answer, an honest and  sincere  desire  of publicly
testing the merits of the Mercurial and Botanic Systems, (see Appendix, No.'l,)  for 
4
not these men set paid  for their medicine, and their services.   I am sure they
may sell as much medicine as they choose, and obtain as much as they can sell.(C)
This in my humble opinion is not the principal object.   It is, sir, to obtain legis-
lative sanction, to obtain a character for their system. (D)   And what, sir, will
be the consequences of  passing this  bill ?   This legislature will  have said, virtu-
ally  to the citizens of this State, and to the world, we have examined this sub-
ject  and have compared this Thomsonian System, with that which is denominat-
ed the regular scientific system, to practice which, it is required  by  the laws of
this  State, that all practitioners  shall have pursued a certain course of prepara-
tory studies, and have obtained from competent judges such testimonials of their ac-
leged order of men, but to protect society and advance the science of medicine.)
(F)   And having thus examined and compared those systems, we are prepared

the general benefit of the people;  and it needed  no ghos-t to apprise him of our  in-
tentions, as they have long been known, and will, ere long, be fully manifested through
the popular voice.  Can the Dr. inform us in what part of this  State regular medical
Colleges and  Infirmaries are established, or whether they are  "confined within  the
limits of Baltimore ?"
  (C)—Dr. Williams'1 ignorance of the very law  legalising learned quackery is here
wofully manifest.   In charily we will inform him that all medical practitioners, who
cannot exhibit ashoep-skin diploma, or a license granted  by permission of the faculty,
are liable to a penalty of  fifty  dollars, in every case where they receive payment for
their services, one half of which goes into the coffers of the college granting the  pri-
vilege of attempting the cure of sickness by giving poison  as a medicine.
  (D)—The present law-protected sjstem of Calomeli.sing and  blood-letting, maugre
its boasted antiquity, is still in its swaddling clothes, and  notwithstanding the sanction
which it has by law, it is in a rapid decline, and will die.  rot and be forgotten in  less
than half a century.  It was born and reared  a cripple, and destined  never to reach
maturity, for there would be no subjects left to experiment upon.   The Dr. is, how-
ever, grossly in error;  the Thomsonians solicited no " legislative sanction"  for their
practice; its own intrinsic merits constitute the only claim it puts forth for public pa-
tronage.
   (E)—This,  to be sure, sounds very pretty, and is intended to exalt the "regular  sci-
entific practice," with those who are ignorant of tl «j fact, that medicine is, of all the so
termed sciences, the most uncertain, and  of course the least scientific.   To  illustrate
this we refer to document No. 2, in the Appendix.- Besides we know, and pledge our-
selves fully to satisfy Dr. Williams himself, if he desires it, that there are some "reg-
ular" practitioners in this Stale,who have  "pursued a certain course  of preparatory  stu-
" dies, and obtained, from competent judges,  such testimonials  of their acquirements
"and qualifications," as would legally authorise them to experiment upon human  life,
by  administering the most subtle poisons,  mineral and vegetable, as remediate agents,
to cure disease, if the people  generally were as  stupid as  Dr.  W. believes them to
be, and they would consent to employ them.  But the  very professors, under whom
they pursued an uncertain "course of preparatory studies," would not,  we are satis-
fied, even employ them to compound the drugs they use.   This is affording  "security
to the community against imposition'' with a vengeance.
   (F)—Is there nothing like "monopoly" in an  act which, whilst it professes to "pro*
tect society," grants an exclusive privilege to a body of men, forming a distinct class
who, alone, are legally authorised to kill or cure, as they are more or less skilful in
administering  poison as medicine, and  among whom  there are such as  described in
the preceding note ?   Besides, are they not also entitled to a moiety of the legal mulcts
arising from an infringement of the rules  of their privileged order ?
   Is it not  monstrous that a Thomsonian  shall be enabled, by his simple  and effica-
cious means to rescue a regularly abandoned patient from  tie jaws of death, and on r»- 
5
 to say, that the Thomsonian System is a distinct and perfect system, adequate to
 meet all the varied indications of disease, and worthy your confidence and pa-
 tronage.(G)   Sir, under the influence of this legislative recommendation, which
 will be  trumpeted forth to the world  as such, and, deluded by the boasting and
 specious, but false pretensions of this  system, hundreds of our virtuous and  real-
 ly well  disposed citizens  will be  induced to leave those peaceful and innocent
 employments, which they are now pursuing, and to which they are better fitted
 both by nature and education, to enter upon the practice of the healing art.  And
 sir,  not only these,  but numbers who care not what they do, whether evil  or
 good, for gain; men.destitute of intelligence, good sense, or moral worth, who
 can  raise twenty dollars for a Thomsonian Book,  which is  really all  that is ne-
 cessary to qualify them, will take advantage of that credulity and misplaced con-
 fidence  on  the part of a large portion of our citizens, which our  legislative pro-
 ceedings will have produced ; and which will preeminently fit them for that aw-
 ful experiment which will certainly be made. (H)  Pass  this law, or any  such
 law, and you may pass such a one for every county in the State; for what rea-
 son  or  justice would there be in denying those inestimable advantages to some

 ceiving payment for his services, of some 2 or $3, find he has incurred a PENALTY OF
 FIFTY DOLLARS,  one half of which goes into the coffers of the very order, one of
 whose members had  abandoned the grave-rescued victim; and, thus, by Thomsonian
 means, also given the regular doctor a chance for his own claim against the patient
 for a bill of no trifling sum, without benefitting him.  Will the people submit to  such
 "protection" of a monopolising craft ?
   (G)—The Thomsonians solicited no "legislative recommendations"—their system
 requires none—its intrinsic value and efficacy recommend it,  and therefore fictitious
 aid  or legal  sanction would be superfluous.   If it were "delusive and  specious," or
 '•false in its pretensions," what danger could  the community encounter ?  They would
 not trust or encourage it, unless they preferred falsehood to truth, or were incapable
 of distinguishing the difference.  But it is not a fact that the Thomsonians desired le-
 gislative recommendations;  "they wanted an act to enable them, as a body,  to  hold
 certain property they contemplated purchasing, for the purpose of erecting an infirmary, in
 which to test and demonstrate the superiority of their means  and mode  of practice,
 which has already elicited the approbation of many who have graduated in the regular
 schools.   Besides, who is it that is creating a perpetual clamour against the Botanic
 practice?  Not the people ; but the interested calomel tribe.
   (H)—The people generally are not so  reckless as to employ any and every one who
 may put up  a sign as a physician.   If any "awful experiment"  is tried, it is. only when
 all the pretended science and skill of the  regular faculty have  failed, and left the  mis-
 erable victim of poisonous experiment to  perish like a dog. Then has the Thomsonian
 frequently exhibited the/jotoerof his remedies, and the "awful experiment"  to  ihe
 regulars, (who had already, perhaps, apprised the undertaker or sexton of a job)  of a
 "resurrection" to long life.
   It is a mistaken notion to suppose that  hundreds of well-disposfd citizens,  would
leave their employments to practice the healing art.   It is not so lucrative as Dr. Wil-
liams supposes.   Thomsonians do not carry a large box of mercurial pills about them,
and after feeling the pulse, or gazing at a protruded tongue, indiscriminately adminis-
ter them  for all  complaints.   They give no poison, but go to work, combat with  the
 disease, and  stick to their patient until they vanquish  it, or life is extinct.  Not so
 with the regulars.
   R is a libel upon nature to suppose it more difficult to discover and prepare medi-
cine to cure  our maladies, than to discover and prepare food to nourish  and sustain
our bodies;  and instead of requiring a knowledge of chemistry, anatomy,  &c. it re-
quires nothing more than good judgment  and common  sense (a rare ingredient among
some regular quacks) and good anit-poisonous medicines,to master all curable forms of
diseases.  We have no pretensions to general surgery, in which a knowledge of anatomy is
essential; but in ordinary cases of luxation, Thomsonians can impart more important 
6
which have been extended to  others. (I)   Now,  sir, what  is this  system for
which we are called upon to say so much, to recommend so strongly ?   Is it wor-
thy of such commendation?  How many of us know any thing about  it,  either
practically or  theoretically ?
  Sir, I have this system, if a system it can be called, and believe I have spent as
long a time, perhaps a longer time, in  studying it than the  learned, and no doubt
sir,°very skillful ?nd successful  agent, from whom I obtained it, thought necessa-
ry to qualify me to enter upon the very important and highly responsible  duties
of  a physician—that was about a week   And now, sir, as a matter of course,
having had this work a much longer time, and previously possessing some know-
ledge of the human system, the diseases to  which it is subject, the principle re-
mediate  agents (K) which have been,  or are now used, and the history of their
application and  mode of operation, it will  I hope, at least be conceded to me,
that I ought to know something of the merits of this system. (L)  This system
originated with a man by the name of Thomson, who according  to his own nar-
rative,was born in obscurity and bred  in ignorance. (M.)

knowledge, in five minutes, than  can be found  in the thousands of volumes which have
been published upon the subject, unless  their authors acquired it from the "noted em-
piric," Dr. Thomson, or some of his followers.
  The whole craft is,  moreover, a  mere matter of money.  Regular and irregular
quacks inny practice as much as they please, b'lt they must not interfere with the di-
]>lr>malised by receiving payment for their services—That's all.
  (I —-And w by not ?  If every  county in the State was desirous of having a college,
in which to manufacture regular Al D.'s  to be  erected  at their own expense,  surely
Dr. Williams would not have refused his assent to the measure.
  (K)—" Principle [principal]  remediate agents."   And what are they ?  Mercury,
arsenic, opimn, nitre, j rus>ic acid, tartar emetic, corrosive sublimate, sulphate of cop-
per, and a fvw  other such innocent articles, besides draining the life-blood from the hu-
man system, and Joft-ifying the  body with  blisters.  Abstract these ''agents" from
regular quackery, and  you launch its practitioners into the midst of a tempestuous sea,
without rudder, compass or chart.   And do these  vile  poisons cure disease? No!
The  vis medicatrix naturae, has, where  they  are given  as  medicines,  frequently  to
combat with disease and  the efforts of the doctor to kill—and  so strong is this healing
power of nature, that she often triumphs in despite of the doctor's efforts ; but in her
triumph the patient seldom fails in carrying the doctor's instrument, a  mercurial ba-
rometer, about him for life.
   (L)—There are sectaries in  medicine as well as theology.   Dr. W. studied in a
school, whose disciples can serve 100 patients per diem, without performing much
labour.  They feel the pulse-^-look at the tongue,  then bleed, give directions for a
blister and administer calomel.   Next day they call again ; go over the ceremonies of
the previous day—bleed or blister and give more calomel, and for each visit  charge
from fifty cents to a dollar or more.  We dare not trust even  ourselves;  for  human
cupidity is such that no sect appears to be free from its influence ; and even Thomso-
nians might, perhaps, enter into the practice, if it afforded so rich a harvest   But their
main object is to enable every one to become his own physician.   We are acquainted
 with a regular physician in this city, who admitted the efficacy of the Thomsonian me-
dicines, but it did not suit him to practice the system.  He was perfectly aware of Dr.
Rush's opinion  of the science  of medicine, that it was "like  an  unroofed,  temple,
cracked at the foundation."
   i M)—We refer the reader to two letters from Dr. Benjamin  Waterhouse, of Mas-
 sachusetts, whose talents and standing as a professor will not be questioned even  by
 Dr. Williams.   From these he may learn the character of the "obscure and ignorant
 bred" Thomson.  We shall not venture a  prediction  of  Dr.  W.'s posthumous fame.
 either as a physician or a legislator; but hazard nothing in saying that the very name
 of calomel and other poisonous substances, as medicines, will  have been buried in ob-
 livion and totally forgotten ; whereas that of "Thomsonia Emetica," like the hert> it- 
7
  It appears that his early life was characterised by two very remarkable dispo-
sitions, one was a curiosity to learn the qualities and names of plants, the other
an unconquerable repugnance to work, (N) and I very much suspect, sir, that it
was to the latter of these remarkable dispositions, which has no doubt been well
cherished,  the world is indebted  for his admirable system, (O)   But whatever
may have been the peculiarities of his early years, his after life has proved him
to be one of the most bold and reckless.expervments with human life and happi-
ness that ever attempted the practice of the healing art.(P)

self, will  live,  and the  discoverer  of its  medical virtues  be  cherished by  millions*
 "whilst the earth bears a plant or the sea rolls its waves."  (See  Appendix,  Nos.  3
 and 4.)
   (N)—Thomson  acknowledges he "hated the sight of a plough."  This was frank
 and candid; and although  we have seen a more "unconquerable repugnance to work"
 among the "privileged orders," we have seldom heard them acknowledge it,  though
 it is universally known  that they hate even the idea of labour and exposure.   An ef-
 fort, it is  said,  was  made during  the ''scientific" contention  between the yellow fever
 contagionists and non-contagionists, to invent a species of tongs by which the former
 mighrascertain the state of a patient's pulse, without hazarding their lives.   If they
 did but know  the fact, they might generally use such an article now for all they learn
 by feeling  the pulse.   It is to Thomson's "curiosity to learn the  names and qualities
 of plants"—that is, their medicinal virtues—that the human family is indebted  for his
 simple and admirable system of curing disease; which is daily and hourly encroached
 upon by the faculty, by using his  discoveries, and at the same time  disparaging their
 virtues, and decrying him  as a quack.   And it certainly required  some effort of mind
  and body to gratify his laudable "curiosity."
    (O)—This remark, after acknowledging his curiosity to learn the qualities of plants,
  and he might justly have  added in "discovering them too," is highly illiberal, and
  worthy only of the most meanly jealous and grovelling of the  whole calomel tribe.
  Has  Dr. W. any sons?  Do none  of them evince '• repugnance to labour," and how
  many are destined for  the "learned professions," by which they  may  eschew labour ?
    (P)—This is a "bold and reckless" asseveration, unsupported  by a single fact or re-
  ference ; an  unwarrantable and foul  calumny and libel against an honest and, worthy
  man, whose whole life has been sedulously devoted to promote the good of his fellow-
  man, and  who is ranked among the benefactors of the human family.  Such a declara-
  tion  made in  the warmth  of debate, whilst zealously engaged in the defence of his own
  craft or trade, might  he  excusable ; but deliberate, written, and sent to the printer
  for publication, it is utterly unpardonable in a legislator,  who  should have  taken up
  the subject without prejudice,  or  an unjust bias, and least of all dealt out his  anathe-
  mas against the botanic  system which he  does not understand, and which  it is pro-
  bably not his interest to know or  understand in  the present state of the  public mind.
  We shall not fail to present Dr.  W. with a copy of his speech, and our commentary,
   and urge him to furnish us with the proof of Dr. Thomson's having been "one of the
  "most bold and reckless experiments [experimentalists] with human  life and happiness
  "that ever attempted the  healing art."   Bold he certainly  has  been  in exposing  the
  malpractices and  quackery of the regular faculty, by restoring many  to health  and
  length  of days, who had  been  doctored by them to death's door and then abandoned.
     What an  immense  amount of bad xoork, performed  by regular  quacks, has been
  concealed from public notice and merited censure, by the labour of the sexton,  and
  the  blind and almost unlimited confidence heretofore entertained by the public in the
  certain ty of medical science.  Whereas, many who are not obliged to follow the trade
  for a subsistence acknowledge it as totally uncertain—experimenting and trifling with
  human  life—administering  to the sick, as a remedy for disease, what would  make a
  well man sick ;—nay, more—contemptuously terming the regular practice, a  " POOR
  CONCERN!"
     Who envies Dr. Williams the  laurels he won in becoming the legislative champion
  of the calomel tribe ?  or the fee he may have received from the faculty for supporting 
8
    Sir, I shall not attempt to expose all  the errors, inconsistencies, and prepos-
  terous absurdities of this pretended system for several reasons.   One is they are
  entirely too numerous, and the time of this house is too precious to be thus wast-
  ed; another is, as a  system, whatever claims some  of  the remedies used may
  possess, it is too contemptible to require a general, or to be honored with a grave
  and serious refutation.   But for the information of this house I will notice some
  of  its principles and  practice, and expose some of  its errors and absurdities. (Q)
    It professes to be founded on these assumed facts.  First, that  the human bo-
  dy is  composed of four elements, earth, water, fire and air, that earth and water
  form  the solids, and fire and air give life and motion.   Second,  that heat is life,
  and cold is death. (R)  Third, that all constitutions are the same, and nil diseases
  are the  same. (S)   Fourth, that cold produces all  diseases.   Fifth, that obstruc-
  tion produces all diseases.   Sixth, that all diseases are to be cured by the same
  remedy. (T)   Seventh, that fever is a friend of the human system, and not an en-

  the cause of their order.   For "bold and reckless" assertions he  certainly carried'off
  the palm; and we challenge him to inform the public, when  and where, and by and
 upon  whom. Dr. Thomson or any of his practitioners made those "bold, and  reckless
 experiments"  he  so feelingly denounces.   He has placed himself before the bar of
 public opinion, and that public will not be satisfied without some testimony to sup-
 port his denunciations.
   (QJ—The Dr.  is very indulgent in not attempting to expose all  the "preposterous
 [absurd] absurdities" of our system.   To him they are too  contemptible;  and we  a-
 gree in opinion with him,  that all "absurd absurdities" are too "absurd and contempt-
 ible" to merit  "grave  and serious refutation;" yet, strange as it may appear, it  cost
 the  Dr.  the labour of five or six hours to write out his speech, and some time besides
 to speak  it—and all this for the honor of the craft."—" Great is Diana of EphesusH
   (R)—This enumeration of elements corresponds with that of the ancient philoso-
 phers.   Fire,light and  heat, are the same substance, in different states and conditions,
 and acting in  a different manner, and are signified by the same word in Hebrew, Greek
 and Latin  Plato, (called the divine Plato,) in  Tirnffius, asserts that fire and  heat be-
 get and govern all things.   Ignorant as Thomsonians, generally, are  said to  be, they
 are aware that  many substances  heretofore enumerated as simple elements, are com-
 pound bodies, and have been  decomposed by a chemical process.
   (S)—Dr. Thomson, as has   been admitted by his friends,  and  acknowledged  by
 himself, is an  "unlearned" man,  and intended  to convey  the idea that "heat is the
 cause of life," and "cold (or the absence of heat, or vital warmth) death." If he spoke
 of "cold" in a manner to induce learned physicians to believe it a positive quality, in
 stead of a "negative," he i« not to be blamed.   It is a common mode  of  expression,
 and readily understood.  It is  written that Joshua commanded "the sun and moon to
 stand still," and that the sun "ascends and descends,"  neither of which we are certain
 Dr.  Williams will  affirm.
  This doctrine of Dr. Thomson is at least as philosophical as that of Dr. Rush, who
 says "that motion, heat, sensation and thought, when  united,  compose perfect life."
 And that  "cold  is death,"  corresponds with the "extinguished excitability" of Dr.
 Brown.—An egg cannot hatch without heat and air, consequently their dominion over
 animal life is absolute.
  (T)—Experience has demonstrated that  this is  essentially true.  Habit no doubt
 has  a powerful influence in modifying the  human constitution ; but as it came out
 of the hands of nature all constitutions are essentially alike.  Is not  the  poisonous
 drug, opium, given as a sedative,  and does it fail in blunting nervous sensibility  and
 stupifying the patient, excepting by long and habitual use? exemplifying the fact  that,
 although  by nature all constitutions are essentially the  same, man is a "creature of ha-
 bit," and may, in the course of time, effect a visible change in his physical  nature.
  In regard to cold, or  obstruction, producing disease—suppose half a dozen or more
persons, in a high state of perspiration, should, for a brief period, expose themselves to
a current  of cold air, it is not probable that all would  be similarly affected, owing to 
9
 emy. (U)   I am well aware, sir, how difficult it is to present these errors, incon-
 sistencies, and absurdities, in their true light, even before this intelligent assem-
 bly.   I know that there are but few of us who have directed our mind to the in-

 their various habits and the condition of the body, and even mind, at the time.   One
 might be  affected with rheumatic pains, or a paroxysm of the gout;  a second  with
 sore-throat; a third pleurasy ;  a fourth, erysipelas, and some might escape uninjured.
 What produced these various forms of disease?  Exposure to cold—the consequent check
 of perspiration, by suddenly closing the pores of the skin, and thus obstructing a free
 circulation:  and  where there is obstruction there necessarily exists comparative cold;
 or, in other words, a  diminution of vital heat. Does not this demonstrate that cold,
 or, obstruction, is the cause of disease, and it is only requisite to remove the existing
 cause to produce a cessation of the effect;  for which, like satisfying  hunger  with
 food, one general remedy only is required.  Be it however made known, confidential'
 ly, to the regular craft, that Thomsonians do not  mean to say, or to be understood as
 saying, that, if a man cuts his  hand or foot  with a knife, or any other sharp instru-
 ment, the wound was caused by cold, in any  other sense than that by obstructing the
 circulation, cold, and consequently disease, is produced. And  then, in ordinary cases, al-
 though it more properly appertains to surgery, a Thomsonian,with his few general rem-
 edies, will effect a sound and perfect cure in half the time it would take a regular with
 his widely extended materia medica to perform it.
   Drs. Rush, Brown, and others maintained the unity of disease.  The  first asserted
 its cause to be morbid excitement, and after its state or condition was ascertained by
 the pulse, promptly  decided on the mode of cure—"to equalize the excitement."
 Dr. Broivn reduced all diseases into two classes, sthenic and asthenic ; which are  thus
 explained :
   Sthenic diathesis—diseased habit of body,  "occasioned by excess of stimuli; call-
 ed indirect debility—oppressed state of the system.
   Asthenic diathesis—diseased habit of body, occasioned by a deficiency of stimuli ;
 called direct debility—exhausted state of the system.  The former was to be removed
 by depletion) and the latter by repletion.
   Thomson said disease was caused by obstruction, by removing which he effected a
 cure :  Removing the debility  was Brown's cure, and removing the morbid excitement
 Rush's.  And all  by various diffusive stimulants.
   (U)—Dr. Williams ranks the important fact that "fever is a friend of the human sys-
tem instead of an enemy" among the  "absurd absurdities"  of the Thomsonian prac-
tice.   He says it is "not a new  doctrine, but existed in the  very infancy of medical
science, and the practice founded upon it, gave rise to the most fatal consequences."
No particular facts are given to illustrate or corroborate these  assertions.   That the
doctrine  advocated by Thomson is correct, it were useless  to attempt to  sustain by
a long argument.   It is self-evident, and the practice by Dr. Thomson, founded there-
 on, has been demonstrated  to thousands ; but the treatment  of Dr. Thomson differs
 materially from that of the  "infancy of science."
   Dr. Cullen's views corroborate the Thomsonian theory,  though the latter probably
 did not know, for years after he announced his theory, that such a man as Dr. Cullen
 ever existed.  Dr. C.  says, "the increased action  of the heart and arteries, which
 "takes place in the hot  stage of a fever, has  long been considered by physicians, as an
 "effort of Ihevis medkatrix natural (the healing power of nature) to repel disease."
 Dr. Ripley in his Thesis to the professors of the medical college of Ohio, says : "There
 "is no fever without disease.  There is, in  the first place, before fever is developed,
 a loss of vital energy, and certain functions suspended; certain vital tissues and organs are
 suffering under the premonitory symptoms of dissolution ; the alarm of distress is commu-
 nicated by the medium of the nervous system, for a reinforcement to impel the perform-
 ance of function, hence the increased action.  There is no exaltation or increase of pow-
 er, but nature's reserved forces, which are deposited inthe muscular structure of the san-
 guiferous system, are put in requisition as need  requires.  The increased action, then, is
 owing to nature's efforts, and the powers of nature should notbesubdued or diminished."
   A diseased state of the body (says Dr. Terry) cannot long continue without giving 
19
testigation of the subject under  consideration, who are acquainted with all tho&S
established facts, and possess that information which would at once render those
errors, inconsistencies, and absurdities, apparent.   I  am well aware, that the ve-
ry name and pretension to simplicity, possesses a talismanic charm, which philo-
sophy and logic do not possess over the minds and opinions of those who cannot
understand.  To attempt  to show the absurdities of  this system by logical rea-
soning, would be, in many cases, to offer an insult to human understanding and in-
telligence.  (V)  As  to the first fact, or assumption, every intelligent or scientific
individual, knows that  instead of the human body being composed of four ele-
ments, analizing hand of science has proven to the world, that it is composed of
almost four times four elements; (W) that some of those which were once be-
lieved elementary principles are compounds, and  that others are only the pheno-
mena of matter, or the mere  result  of  life and organization.  As  to  the
discovery, that  heat is  life,  and   cold  death,  the proposition of  itself is
absurd.  (X)   If it be meant  that  heat  is the primary  cause  Of life, and
if this be  so, it is  only necessary to preserve health, and protract human ex-

rise to certain, exertions of nature, which are commonly termed fever, and looked up-
on as real disease ; but which are called by Dr. Johnson, a "salutary action, or an ef-
fort of the constitution," &c ; by Mr. Hunter, "a necessary action—a good symptom,"
&c.;  by  Dr.  Gregory " the operations of nature tending to the restoration of health ;
the steps of nature in curing disease," &c. &c.  Notwithstanding this corroboration
of Thomson's theory, Dr. Williams considers it an "absurd absurdity ;" and no doubt
would resort, in all case3 of fever, to bleeding, in order  to diminish the action of the
heart and arteries and thus reduce fever ; without reflecting that "venesection increas-
es irritability (by  producing direct debility) and causes, as Mr. Hunter avows, an in-
creased disposition to act,  without the power to act with ;—"in other words,diminish-
es the strength of the constitutional efforts of fever,  and, at the same time, adds to the
strength of the disease; and consequently occasions a protracted recovery.
   Does Dr. Williams really believe fever a disease ?  If so,  the  acknowledgment of
his incapacit) to do justice to the  subject under consideration was by no means mal
apropos ; altl ough he only designed it as a trap to inveigle a compliment.
   Thousands and  tens of thousands have been consigned to a premature grave by the
"absurd absuidity" of bleeding and calomelisiiig to drive off or kill a fever.  It was
in truth physicking a name, or giving medicine to remove an effect  instead of  attack-
ing and removing the cause ; and  we feel a strong and confident assurance, that when
the Dr. shall coolly revise his speech and duly reflect upon the subject, he will be in-
duced, if not too proud or  vain to admit he ever erred, to acknowledge the injustice
done to one who always will rank among the benefactors of his race.   See Appendix
Nos. 5 and 6.
   (V)—Here the Dr. wishes to impress upon the minds of his readers, that his ob-
jections are purely "philosophical and logical."  To  the pseudo scientific, they may
appear so; but tens of thousands would be more  likely to view it as reasonable   that
regular physicians, when they administer their remedies, should honestly and candid-
ly apprise the patient they  were subtle and deadly poisons, destructive of human life
and, if given to persons in health, would produce disease, and sometimes death • in-
stead of assuring them they were admirably  calculated to restore the health of the
sick, when scientifically administered by diplomatised physicians.  This is truly in-
 sulting to the "understanding and intelligence of the public."
   (W)—Doctors will disagree.   Thomson mentions but four elements ; Dr. Williams
 enumerates them as  "almost four tunes four"—say fifteen  and a fraction.  Thev
 have been variously estimated  from  4 to 14, 16 and even  47.  Modern  chemists
 however, scarcely use the  term element, in consequence of their acknowledged ignor-
 ance upon the subject. Thomson follows the ancient philosophers in their enumeration
   (X)—This same philosophic and erudite doctor would have told Lord Bacon that it
 was absurd to say, that "knowledge is power."   Would any one  in  his senses under-
 stand Bacon to mean, that the mere possession of knowledge, without any  relation
 whatever to  its practical application, constituted power ?  Surely not. 
11
  istence to an indefinite length,  to confine man in a warm and  well regulated
  temperature,  and give him number six or red pepper.   That cold produces  all
  diseases, is another fundamental principle of this system.  Cold, undoubtedly, is
  a very fruitful source of disease, but it is not the universal cause.   Heat also
  produces disease of the most threatening character; and I have no doubt, sir, that I
  can kill a patient with heat or steam, as soon as a Thomsonian could destroy ,
  him with cold, or freeze him  to death.  It is  also stated that obstructions occa"-
  sion disease.  This is not unfrequently the case.  But I should rather think dis-
  ease is more frequently the cause of obstructions.  (Y)   Every organ in the hu-
  man body has a  function, or duty to perform, and  as every  organ is subject to
  disease, when an organ is in a state of disease, no rational being can suppose that
  its ordinary function will not be suspended or imperfectly performed.   Sir, the
  exciting and predisposing causes of disease are too numerous to be here detailed.
  Every  physical  agent which operates upon us, as well as numerous others, as
  the causes of small pox and cholera, the intimate nature of which are inscrutable,
  and which we only know by their melancholy effects, produce disease.  And sir,
 the cause of disease  may exist in  the human system itself from constitutional
 defects, and thus the germs of disease are often planted  before the first breath of
 life is drawn.  A blow on the head, or the long continued  influence of the rays
 of the sun, may, and  will produce an inflammation of  the brain.   Send for the
 Thomsonian, he tells  you your disease is produced by cold, and in the delirium
 occasioned by a violent inflammation, and may give you a puke and steam you to
 expel the cold.  Or suppose you have  taken  powdered glass, or any other agent
 which, from its  physical or chemical qualities, has occasioned a violent inflam-
 mation of the inner coats of  the stomach, and what is the remedy?   Why you
 are stuffed with Cayenne pepper, steamed and puked, to dislodge imaginary can-
 ker and cold. (Z)  This system tells us that all constitutions  are the same, and
 that all diseases are to be  cured by the same remedy, and that fever  is a friend
 of the human system, and not an enemy, and of course should be promoted or en-
 couraged, instead of resisted or opposed.   That all constitutions are the same, is
 what no intelligent being can for one moment believe.   Sir, human constitutions
 are as various as human forms  and dispositions, and liable to as great a variety of
 diseases, and require a treatment equally as various, (a)   This doctrine of fevers,

   (Y)—The  Dr. "should rather  think that disease  is more frequently the cause of ob-
 struction." He does not positively affirm it.   But if "disease is more frequently the
 cause of obstruction, and " obstruction," he admits, " is not unfrequently the cause
 of disease,"  it  results,  of  course, that  the  human system may  be diseased with-
 out obstruction  in any of its parts, and that obstruction may exist and the system pos-
 sess in all its  parts a free and healthy action I  This is a "bran span new" doctrine,
 calculated to engage the attention of the philosophers of both the new and old world;
 and may become the source of high and immortal  honor to its distinguished founder.
 And upon this anew theory will be established, at some future day,  that disease  is
 alternately not only cause and effect, but indispensably necessary to conserve the gen-
 eral health and  happiness of the  human family!
   (Z)—If "powdered glass or any other agent"  has been thrown into the stomach,
 where it ought not to be, and remains there any length of time, we  are simple enough
 to believe it will cause both "canker and cold"—that is, morbid excitement and a  di-
 minution of free circulation and consequent obstruction.  In that case we expel the
 "powdered glass," and with it the "canker"—restore the free circulation,  and give
such medicines as will repair the injury sustained by the organ,  and our end is ac-
 complished.  And to expel any foreign substance which may have been thrown into
 the stomach, or  by any  other means taken up its residence there, nothing can perform
the office more promptly or effectually than the "Thomsonia Emetica," when properly
 administered.
   (a)—If the various forms of disease to which we are liable (and they must be infin- 
12
 like many other things in this system, is not new.   It  prevailed  in the very in*
 fancy of  the medical  science, and  gave rise to a practice similar to this, and
 which in many diseases produced  the most fatal consequences.  The influence
 of this erroneous theory and similar practices was peculiar evident in the small
 pox ;  under a highly stimulating treatment scarcely one half of those who were
 attacked  were saved.  (6)  But what is the result of  the present systematic plan
 of cure?   Sir,  it  has  been met by science and philosophy,, and not one case in
 ten on an average is now lost, (e) " Thus we see, sir, that the very foundation is
 false,  contrary to  established facts, and preposterously  absurd.  What are we to
 expect of the superstructure ?  Now, sir, let us notice the materia medica of this
 system of'the remediate agents used under those monstrous views, human  organ-
 ization and disease which we have exposed.   The principal are Lobelia, or In-
 dian Tobacco, which  is an emetic, and sir, I have no doubt, a very valuable re-
 medy  properly used, and which is, or may be, in the hands of  every physician.
 {d)  Steaming, it  is well known, is not new—It has been used in domestic prac-
 tice from the earliest periods, is common to barbarian nations, was found  in use
 among the aboriginees of  our own country, and  of  course does not exclusively
 belong to the Thomsonian  System.  The bark of  the root of Bay or Myrtle
 bush, the Hemlock bark, White  Pond Lily, Peach kernels, Raspberry leaf tea,
 and a few other common domestic, old woman remedies, the most of which are,
 and  have been  in use, where Thomson's Book was  never seen—with Cayenne
 pepper, which, by the bye, sir, is the most important remedy of the whole, and

 ite, so far as we can comprehend that term, if his position is correct) require an equal
 diversity of treatment, how is  it that the regulars mainly rely upon calomel and bleed-
 ing ?   The former is the Sampson of the craft.  When called to visit a patient, if there
 are any indications  of fever or  inflammation, they bleed copiously and give calomel.
 If upon a second visit the symptoms have not abated,  they demand more blood, and
 give more calomel.  Giving a  fever a specific time in  which  to turn, after bleeding
 and administering calomel, is leaving the patient in the hands of nature, with reduced
 power to eflect a cure ; still she sometimes baffles the science  and efforts of the Dr. to
 furnish a job for the sexton, and perhaps a subject for his anatomical class.
   (6)—We have no knowledge of the existence-ofthe Thomsonian doctrine of fevers,
 as stated by Dr. W. in what he terms the "very infancy of medical science." Something
 resembling it existed, no doubt, long before Thomson was  born; and it is to be regretted
 that a doctrine founded upon common sense and the nature  of things should have been
 obliged to make room for some visionary theory.  This science is still viewed as in its
 infancy, although 4000 years of age.  When, alas !  will  it  reach the age of vigorous
 manhood ?  We unconditionally aver,  and  facts will bear us out, that at no  period  of
 the world  was the regular practice similar to that of the Thomsonians in their treatment
 of the small pox, or any other  form of  disease; for under their charge the deaths (by
 smallpox) have not exceeded^e per cent, and those generally from neglect or a refu-
 sal to comply with the given directions.
   (c)—We have before adverted to the uncertainty of the pseudo science- for that
 which  is uncertain is the very antipodes of science.  And  if Dr. W. will consult the
 bills of mortality and then question the boards of health,  he will find his  assertion
 that "not one case in ten, on an average, of the small pox, is now lost," to be wide of
 the mark.   (See appendix No. 7.)
   (d)—Is Dr. Williams not aware who first discovered the important medicinal qual-
 ities of Lobelia—more properly surnamed the "Thomsonia Emetica," of the Botanic
 Practice—and who has  successfully administered it for  nearly half a oentury ?  Let
 him consult Dr. Waterhouseh  letters, in the appendix, No 3  and 4, and  he will find
 it was the  "bold and reckless" empiric,  Dr. Thomson.   And  does Dr. WilUarns  or
 any one else suppose, after  so long a practice, in almost every form of disease  Dr
 Thomson does not know how properly to use that valuable remedy?  We are opposed
 to wagers, otherwise we would  bet the whole amount of his per diem, as a member of
the house of delegates, and the professional fee he may have received into the bargain 
13
enters largely into most of those famous numbers, one, two, three, four, five and
six, as well as into almost every prescription, (e)
   Then, sir, the principles which we have noticed, the monstrous notions of dis-
ease, and those remediate agents,with slander, foul abuse, and misrepresentations
of regularly educated physicians and their system, illogical and  nonsensical rea-
soning, and preposterous  absurdities,  mingled  with sentiments of atheism and
blasphemy, an attack upon the sacred  priesthood and religion, and a foul reflec-
tion  on  the  female character, which alone would entitle the author to the uni-
versal contempt of mankind, constitutes this much famed system. (/)

that we can produce a cobler's apprentice who can  exhibit it with more beneficial
effect than Dr. Williams, with all his learning, science and skill.
   (e)—We shall have the Dr. yet as a convert; and what an acquisition  he will be!
Lobelia, he says, is good—and "steaming has been used in domestic practice from the
earliest periods;" [but not as by Thomsonians] and it must have been discontinued by
civilised physicians, because it was common to "barbarian nations and the  aborigines
of our own  country."  "Bay or myrtle bush, hemlock bark," (not professor  Potters
hemlock) "white pond lily, peach  kernel?, raspberry leaf tea"—"old woman reme-
dies"—all very good ; and "Cayenne  pepper, by the bye, sir, the most important rem-
edy of the whole."   Well done, for a Calomel Dr.   Here is testimony in favor of the
goodness of some of our medicines, at least; and al! we have now to do, to conciliate
the good  will of the Doctors, is to obtain a diploma at the medical college, and ac-
quire skill in  administering those article?, so as not  to burn the stomachs of our pa-
tients to a cinder with Cayenne, or parboil them with steam.
   Simple as the Thomsonian system is,  the Doctor's one week's study of it displays
only his own ignorance.   He states that ''Cayenne enters largely into the composition
of almost all the numbers, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and  6," not knowing,  or forgetting that  No. 2
is Cayenne itself.  Had a Thomsonian observed that calomel, the No. 2 of  the facul-
ty, enters largely into the composition  of calomel, what a hue and cry the self styled
scientific would have made of his ignorance, and how uncerimoniously would they
have denounced such an expression as a "preposterous absurdity."
   The  Doctor, by stating  that Thomsonians  administer Cayenne  extensively, bears
strong  testimony to the consistency at least, of the Thomsonian  theory and practice.
Considering a due proportion of animal heat as essential to life, they freely  and fear-
lessly administer such medicines as will effectually restore and sustain that vital prin-
ciple.
   Calomel is  used  by the faculty as regularly and indiscriminately as Cayenne is by
the Thomsonians: but upon what principle is this practice based ?   It makes no dif-
ference whether the patient be in a state of debility or   excitability; whether  they
wish to deplete or stimulate; the  everlasting prescription of the scientific is  Calomel I
Calomel ! !  CALOMEL !!!  Yes, and these learned leeches even extract the  blood
of their patients when they  are already too feeble to sit up, or to lift their hands above
their heads !!!  Oh reason ! science !  philosophy ! consistency ! whither  are ye fled ?
where are ye  to be found ?  not certainly in the ranks of the diplomatised sons  of Es-
culapius.   Reason  is at war with  their practice :—Science discards it as a system of
preposterous guessing:—Philosophy repudiates it as contrary to the physiological princi-
ples of man :—and  Consistency condemns it, at every point, as a system of irreconci-
lable absurdities.
   f f\__£)r Williams is dreadfully annoyed with the monstrous notions of Dr. Thom-
son, as well as his "absurd absurdities."   He also complains of  Dr. T's "slander of
the regularly educated physicians and their system."  We have frequently expressed
our opinions of the  faculty as  men and as a craft.  Dr. Thomson has had just cause
severely to animadvert  upon the character and conduct  of some  of the tribe, who
caused his imprisonment in a  loathsome, narrow cell, from which light, heat and air
were excluded, loaded with chains like a criminal,  al a distance from his home and
friends, besides suborning witnesses to swear away his life.  We do not entertain sim-
ilar feelings towards any of the regular faculty with whom  we are acquainted ; yet we 
                                       14

    Now, sir, let  us see what is the nature of,  and what constitutes the regular
 scientific system  of medicine.  Sir, it is but the recorded experience of all those
 who, in every age, have devoted their time and  talents to the study and observa-
 tion of diseases, and their cure.  It embraces an intimate acquaintance  with, or
 knowledge of, the anatomy of the human system ;  all the organs which compose
 it, their connections and relations to each  other, their various functions,  the laws
 which govern or regulate their action in health and disease, and the symptoms
 which denote the diseased condition of each of those organs, so far as has been
 ascertained ; the history  of every disease  which is known, their particular symp-
 toms, their origin or  cause, their treatment, the success of the plans or  means
 which have been used for their cure, with the views of those who gave their his-
 tory, and the history of all the remediate agents which have ever been known—
 no matter where produced or  found, whether  in the fertile regions of Asia, the
 highly cultivated soil of civilized Europe, or in the wilderness of our own Ame-
 rica—no matter  where applied, whether  in the gaudy chambers of  royalty, or
 the humble cottage of the  peasant—no matter by whom discovered and used,
 whether by the ignorant,  daring, and desperate quack, or by the intelligent, cau-
 tious, and conscientious physician, (g)   This, sir, constitutes the scientific system

 Can at least palliate, if not justify all he has said against those who instituted the  vile
 system of persecution against him.  And no  one can  say,  after  reading  Dr. W's
 speech, that he has been particularly courteous in  the selection of his phrases when
 speaking of Thomsonians—abated any in diplomatized rancour, or not freely indulg-
 ed in petty scandal, and coarse and vulgar epithets.
   It is not our  province, nor. do we  feel any inclination, to defend  his sceptical opin-!
 ions; but on the contrary sincerely deprecate their introduction into his New  Guide
 as entirely foreign to the subject of medicine ; and just  as relevant  as their introduc-
 tion by Dr. Williams, is potent as an argument against his system I   Professor Coop-
 er of South Carolina, is generally acknowledged as the very "Prince of Infidels," in
 this country ; yet no one has presumed to urge his "heretical" opinions of the "sacred
 priesthood and  religion," as a conclusive argument, that he is  destitute  of  a know-
 ledge of the sciences, or is  not a profound and learned man !  It is only reserved for
 such soulless beings as Dr.  W. to travel out of the  record ; and for  lack of legitimate
 argument, or well attested facts, to foster prejudices  and assail  Dr. T.'s system with
 the cry of "Infidelity and Blasphemy."  Such a course is worthy of demagogues of
 every school, whether medical or political, and  finds no more favor in our estimation,
 than the introduction of irrelevant matter by the author of a  system of medicine we
 admire and defend ;  and both are welcome to this  frank expression of our opinion.
   As conclusive evidence that the friends of the Botanic system have nothing  to  do
 with the author's opinions upon other subjects, and  that they were considered as  im-
 properly introduced in his "New Guide," it is only necessary to state, that at  the first
 "United States Botanic Convention," held at Columbus, Ohio, in  December,  1832, a
 committee was appointed to "examine  books, papers, documents, &c." who suggested
 that all irrelevant matters "should be stricken from the pages of the New Guide to
 Health."  Since which period all matters  not having a direct bearing upon  the sysr
 tem and practice of medicine, have been omitted in the several editions subsequently
 published.  (See Thomsonian Recorder, vol. 1, No. 7, page 153.)
  ( g )—There are, no doubt, many "intelligent, conscientious physicians."  As pri-
 vate citizens and neighbours we esteem many  of them ; but medicine is a craft, taught
 differently in different schools; a^- a science holds a very humble rank, and  is extreme-
 ly uncertain, and consequently destitute of a regular system.   We  have  already fur-
 nished some evidence upon  this subject,  and  refer  to Appendix  No. 8 for additional
 testimony.  And we  cannot here refrain from stating the fact, that  a regular practi-
tioner in this city, whose standing is as good as that of Dr. Williams, admitted  that the
 exhibition of Calomel in pulmonary affections must ultimately prove fatal to the patient •
yet because this hateful poison wa? deemed useful  in the affections of the liver, and
probably both lungs and liver might be simultaneously diseased, it was essential to ad- 
15
of medicine.  It is based and founded on established facts, philosophy, and expe-
rience. It has been cultivated, and is still cultivated, by such men as Hippocrates,
Galen, Hervey, Sydenham, Cullen, Hunter, Bell, Broussais, Laennec, Baudelock,
and our own immortal Rush and Physick, men who have been, and are still to be
found, in every department of life,  whether civil, political, or religious, devoted
to the best interests  of mankind, studious to better the  condition and to promote
the happiness of their fellow men, at once among the most  useful members and
brightest ornaments  of society.   Sir, it is as wide as the whole range of human
knowledge  and human experience.  It embraces all that  is known  or ever has
been known, of diseases.   It includes in its expanded arms every remedy,wheth-
er of the animal, mineral, or vegetable kingdom, that a beneficent Providence has
been pleased to  bestow on the  world, and  which experience has proved capable
of relieving disease,  or mitigating the sufferings of mankind.   This, I contend, is
the only rational system of medicine, (/i)
   Now, then, compare this system, founded on established facts, philosophic re-
search, and the  experience of two  thousand years—each successive generation
improving on  the attainments of the past, cultivated by  men  of the brightest ge-
nius^ most brilliant talents,and of moral worth,and, conscious of the high respon-
sibilities under which they acted, with the erroneously predicated, absurdly  sus-
tained, imperfect  system of Thompson; originating with, and  perfected by, one
obscure individual,  who knew nothing of the organization of the human body,
who never saw one  half the diseases which afflict our race, or  one  tenth of the
remediate agents which  have been found successful in the relief and  cure of dis-
ease, and decide between them, (i)

minister it.  The question was then  asked,—suppose there should be no disease  of
the liver, would you,  notwithstanding, give calomel ?  Certainly we should, was the
reply.  And the reason is obvious; the learned quacks (for this is downright quack-
ery, if not worse  than quackery,) have no remedy—no Sampson—no Hercules, if you
deprive them of that  misery  creating drug.   How far we  are  justified  in using the
term, when speaking  of the regular faculty, we leave the  public  to judge, and refer
them to Appendix,  No. 9  and 10, for some precious specimens of modern scientific
quackery.
  ( h)—This certainly presents a powerful array of names; but what of all that ? Did
they not differ with each  other both  in theory and practice, and do not some of them
sustain Thomson's principles ?  And our  Rush also taught, that disease was an unity.
Science is an unity. It is certainty—demonstration-  Dr.   Williams  might have
greatly enlarged  his catalogue of names,  and  yet not demonstrated that  medicine  as
now taught and practised, with all the lights and experience of 4000 years  was any
thing more than  a "bold and reckless experiment" upon human life.  What says Dr.
Rush upon the subject ?  As already stated,  he compares  it to an "unroofed temple,
with Its foundation  cracked ;" and in his lectures, as a professor, he remarked to his
class—"Dissections daily  convince us of our ignorance of the seats of  disease, and
"cause us to blush at our  prescriptions.  What mischief have we [not] done under the
"belief of false facts and false theories;—we have assisted in multiplying diseases; we
"have done more—we have increased their mortality!"—What a commentary upon
the scientific practice of  medicine!   Such is  the boasted "accumulated knowledge
of ages;" and upon this "cracked" system—this squalling  "infant" of 4000  years of
age, with  its 21,000 remedies, the people are to rely for  relief in  sickness!   Away
with acknowledged uncertainty ;  "disease multiplying" practice  and legalised error.
Give us, in preference, the simple, innocuous, "old woman" remedies of the Thomso-
nian system, and throw "physic to the dogs!"
   (i)—Medicine is  not a science, in the true meaning of the term—it is uncertain—
there is much guess work, experimenting with human life  : and is severe cases, if the
patient, by the healing power of nature, is  enabled to rise from his  sick bed, how often
does he find a large crop of various forms  of disease, planted in the system  by poisonous 
16
   \V hat, sir, has been the result of the cultivation and practise of the scientific
system of medicine?  Diseases which once threatened to depopulate the  world,
the very name of which produced horror in the minds of men, under the influence
of the science of medicine, have been rendered far less  fatal, and some entirely,
dthers almost entirely, robbed of that terror, by which, with more unerring cer-
tainty, they destroyed the trembling victim.   And notwithstanding  civilization,
with her concomitants, luxury and refinement,  has tended  much to  weaken  and
render  more delicate the human constitution, subjecting  it to  diseases which
were formerly unknown, it is computed that human existence  has been extended
on an average about  five years.  Sir, the regular system  of medicine has been
denounced as founded upon theory and speculation.   This is" a mistake, (fc)
   From settled facts, and the  known operation of the laws of nature, every man
has a right to form, and will form some  notion of the cause; intimate nature,and
influence of what is brought under his observation; and  other things being equal,
the man of intelligence, who  is acquainted with the facts and  the experience of
others  in relation  to any subject, is more likely to  be  correct.   It is true,  sir,
that many men, under mistaken  and enthusiastic notions, anxious to advance the
science, or ambitious of fame, departing from those settled rules or  laws for the
advancement of  science, philosophic investigation, and  sound  and legitimate de-
duction ; have wandered far into the  unproductive regions of speculation and  hy
pothesis.  Yes, sir, those established principles and settled facts of the  medical
science, the application of those'settled rules under  which it is  cultivated, with
the touch stone of cautious experiment, in the hands of scientific, intelligent, con-
scientious men, like the refiner's furnace, have separated the dross from the mass
presented,  and if any  pure gold has been found, added it  to the the stock previous-
ly possessed,—and if only the fact that all was error, that alone is valuable ; as a
warning to the theorist, a beacon to the course of the  skilful practitioner,  and  one
more safeguard to secure mankind.
   Sir, it has been attempted to repel the imputation of quackery and empiricism
contained in the  report.   I think 1 have  proved to the satisfaction of every indivi-
dual in this house, and, if I have not, I here assert5on the responsibility of a mem-
ber of this  house, and on my own responsibility as a member of society, without
the tear  of successful contradiction, that this system is a  boastful pretension to
what it does not possess,  that it affects to teach what its author never understood
and is calculated,  under the specious pretention of simplicity  and unerring cer-
tainty, to impose on a large portion of mankind.  And if this does  not  stamp it
with the character of quackery, the common acceptation of the word is incorrect
{I)   And, sir, if the entire independence and ignorance of, and contempt for ali

"remediate agents," follow each other  in quick succession,  until the friendlv hand7^
death cures him of the ills of life !                               «*enaiy nana" ot
   ( k )-Always prating'about science.   It is all verbiage-fustian-and not credited
by those even who retail it  It is mostly,  as Dr. Rush observed, "false facts aSdI faIn
 heories," which undergoes a radical change three or four times in a century   An en
tirely new system has recently been presented to the public, and a iournal  «rf,™.-
it established in New-York, by Drs. W and Gray.  It is'th!>HoZoplthia°ort7-
man system of med.c.ne, by Hahnemann. We cannot enter into an explanationnfL
practice, bnt we rejoice to  say that it approximates nearer to our svstem  than tL  ai
lopathic, or  "old school" practice, in the administration of Mercury  (and o^her  nl
sonous drugs,) assuring us, that the less they give  the more powerful its end, »,  P
we may reasonably calculate, that, in time, it will approach  as near to noneatalTll
practicable.  One grain of mercury is rubbed with  99 grains of  sugar of milk »„?!l
one grain of this with 99 more of the same, and soon until  it is reduced  to th* V v
henth part of a grain.  Science pours  it down by hundreds of grains '
   (/)—Walker ajid Johnson afford a definition  of the  terra "quackery »  Dr W
terhouse's letters in the Appendix, (Nos. 3 and 4,) ought to satisfy every reasonable" 
17
 past  experience,  in  an author, and the establishment of a system upon his own
 limited experience, and by mad experiments, entitles it to the character of em-
 pirical, this pretended system richly merits it, and I humbly  conceive no one can
 successfully dispute its  claims.  It is said that very intelligent and correct men
 approve of 'this system, subscribe to it and practice it; and that the terms quacks
 and empirics applied harshly to them.   Sir, there is no one less disposed than I
 am to cast reflections and imputations upon, or wound the feelings of individuals,
 but if they will connect themselves with, and stand forth to  support this system,
 they  are liable to the same imputations, to  which the system itself is obnoxious.
 It is also said that learned  physicians sanction and approve the Thomsonian sys-
 tem, and have decided  in its favor.   Sir, that any intelligent physician or scien-
 tific man, that is perfectly  sane, however willing he may be  to acknowledge that
 some of the remedies used, and some of the means employed, are valuable, and
 may in many cases be successfully applied,which I do not deny, can recognize this
 as a new and distinct system of medicine, perfect in itself, and capable, as  it pro-
 fesses to be, of answering  all the various indications of disease, and sanction its
 principles, its falsehoods, abuses, and absurdities, I hold to  be utterly  impossi-
 ble, (m)
   Sir, tell  me of the man who is acquainted with the advantages of civilized life,
 who has felt the genial influence of the light of science, and tasted the pleasures
 of truly refined society, preferring the destitute, barbarous, and benighted  condi-
 tion of the Hottentot, or a native of some of the South Sea Islands, (n)   Tell me
 of the skilful and experienced mariner, who has often seen the ocean wrought in-
 to mountain waves by the tyrant storm, and who knows that dangerous shoals and.
 rocks lay hid beneath  its  surge, throwing away his compass, his quadrant, and
 his chart, and committing himself to the mercy of the waves and the winds, with-
 out a  landmark or a beacon to guide his course towards the destined port, over
 the trackless sea,—but tell me  not of any learned physician recommending this
 monstrous system to the world, (o)

 man,  of the full extent of Dr. Thomson's claim to that  slanderous epithet.   In the
 appendix, Nos. 9 and 10, we have given a "pair of remedies" from a "brace"  of the
regular scientific faculty, to which public attention is most respectfully invited.  If this
 exposition should cause a modest man to blush for such trophies of medical science,
he will not fail, upon examination, to discover that no injustice has been done to these
 distinguished members of the regular faculty, who have presented them to the  public.
  ( m )—But we insist upon "telling" Dr. Williams  that many gentlemen, formerly  of
the regular faculty, acknowledged to be men of scientific attainments, not inferior  to
Drs. Ewell or Jameson,  possessing mens sana in  corpore sano, actually have abandon-
ed the murderous practice of bleeding and giving calomel, from  honest and conscien-
tious motives, and successfully  practiced  the  "quackery" of  Dr. Thomson  :—and
 moreover, saved the lives of many a poor mortal, who had been reduced to a mere skel-
 eton, and abandoned to death by the scientific ;  and who had taken  a final leave  of
 their family and friends, and  been, as it were, raised from  the  dead  by  following a
 system so much derided by the mineral tribe.  We can, surprising as it may  appear to
 the "gentleman from Worcester," furnish indubitable evidence  of such  facts.  (See
 Appendix, Nos. 11 and 12.)
  ( n  )_Nothing but science ! science ! ! SCIENCE !!! in which there is, in gene-
 ral, nothing but uncertainty ! who would  not prefer the "barbarous  remedies  of the
 Hottentot or  Sruth Sea  Islander," to those of the  regular scientific merCUrialiser,
 whose poisonous remedies so frequently transform a  man, afflicted perhaps with a tri-
 fling cold—an obstruction—(which our grand-dam—good old soul ;  blessed be her
 memory—would have promptly removed with a  bowl of  hot sage tea,) into a living
 mass of foul, loathsome and  disgusting corruption ?
  ( o  )—It is an insult to the principles of reason and common sense, to attempt a pa-
 rallel  between astronomy, navigation, or any of the physical sciences, and that of ad-
               3 
                                     18

  Mr. Speaker, this  system professes to be perfectly simple and  intelligible fa
all, to be reduced to the comprehension of the most humble intellect—and all, sir,
I would ask, is, for it to be placed in the hands of the public.   I feel no doubt
that there is sufficient intelligence in  this house, if it can  be brought to bear on
this subject, to compare this system  with reason, established facts, (p) and  ex-
perience, and to reject it, as false in its premises, setting up claims and pretensions
which cannot be sustained, and  from  obvious imperfections, slander, abuse, and
indecencies, utterly disgusting.
  Sir, in order to give the house some notion of the nature of this system, and
the mind and principles of the author, I beg the indulgence of this house to read
some extracts of this  celebrated work.   Sir, I am going to read some of the com-
mencement of his treatise on obsterix, (q) one of the most important branches of
medical science, on a proper knowledge of which not unfrequently the life of
mother and child  depend.  Thomson  says:—"This  is a very difficult subject
to write upon, as I know of no words  that would be proper to make use of to
convey the necessary information to  enable a  person to practice with safety."
  Now, Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I  ask the members of this house, this grave
and intelligent assembly, whether they are prepared by  any  act of  legislative
sanction, to recommend to their fellow citizens and  the world, this pretended
system of medicine, with all its boasting pretentions, its  imperfections and pre-
posterous absurdities, (r) and all its abuse and vile slander, intended to prejudice
the mind of the people against the regularly educated physicians,  and which I do
contend, is as much apart of this  system, as steaming and red pepper, (s)

ministering poisons scientifically.   How often is the Dr. obliged to confess  that  his
medicine did not produce the desired effect—and that he now  intends to change his
course of treatment.  Is not this downright quackery and trifling with human life ?
   ( p )—In a late debate in this city upon the propriety of encouraging the Thomso-
nian practice, our worthy fellow-citizen, Dr. Bond, senior, repudiated the idea of ad-
ducing "established facts" as evidence  of the efficacy of that system.   "Knoiuledge is
an  accumulation of fads ;"  and is worth all the two-penny theories  that ever were
promulgated.   Upon  that base, knowledge, founded upon experience, Thomson rear-
 ed  his medical structure, and it will stand the test of rigid scrutiny.   Dr.  Hersey,  for-
 merly  of the regular medical school, bears ample testimony in favor  of the college in
 which Thomson graduated.  (See Appendix, No. 13.)
   ( q )—We omit  that portion of Dr.  Williams' speech relating to "obsterix" [obste-
 trics] on account of the delicacy of commenting upon the subject, with this remark,
 that, if he ever visits Baltimore, and will give  himself the trouble of calling upon  any
 of  the Thomsonian agents or practitioners, they will, no  doubt,  furnish him with an
 opportunity of ascertaining the value and importance of Dr. T.'s "old woman" system
 from the lips of some of those who have had experience both in that and the  regular
 practice.
   For reasons stated in note (/)  [pp. 13  &. 14]  we also omit  all having any relation to
 Dr. T.'s sceptical opinions, or reference to the  "priesthood or religion."  Its  intro-
 duction by Dr. Williams was as cogent as its introduction by  Dr. T. in a work on me-
 dicine, unless Dr. W.  designed in the legislative hall, to make up in  sound and  fury
 what was iacking in sense and argument.
   (r)—This appears to be  a singularly favorite phrase of the  Dr.  We  should no
 doubt be able promptly to recognize our man, without a  formal introduction   if bv
 any means, we could elicit an opinion respecting Thomsonianism.             '
   (s)—We  have no  desire to prejudice any one against the "regularly educated phy-
 sicians" as men; but against their depletions and mercurial practice we are determin-
 ed to wage an unceasing course of hostilities.  We are certainly under no obligation
 to  them for any extraordinary civilities towards  us ;  hence they cannot urge a claim
 for reciprocity ; yet, as fellow-citizens,  laying the craft aside,  we hope ever to regard
 them as members of the same family—having the same origin  and entitled to full share
 of our kind offices. 
19
   Sir, are we prepared to pronounce the experience of all  those who have de-
 voted their lives and talents to the study and practice of medicine, for the last five
 thousand years, under a deep sense of the responsibility under which they acted,
 entirely worthless?   Are we prepared to usher a host of ignorant, boasting pre-
 tenders upon the community,without the guarantee that they know, even apart of
 that imperfect system, which they pretend to practice, utterly ignorant of the hu-
 man system, and the diseases which affect it, and  destitute of every qualification
 but the proof of having paid twenty dollars for a Thompsonian book ? (i)
   Sir, let us pass this bill, or any similar one, and we do all this.   I am  now
 willing to submit this subject to  the intelligence, justice and humanity of  this
 grave assembly, and take my seat, (w)

   ( t)—Whatever time men may  have  devoted to the study  and practice  of medi-
 cine, "for the last five thousand years," it is acknowledged to be yet in its infancy.
 During that long period, how many "false theories" have been started and successive-
 ly overthrown ?   Not an hundred, but many hundreds, which have had their fleeting
 days, and then made room for one.equally erroneous, and so on, in regular succession,
 to the present period.  The calomel and blood-lilting practice  is even now on  the
 wane, and the fate of all "false theories and practice" awaits it.   As to "the" respon-
 sibility of the regular faculty ; is there nothing like it exhibited elsewhere ?  Ha3 no
 one regard for character or reputation, and  the life of a neighbour or friend, but the
 holder of a sheet of parchment, which,  not unfrequently, is the only tangible evidence
 he can produce of either; and but for that and a smattering of technicals, would cut a
 sorry figure in society.  "Away with the bauble,"  and  let merit  be tested  by some
 more just and equitable standard.
   We are termed a "host of ignorant boasting pretenders;" we deny the charge,  and
 challenge the coarse libeller to furnish  his proof.   We pretend to nothing which we
 cannot generally accomplish by the power of our remedies.  If we are in general ig-
 norant of the "human system," in  consequence  of not  having studied  anatomy,  how
 much knowledge of the living body has,Dr. W. acquired by  dissecting a score of
 dead  carcases ?  Let him consult the  opinion  of Dr. Rush upon that subject;   and
 then hide his diminished head in utter shame and confusion.
   When Dr. Williams visits our city, if an opportunity presents itself, we shall, if he
desires it, exhibit to him a statistical table, the correctness of which he will be able to
ascertain, and by  which he will perceive,that the  number of deaths in the families of
the regular  faculty and that of the  Thomsonian  right holders, for  the last year, (being
 nearly equal in numbers,) is against the regulars in the proportion of five to one.   If
 this disparity is a proof of a "destitution of every qualification" to practice medicine,
 excepting having paid the professors for their parchment, we are willing to let the peo-
 ple iudae, which school, the Calomel or the Botanic, ,s entitled to the foul abuse and
 denunciation which adorn the peroration of his redoubtable effort to demolish  the
 Thomsonian  practice.                                        .    ..          .
   ( u V-We are now also  "willing to submit this subject to the intelligence, justice
 ana humanity of the" people, and for the present take our leave  of Dr.  Williams, of

 Worcester                       BALTIMORE THOMSONIANS,
                           On behalf of\he Friendly Botanic Society of Maryland.
   April, 1885. 
APPENDIX.
                                    [No. 1.]
  Effects of Mercury—Dr. Cox, of Philadelphia, admits that in some  particular hab-
its, mercury produces an "exanthematous disease," that is, an eruptive, morbid redness
of the skin, "which sometimes proves fatal, well known  by the name of enjthema, or
eczema mercuriale, and hydragyria.
  "Mercury," says Dr. Cox, "occasionally attacks the bowels and causes violent purg-
ing, even blood;"  "at other times it is suddenly determined to the mouth and  produ-
ces inflammation, ulceration, and an excessive flow  of saliva."  "Sometimes  also a
morbid condition of the system occurs during a mercurial course, and tends to  a fatal
issue."
   N. Ghapman, M. D., in his notice of the influence of mercury in the production of
hepatic affections, [belonging to  the liver,] observes, "that the inordinate use  of  this
mineral, may in various ways derange  the  prima? via? and liver, so as  to.produce  the
icterous affections, [jaundice,] seems to me  highly probable.   Many years ago I saw
an inveterate case of jaundice developed,  during a  protracted salivation for syphilis,
which I attended in consultation with  the  late Professor Wistar—and within the  last
few months, I was consulted  in a second case of it  under the same circumstances, in
neither of which instances was there any reason to suspect any previous disorder of the
chylopoietic viscera  [having the power of forming chyle—concerned in digestion.]
But doubting whether these were coincidences or effects, they attracted little atten-
tion at the time.  More importance, however, do I  now  attach to them in this way,
from having subsequently met with similar instances, reported by a  distinguished wri-
ter.  Cheyne, to whom I allude, states 'that if does not appear to be generally known,
that mercurials actually produce jaundice, though  it  is a fact, of which I have seen,
within the last two years, three striking examples.'   The history of these cases agree
in all essentials with that of those which occurred to myself.
   "It is somewhat remarkable that this fact  should not have been earlier  applied to
me, since for several years I  have taught in my lectures that the. extravagant  em-
ployment of mercury by many of our practitioners, in  autumnal fever, and  other  dis-
eases, must be assigned as one of the causes for the general prevalence of chronic he-
patic affections in some portions of our country,"
   Extract from a written Thesis  to the  professors of  the medical college of Ohio,
February, 1835, by Dr. Wm. Ripley ;—
   "It [Calomel] seems to act upon the principle of irritation :  it is carried,  in a state
of solution, into the circulation; and, wherever there is  irritability,  it produces irrita-
tion.  On this principle, it sets niany of the organs to work.  For instance, it irritates
the sublingual glands, and a profusion of saliva is secreted ;  but it is morbid, even if
the patient is in a healthy condition, when it commenced.   The redundant saliva pro-
duced by  the influence of calomel, is not fit to mix with the  masticated aliment, to
assist in the process of chymification-and digestion.   It is evident that  calomel tends
to extinguish that peculiar instinctive principle of vital organs, which  constitutes  the
elective power; and, although the organs are set to work, they  work at random-   the
lacteals take up excrementitious particles, as well as pure and  nutricious chyle' and
all  is carried into the circulation :  the depurating organs  carry off nutricious  matter as
well as extraneous.  In these respects, its specific influence  is inconsistent  with  the
laws ot the animal economy ;  it perverts the most important faculties of the vital  or-
gans, and their complete  restoration remains  uncertain  in the  most favorable  cases ■
and m many cases, it is certain it never takes place.  When local disease is removed
by calomel, the whole system suffers while under the influence of this grand specific
in the way mentioned above ;  and, when it ceases to act, the  patient thinks himself
cured, beeause the diseased organ is relieved ? but disease is not eradicated  from  the 
21
system ; it is only dispersed throughout the  whole system ;  and when the patient re-
covers from the prostration which the medicine has produced, the disease is liable  to
locate again on the same organ or some other.  In that case, it becomes, by metasta-
tis, some other disease.  There is reason to conclude  that this  penetrating mineral,
when it gets into  the circulation, is not confined to the channels that nature designed
for the healthy fluids to travel in ; but that  it  pierces the parieties of minute organs,
producing lesions in their intricate structure.   This is evident in the soreness of the
mouth.  The same lesions may be produced in all other glands, though not so evi-
dent to the senses : then sciatrices and indurations must be the  consequences, and  a
portion of intricate organic structure  entirely obliterated.
   "If these suggestions are well grounded, it is no wonder if  a system is quite worn
out by being often cured of disease.   Let us consider one, laboring under acute dis-
ease, whose vital powers are much exhausted, before any remedy is prescribed; then
exhaustion must  still go on  no less rapidly than before,.by the specific action  of the
medicine  : then is it not fair to conclude that, if the work of destruction is half accom-
plished by disease, the medicine will accomplish it before alteratives can be used?"
   Dr. E.  H. Barton, of Louisiana, says—"A thousand objections will  apply to the in-
discriminate administration of mercury, in the various and complicated  affections in-
^'cident.to its use ; it is never certain in its effects, but always  liable to abuse."
                                    [No.  2.]
   Uncertainty of Medicine as a science.—Extracts from  "Inquiries concerning the
intellectual powers  and the investigation of truth on the uncertainty of medicine ;  by
John Abercrombie, M. D. F. R. S. Fellow of the royal college of physicians in Ed-
inburg, &.c. and first physician to his Majesty in Scotlaud."
   "There has been much difference of opinion among philosophers in regard  to the
place which medicine is entitled to hold among the physical sciences; for while one
has maintained that it "rests upon an eternal basis, and has  within it the power of ris-
ing to perfection," it has been distinctly  asserted by  another,  that "almost the  only
resource of medioine is the art of conjecturing."   "The following apologue," says D'-
Alembert, "made by a physician, a man of wit and of philosophy, represents very well
the state of that science."  "Nature," says he,  "is fighting  with disease;  a blind man
armed with a club,  (that is, the physician,) comes to settle the difference.   He first
tries to make peace;  when he cannot accomplish this, he lifts his club and strikes at
random ; if he strikes the disease, he kills the disease ; if he strikes nature, he kills na-
ture.   An eminent physician," says the same writer, "renouncing a practice which  he
had exercised for thirty years, said  "7 am tuearied of guessing."
   "The uncertainty of medicine, which is thus a  theme both for the  philosopher and
humorist, is deeply  felt by the  practical physician in the daily exercise of  his art.  It
becomes, therefore, an inquiry of the utmost importance,—what the  sources of this
uncertainty are,—what that point is in our researches at which its influence begins,—
and, when we  arrive at this point, what the means are by  which it may be diminish-
ed."       *******
   "The uncertainty of medicine resolves itself chiefly into an apparent want of that
Uniformity of phenomena, which is so  remarkable in  other branches of  physical sci-
ence.  There are, in particular, two departments of our inquiries, in which we feel
continually the effect of this want of uniformity,—the characters and the  progress of
disease, and the action of external agents upon the body.
   "Since medicine  was first cultivated as a science, a leading object of attention has
ever been to ascertain the characters or symptoms by  which particular internal diseas-
es are indicated, and by which they are distinguished from  other diseases which  re-
semble them.   But, with the accumulated experience of ages bearing upon  this  im-
portant subject, our extended observation has only served to convince us how deficient
we are in this department, and bow often, even in the first step in our progress, we are
left to conjecture.  A writer of high eminence  has even hazarded the assertion that
those persons are most confident in regard to the characters of disease whose know-
ledge is most limited, and that extended observation generally leads to doubt.   After 
22
showing the uncertainty of the symptoms which are usually supposed to indicate effu-
sion in the thorax, Morgagni adds the remarkable  assertion to which I here allude:
"qui enim plura corpora inspexerunt, hi saltern, cum illi nil dubitant, epsi dubitare di-
dicerunt."   If such .uncertainty hangs over our knowledge of the characters of disease,
it will not be denied that at least an equal degree of uncertainty attends its progress.
We have learned, for example, the various  modes by which internal inflammation ter-
minates,—as resolution, suppuration, gangrene, adhesion, and effusion ; but, in regard
to a particular case of inflammation,  whicii is before us, how little notion can we form
of what will be its progress, or how it will  terminate.
  "An equal or even a more remarkable uncertainty attends all our researches on the
second head to which 1 have referred, namely, the action of external agents upon the
body.  These engage our attention in two  respects,—-as causes of disease, and as rem-
edies; and in both these views the action  of  them is fiaught with the highest degree
of uncertainty.  In regard to the action of external agents as causes of disease, we
may take a single example in  the effects of cold.   Of six individuals who  have been
exposed to cold in the same degree, and so far as we can judge, under the same  cir-
cumstances, one may be seized with inflammation of the lungs, one with diarrhoea,
and one with rheumatism, while three may escape without any  injury.  Not less re-
markable  is the uncertainty in regard to the action of remedies.   One case appears to
yield with readiness to the remedies that are employed ; on another,  which we have
every reason to believe to be of the same nature, no effect is produced in arresting its
fatal progress, while a thiid, which threatened to  be equally formidable, appears to
cease without the operation of any remedy  at  all.
  "With these complicated sources of uncertainty, which meet us at every  step in our
medical inquiries, it is almost unnecessary to contrast the perfect uniformity cf phe-
nomena, or a confidence in which we proceed  in  other departments of science.  When
we  mix together pieces of zinc, sulphuric acid, and water, we pronounce with perfect
confidence, that the water will be decomposed, hydrogen evolved, the metal oxydated,
the oxyd dissolved, and sulphate of zinc produced ; we pronounce with equal  confi-
dence on all the properties, mechanical and chymical, of the  new compound which  is
thus to be formed, and in no case have we  the smallest doubt of the exact occurrence
of every step in this complicated process.          *        *          *         *
  "The difficulties and sources of uncertainty  which meet us at every stage of our in-
vestigations are, in fact, so great and numerous,  that  those who have had the  most
extensive  opportunities of observation will  be   the first  to acknowledge that our
pretended experience must,  in general, sink into analogy, and even our analogy
too often  into conjecture.
  "In a science encumbered with so many difficulties, and encompassed by so ma-
ny  sources of error,  it is obvious what cause we have for proceeding with the ut-
most caution, and for advancing from step to step with the greatest circumspection.
  "Why one medicine acts upon the stomach, another on the bowels,  a third  on the
skin, we  have not the smallest conception ; we  know only  the uniformity  of the
facts."                             -----
  Extract from Dr. Ripley's Thesis to the*professors of the Medical College of  Ohio:
"The endless and unsettled controversies concerning medical science, taken into view,
together with the frequent failures and uncertain results of all the modes  of practice
that have ever been adopted and published to  the  world, are all  calculated to  bewil-
der the honest inquirer after truth, who wishes to know all the whys and  wherefores
of his opinions and  mode of practice.
  "To me, the great importance of some  sure landmarks; some premises to reason
from ; some abiding and immovable standard, by  which contrasting theories  can be
tested, is an object that should be sought after, and one that should never be abandon-
ed.
  "When I consider that all  the most efficient remedial agents that are known in the
schools of medicine, are such as would by no  means harmonize  with  the healthy
functions, but would certainly produce derangement and disease, if used in a healthy
state; I cannot divest my  mind of the  suspicions that all our  philosophers and men
of wisdom of ancient and modern times, have missed  the mark.
  "It seems so desirable, so fitting and reasonable,  in the nature of things,  that there 
23
should be, somewhere in the garden of nature, some remedial agents, that would be
efficient in removing disease from the animal system, and yet harmonize with all the
healthy functions, that I cannot persuade myself that it is not true.  I know it is  of-
ten said, that  those  medicines which are safe and never do any harm, are too simple
and  inert to do any good  in critical eases.   But this  maxim does  not appear to  my
view  as a  self-evident proposition; and I  know of no reasoning that afford  usaA"
demonstration of it's certainty."
                                    [No. 3.]
Copy of a letter from Dr. Benjamin Waterhouse^ formerly Lecturer on the theory and
  practice of Physic, in Cambridge University, to the late Samuel L. Mitchell, of New
  York.
                                               Cambridge, December  19, 1825.
  My Dear Sir—Mr. alias Doct. Samuel Thomson, who has the honor of introducing
the valuable Lobelia to use, and fully proved its efficacy and  safety, will deliver you
this.  He has cured and  relieved many of disorders, which others could not, without
being a regular diplomatized physician, and  daredto be a republican in a hot bed of
federalism; for which he  has been shamefully ill-treated, even  to persecution.
  I have aided and assisted Thomson from a firm belief that his  novel  practice has
been beneficial to numbers, rind that it may be placed  among improvements.   If he be
a quack, he is a quack sui generis, for he proclaims his mode and means.   Had John
Hunter,  whom 1 well knew, been born and bred where  Samuel Thomson was, he
would have been just such another man ;  and had S. T. been thrown into the same
society and associates as J. H  he would, in my opinion, have been his equal,  with
probably a wider range of thought;  but both men of talents, and originality of thought.
   1  am, indeed, so disgusted with learned quackery, that I take some interest in hon-
est,  humane and strong-minded empiricism ; for it has  done more  for our  art^ in all
ages and in  all countries, than all the universities since the time  of Charlemagne.—
Where, for goodness' sake, did  Hippocrates study?—air, earth and  water—man, and
his kindred vegetable—disease and death, and all casualties and concomitants of hu-
manity, were the pages he studied—every  thing that surrounds and nourishes us, were
the objects of his attention and study.  In a word, he read diligently and sagaciously
the  Great Book of JYature, as Thomson has, instead of the little books of man.
   How came your Legislature to pass so unconstitutional an act as that called the an-
ti-quack law? such as the parliament of England would hardly have ventured on—for
who ivill define  quackery?  Were I sufficiently acquainted with your excellent Gov-
ernor Clinton, I  would write to him on the subject.   You New Yorkers are half  a
century behind  us  in theological science, but your quack bill looks as if you halted
also in physic.
  By what I have seen and learnt of Mr. Thomson, I wish him success, and  the notice
of the eminent and the liberal in theprofession, and with this view I give him this rap-
idly written letter to Dr. Mitchell, and am with an high degree of esteem and respect,
       His steady friend,                              BENJ. WATERHOUSE.

                                    [No. 4.]
                            From the Boston Courier.

                             DR. WATERHOUSE.
   1  read in one of your late papers an article entitled The Battle of Doctors, im-
porting to have been contested at Baltimore, on Lyceum ground. The account seem-
ed chiefly serious,  but partially ludicrous.  But, as it related  to the very serious sub-
ject of health and disease, or in other words, life and  death, I could not drive the nar-
rative out of my mind.  The practice of Physic, I am bold to  say,  admits of great re-
form' yet it is no joke, and is really a subject worthy the utmost attention of the peo-
ple  and I have often reflected  with surprise that it has been left at such loose ends in
this' State, where we scrutinize and find fault with every thing,  and every profession,
excepting  that on which our comfort depends;  for what are riches and elegant dwel-
ling/without health to enjoy them? 
24
  It seems the Lyceum question was, Whether the Thomsonian Practice ought to
be encouraged?  New, this includes another question, viz: Whether Regular Physi-
cians ought to encourage it, or the People?  If I mistake not, more than a million of
people in the United States have already answered the question, and  said—Let it be
encouraged.
  There arose a serious  question in my mind—a question-of honor and conscience,
namely: Ought  I to be silent on the solemn subject, or give my opinion.   I have de-
termined on  the lalier;  and that because I  have received  a considerable  number of
letters, from  Maryland and farther  South, on the same  subject; and, as I have receiv-
ed some loaded with postage, the writers may receive the trifling value of my opinion
without a cent's expense to them or me.
  With due  submission to that privileged body of  Physicians denominated, through
courtesy The Faculty, I should place Samuel Thomson among the Reformers of the
healing art.
  The famous Galen dictated  the laws of medicine full fourteen hundred  years after
his death,  by his then matchless writings.  After the revival of letters,  Paracelsus,v/bo
was born in  1493, in Switzerland,  appeared as a reformer of the system of Galen. He
was learned  in Latin, Greek, and several other languages, and of respectable  connex-
ions.   He first introduced mercury (quicksilver), antimony and opium, into the mate-
ria medica;  but he was arrogant, vain and profligate; and, after living the life of a va-
gabond, died a confirmed sot.  He studied mystery, and wrapped up his knowledge
in terms of his own invention, so as to keep his knowledge confined to himself and a
few chosen  followers.   The  very reverse of Thomson, who  performs  numberless
cures, and makes no  secret of the means.   The cant phrase of "quack," belongs to
the learned Paracelsus;  but not to the  mystery-hating Thomson, who considers mys-
tery and roguery offsprings of the same  father—the man of sin—the old father of lies
and deception.   If Thomson be  a quack, he is a quack sui generis, or a cheat of a
new and singular class.
   In one thing every thinking  man must and will agree; for it  admits of no dispute.
It will be admitted as an axiom, namely: the Thomsonian Practice has been diffused
through New England  between  15 and 20  years and still maintains its credit; and
every  year  its  roots strike deeper, and  tts branches spread wider  and wider.  Now,
make any man of due reflection believe that such a practice Could have spread so wide
and among  such a discerning, inquisitive people as those of  New England  certainly
are, without having discovered  its nothingness—its worse than nothingness—its vain
and nonsensical pretensions.  The thing is impossible.  If the Lobelia had been prov-
ed a worthless  plant, it would have been, years ago, " thrown  like a loathsome weed
aivay "  On the contrary, I had rather be without that nauseous powder, 7jpecac.,which
makes me spit while I write, than to be deprived of the more agreeable and efficacious
Lobelia.
   We import Ipecacuanha from South America, and sometimes use it after it has been
a dozen or twenty years out of the ground ; whereas, we can cultivate the Lobelia in
our own  gardens, and pick it  up in our own fields.   I not  only prescrbe it  to others,
but I take it myself  whenever I have any occasion for an emetic.  I value it equally
with  the  Peruvian bark, or with rhubarb, jallap or senna, or any other medical  plant
you can mention.  Instead of Lobelia, it ought in justice, in honor,  and  in gratitude,
to  be called the Thomsonia emetica.
   But  the discovery of the medicinal qualities of this indigenous  plant [the Lobelia,]
 is not the sole merit or felicity of Samuel Thomson-  His vapor-bath process, to which
 the Lobelia is the Prodromos. (or in plain English,  file-leader or fore-runner,)  is ta-
 ken together, a valuable improvement in our practice, if conducted by persons as ex-
 perienced and  sagacious as is the Patriarch Thomson; for the defect, or the circum-
 stance  the most to be lamented is, his setting up Agents who cannot be supposed to
 have his experience,  skill, or tact, in conducting the whole  process.  For my part  1
 wonder that more  fatal accidents* have not occurred, by  being entrusted to  people
 who have purchased the patent privilege without obtaining the master's knowledge.

   •Query—When and where have any "fatal accidents" occurred? 
'16
 In England, Parliament  would  probably have purchased  the  procedure^ by a liberal
 grant.  In France, at least under the old regime, the King would have bought it.  But
 we, wiser than any of them, have only tried to pick it to pieces.  Still I consider it a
 valuable anchor, the emblem of Hope, to which is attached a firm cable, that numbers
 have in vain been trying to pick  to oakum; but which will, I trust, be like the strongly
 twisted cord that binds our happy States together, acquiring strength by age.
   To weigh Patriarch  Thomson in the scales of the regular physician, would be as
 unjust as for them to be  weighed by  his steelyards.  They practice on different princi-
 ples, feelings, and views.  Each honest in their respective paths of  art and nature.—•
 They will both come out in the same road at last, and travel ori together to the tem-
 ple of honor and profit.
   Samuel Thomson, like most reformers, has endured in our county  of Essex, ds much
 severe persecution as ever was perpetrated in it; which is saying a  great deal, when
 we call to mind the days of the delusion of witchcraft.  Though capitally indicted for
 murder, by using  Lobelia, he was discharged  without trial after something  like a rep-
 rimand of the Solicitor General, by  the Court.  Yet it is remarkable that  Chief Jus-
 tice Parsons deemed it worth while to write the report of it in the VI. Vol. of Tyng's
 Collections.
   I feel diffident and doubtful whether t have said too much or too little on the sub-;
 ject, that will  increase in importance by time.   Reformers—Originitors—and Exter-
 minators of loathsome and  shocking diseases, are always considered as benefactors
 of the whole  human race—not merely those  who are now living, but of those who
 shall live after us, as long as letters and other records shall endure.
   The measure of praise is too often given without due consideration or sufficient ex-
 pansion of thought.  Our friend Worcester might easily pose Christopher Columbus,
 were he to examine him on all the coasts, bays, islands and rivers on the Globe,while
 that immortal discoverer, standing alone on the shores of Cape Finistre, and  casting
 the eye of his capacious  mind, from the vast Atlantic moving before him, and thq^up
 to heaven, said with confidence—There is another and a better world than thisl.-Qtfid
 he proved his theory by his practice,  and thereby obtained the-rich title of  the Bene-
factor of the Western  World.                          BENJ. WATERHOUSE.
   Cambridge, Dec. 1834.

                                    P"o. 5^
 Remarks on  the pernicious effects and fatal consequences of blood-letting; design-
   ed by the author for the  prolongation of the lives  of his fellow-beings.—By I. F.
   Daniel Lobstein, M. D."
   To this the particular attention of the reader is solicited.   It is conclusive, indepen-
 dent of  innumerable other testimony which  might be adduced, as to the horrid and
 devastating effects of mercury and blood-letting, and is worthy of especial  regard, in
 consequence of the high  source from  which  it  emanates.
   Dr. Lobstein is  one of the "Medical Faculty of Paris; late physician to the Military
 Hospitals and Army of France ; Professor of Surgery and Midwifery ;  Member of the
 Medical Societies of Philadelphia, of the city and county of New-York, of Massachu-
 setts, of Maryland, of Lexington, Ky.  of New Orleans, of Pittsburg, Pa. of many oth-
ers of Europe, and of several  learned and benevolent societies  of the United States ;
author of several works upon Medical and Literary subjects; Physician  and  Practi-
tioner in Midwifery in New  York."
  "A long time," says Dr. Lobstein, "has elapsed, since I determined to publish  my
remarks on the pernicious effects of bleeding, which,  not only during that  time, but
especially at present, is considered as almost a universal remedy,  and  frequently  re-
sorted to, as a restorative in  the slightest indisposition ;  notwithstanding the  direful
consequences attendant on such  practice, it continues to be the main pillar of the me-
dical profession."  "It is astonishing to find, that so many persons, and mere so, to
find  so many physicians have fallen into this extravagance.  Blood, as the  most pre-
cious matter for  life, is  lavishly squandered where there is no necessity ;  yes, often
without knowing for what purport."
   "My remarks shall, therefore, convince mv fellow-citizens, that so far from blood- 
26
 letting being beneficial, it is productive of the most  serious and fatal effects.  Should
 I contribute to save  more lives in future,  and arrest this cruel practice, I would  feel
 that gratification, which rises from the consciousness of having performed a good act."
   "How much is it to be  regretted, that such an awful  scourge of humanity should
 exist!  During my residence of fourteen  years past, in this happy country of liberty
 and independence, 1 am bound to say, that in all my practice of twenty-seven years as
 a physician, never have I seen in any part of Europe, such extravagance of  blood-lei-
 ting as 1 have seen in this  country, and their practice  sanctioned and  confirmed by1
 the  opinions of many physicians."
   "How many thousands  of our fellow-citizens  are  sent to an untimely grave !  How
 many families deprived of their amiable children !   How many husbands deprived of
 their lovely wives!   How many wives of their dear husbands, who have fallen  vic-
 tims to this great extravagance of bleeding : the same may be said Of mercury."
   "We no longer count the loss of blood, (by blood-letting) by ounces, butby^ouncfo.'
 Each headache, each indigestion, each  indisposition, is, among many physicians, quite
 a sufficient pretence to  say, uyou must be bled!"   It  seems entirely forgotten,  that
 blood-letting, however the greatest, is likewise thereby the most dangerous of all rem-
 edies, and  that it sometimes introduces a loss, which never more can be repaired"
   "In the  blood is the human life ;" in the blood is placed the strength of the whole
 organic life,—without blood, there is no heat, no motion of the heart;  nor is there
 any feeling, or general motion of the system.  Yes, take away  from  the  brain  the
 blood, and the self-cogitative  powers will be instantly extinguished.   Without blood
 there is not any germination, vegetation,  or function of life possible."
   "If we diminish the  strength by too much blood-letting,  we also takeaway  the
 means of recovery, and we  make thus, the disease a  malady, which, devoid of such
 treatment,  would become either harmless or beneficial."
   "The most simple fevers, by too much bleeding, become  nervous and  putrid fe-
 vers, of which I can attest many instances."
     t                               ______
   , '                              [No.  6.]
   Observations of the Surgeon of the Western Regiment of Kentish militia, England,
 on the effects of blood-letting, showing the inutility and absurdity of the practice :
   "I have been upwards of six years^fcgeon of the western regiment of  Kentish mi-
 litia, during which time our number OT^ick haTnever been inconsiderable ;  whereby,
 much opportunity of practice has been afforded  me.   1  have been in  the  habit  of
 keeping a journal of the different cases  as they occurred, wherein, 1 carefully noted
 every symptom of which the patient complained, the various remedies exhibited, the
 time when, and with what view given.   1 also marked every change that took place in
 the course  of a disease,  and the effect of the medicine made use of; and  lastly, my
 own opinion of the method of cure which I adopted.  In the course of  my practice,
 I have endeavoured on every occasion to determine the justness of preconceived the-
 ories by experience, and on every subject to think for myself, uninfluenced by the ten-
 ets of schools, or the opinions of others.   The prevalence of any mode of  practice
 is certainly not a clear proof of its being useful; nor is it a sufficient recommendation
 that it may be practised with safety.  If it is not evidently beneficial, it ought to be
 laid aside.   In this light I consider the custom of bleeding, as a means of cure in fe-
 brile and other diseases, whicii I have no hesitation in asserting,  is  not  necessary in
 any complaint with which we are acquainted. If we grant that any deviation from'
 the healthy state denotes debility, either  general  or partial, surely whatever has a
 tendency to debilitate further, it is reasonable to suppose, ought to  be carefully avoid-
 ed.  It certainly cannot be denied, that in every disease wherein bleeding  has been
 used, complete recovery has been protracted, owing to the debility thereby occasion-
 ed.  We are  directed to use blood-letting to lessen irritability, to take off the phlogis*
 tic diathesis, to deplenish  the blood vessels, and to  prevent inflammation.   I know by
experience, that these indications can be fulfilled much better,  with less danger, by
 other means.   Though the ill effects of the loss of blood, unless excessive, are seldom
perceivable in youth, yet they rarely fail of  being felt  before the  age of  forty-five. 
2T
 People who have been often bled when young, about this period of life begin to be
 afflicted with chronic pains.  They recover very slowly  from fits of illness, and are
 very liable to paroxysms, and a variety of other disorders.  1 have rarely been deceiv-
 ed in  my conjectures respecting patients of this  description, when  I  have  met with
 them.   The cases mentioned by Dr. Denman show, that it does not prevent inflamma-
 tion, or abortion ;  nor is it proved, that by taking away blood, we lessen the diameter
 of the blood vessels, as we find that six ounces from a large orifice has a greater effect
 than twenty from a small one."       -------
   We present the following summary of the tremendous effects of mercury, first ex-
 hibited for the cure of "ague and fever," and subsequently continued, as a remediate
 agent, for the various forms of disease it had, from  time  to time, implanted and  was
 continuing to generate.   Let the reader pause for a moment and sympathise with this
 miserable victim of learned mercurial  quackery ; although it is but a  solitary case of
 thousands which might be promulgated by the faculty  themselves, if  their interest
 could  b,e thereby advanced.   Let the regulars, as an offset, furnish one well authentica-
 ted case, if they can, and we challenge their united efforts, in which the Botanic prac-
 tice has  produced  one ten-thousandth  part of the injury  sustained by  the bosom com-
 panion of this unfortunate husband, and we will then consent to abjure our innocent
 remedies, all of which may be eaten  with our daily  food with impunity, and  return
 to the use of the Sampson of the craft.
   "I was called upon, says Dr. D. F.  JYardin, of Tennessee, in the  spring of 1832, by
 a man, whose wan countenance gave striking intimations of hi3 being the child of mis-
 fortune plunged in depths of poverty.
   "He was no  impostor.  His case was well  and  extensively known.   One  of the
 most talented of the faculty in this place had  attended in his family as related below.
 The man handed me a certificate having about a hundred signatures to it. The reader
 will understand this man was reduced  to beggary.   The  cause of his ruin was  briefly
 stated  in the petition or brief request,  in whicii  he  solicited public  charity.  We will
 give his story in substance agreeably to the best of our recollection.   Mrs. H. bad the
 misfortune to be taken sick, about 22 years ago.  From that period she had been con-
 fined to her bed.  Mr. H.  had spent all his property in paying doctor's bills and oth-
 er incidental charges.  He had  to  devote his time  to a  constant attendance on her,
 himself of course was deprived of the  opportunity of earning a livelihood for himself
 and family by the  efforts  of personal industry.  Now old age had  overtaken him, and
 from this complication of afflictive circumstances he was compelled to  beg  his support
 from door to door.
   Curiosity led me t« enquire into the cause of the malady of this unfortunate woman.
 It  was with much reluctance the husband could be persuaded to give  me  a full  and
 correct history ; for, said he, "Dr.  H. of this place  attended on her.   He is one of my
 best friends—I should be unwilling to have any blame attached to  him.  He did the
 best he could for her, to save her, if possible."   However, he proceeded with his nar-
 rative,  stating that, "22 years ago she  was taken down with 'fever and ague,' the fever
 turned to be bilious, grafter she had  been salivated severely !"  Take notice,  these
 were his own words.  "She was down with her complaint for several months, in the
 course of which time, she was repeatedly severely salivated.  About two months after,
 she was  accounted of as one recovered  from the fever, her lower limbs ulcerated  and
 discharged a great quantity of matter, and several pieces of bone exfoliated and came
 out of her legs—these healed—the  sores broke out again—more bone sloughed or
 scaled off—the doctors were again called in—she was again salivated and kept  under
 the influence of mercury  for  six months, by the skilful attendance of  Dr.  H. of  this
 place.   We understand another was  called in to  keep her in the same situation for
 two months longer; but the ulcers got worse, many more broke out, and now her bo-
 dy is completely covered  with scars and sores, and many places have been  frequent-
 ly opened.  She is in such misery  that life has become  an intolerable burthen.  To
palliate her extreme distress, she makes constant use of  Opium !  If she does not ob-
tain her regular dose she gets deranged and quite distracted.
   Here,  my friend, you have the picture before you—an  imperfect  sketch is all I am
able to draw.  Great God—Tiventv-two years of continual,  unceasing pain !   The 
28
happiness of a whole family destroyed and all reduced to beggary!  All this has hap-
pened to satisfy the foolish imagination of a learned ********* quack,to support his repu-
tation in keeping up the deceptious idea of the existence  of a disease, that never had
any real being, only in the disordered imagination of learned ignorance ! In the brains
of a science-bewildered quack.  Reflect a moment,—what were the means resorted to
through this long and perilous season, and how was all this mischief produced ? Will
you, candid reader, treasure the fact in ycur recollection that it was £^-calomel.=£$ ad-
ministered by a learned and regular physician, that has  reduced one of the fair daugh-
ters of our land, with all her family, to poverty and wretchedness."

                                   [No.  7.]
   "The author of this work,  (says Dr  Brown  in  his  preface) has spent  more than
twenty years in learning, teaching, and scrutinizing  every part of medicine.   The firsf.
five years passed away  in hearing others, in studying what I  heard,  and  implicitly  be-
lieving it, and entering upon the possession, as a rich and valuable inheritance.  The
next five years I was employed in explaining the several particulars, in refining them,
and bestowing on them a nicer polish.   During the five  succeeding years,  nothing
having prospered according to my satisfaction, I grew indifferent to the  subject; and
with many eminent men, and even the very vulgar,  began  to deplore the healing  art
as altogether uncertain and incomprehensible.  All  this time passed away, without the
acquisition of any advantage,  and without that, which of all things, is  the most agree-
able to the mind, the light of truth ; and so  great and precious a portion of the short
and perishable life of man was totally lost!  Here I was, at this period, in  the  situa-
tion of a traveller in an unknown country, who, after  losing  every  trace of his way
wanders in the shades  of night.  Nor was it until between the fifteenth and twentieth
years of my studies, that a faint gleam of light broke in upon my soul."

                                    [No. 8.]
Extract  from the "New York Medical Enquirer," since changed to the "American
          Lancet," conducted by an association of physicians and surgeons ;
   "If we take a retrospective view of the science of medicine with its alterations and
 Improvements in the last two centuries, the medical annals of this period will present
 us with a series of learned dissertations by authors whose names alone  are  now  re-
 membered, while their writings, under the specious term  improvement, have left us
 only the deplorable  consolation of knowing that their works have heaped system  up-
 on system, prescript upon prescript, error upon error,  each in turn  yielding to its  fol-
 lower.   Year after year produces  a new advocate for a new theory of disease each
 condemning its  predecessor, and  each alike to be condemned by  its  successor'  We
 wish a more rational mode adopted  for  the promotion of  medical knowledge than
 hair-brained theories and doubtful facts.  Observation, practice,  and  experience  in
 the administration of medicine, with its effect on the system, may take  the lead  of
 scholastic learning and hard  names.  We must have  facts instead  of opinions  reason
 instead of theory, knowledge instead of titles and certificates."

                                    [No.  9.]
 Extract from "The American Domestic Medicine," by "HoratioGales Jameson M  D
   "honorary member of the Medical Society of Maryland, late surgeon  in the General
    'Hospital for the army at  Baltimore,"  and consulting physician to the Baltimore
   board of health:
                      "Biie of Rattlesnake and Copper-head.
   "Drawing with small cupping glasses is advisable.   *   *  *   If such glasses are
 "pot to be had, a hen may be set  with the  NAKED FUNDAMENT  UPON THE
 "PART; and I have been credibly informed,this has succeeded well,  and that seve-
  ral hens have been thus  killed in one case, which  seems to raise  the belief that the
 "poison was  thus forcibly  extracted."   [Baltimore,  1318, p 412 ]       J 
29
                                   [No.  10.]
Extract from "Plain Discourses  on the laws or properties of matter," by  Thomas
  Ewell, M. D. of Virginia, one of the surgeons of the United States' navy :
              "Kennes"1 Mineral;  or  Golden Sulphur of Antimony.
  "Besides the above preparation of antimony, the metal  is  given in the form of a
"pill, in the metallic state.   It appears to be soluble in the stomach, in small  quanti-
fies, and excites slight purging   This was called  [he Perpetual  Pill, as it  was fre-
quently kept  for ages  in families, who,  AFTER TAKING AND VOIDING IT,
"preserved it FOR  FURTHER  USE"—[N. York, 1806,  p.  249  ]
   [This could  not have been esteemed quackery by the learned Doctor,  or it would
not  have been  so favorably noticed.]
                                   [No. 11.]
Extract of a letter from Dr. R. D. Montgomery, of  Liberty Hall, South Carolina, di-
  rected to the Rev. Wm. Carlisle, for the Thomsonians of Kershan District;  dated
                                                           February 11, 1832.
  "After I had finished my collegiate education, in the years  1794—5 and 6,  I pro-
ceeded to the study of medicine in Columbia,  S. Carolina, under the tuition of Drs.
Montgomery and Henricks, both  students of the Rushean school.   After this, I attend-
ed the medical lectures in Philadelphia, given by Drs. Shippen, Rush, Woodhouse  and
Barton.  Having attended the regular course of lectures under these professors, they
adjudged me entitled to  a diploma, for my medical knowledge, yet it was contrary to
the rules of the  institution to give me one, unless I  went through another course; my
finances would not admit of it  at that time, and 1  never obtained a diploma.  After
 my return from Philadelphia, I  fell immediately into practice, but quickly found  that
the theory, however beautiful it mipht appear,would by no means agree with the prac-
tice.   I  entered the practice with all the ardor that it is possible for any young physi-
cian to possess.  Every  leisure moment was employed in perfecting my knowledge in
 the science of medicine;  and  I flattered myself that I was  as successful in my practice
 as my cotemporaries: my prospects were flattering, and my practice lucrative for four-
teen or fifteen years.  I  then became wearied of it, and  during  the latter part of my
time, have given it over, unless constrained by the entreaties of a friend.  I could do no
 better than to pity their  distress.  You would  here enquire, what it was that could in-
duce me to relinquish a gainful practice, and adopt a system of yesterday—to leave the
old beaten track for one newly opened?   I answer,  because the marks to point the way
to proceed  in the old practice, were fallacious, and not to be depended on when life
 was at stake.  Here I would ask the candid  physician,  if he has not been often de-
 ceived in the symptoms  of disease,  when flattering himself wnh tie prospect  of the
 speedy recovery of  his  patient, when he left him, perhaps at evening—the next visit,
 perhaps the next morning found him  breathing his la--t? you beheld him surrounded
 by weeping friends, because they viewed him departing to his long home.  In such
 circumstances, humanity sickens and anxiously enquires, "Is there  no relief from dis-
 ease and premature death?"  The answer is to be  found in the botanic practice.   But
 is this practice infallible?  Does it never fail?   Yes, it may fail, has failed, and will fail
 in a number of cases.   It has and will  fail, of course, when the vital spark is nearly
 extinct, when  the powers of life are destroyed by disease, or when the condition of ihe
 patient  is such as there  is not any thing remaining for the medicine to act upon.  Me-
 dicine cannot act upon  a dead body, though it be ever so active.   At such a crisis, this
 practice, as every other, will most assuredly fail—yet,, in  the midst of these failures, the
 new practice will have  a decided superiority over every other mode of cure yet known
 by man.   1 find by experience in my family, and  among my friends, who have used
 the medicine as directed, that in fevers it generally relieves the patient in twenty-four
 hours, and often in less time.   A number of cases in my own family, that have been
 as violent  as any under the old practice, which required three or four weeks, before
 they were  able to  leave their bed;  yet  by the Thomsonian  practice, these have been
 relieved in the short time already  stated.   This practice, under  my direction has tri-
 umphed over an  ascites, or dropsy of the abdomen, in which the old practice had la- 
30
bored in vain.  The bite of a rattle-snake, on one of the family, accompanied with vi-
plent pain, was freed from all pain  in  less than ten minutes, and the swelling of  the
foot and leg was but trifling.  In myself, a violent attack of the rheumatism and chol-
era morbus, both yielded to the botanic applications.  Another fact is worthy of notice;
your patient does not suffer the great debility, by a course of the new practice, that
commonly takes place in the old.   The natural functions are soon restored to their
former vigor.  Trie patient forgets tfiat he was sick.   Do you wish me to account for
this? It  is easily done—there is not that  prostration of strength, by depleting reme-
dies in the new, as in the old practice.   Another reason why the same degree of de-
bility is not induced, is that the  medicine  used is  in harmony with the powers of life;
hence it is, that after the operation of the Thom3oaian remedies, the patient  feels in-
vigorated and cheerful   One other fact which gives the  new decided advantage over
the old  practice is, thattfie remedies are the sarqe in all cases that can possibjy occur,
the object is uniform,, viz: The restoration of the natural heat, as it is a primitive vital
property; hence the practising physician, acting with any tolerable degree of common
discretion, cannot err materially in administering the remedies—He is  not liable to do
any irreparable injury to his patient.  This is not the case with the old practice—How
often have we witnessed with grief, the baneful effects of medicine on the constitution
of the patient?   Where is the physician that will  not acknowledge that his  medicine
has often operated, in a different manner than he had expected, and that  his patient
was worse from the use thereof.
   A Brown, a Rush and others, have declared firmly their belief in the unity of disease,
and the unity of cure.  Dr. Thomson joins  them  in the belief, and practices  precisely
on that principle.   Away  then with your thousand diseases, and your thousand, reme-
dies; and adopt that system of practice thut is both safe and salutary  t% nyin.
   In conclusion, I would add another reason which  makes the Thomsonian practice
valuable, and that is, its simplicity, or its plain, natural adaptation to the illiterate, un-
tutored part of the human family.   The poor and illiterate require the attention of the
humane and benevolent in all countries, and such are the most numerous class in so-
ciety:—To such the Thomsonian practice holds out the helping  hand, to snatch them,
from pain and death, and such he invites to a participation of its benefits.
   These  are some of the considerations which have determined  my judgment to the
botanic practice of medicine.   I am fully confident that  whoever will give it a fair tri-
al will rejoice at the success.   I am, respectfully, yours,  &c.
                                              ROBERT  D. MONTGOMERY.

                                    [No. 12.]
Extract of a letter from Dr. Hersey,  of Columbus, (Ohio,) to Dr. John Thomson,
                                 of  Albany, (N.  Y.)
   "I have been more than forty years engaged  in  the  regular  practice of medicine.
I was a surgeon during the last war in the army  of the United States.  I  was one of
the founders of the Western Medical  Society of  Pennsylvania, and also am a member
of the Medical society of the state of  Ohio.  My practice has been extensive, my ex-
perience and opportunity for observation has seldom  been exceeded, but I venture
to pledge  myself upon all that I hold sacred and valuable in  the profession, that in
my estimation, the discoveries made by your honored father, (Samuel Thomson)  have
a decided preference  and stand unrivalled by all that  bears the stamp of ancient or
 modern skill.                                                    T. HERSEY.
                                   [No. 13.]
The following extracts from an essay on Medical Contentions are from the pen of Dr.
  Hersey.  Their  importance is duly appreciated by  all who value the  laborious re-
  searches of that highly respectable physician and  philanthropist.
  "In Doctor Thomson's "New Guide to Health,"  we are not presented with the
airy  flights of a whimsical  infatuated imagination, or,  a book-worm's dreams.   It is
not the work of  a hired scrivener,  cloistered  in a lonely garret, to brush cob-webs
from his school-clogged  brains, to amuse the querimonious multitude, fond of trifles:
No, but "after thirty years study,"  not  in Hebrew,  Greek and Latin, not in
medical schools and colleges, not to acquire names, and  technical terms, to conceal his 
31
ignorance; not to make a farcical parade of learning,  and by bombastic ribaldry and
nonsense, impose on the credulous, astonish his former associates with his present wis-
dom", and confound the multitude by his profound attainments: No! But in fields and
woods, o'er hills and dales, by purling streams, or lonely ponds, where e'er his medi-
cines grew, by ditch, or wall, in sunny meadows, or the woodland shade: here was his
Materia Medica :—Thence, he gleaned his harmless, inoffensive, but efficacious and
unequivocal remedies.
  "It was not. in a class of young men, attending lectures, but in the rooms of labor and
travail, in the presence chamber of parturition, where children are born,  that he stu-
died midwifery.
  "It was by the beds of the sick, in the immediate halls of affliction, where  suffer-
ing humanity implored his aid, that he studied  therapeutics—he  reduced his  system
to practice—applied his remedies, tested his skill, by adapting the means to  the ends
required.
  "His trials and success  have eventuated, in the establishment of a theory, "support-
ed by facts, and experiments, and confirmed by observation and long  experience."
He has permanently established the  reputation of his  system, and the character of
his remedies on an immutable basis:  He has kindled into visible light, many latent
sparks 6f truth, that through the long toil of revolving ages past, lay hid in the rubbish
of an absurd, bewildering, proscriptive philosophy.
   "His cause, is the cause of humanity: He has a claim upon the confidence and grati-
tude of the world.   Courts of law have  decided in his favor—perjury has faltered in
bis presence, and the God  of nature and providence has elevated him to a niche in
the temple of fame, and hedefies the competition of college standards of medical emi-
nence.
   We cannot close the labour which has  been imposed  upon  u?,  by the active
exertions of Dr. Williams, to uphold the calomel, blood-letting and blistering prac-
tice of the regular faeulty, (in which, as a practising physician he has a direct interest,)
without presenting our friends with some further opinions and facts of scientific prac-
titioners ; in doing which we shall, no doubt, confer a lasting obligation upon some of
the ignorant Thomsonians, who without these facts communicated upon oath, would'
not have known that "No. 6 was a powder"—"Lobelia a narcotic,"  and when given
in "10 to 20 grain doses produced purging"—nor that "Hemlock is a  poison, well'
known to Dr. Potter, growing.three or four feet high."
                      Read both sides, and then determine.
Extracts from the  "Trial of Francis Burke, on an indictment  for manslaughter, by
   administering to B. M. Hazelip  certain Thomsonian remedies."  [Verdict,  not
   guilty.  Bait. 1832.]
  Dr. Cole deposed, "that cayenne pepper
is a strong stimulant, and is, I believe, ne-
ver used as an injection, but by the advo-
cates of this system ; but  I  have known
brandy used under particular circumstan-
ces.   The summer before  last, when ma-
ny died of drinking cold water, I used bran-
dy,  and sometimes procured relief.  The
effect of lobelia, it is said, is to act as a
purgative.  I have never used it, and have
no knowledge of it myself.  Lobelia 1 do
consider ought not to be used by any but
those who are  judicious  and acquainted
with its effects and qualities.  I  consider
it a  dangerous  article.   *  *      They
have  a powder they use  which they call
No.  6.  J have seen it.  *  *  *  All our
medical works mention  lobelia as danger-
  Dr. Janney deposed—"that before he
would administer Thompson's  medicines,
he took them himself first to try their ef-
fects.   I have frequently  taken it, always
one teaspoonfii'l at a time, this being about
16 grains—but I repeat it till it operates—
I have used lobefia frequently upon others
during the  last two years.  *  *  *  I
should certainly say it was not apoison. I
always use it when I want to cleanse  the
stomach.   *  *  *   Hemlock  is not a
poison as has been stated here, but is per-
fectly harmless.  It is taken from the bark
of the pine tree, and is not a poison. These
(Thomsonian) medicines can do no harm
in any case  or under  any circumstances.
The more I have used Thomson's medi-
cines, the better I am satisfied of their effi- 
32
 bus, and  I do think it a dangerous  article
 in unskilful hands.  Ten grains of lobelia,
 in dry leaves, is an ordinary dose ;  this is
 sometimes increased  to twenty grains.  *
 *  *  They have a powder they  call No.
 6.  I am toell acquainted with it."
   Professor  Geddings  deposed  "that it
 was his opinion (after uhe post mortem ex-
 amination and hearing the testimony) that
 he (Hazelip) came to his death by the me-
 dicines which  were administered, particu-
 larly the  lobelia and  the steam.   *   *  *
 I have seen similar appearances from oth-
 er causes.  *  *   *   I consider lobelia a
 safe  medicine when administered in  pro-
 per doses and with discretion. £f»I should
 not have  arrived, perhaps, at the same con-
 clusion from the appearance,  [that Hazelip
 was killed with lobelia and steam],without
 taking into consideration the treatment prac-
 tised..  *   *   *   A  system  inordinately
 excited would be  very injuriously affected
 with cayenne pepper.  To illustrate  it, a
 glass of wine may  be taken when in health,
 and enlivens the system ; but in acute in-
 flammation it would be endangering health.
 *  *   Lobelia'is an active  stimulant, and
 a narcotic.  [This is learned ignorance.]
 In large doses, say 10 or 20 grains in sub-
 stance, it produces  vomiting and sometimes
 purging.   [Not a  fact ]   *   *  *  $$-If
 I had known nothing of this case except
from, the post mortem  examination, I
 could not have said he  died  of the  steam
 or the lobelia.  *  *  *   In  Russia they
 go from a vapor bath into a cold room,  [or
 roll themselves in  snow,  during the  most
 piercing cold] immediately with impunity.
 I confess,  my own impression  is, that it
 would be dangerous here.  [There  is no
 reason assigned for this;  the  danger, per-
 haps  arises from the fact that our climate
 is not as cold as that of Russia ]
   Professor Potter deposed—that lobelia,
 " if it does not act as an emetic, it does as
 a  purgative.  Hemlock  is  a poison.  I
 know it well—-it grows 3 or 4 feet high."
   Dr. Barton, (as quoted by Attorney Gen-
 eral Gill,) says—"If lobelia does not puke
 or evacuate speedily, it frequently  destroys
 the patient in 5 or 6 hours."  [Why did he
 not cite a case in proof?—there  is  none
 extant.
/cacy.   I believe they are not injurious .'.i
 any disease.   *  *  *  I have been my-
 self under the effects of steam for 30  min-
 utes.  It  was when I had the bilious fever.
 I took the lobelia and applied steam, with
 bricks and water poured over them while
 they were hot, and immediately had  blan-
 kets wrapped round me.   I am sure it cur-
 ed me without having recourse to any oth-
 er  remedy—and I am satisfied also that I
 had the bilious fever."
   Roger  Brooke affirmed—"that he nev-
 er  had reason to suppose any injury to re-
 sult from the use of lobelia.  I have tak-
 en myself 3 doses ;  and repeated  them in
 that time  as high as seven tea-spoonsful. I
 have used cayenne pepper in my own case
 and always carry a bottle of it with me.  I
 have found  cayenne the most permanent,
 powerful and pure stimulant known.  Oth-
 er stimulants shatter the nerves.  Brandy
 is not as good as cayenne in cases of typhus
 fever.  Dr.  Wright of Barbadoes, repre-
 sents it as being very effectual in some fe-
 vers which prevail, where  no other  medi-
 cines can have the same  effect.   A  work
 of his treats of the good effects of cayenne
 in Some particular" cases.  1 never had the
 smallest reason to suppose it had done any
 injury.  *  *  Hemlock is not poisonous.
 I  have had a patient that  had beeri under
 treatment for more than  a week, by two
 physicians, who were near me. I gave him
 some of the composition, and some No. 3,
 and lastly  some lobelia.  He had the  scar-
 let fever,  accompanied with  an inflamma-
 tion of the breast.   By the  use of  these
 remedies he was relieved in an hour.   *  *
 I consider the system of Thomson as very
 much adapted to the cure of all forms of
 diseases.  *   * I have actually tried these
 medicines  in a variety of diseases, some
 of them contradictory in their nature,some
 inflammatory, some the reverse, and I have
 relieved them in the course of a few hours
 and  have always found these medicines to
 have their desired effects.  * *   AH vol-
 atile remedies are injurious,  having a ten-
 dency to derange the nervous system.  Cay-
 enne, instead of deranging it, strengthens
 and supports it.  Lobelia is never used as
a cathartic.  Thomson says that in a prac-
tice of 30  years he never knew it to act in
that manner,  and this agrees with  my own
experience [and of every Thomsonian.]
  Dr. Thatcher "recommends lobelia for
coughs, whooping cough zndhydrophobia"
—all this  as well as its efficacy in asthma, 
33
 was obtained from Thomson, who was obliged to expose his discovery to prove the
 falsity of an indictment against him.
   Dr. Barton reeommendsit in "crovp," instead of the antimonials; and adds, "the
 United States do not contain a plant of more unequivocal action upon the system."
   Dr. Cutler pronounces it a specific in asthma.
   Dr. Eberle speaks of  its excellence in croup, hernia,  &c. &c.   And Thomsonians
 can fully  appreciate its value in all cases of disease*
   It is proper to remark, that there are many species of lobelia, differing in their prop-
 erties and effects; and that, through ignorance,  they regret any have confounded the
 "Thomsonia Emetica" with the lobelia cardinalis, which is not used by them, and may,
 for ought  we know, " destroy a patient in 5 or 6  hours."
   We defy the utmost ingenuity to reconcile the conflicting testimony here presented
 to public  view.  On the one side is arrayed  the evidence,  or opinion, of a law-protect-
 ed, monopolising craft, who confess they have no knowledge of the medicinal  proper-
 ties of lobelia, never having used it, yet they dogmatically pronounce it a dangerous ar-
 ticle, " destructive of life in  5 or 6 hours," unless administered by " skilful practition-
 ers ;" that is to say, by their own delicate,  Iabour-shuning diplomatized hands.  On
 the other, you have the testimony of long and mature experience, of the affiants them-
 selves, and thousands more might be adduced, who have used the article, and who have
 no interest in keeping the people in ignorance, or in practising deception ,-f which  is

   * Here, then, we have the opinions of Drs. Thatcher, Cutler, Barton and Eberle, in
 favour of lobelia.   All the knowledge either possessed of its medical virtues was origi-
 nally derived through Dr. Thomson; although it has bcert alleged  that it  (lobelia) was
 known and used for centuries by the aborigines of the country :  but this is an unfoun-
 ded  assertion ;  and Dr. Williams—nay, the whole of the calomel tribe, are challeng-
 ed to furnish their evidence in the case.  We  boldly assert, that they cannot produce
 a single line to sustain them, anterior to the period Dr. T. made known its virtues.
   Let the reader particularly  observe, that the learned doctors above mentioned, (since
 a portion  of Thomson's practice has leaked out,) testify in favor of lobelia as excellent
 in whooping cough and  hydrophobia—in asthma, hernia and croup, all of which were
 successfully treated by Thomson SO years ago.  If, in their estimation, these are not
 different diseases, they are, at least, very different forms of disease; and they come as
 near pronouncing disease an unit as we could desire.   Hence if all these can be cured
 by Thomson's Emetic, why may not a " blow upon the head," if the brain is not injur-
 ed, and an extravasation of the blood vessels has not ensued, also be cured by it and
 the use of cayenne and lobelia as stimulants; or "stuffing with cayenne," as Dr. Wil-
 liams has termed it ?   We  ask the Dr. for information.  There  appear to be some
 shades of difference between asthma, croup, hernia, whooping cough and hydrophobia.
 Apropos—one of the regular methods formerly of curing strangulated hernia, was, to
 " place the patient on his head and toss him about," somewhat like you would a pig by
 the heels.  Dr. Thomas protests against this scientific practice.   [See his " Modern
 Practice of Physic," N. York, 1822, p. 179.]
   f The following just remarks are copied from the writings of the Rev. John Wesley:
" As  theories increased, simple medicines were more and more disregarded  and disus-
ed; till, in a course of years, the greater part  of them were forgotten, at least in the
more polite nations.  In the room of these, abundance of new ones were introduced, by
reasoning, speculative men; and those more and  more difficult to be applied, as being
 more remote from common observation.  Hence  rules for the application of these, and
medical books were immensely multiplied; till at length physic became an abstruse
science, quite out of the reach of ordinary men.  Physicians now began to be held in
admiration, as persons who were something more  than human.   And  profit attended
their employ, as well as honour.   So that they had now two weighty reasons for keep-
ing the bulk of mankind  at a distance, that  they  might not pry into the  mysteries of
their profession.  To this end they increased those difficulties, by design, which were
in a  manner by accident.  They filled  their writings with abundance of technical
terms, utterly unintelligible to plain men.
  " Those who understood only how to  restore the sick to health, they branded with
               5 
34
balculated to put to rest forever the malignant denunciations of the regular faculty.  And
if this all should not be considered conclusive by the most skeptical,we are willing to ex-
hibit practical demonstration both of the absolute innocence  and efficacy of our reme-
dies, by having any, or all of them compounded and administered in tea-spoonful dos-
es, to the welt or the sick, until they amount, in quantity, to four times Professor Ged-
dinos' largest dose, (20 grains,) by the  most stupid and  unskilful plantation negro
Dr. Williams has on his farm;  because none of these medicines are of a poisonous
nature, and therefore cannot injure or kill;  being in perfect  harmony with nature and
the principles of life—combating only with disease,—the enemy of health  and life:—
and " where there is no enemy, there can be no war."
  In return, we simply  desire to witness the administration, simultaneously, of a small
quantity of the usual remedies of learned quackery, such  as opium, nitre, sulphate of
copper, prussic acid, antimony, corrosive sublimate, &c. upon a healthy subject of their
own craft, by the most learned and skilful  brother, merely by way of contrasting the two
practices; " that's  all."
  Finally, it has been  said, and may be reiterated, that we have furnished no detailed
account of our system!  We have, however, exhibited a striking coincidence of opinion
between Brotcn, Rush, Thomson and others, of the unity of disease, and the course of
remedies necessarily resulting from this doctrine.  We have also furnished a  mass of
testimony,  drawn from the ranks of the regular faculty, of the pernicious  and fatal ef-
fects of bloodletting, and the use of mercury and other poisonous  mineral and vegetable
substances, as medicines; and solemnly declared, and boldly reiterated the  declara-
tion, that Thomsonians never administer either, as preventives or curatives—and  what
more  can the public desire ?  True, it has been widely circulated,  by regular means,
that the Thomsonians  have poisoned Mrs. A. with lobelia ; stewed Mr. B. with steam,
and very Handily spoiled the beautiful complexion of Miss C. with that vile "compo-
sition" powder, &.c. &c.;  but where is the proof?—no where to be found.   It is ima-
ginary ;  haunting the regulars only in consequence of a heavy loss of lucrative practice,
and a daily appreciation of the Thomsonian practice by the people.
  Thornspnians could adduce volumes of testimony to sustain their system, by proving
an unity of cure ; but it would occupy too much time, and  extend this publication far
beyond its contemplated limits, having considerably exceeded that already.   It is only
requisite to add the following comprehensive synopsis of  the  whole secret of their
system:
  " Disease is an unity—there is one general cause of disease, and one general reme-
" dy—hence, that  medicine which will promptly remove obstructions throughout the
"human system, without implanting new  maladies; promote free perspiration, and re-
" store the digestive powers; is suited to every patient, whatever form the disease may
"assume; and is universally applicable."
  Dr. Rush, proclaimed his opinion, "That the time ivould  come when it would  be as
easy for every man to  cure himself of disease, as  it was now [then] to cure the most
simple malady; and that old age would be the only outlet of life."   Happy  period ! it
is near at hand;  and learned quackery, with all its weapons, satire, ridicule, denuncia-
tions, and their protecting law, cannot long retard it.

To fill up what otherwise  would have been a  blank  page, we are  induced to believe
  that we could furnish our readers, and the enquiring portion of the public, with  noth-
  ing more  deserving their attention than the following extract from the " Thomso-
  nian Recorder," on Bilious Fever and the use of Calomel.
                                 CALOMEL.
  [The subjoined Essay, relates chiefly to the  use of Calomel, and is one of a series,
on Bilious Fever and the use of Calomel, by A. Hunn.  We do not hold ourselves a-
menable for any of the theoretic peculiarities  of the  author.—We  leave  our readers

the name of Empirics.   They introduced into practice abundance of compound medi-
cines, consisting of so many ingredients, that it was scarce  possible for common people
to know what it was that wrought  a cure.  Abundance of exotics, neither the nature
nor the names of which their own countrymen understood." 
35
to reject or adopt them agreeably to their own conviction of their merits or demerits.
The facts stated in relation to the mercurial practice, deserve to be carefully noticed—
for it is too notorious that the regular Faculty, as they are  ludicrously called, rest upon
calomel as their herculian remedy, and use it  promiscuously in almost every case of dis-
ease.—Eds.]
           Essay on Bilious Fever and the Use of Calomel, by A.  Hum.
   This is the sera of calomel.   The present medical practice viight well dispense with
every other drug  besides it.  I own the calomel practice is both cheap and easy to the
physician ; for  the whole extent of both theory and practice is, give calomel; if that
will  not help, give more calomel;  and if that again proves abortive, double, treble the
doses  of  calomel.   If the patient  recovers, "calomel has cured him;" if  he dies,
" nothing on earth could  have saved  him."   The reader will conclude that medical
schools and academies, with tiie head-aching studies of anatomy, physiology, botany,
pharmacology, and  chemistry, have been laid prostrate by this giant, calomel.  Half a
day's,  nay, in a genius, half an hour's study, will initiate any lady or gentleman into all
the mysteries of the  ^Esculapian art, and the  " aurea praxis," might swell the account
of a modern Galenns to $100 at the expense of 12| cents.   This is certainly for the
doctor a "consummation devoutly to be wished."  But there is a heavy drawback on
our joy, which  the fable of the boys and the frogs so ingeniously portrays:  "what is
joy to  you is death to us," said the expiring frogs.  I expect to show to my  impartial
reader that the present calomel practice in fevers, is a calamity in its ravages co-exten-
sive with the empire of civilization, and that war,  with  all its ghastly concomitants)
must hail calomel as its master.
   The proper  effects of Mercury on the human frame, are, 1st, fever, as I have before
defined it.   2d,  It is the cause of a peculiar action on the  lymphatic vessels.  3d, It
chemically decomposes the fluids, and particularly the lympha.  This is, in  my opin»
ion, the  true cause of the fetid breath  in salivation.   4th,  In constitutions prone to that
effect, or under circumstances favoring it, or  when too long used, it produces mortify-
ing ulcers of a  specific kind,  which have hitherto proved absolutely  incurable.  Its ac-
cidental effects are,  1st, Salivation, which may also be produced by other drugs, and
sometimes appear spontaneously, and which is not at all necessary to effect a cure.   2d,
In a state of great visceral irritability, or when given in large doses, it proves  a sicken-
ing and  powerful purgative,  with a singular sympathetic  affection of  the liver, which
viscus is thereby  thrown into a morbid convulsive action,  creating; bile, exhorbitant in
quantity and poisonous in quality;  when in a healthy state the bilious secretion is mild,
moderate in quantity, and salutary.
   Now it appears to be a law in animalization, that  two  distinct fever causes cannot
operate at the same time on the system.  Thus for instance, if the  infection  of the
measles  lodges in the  body when a patient is inoculated  for the small pox,  the latter
will remain  inactive till the first has run through its  course.  This law  I apprehend,
first introduced mercury into the fever practice; and  it is  a fact, that if the proper mer-
curial  action can be produced, the fever  produced  by a  miasma will speedily cease.
But my reader will  please to observe, 1st, that in all fever cases it is extremely preca-
rious and doubtful to produce this proper mercurial action, and there are many cases in
which it cannot be induced at all.   Besides  that, when  induced it is unmanageable.
2d,  If the bowels are very irritable and weak, or in peculiar habits, it  will operate as a
purge  and throw the liver into bile-creating convulsions, like a blister-plaster on the
very liver.   It  will attract more or less of the febrile impetus  upon that vital  viscus,
producing a dangerous inequality,  which is called " bilious  fever"   3d, After a vast
quantity of mercury has been introduced  into the system, which for want of sufficient
excitability, has lain dormant; if now  by a sudden increase of that excitability, or from
other unknown causes, it evinces its presence by salivation, this will be of course enor-
mous  and distressing.   The  teetb, those valuable instruments of our  most substantial
enjoyments, become loose and rot, perhaps fall out;  or, worse still,  the upper and low-
er jaw-bones exfoliate and rot out sometimes, as I  have witnessed, in the form of horse-
shoes; parts of the  tongue and palate are frequently  lost, and the poor  onject lingers
out a  doleful existence during life.   A tremendous description this,  indeed—yet this 
36
happens when mercury performs a cure.   In our summer and fall fever, the pestilential
bilious symptoms occasioned or aggravated by it, carry the patient speedily off in inex-
pressible torments, and spread the multiplied miasma among the mourning family, the
unwary bystanders, and nurses!
  Is there any of my readers who would not by this time pray, "deliver us from calo-
mel ?" Yes, my fellow-citizens, you can be,the world will be delivered from it!  On-
ly drive away prejudice, that black thunder-cloud, which ever hovers over truth ;  think
for yourselves, free as  republicans ever should think; consult your precious healths and
lives.  Every free man should, at least  to a certain degree, be  his own lawyer, his own
preacher, and his own physician.  My method of cure in fever is entirely without mer-
cury and its doleful effects.   Were I even not more successful than those gentlemen of
the  medical profession, who trust so much to the virtues of calomel, still the gain would
be immense;  but from  facts enumerated fairly by myself and others, I ween I have
nothing to fear from an impartial comparison.
At a regular meeting of the " Thomsonian Friendly Botanic Society of Maryland"
   held in the city of Baltimore on the 2d day of March,  1835, the following pre-
   amble and resolutions were presented and unanimously adopted :

   Whereas, it has been the practice of the regular faculty, and their misguided adher-
ents, on all occasions to deceive the public in relation to the highly valuable medicinal
properties, and efficacious results of the inoccuous plant, distinguished by the name of
Lobelia Inflata, upon the human system ;—and
   Whereas, it is known that there  are many varieties  of the lobelia, which,  in conse-
quence of the acknowledged ignorance of its medicinal  qualities, as well as the proper
mode of administering it; or its salutary effects as a»general remediate agent, by the
regular faculty, may have  induced them to confound those several varieties, with a view
of poisoning the  public mind, and bringing the Botanic practice into disrepute; and
.  Whereas, Dr. Benjamin WaUrhouse, of Cambridge,  Mass., disdaining the narrow
limits which confine medical knowledge,  or acquirements,  to a privileged class;  and
bursting asunder the shackles of faction and prejudice,  which would suffer no one to
discover important remedies; project reform in medicine',  or wear the  honors wbich
those discoveries or reform  would confer, unless attached to their own order, has rend-
ered to Samuel Thomson, the meed of just praise for his valuable addition to the ma-
teria medica of this indigenous p'lant,  the Lobelia, and declared that "it ought, in jus-'
tice,inhonor and gratitude, to be called the Thomsonia Emetica :"  therefore,
   1. Resolved, by the " Thomsonian  Friendly Botanic Society of Maryland," that in fu-
ture this valuable herb shall be by  us, known and distinguished as  the " Thomsonia
Emetica"  [Thomson's Emetic] of the Botanic practice; and that  it be recommended
to, and enjoined upon all our friends  of the  Botanic  practice, in  this Slate  and  else-
where, to distinguish the same by the  above appellation,  and no other, in honor of the
experienced and  sagacious '• Patriarch Samuel Thomson."
   2. Resolved, that the proceedings  had in this  case be respectfully laid before the
United States* Botanic Convention, at their next annual meeting, for their approbation
and sanction;  and that they be requested to pursue such a course in the premises, as
may to them be most likely to realise  the object projected by this society.
   3. Resolved, that a copy of these proceedings, signed by the president  and secretary,
be furnished for publication to the editors of the " Thomsonian Recorder," at Colum-
bus, Ohio, and the "Botanic Watchman," at Albany, N. Y., with  a  request,  on  their
part, that the same be copied into all  papers not unfriendly to the performance of an
act of justice to Dr.  Thomson.
                                  (Signed,)
                                                WM. HOULTON, President.
   J. Walker, Secretary. 
\    i 

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