第13章

“YouhavehadthekindnesstoinformmeinyourletterthatanewAmericanJournal，the’NewWorld，’hasmadeuseofmynameinsupportofthepretendedHomoeopathicdoctrines，andthatIamrepresentedasoneofthewarmestpartisansofHomoeopathyinFrance。

“Iamvastlysurprisedatthereputationmanufacturedformeuponthenewcontinent；butIamobliged，indeferencetotruth，torejectitwithmywholeenergy。IspurnfarfrommeeverythingwhichrelatestothatcharlatanismcalledHomoeopathy，forthesepretendeddoctrinescannotendurethescrutinyofwiseandenlightenedpersons，whoareguidedbyhonorablesentimentsinthepracticeofthenoblestofarts。

“PARIS，3dNovember，1841：“

Iam，etc。，etc。，“G。BRESCHET，“ProfessorintheFacultyofMedicine，MemberoftheInstitute，SurgeonofHotelDieu，andConsultingSurgeontotheKing，etc。

IfirstsawM。Breschet’snamementionedinthatJournalConcerningAmussat，mycorrespondentwrites，thathewasinformedbyMadameHahnemann，whoconversesinFrenchmorereadilythanherhusband，andthereforeoftenspeaksforhim，that“hewasnotaphysician，neitherHomoeopathistnorAllopathist，butthathewasthesurgeonoftheirownestablishment；thatis，performedasasurgeonalltheoperationstheyhadoccasionforintheirpractice。“

IregretnothavingmadeanyinquiriesastoMarjolin，who，Idoubtnot，wouldstrikehisponderoussnuff-boxuntilitresoundedliketheGrecianhorse，athearingsuchadoctrineassociatedwithhisrespectablename。Iwasnotaware，whenwritingtoParis，thatthisworthyProfessor，whoselecturesIlongattended，wasincludedintheseaudaciousclaims；butafterthespecimensIhavegivenoftheaccuracyoftheforeigncorrespondenceofthe“HomoeopathicExaminer，“anyfurtherinformationImightobtainwouldseemsosuperfluousashardlytobeworththepostage。

Homoeopathymaybesaid，then，tobeinasufficientlymiserableconditioninParis。Yettherelives，andtherehaslivedforyears，theillustriousSamuelHahnemann，whohimselfassuredmycorrespondentthatnoplaceofferedtheadvantagesofParisinitsinvestigation，byreasonoftheattentiontherepaidtoit。

InEngland，itappearsbythestatementofDr。CurieinOctober，1839，abouteightyearsafteritsintroductionintothecountry，thattherewereeighteenHomoeopathicphysiciansintheUnitedKingdom，ofwhomonlythreeweretobefoundoutofLondon，andthatmanyofthesepractisedHomoeopathyinsecret。

Itwillbeseen，therefore，that，accordingtotherecentstatementofoneofitsleadingEnglishadvocates，HomoeopathyhadobtainednotquitehalfasmanypracticaldisciplesinEnglandasPerkinismcouldshowforitselfinasomewhatlessperiodfromthetimeofitsfirstpromulgationinthatcountry。

Dr。Curie’sletter，datedLondon，October30，1839，saysthereis“oneinDublin，Dr。Luther；atGlasgow，Dr。Scott。“The“distinguished“ChrysaorawritesfromParis，datingOctober20，1839，“Ontheotherhand，HomoeopathyiscommencingtomakeaninroadintoEnglandbythewayofIreland。AtDublin，distinguishedphysicianshavealreadyembracedthenewsystem，andagreatpartofthenobilityandgentryofthatcityhaveemancipatedthemselvesfromtheEnglishfashionandprofessionalauthority。“

ButtheMarquisofAngleseaandSirEdwardLyttonBulwerpatronizeHomoeopathy；theQueenDowagerAdelaidehasbeentreatedbyaHomoeopathicphysician。“Jarleyisthedelightofthenobilityandgentry。““TheRoyalFamilyarethepatronsofJarley。“

LetmeaskifaMarquisandaKnightarebetterthantwoLords，andiftheDowagerofRoyaltyisbetterthanRoyaltyitself，allofwhichillustriousdignitieswereclaimedinbehalfofBenjaminDouglassPerkins？

Butifthebalanceisthoughttooevenlysuspendedinthiscase，anotherinstancecanbegiveninwhichtheevidenceofBritishnoblemenandtheirladiesisshowntobeasvaluableinestablishingthecharacterofamedicalmanordoctrine，aswouldbethetestimonyoftheMarquisofWaterfordconcerningthepresentconditionandprospectsofmissionaryenterprise。Ihavebeforemeanoctavovolumeofmorethanfourhundredpages，inwhich，amongmuchsimilarmatter，IfindhighlycommendatorylettersfromtheMarchionessofOrmond，LadyHarrietKavanagh，theCountessofBuckinghamshire，theRightHon。ViscountIngestre，M。P。，andtheMostNoble，theMarquisofSligo，——alladdressedto“JohnSt。JohnLong，Esq，“awretchedcharlatan，twicetriedfor，andonceconvictedof，manslaughterattheOldBailey。

Thispoorcreature，too，likeallofhistribe，speaksofthemedicalprofessionasagreatconfederationofbigotedmonopolists。He，too，saysthat“Ifaninnovatorshouldappear，holdingouthopetothoseindespair，andcuringdisorderswhichthefacultyhaverecordedasirremediable，heisatonce，andwithoutinquiry，denouncedasanempiricandanimpostor。“He，too，citestheinevitablenamesofGalileoandHarvey，andreferstothefeelingsexcitedbythegreatdiscoveryofJenner。FromthetreatmentofthegreatastronomerwhowasvisitedwiththepunishmentofotherhereticsbytheecclesiasticalauthoritiesofaCatholiccountrysomecenturiessince，thereisnoverydirectinferencetobedrawntothemedicalprofessionofthepresenttime。Hisnameshouldbebabblednolonger，afterhavingbeenplacardedforthehundredthtimeinthepagesofSt。JohnLong。ButifwearedoomedtoseeconstantreferencetothenamesofHarveyandJennerineveryworthlesspamphletcontainingtheprospectusofsomenewtrickuponthepublic，letus，onceforall，starethefactsintheface，andseehowthediscoveriesofthesegreatmenwereactuallyreceivedbythemedicalprofession。

In1628，Harveypublishedhisfirstworkuponthecirculation。Hisdoctrineswereacompleterevolutionoftheprevailingopinionsofallantiquity。Theyimmediatelyfoundbothchampionsandopponents；

ofwhichlast，oneonly，Riolanus，seemedtoHarveyworthyofananswer，onaccountofhis“rank，fame，andlearning。“Controversyinscience，asinreligion，wasnot，inthosedays，carriedonwithallthecourtesywhichourpresenthabitsdemand，anditispossiblethatsomehardwordsmayhavebeenappliedtoHarvey，asitisverycertainthatheusedthemostcontemptuousexpressionstowardsothers。

HarveydeclaresinhissecondlettertoRiolanus，“Sincethefirstdiscoveryofthecirculation，hardlyaday，oramoment，haspassedwithoutmyhearingitbothwellandillspokenof；someattackitwithgreathostility，othersdefenditwithhighencomiums；onepartybelievethatIhaveabundantlyprovedthetruthofthedoctrineagainstalltheweightofopposingarguments，byexperiments，observations，anddissections；othersthinkitnotyetsufficientlyclearedup，andfreefromobjections。“TworeallyeminentProfessors，PlempiusofLouvain，andWalaeusofLeyden，wereamongitsearlyadvocates。

Theopinionssanctionedbytheauthorityoflongages，andthenamesofHippocratesandGalen，dissolvedaway，gradually，butcertainly，beforethedemonstrationsofHarvey。Twenty-fouryearsafterthepublicationofhisfirstwork，andsixyearsbeforehisdeath，hisbustinmarblewasplacedintheHalloftheCollegeofPhysicians，withasuitableinscriptionrecordinghisdiscoveries。

TwoyearsafterthishewasunanimouslyinvitedtoacceptthePresidencyofthatbody；andhelivedtoseehisdoctrineestablished，andallreputableoppositionwithdrawn。

ThereweremanycircumstancesconnectedwiththediscoveryofDr。

Jennerwhichwereofanaturetoexciterepugnanceandopposition。

Thepracticeofinoculationforthesmall-poxhadalreadydisarmedthatdiseaseofmanyofitsterrors。Theintroductionofacontagiousdiseasefromabrutecreatureintothehumansystemnaturallystruckthepublicmindwithasensationofdisgustandapprehension，andapartofthemedicalpublicmayhavesharedthesefeelings。IfindthatJenner’sdiscoveryofvaccinationwasmadepublicinJune，1798。InJulyofthesameyearthecelebratedsurgeon，Mr。Cline，vaccinatedachildwithvirusreceivedfromDr。

Jenner，andincommunicatingthesuccessofthisexperiment，hementionsthatDr。Lister，formerlyoftheSmall-PoxHospital，andhimself，areconvincedoftheefficacyofthecow-pox。InNovemberofthesameyear，Dr。Pearsonpublishedhis“Inquiry，“containingthetestimonyofnumerouspractitionersindifferentpartsofthekingdom，totheefficacyofthepractice。Dr。HAYGARTH，whowassoconspicuousinexposingthefolliesofPerkinism，wasamongtheveryearliesttoexpresshisopinioninfavorofvaccination。In1801，Dr。Lettsommentionsthecircumstance“asbeingtothehonorofthemedicalprofessors，thattheyhaveverygenerallyencouragedthissalutarypractice，althoughitiscertainlycalculatedtolessentheirpecuniaryadvantagesbyitstendencytoextirpateafertilesourceofprofessionalpractice。“

InthesameyeartheMedicalCommitteeofParisspokeofvaccinationinapublicletter，as“themostbrilliantandmostimportantdiscoveryoftheeighteenthcentury。“TheDirectorsofaSocietyfortheExterminationoftheSmall-Pox，inaReportdatedOctober1st，1807，“congratulatethepublicontheveryfavorableopinionwhichtheRoyalCollegeofPhysiciansofLondon，afteramostminuteandlaboriousinvestigationmadebythecommandofhisMajesty，haveasecondtimeexpressedonthesubjectofvaccination，intheirReportlaidbeforetheHouseofCommons，inthelastsessionofParliament；

inconsequenceofwhichthesumoftwentythousandpoundswasvotedtoDr。Jenner，asaremunerationforhisdiscovery，inadditiontotenthousandpoundsbeforegranted。“(InJune，1802。)

Theseandsimilaraccusations，sooftenbroughtupagainsttheMedicalProfession，areonlyonemodeinwhichismanifestedaspiritofoppositionnotmerelytomedicalscience，buttoallscience，andtoallsoundknowledge。Itisaspiritwhichneitherunderstandsitselfnortheobjectatwhichitisaiming。Itgropesamongthelooserecordsofthepast，andthefloatingfablesofthemoment，togleanafewtruthsorfalsehoodstendingtoprove，iftheyproveanything，thatthepersonswhohavepassedtheirlivesinthestudyofabranchofknowledgetheveryessenceofwhichmustalwaysconsistinlongandaccurateobservation，arelesscompetenttojudgeofnewdoctrinesintheirowndepartmentthantherestofthecommunity。Itbelongstotheclowninsociety，thedestructiveinpolitics，andtherogueinpractice。

ThenameofHarvey，whosegreatdiscoverywasthelegitimateresultofhisseveretrainingandpatientstudy，shouldbementionedonlytocheckthepretensionsofpresumptuousignorance。TheexampleofJenner，whogavehisinestimablesecret，theresultoftwenty-twoyearsofexperimentandresearches，unpurchased，tothepublic，——

when，aswassaidinParliament，hemighthavemadeahundredthousandpoundsbyitaswellasanysmallersum，——shouldbereferredtoonlytorebuketheselfishvendersofsecretremedies，amongwhomhisearlyhistoryobligesusreluctantlytorecordSamuelHahnemann。

Thosewhospeakofthegreatbodyofphysiciansasiftheywereunitedinaleaguetosupportthesuperannuatednotionsofthepastagainsttheprogressofimprovement，havereadthehistoryofmedicinetolittlepurpose。Theprevalentfailingofthisprofessionhasbeen，onthecontrary，tolendatoocredulouseartoambitiousandplausibleinnovators。Ifatthepresenttimetenyearsofpublicnotorietyhavepassedoveranydoctrineprofessingtobeofimportanceinmedicalscience，andifithasnotsucceededinraisingupapowerfulbodyofable，learned，andingeniousadvocatesforitsclaims，thefaultmustbeinthedoctrineandnotinthemedicalprofession。

Homoeopathyhashadastillmoreextendedperiodoftrialthanthis，andwehaveseenwithwhatresults。Itonlyremainstothrowoutafewconjecturesastotheparticularmannerinwhichitistobreakupanddisappear。

1。Theconfidenceofthefewbelieversinthisdelusionwillneversurvivethelossoffriendswhomaydieofanyacutedisease，underatreatmentsuchasthatprescribedbyHomoeopathy。Itisdoubtfulhowfarcasesofthiskindwillbetrustedtoitstendermercies，butwhereveritacquiresanyconsiderablefoothold，suchcasesmustcome，andwiththemtheruinofthosewhopractiseit，shouldanyhighlyvaluedlifebethussacrificed。

2。Afteritsnoveltyhaswornout，theardentandcapriciousindividualswhoconstitutethemostprominentclassofitspatronswillreturntovisibledoses，wereitonlyforthesakeofachange。

3。TheSemi-Homoeopathicpractitionerwillgraduallywithdrawfromtherottenhalfofhisbusinessandtrytomakethepublicforgethisconnectionwithit。

4。TheultraHomoeopathistwilleitherrecantandtrytorejointhemedicalprofession；orhewillembracesomenewerandifpossibleequallyextravagantdoctrine；orhewillsticktohiscolorsandgodownwithhissinkingdoctrine。Veryfewwillpursuethecourselastmentioned。

AsinglefactmayservetopointoutinwhatdirectiontherewillprobablybeamovementofthedissolvingatomsofHomoeopathy。Onthe13thpageofthetoofrequentlycitedManifestoofthe“Examiner“

Ireadthefollowingstatelyparagraph：

“Bigelius，M。D。，physiciantotheEmperorofRussia，whoseelevatedreputationiswellknowninEurope，hasbeenanacknowledgedadvocateofHahnemann’sdoctrinesforseveralyears。HeabandonedAllopathiaforHomoeopathia。“ThedateofthisstatementisJanuary，1840。I