The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-09-12 00:00:00

, Stevens here read en extract from the Rules and
orders ; the 9th, 10th, end ifith, ordered that
• register should be kept of the cases, with fell pars
neuters—that the asylum should be open to the in-
, spection of medical men—and that as Mr. Whitlow
had offeaed to instruct any number of medical prac-
titioners in the use of his remedies, and in hie modes
or treatment, *inch medical practitioners should be
recommended by the Committee.] Such was the
Report they were now called upon to approve, and
he quite agreed that the Committee must stand
or fall by the efficacy of Mr. Whitlaw's remedies.
They believed that his remedies and modes of treat-
ment were superior to those heretofore seed and
practised, and if they were not superior, they asked
not for the support of the meeting. In order to
bring-the question regularly before the meeting, he
had framed • resolution in *Nell he had endea-
voured to avoid any strong expression, so that even
medical men would not be committed by it, and
this he had done for the purpose of conciliating
those, if any there were, who herd come with hostile
feelings. He respectfully entreated the meeting to
attend to the facts which he should lay before them,
and begged them to discharge every hostile feeling,
and declare, after he had read the cams, whether
they could lay their hands upon their hearts, and lift
up a finger against that Institution which was be-
; fore them that day. Of all subjects, any thing
connected with medical judgment was the most dif-
ficult to decide ; it would be impossible therefore
for the meeting to enter into a minute examination
ofindividual cases, but that which, in his opinion,
ought to satisfy the meeting would be afforded.
A gentleman, named Rennie, had published a
pamphlet, in which some cases of alleged failure
were considered. Answers would be given to all
those cases except one, and that one they should
refrain from noticing (as being improper to bring
before a mixed assembly) ; but who 'would bring
it forward ? There was also another reason
for not alluding to it there, it had already been
brought before a tribunal in that town, and would
be brought before a superior tribunal as soon as
the Courts were open. Therefore, whatever might
be said on that case by others, no notice would be
taken of it on the part of the Committee. He
would state what the grounds were on which the
meeting and the public were called upon to aid
this benevolent Institution. They hod the Report of
a Committee of twenty gentlemen ; of their re-
spectability he need say nothing, foe even Mr.
Rennie, though not disposed to favourable judg-
ments, in his pamphlet acknowledged it was
both numerous and respectable. The meeting had
the Report of these Gentlemen, and in it they say
they had investigated 331 cubes, and at a subsequent
period they had investigated 87 cases. Now, per-
sons might be respectable and might not be judi-
cious—(Hear, hear)—but the meeting would find
that this Committee were both ; for hearing that
doubts had been expressed, they took the opportu.
nity of examining these 87 cesea, excluding Mr.
Whitlaw entirely from all interference. The very
first case was a dreadful one, of which 20 medical
tri.‘n had previously had the management, and was
brought to Mr. Whitlow only because they could not
help it. No public business could be carried on with-
out confidence, and the Report of this Committee
was fully voided to the utmost confidence of the
meeting. The cares most be true, or the Commit.
tee were not honest men. Ile (Mr. Stu yetis) did
not know all the Gentlemen composing that Com-
mittee, but there was one he did know, who was
the °igen of a great public charity, whose un-
I wearied philanthropy and extrusive knowledge of
business lie was well acquainted with. He alone
was sufficient to satisfy his (Mr. Stevens's) mind.
The observation had been made, that gentle.
men might he honest, but they were not me-
dical men. But did any one before ever hear of a
benevolent Institution, consisting of only one clam
of persons ? But the Committee had • physician of
the Royal College of Physicians, and a surgeon of
the Royal College of Surgeons, belonging to their
body, and these two gentlemen stood on as high
ground in point of character as any ode r members
of the profession. Under these circumstances, there
was not an iota of weight in the objection that the
Committee were not all medical men. If they saw
• patient come in with sunken eye, a pallid couple-
'since, and emaciated frame, at the end of too
months depart with health restored, could not a
Mali of common sense discover that without the aid
I of the College of Physicians ? But they had the
aid of • regularly-educated physicists (Dr. Pid-
dock), and would any man pretend to say that
the moment he shook hinds with Mr. Whitlow
lie lost all his ; unit that from that moment
all memory of Galen and Hippocrates had slipped
out of his head ? Every man in the Committee
tells the meeting, that what they have said is tree,
and the meeting must believe that. or that they
intentionally deceived them.— (Hear, hear, hear.)—
He derived soother argument in favour of the In.
&Mutton, front the harmlessness of the medicines in
any case; even at the supposition of Mr. Whitlaw'a
enemies, that they hart done no good, they had
not dune, nor can they do. any injury. He
should be glad to know if the public would nut
have reason to be satisfied, if ell the medicines
used, and treatment followed in other places, had
been equally hermless.—(Bunts of laughter.)—
If there was a chance of benefit to these dreadful
maladies. the rneetino ought to be satisfied that
there was something deleterioos before they say
these medicines ought Not to be administered ; but
in all the cases; the general health had been im-
proved. Su far from acting injuriously, the health
was benefited, whether the disorder *se cured or nut.
It was a very important point, when a man cured
some, benefited many, and injured none, to claim
the support of this meeting soil every person in it.
It was one of the grounds on which Mr. Whitlow
was entitled to Mimics that he had consented such
an Institution should be estahlialted. He had con-
seuted, and challenged the whose profession, man
for man, amid case len case, to take up this disorder
with hien. Mr. !Lennie, in his pamphlet, co.nparts

Mr. Whitlow with Dr. Bossy sod Dr. Salomon,
sod we had all heard of Velno, Brodum, and others
but did any of these men ever think of establi.hing
a public institution for the use of their medicine.,
sod to instruct medical men in the mode of admi-
nistering them ? Mr. Whitlaw must he an abso-
lute madman to have acted as he hail done unless
satisfied of the efficacy of his remedies; hie conduct
proved, that should his medicines not prove t
cious, at least his intentions were pure sod honest.
It was well known what great fortunes we're often
made by the venders of quack medicines. Would
lie not, if his intentions were to get a fortune, have
followed their plan ? But he had done no such
thing, and therefore stood on higher ground.
Whitlow was u man of science, although not edu.
cited classically—

Mr.JAsvis raid across the table. that Mr. Whit-
low, in his pamphlet, said he had been classically
educated.

Mr. STIIVENII ',lid, he begged Mr. Wh'llaw's
pardon. Mr. Whitlow was not a person who was in
want of a character, or who had none to lose ; he
came among them with a character already este.
blivhed, and he (Mr. Stevens) felt he should
nut be out of order if he read to them some
testimonials to his excellence in botanical science.
[Mr. Stevens here read the thanks to Mr. Whir-
1-eve of a Botanical Society at Philadelphia, dated
14!ii June, 1917, also a letter doted rtild April,
018, from the President of the College of South
Carolina ; also a letter signed by three Reverend
Gentlemen. The whole of these documents spoke
in terms highly favourable of the talents and eh.-
meter of Mr. Whitlow.] The conclusion he (Mr.
Stevens) drew from them was, that Mr. Whitlow
had not conducted himself in America like on
impostor, or he would never have procured such
testimonials. Whatever questions might be raised
as to the character of o•rTrans-Atlantic brethren ea
other points, no one ever accused them of want of
discrimination. Another argument io favour of
this lostitotion was the great and increasing preva-
lence of those disorders which Mr. Whitlaw professed
to cure; that they were increasing any man
might be convinced who looked round in the
circle of his own family and friends, in which he
could scarcely fail to see a sufferer. How did this
happen ? Not for want of medical men, but for
want of remedies. If, therefore, there was the
smallest chance of relief from these of Mr. Whit-
law, he envied not the man who could stand for-
ward to prevent them being tried. An objection
had been taken because Mr. Whitlaw kept the re•
medy secret. But was that an objection in the
month of medical men, whose whole art was en-
veloped in mystery ? Let it not be imagined that
be meant to make any reflection on the medical
character ; the dearest friend he ever had was
of that profession, but he was not • man who
would have formed a party or intrigued, for the
purpose of opposing any thing for the benefit of
mankind ; but that secret was now going to be di.
vulged by Mr. Rennie, for so he had promised. Mr.
Whitlaw might have communicated it to him
in other times, and they might be assured
he would not feel any restraint in making
public. He would come now to those cases in
which Mr. Whitlow is said to have failed—these
the Committee only knew from Mr. Rennie's pans.
phlet, the last pip of which stated the case of a
lady, " the wife of a most respectable and ►ighly
exemplary tradesman, of sincerely religious princi.
plea," and it is stated that an operation might have
been performed, had not the time been vowed in
trying Mr. Whitlaseo remedies. He (Mr. Stevens)
had that day seen a member or that religions fa-
mily, who told him that Mr. Whitlow had not pre-
vented en operation, because twelve month, before
an operation had been performed by Sir A. Cooper.
She was not cured. but again went to Sir Astley
Cooper and Mr. Abernethy, and afterwards was
sent back to the country still uncured, and then it
was she came under the care of Mr. Whitlow. He
(Mr. Stevens) stated this case for the public to ap-
preciate the value of Mr. Hermit's assertions, but
let nut the meeting think that he meant to take
one case only, he left all the rest, and when a proper
time crime, his friend, Dr. Piddock, would answer
them all. The meeting would have an opportu-
nity this day to give their aid to sn institution al-
ready formed, not with a view to put money auto
the pocket of any individual, but to afford relief
to the afflicted and necessitous poor. Mr. Stevens
concluded by snowing—.
Tbat the Report whlcb baa been sew read, amply jail-
tides Ibis swain io the reconamenristioo of the proposed
@Wows se the patronage of the benevolent issiblic•"
The Rev. Mr. 11'HITIY said, that relying nn the
integrity and common sense of the Committees be
begged to second the Resolution.

Mr. Jams wad he klt obliged to come forward
this day, as he was the immediate occasion on the
last meeting of the Repoli being printed. Mr.
Jarvis then read from a paper a speech of which
the following is the brief outline, cautiously appris-
ing the meeting when he uttered soy thing which
was not in his paper. He said he wu 'melons io
promote the welfare of the community, and equally
disposed to uphold merit and detect imposition.
If it were true that there were remedies for cancer
and scrofula, who would be found to oppose
them ? None but devils its the shape of men; but
aware, as he was, of the impositions whicb had been
before practised on the public, he was cautious of
supporting any permit who pretended to more thou
Isis fellow men. Mr. Jarvis Oink took an exten-
sive historical review of all the irregular prey
titioneis of the art of physic- He commencer
with the professors of animal magnetism in Ger
many, from thence aside a tiansision to th,
water doctors of England, end, notwithstanding th
disspprobation generally 'spewed by.tite meet's,'
at his indelicate choice of topics, he proceeded t
relate the anecdote of Mayervbar b's asialsking sour
wider of • In.ree, which was cornett' to slim in
vial, for that as female subject, whose disorder h
ds-clared to be pregnancy. Mr. islets wet proceee
tog to give the history of Mary 'rd.* sod her tot