Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1834-11-20
COMMUNICATION.
Toa rHE rnEE rnr,,.

Ny ESifs': The subjoined paper Is place d
under your review 10 you should deem IL
worthy an insertion in your u.eful paper, il
., az your service
THIS. err, 10 truly an age Of wonders. We
sec much 10 wonder nj In the eoo.,ruet,o,
OF rail roads. canals. bridges, steam engine,
&c but in my opinion, the greatest ~ondss
u, that people take the trouble 20 de, since
they can, "a this, tho Hygeian age Of Medi-
cine, Lrs ~itb 80 little trouble: for IL seems
the oaiy insurance nov necessary AGAINST
ceath from any disease Is . supply OF Hyxeisu
or some other pGfrnf or spseikc -u,Si1ia.- and
the very suaIl trouble Of .x allowing IL The
following remarks have been elected by an
accidental Peru.al Of the pages Of \ pamph-
let entitled " Lecture on the Hygeian The
ory Of Medicine" n there should be in
them any illusions too personal, they must
be excused on the ground Of the uniu,tifi able
attack which the author Of that pamphlet
has made on the hooor and integrity Of the
medical profession. deny that he has car
ried through the discussion that impartiaIity
which be declared in his outset he would
maintain a, his beacon; for he has clearly
~odea'ored to monoPolize al merit to his f.
ro'He, and, stripping all others Of their due.
has clothed every step Of bis srsumen; with
Outrageous eslumny and vile Imputation. ~
viii be satisfactorily ssewa il the proxre.,
Of this examination.
The writer under review started out with
an assertion that the .NsAseaI Faeuitv have
"ai,und'Tsfeed the sisuifrsssoa Of tAs rrd
Medicine. and that the word NedScine never
was intended to comprise poiso~, either We
getsh'e or mineral but expect 10 shev
that the want Of understanding lie. on the
other side
The word Medicine, derived from medior
or medieo. TO heal or cure, applies eauaIly
well to each and ever curative agent or ar
tieIe which, when properly sdsninistered, sf-
teets the cure Of disease, whatever nav be
The intrinsic nature Of the article, and 10
WhateVer clsss Il may belong. An article Of
the Maieria uedies, either Of the mineral or
vegetable kingdom. although Il may be en-
isted 10 the class of poisssss, and be really.
IN the common seeeptsiiOn Of the word
POtsSa, II 10, properly exhibited, relieve. or
removes disease, y just ~ much . -NeSieias
ss the sisapLea Of the gentIeuan's herhaeeoa.
catalogue, since -Hs1iein< is eertainiy and
only that which rsDedses disease. And.
moreover, there are ~ many dangerous, POI
sonous' and "eseaioaf" properties or prisei-
pies existent IN he vegetable kingdom as IN
any other, Of vhieh the genslemas does noa
most hAsiy sVea % n0eA ~ know the
names tor The sane primary slements eatar
into the eonpositioa Of vegetable or herba-
eeous matter, which. eombined ia various
proportions sad under various eireumstanees
compose the mass Of all other kinds Of mat
ter IN creation.
The writer bears his representative force
stroogiy against the effects Of prejudice
charging Il - the root OF all the evil Of
which he complains. That, sir, IL a salutsrv
p'r'udiss, which supports the right side Of :
question; this the Eentieman r. svars Of. ana
therefors wishes % sFsdieals a. We admit
'he sinister influence q Psejudiee in The pre-
Nent'oo OF mature investigates, but nsVsr-
theless ne demand his right 20 seq that ths
so'enee OF Medicine. - practised for nasy
centuries pest, vas Conceived IN The wowk
Of error. brought forth N hiEotry. ssd nor-
'uFed IN the lap 81 Prsjudioe, inasmueh a
We have % support Of lie eoFroesneas TIE tea
ct more than tro tboussn6 yssys' srp,ri-.eus.
tdatng from the time Of Hippoersiss.l ana
shs united eaort and ApDrobatioa of the
n'ss'i aoa esH men that ever lived, whils, 90
the other hand, eur oppooent can muster. for
the etiablshment Of hn theory. but 6rs
s'sTS' erFsvtsSes snd ~ svAfasrv faf,ua. Aay
mao OF dseriminatioa must see the rlowp.<
contrast
The writer proceeds farther % ar. hat
I',. ii = dihieuit for any person. nst BENZ
fool. sor habit1aIly bIioJ, 10 ds.eov.r -.
tSesh honesty and dishonesty, txnorsnss ssA
fDefd'' ~ "tbe true vay % discoveries TIE
N',s nsn from the fool y, By comparing their
sosaaet and. ~ this iastssos. their practice .
go H9 S''e nan foloWs the dictates Of
nature ~ Tar 80 . consistent. bot the fool -
eontinualiy haFPiog upon some ehimsra Of a
RIDICULOUS imagiaatiOn. snd forging tFammsls
,sn'sL p" superficial knoHisdEs fndrsosF-
ni'le-of such are The greater namhsr az
medical PFaetaiooerss' 4th, che g.s.,h..
acts from principle and from ksowlsdrs Iii
BE hrn." &C Sch, "s:sriinE nevit /. ever
no'isst N her department. - ''siscs the brisht-
2" genius = sisays Eiost unsasumiax.~ What
9hy the geBiismsn does not try himsslf by
% osn iog'c' in The frss place, BE- AFRO
a's' e ;" Eits honesty so merit" and
npl'e, 70 the spPofD dishonesty aod irno-
40 aPFleaii0n % his prineiple of
''i''n' {" sHPrsssed IN the second q,soss-
Jls' @sdsl wiii sake an exchange Of
usse stirlb1'es. With rsEsrsees 10 the fbirs
'o,s''on. VII only observe that N Ell pro
bs'nny ne TIss mao Tor Hyrststl .roe,' fh.
' n's Win nsiurs-nsturs Effects the