The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1836-07-27

We publish, by request, the following let
Ter of Doctor Benjamin Waterhoise of Bos-
ton, addressed to " Samuel Thomson, Bot
anic Practitioner Of Medicine"
C0mJridgc Dee. Sth, 1885.
To SAMUEL Thomson,
i Botanic PrdcttiORcr Of Nedicine.
Dear SU,-Io the questions put to me
yesterday ] answer, that remain firm in
the opinion that you were the dscoverer of
the remarkable medicinal virtues of the
LO6cHd Mf0t0, us n safe cmelic, and 9th
cr rare qualities in elltclually detereinc the
stomach and intcsinos OF foul and morbid
matter, prime object in the removal of all
disorders consequent of imperfect digestion
the fruitful source of almost all our chron-
| ic Disorders. The efficacy, and safety of
this vegetable, have bad ample and repea-
ted proofs of, in n number of cases, and in
nv own person, and have reason to value it
equal to any article in our Materia Medica
Your joining to the emetic effects of Lo-
bella, the Iapor- Bath, is, in my opinion, a
happy practice, if conducted with requisite
care aud caution, but not 10 he inlrusicd to
any that are not duly instructed in the dam
ger attendant upon IA careless and harsh
use of warm bath without every cnnyeu-
renee and accommodation in such seasons as
the present.
That you yourself was the originator of
this compound process, very extensively I
known under the title of the IhOmSORi0R /
Practicc or System, have no doubt what
ever. | mean the uniting the warm bath,
with the thorough elimination of the whole
ulimentary canal. l value it, and recon-
mend it on this account-It effects in three
or four days, what we regular Physicians
use 10 occupy as many weeks. As pub
lie teacher of the Practice, of physic, have
told nay Pupils for nearly half century
past that when they have learned how To
restore The long impaired organs of diges-
ton to their pristine or natural state, they
have acquired two thirds of their profession /;
and on that simple principle is based the
whole doctrine of my printed Lecture on
the perncous effects of smoking cigars, and
The inordinatc use of ardent spirits.
Furthermore. The regular physician
finds it necessary sometimes to make a
great choage in the human frame, or to
make ~ very strong cO517tcr irritation, so us
10 obliterate the m0rbid or dcStructi re one.
rhis used TO be done ny quicksilver, that
Is, mercury, in It's various preparations;
when pushed to n S0tir0tion it dllapidates,
t we may speak so,---or dissolves the hu-
man fluids, all Of which are made up of
gIobules, or round particles, on the erdsis
of which depends the y,tal integrity of our
bodies, and of course, our health and vigor.
After the hazardous process of salvation.
the physician may perhaps, be able to say
-R0w 4 hare so far changed the morbid
state of the patient, that his disease is con-
uuercd, and entirely overcome bv the DOW
crful operation of the mercury. But then
IN what CONDITION docs he find the suffer-
cr l--his teeth are ioosencd, his joints are
weakened his healthy comItcuance is inn
paired, his voice is more feeble, and he is
more susceptible of cold, and damp state
of the weather. His original disorder is
besurr overcome, but it is paving a great
price for it. Secret history conceals from
public notice innumerable victims of this
sort.
Now, my sagacious, Industrious, and
much respected EmpIric, or Eclectic, If YOU
like the latter term better; let us come to-
the poiut YOU seem Ia aim at, namely my
opinion on the whole.
consider man lahoring under a chronic
disease of some Time standing, where there
is no local affection, ihat if laid bare, would
he visible To the eve and touch--I say
such patient, who has passed
through one, two or ,hrcc, las the case NAV
be) of your processes of the Lohelia emetic.
aud thoroughly rinsed outintesiines, to be us
much altered as the man who has gone
through the very disagreeeble, and danger