Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1837-05-25

[ From the honsouinn RecurJpr.

the talented, patriotic statesmen and physc
ian, DR.. Robert ID. Montgomery. II was o.
r'ginally addressed Ia The Rev. William Car
llsc. Tie Col tents OF the letter have beer
forwarded to u by Il. Fcrriss, Esq of Wins.
borough enclosed in u communication bear.
ing date October I0th, 1892.
Mr. Carlisle prctaces the letter by the fol
lowing remarks: The circumstances that
gave rise to the publication Of the following
letter, were these: DR.. Montgomery applied
TO me for II Thomsonian Family Right, he
pledged himself To report his opinion OF the
system as soon us he should have opportuni-
ty fairly testing it. A request being sent Ia
him by the Thomsonans for TINT purpose The
following letter is his reply" after an inter
esting detail of his patriotism and public ser.
vices, in conclusion he adds: "suflice it to say,
that DIR. Monigomcry's opinion Of any system
is Of more Importance than the opinion Of a
Thousand seli-intercsted physicians, whose
object is 20 keep the people in ignorance Of
the nature Of disease. and consequently ofthe
mode and manner Of performing cures"
The JoIio,cing is The Letter referred.
GKNTLEMEN,-l received your letter Oh the
10Th ult. aud ,on the evening it came to hand,
was severely attacked with the cholera NOR
You request my opinion on the Thomsonian
practice OF medicine, and inquire something
concerning my medical studies, previous to
my adopting the botanic practice. ! will with
pleasure cndeavor to satisfy your inquiries, in
as brief manner as am able. twill per-
haps be the most satisfactory course to give
short history Of my medical life, then my
reasons for adopting the new practice may
M in Enl /
had finished ny collegiate education, in the
years 1915 and 50 proceeded to the
study Of medicine in Columbia, South Caro-
lima, under the tuition OF Doctors Montgome.
ry and Henrcks, both students of the Rush.
can school. After this, | attended the medi.
cal lectures in Philadelphia, given by Doc
tors Shopper, Rush, Woodhouse and Barton.
Having attended the regular course Of lect-
ures under these professors, they adjudgcd
ne entitled to u diploma, for my medical
knowledge, yet it was contrary to the rules
of the Institution to give me one, unless
went through another course; my finances
would not admit Of it ut that time, and nev-
er obtained diploma. After my return from
Philadelph fell mmediately into practice,
but quickly found, that the theory however
beautiful it might appear, would by no means
n "
tice with all the ardor that it is possible for
any young physician to possess, Every lei
sure moment was employed in perfecting
my knowledge OF the science of medicine;
aud hatered myself that was as success
iul in my practice as my contemporaries: my
prospects were flattcring, and my practice l,-
cralive, for fourteen or fifteen years. ] then
became weared Of the practice, and during
q lnt nj gnV finn ha fviv
unless constrained by the entreaties of q
friend. could do no better than to pity theis
distress. You would here inquire, what It
" us that could induce me to reinquish ain
lul practice, aud adopt a system of Yesterday
to leave the old, beaten track, for one new
Iy opened? ! answer, because the marks to
point the wny to proceed, in the old practice,
were fallacious and not to be depended on
when life was ut stake. Here I would can.
ildfy ask the candid physician, iG he has not
often been deceived, IN the symptoms of dis
Ease, when fattering himself with the pros
'ect Of the speedy recovery of his patient,
when he lett him, perhaps at evening"
he next visit, perhaps the next morning.
ound him breathing his last? You beheld
lin surrounded by weeping friends, because
hey viewed him departing to his long home.
II
nxiously inquiries, "Is there no relief from
liscase and premature DEATH" The answer
S 10 be found in the botanic practice. But,
3 this practice infallible? Does it never fail?
Yes, it may fail, has failed, and will fail, in
ulnber of cases. 1t has and will fail, of ;,
curse, when the vital spark is nearly extinct Il
When the powers of life arc destroyed by dis
ase, or when the condition Of the patient is
IL o,,,in
or the medicine to act upon. Medicine can
lot act Oh a dead body, though it be ever so
lctive. At such crisis, this practlce,a ,as eve-
y other, will most assuredly fail: yet, in the
midst of all these failures, the new practice
will have Il decided superiority over every
ther mode of cure yet known by man.
nd by experiencing in my family, and a.
long my friends, who have used the medi- !
inc rs directed, that in fevers, it generally I
'lieves the patient in twenty -four hours, and P
ten in less time. A number of cases in my c
vn family, that have been as violent as any h
nder the old practice, which required three Z
four weeks, before they were able to leave d
eT bed, yet, by the Thomsonian practice, Il
ese have been relieved in the short time al t
ady stated. This practice, under my direc- C
Dn, hos trumphed over an ascites, or dropsy J.
the abdomen, in which the old practice had
bored in vain. The bite Of q rattle snake,
? one Of the family, accompanied with vio-
mt pain, was freed from all pain in less than
m minutes, and the swelling Of the foot and c
e was but trhing. In myself, a violent at "
Ick of rheumatism and cholera morbus, both
ielded to the botanic applications. Another
'ct is worthy Of notice: your patient does
OF suffer the great debility, by a course of =.
he new practice, that commonly takes place u
! the old. The natural functions are soon
'storcd to their former vigor. The patient &
'rgets that he was. sick. Do you wish me
account for this?, 1t is easily donc--there
not that prostration Of strength by deplet-