The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1837-03-31
tPUblishsd by R,qae,t.l
ADDRESS,

Indies and Gentlemen: Unaccustomed 10 speak
IN public, aud being plain in habit and language,
! must present, IA PLAN way. whatever / have
to say on this occasion. But am happy in know.
lug that the deep interest which the v hole com.
munIty have already taken IN m, subject, proves
that u needs no orna ents OF rhetoric to engage
your respectful attention.
Ii Is n,y purpose, by exhibiting facts and arru.
ments, 10 show that the current directions TO the
1homsonIan system OF Medical Practice, are I'M
reasonable Ia the abstract, and inconsistent with
the deductions OF ITS opponents other subjects
and thai The prohibition OF Ilis practice, by STATE
legislation, and the sblisbmenl OF mccical mo.
Eopol,. are fragrant infringement of civil liher.
~, . y ranncal imposition upon The citizens, and
an un"afrantabie prIvatiOn.oi one OF the greatest
blessings ever bestowed upon man.
Some one may ask Ia the outset, Where il the
necessity for adopting new system OF medical
practice r. ! answer, almost all eminent CANDID
and humane physicians, from Rippocfaies, the
iatlIef of medicine" to The latest reiomer of the
nineteenth century. though taught 10 The colleges,
every thug that the industry and ingenuity OF
man have scraPed together Tor thousands OF years,
snd acquainted With all the lruIitss experiments
on the human system with poisonous renedies
confess, with one united voice, thai the results
have been fuItul IN mischief, and almost barren
q good III Abcrco'ubIe They canddy ackLop.
ledge, lament sai abauGon Their past errors and
ms-pfaciices, and dtec, their students and Pos
ie'ity . different ialth aud practice ponting TO
The fields ana forests, they say, there YOU ~ill
YET find some general remedy Tor all the aches and
i.is that flesh endures"- Rush
The subject Of medical sc.rucc," say they. is
70 prevent aud cure disease" But the nncht cked
ri
ain blast o. The deadly samel, ons.lnttielh
pert OF all the human race, OF oil ayes, concilons
aud constitutions. belscen The new born infant
and the trembling snd loltcrins traveller COW d
MES last smooth d,scen--ia spiIt OF al that has
ever been done To resld ats pr5grcss, proclaim,
"Hh moro Than mortal tongue, TIC morti, lng fact
That, bitber'o, this bna,tod htaiIng art has not
taught as to accomplish the end had 10 view
Sec hbefcon,bit, Lieutagd and Rigeio@. dcciar-
i"g TOE TACT Granting then thai The old prac.
ice - d hclen', ought the lAoulsorlan TO be en-.
eoufAEed Allow me 20 susWef this question, by
removing the most prominent objections that are
fsiscd against thus system. and comparing the re.
sJiu OF be practice with those Of the iasnIoua bic
ui,ofics
II y ohlcc 70 TIL, system that il was devised
by n'an VITO had no knoS edge OF thc human
body, the nslufc " disease or the character and
aclon u remedies. ] AusAtr, tie most minute
acquaif tsnct ~lth tAc figure. situation aud rea-
i've ~ 81 every porlos OF tae human b0dy
throws mol tie ieas, hgbt upon the action OF IN.
terhai sgents on that todY. sUhcr in health or ia
dtscasc The nature and character OF tiis acton
= Admitted BY 40 sound phS ,i9lngis,s, TO depend
altogether on the state Of tic boGy at the tlule OF
exhibition. The only true kapwicdge AZ have on
'hr ruhJrci, j. derived from observations on the
- cis q remedies actually gwen TO cure disease
hy ono medicine acts upoa the stomach. anoih.
e. upon the bowels. third upon the kidneys,
iou';h upon the kin. Gays d. Abcrcomhie,l Ne
have not the smallest conception, We only know
The uniformity Of the fact. Nos this knoa ledge
q the uniiotuliy 81 facts, has been derived from
observation OF that action on the human body
hf. Thomson Is as Capable q observing that &C
ton as Df. Ahercomhe OF any other VI. ID. when
ieatrtd doctors Usage who are 10 decide ~ We
saswrt. experience. whether through Samuel
Itomssn or hanasssh Cutler matters not, tho
neither o. them was bred to pl,yslc.-' DR.. h. Wa
terhouse. I. X. vol !, page $751; Il certainly
DOES not require much learning To discover whcth
+ - medicine acts a. an emeuc, a cathafuc or a
sutor6e.
As - the nature n disease i viii be soon c.
nouch tot the regular faculty to condemn DIT.
hsYc sgreed amcur themselves Nhai IT is. 1t is
clearly manifest that, whatever be IT'S true theory
or the proper mode Of trea'i . II, these gentlemen
have no, made the discovery, themselves being
witnesses nr Abercrombe, Of the University Of
. EdInhufc, says, There has been much difference
ot opinion among philosophers in regard 10 the
place which medicine IS entitled 10 hold among
the physical sciences; for, whit one has malu-
tanned that 1t rests upon an eternal basis, and has
within It the power OF rising 10 pcfiectiou another
as distinctly asserts tha, almos. the only resource
Of medicine i the art ct oonicctnrinC." Nature
says physician. a man OF vii and philosophy
rs fighting against disease; a blind man arued
with club, that Is, the physician, comes to settle
the difference. Tie htls his club and strikes
at random. II he strikes The disease, he subdues
1t; IT he strikes nature, he Kills her" An eml.
/ nent physician SAYS DR.. Abcrcrombic, renowned
his practice which he had exercised Tor 30 wears,
saying, :" / am tired of guessing" The doctor
then proceeds to give his own opinion; and first,
OF the symptoms OF disease, he says, "s'nce medl-
cine was first cultivated a science leading OBJ
jec, of attention has ever been to ascertain the
characters or symptoms, by which particular in
ternOI diseases are indicated, and distinguished
from others which resemble them; but with the
accumulated experience OF ages bearing upon tins
important SUBJECT, eur extended observation has
only served 10 convince us how deficient we are
in this department, and how otteu in the first step
OF our progress, VIC are leil to conjecture.
II such uncertainty hangs over our knowledge OF
the characters Of disease, it viii not be denied
that at leas, an equal degree of uncertainty at.
tends it, progress" "Whcn in the practice OF
medicine" continues the Doctor, ave apply, 10
new cases, the knowledge acquired by others
| uIt I'LL. hn,n 81 afprN
the difficulties arc so great, that II is doubtful
whether, IN any case, we can be said to act upon
experience. - The difficulties and sources
OF uncertainty are ia fac, so numerous and great,
that those who have had the most extensive oppor-