Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1841-04-17


than Canada thistles can be exterminated in Jun,
by cutting down tho stalk, hav ing ten prolific
branches TO The root. And, the committed
have before IntImat ed, while we would not clam
10 sit empires to decide between the conlent
ing parties, It IS due to the petitioners TO state
two or three prominent points on which they re-
ly for the success OF their application, and the II
nal triumph Of their system.
| They contend that their system Of practice is
founded on the immutable laws OF nature; the
believe il to be philosophical mode of treating
disease; they appeal with great confidence 10 the
success which has attended that mode Of treat
ment. They adduce, evidence Of this success
| the fact that there in this State two
hundred permanently located practitioners, OBJ
! taInIng a competent support in spite of the Or
gained opposition aud legisa, live prescription
der which they have been compelled to labor.
They claim that their system, SO Tar as the prac-
tice Of medicine is concerned, is complete sys-
tenn; that one skilled in it will IN have 10
borrow OF the irregular fncuity-H
They maintain that man lin his original con
stItutlon, is mado Of the elementary princ pies of
matter, and is in health when all the elements Of
his nature IN due proportion, or perfectly bal
anced; tha, disease ensues whenever there IS d
arrangement Of tho vital functions; or, in other
words, that disease Is an obstruction lii the naiu
raj operations of the laws of animal life; that
hence the appropriate office OF the physician
should be that of Natures auxiliary; that ,he
edies applied should act in harmony with the nat
ural laws Of life; that these remedies arc to be
sought for in the garden which Nature has spread
out.n
They rcpudatc the idea that absolute poi
be safely and efficiently used in restoring
to health. They deny that lobelia is q poison
and contend that fifty years. use has demonstra-
ted that II will not, in any case, produce the des-
truction OF animal o:ganz ttion; that its enemies
have again and again been invited to point out
its poisonous properties; tia, they have failed TO
do SO, other than by naked assertion.
They contend that their term of preparatory
study is properly shorter aud less complicated
than the old system, because of the improv ed and
slmpfied process Of their practice: they maintain
that they are not obnoxious TO tho charge Of
and mpyricisn;" that "quack" IS
one who pretends 10 know what he does not, and
they profess themselves happy IN the reflection
that "quacks" are not exclusively confined To the
Thomsonian creed, bit may often be wuh
their diplomas in their hand, aud dIgnihcd with
the title of NJ. d.
They ndduce, further evidence in favor Of
hef pRnscsns 81 he he ist ' asna n cu
hi Oh at,anmen,s and professional sill, have a
ba ndoned the old ADD adopted the new system, and
that these too have in for their share OF the
epilhc,s of ''quacks and cmpyrles;' and these
men themselves who have lett the old school
ranks and gone to the new, notwiths tanIIn1 their
admitted qualifications To practice successfully III
themselves for practice by simple
compliance with Tnomsouian rules, arc equally
skiiIfui with themselves, and equally well quail
fed to practise on that system; from which they
infer, the old course preparation IS not lndispen
sable successful practice IN the new.
They complain Of another gricvous imposition;
that is that students who conscientously believe
in the superiority Of the Thomsonian system, can
not obtain diplomas from the regular schools, even
though they Ray have passed the ordeal Of cxlr-
ina,ion that, however well qualified, they canno,
obtain license to practise from the medical snc'e-
ties now organized by law. unless he rcnnunces
his she re,n:nl notions IN medicine; and in sup
port Of this complain, they audo TO The expulsion
Of Montgomery, Jersey, SAUNDERS, Ronon,
Griffin and Others, for having av0wed their he
lief IN the superiority of the ThomSoniau system
They hence contend that they compelled to
sacrifice an homes, conviction, stand prescribed
by the enactment OF the Legislature.
In addition to all this, the petitioners adduce
high and distinguished authorities from the
regular school, in support Of their theory anG
practice. A, the head Of these authorities stands
the learned Dr.. Ben amin Waterhonsr, late Pro-
lessor Of the Theory and Practice of Medicine in
Harvard University. He was Professor. twenty
Eve wears
Dr. Wa,erhousc, "a early as 1884, expressed
his conf icnco IN the Thom.cn'nu system; hnn-
cred lis founder, DR.. Samuel Thompson. ith the
tito Of Retormcr; warmly CONNIE nded the Of
l"belIa aud the vapnr-bath; pronounced the use
of them. in sagacinuS haud-. Improvement
ra!uablc in practice; bore Testimony that. like
IIppncrates Of old, III. an.h,r of this system had
wisely studied the book of nature Another au-
,horiiv from the regular school is Dr.. Mnn,gomc-
ry. eminent physcia in South Carolina. who
attended the lectures Of Drs. Rush. Woodhouse
and Barton. ut Philadelphia, was graduate OF
one of our colleges
After trial Of both systems he frankly gave
IN his adhesion TO the latter, and renowned the
former.
Dr. Ingalls, Of Boston. an eminent physician Of
the regular school. in 1882 recommended the pre-
paration and composition Of Doctor Thomsnn's
medicine. as both new and useful. Doctor Fur
sell, Of MARYLAND. late OF the University Of that
State, after twelve years practice on the regular
system. expressed his dissa tisiaction with the
effects of the lancet. caiOmcf- oniuc. and ritre