The New York herald., 1844-09-03
Saratoga Correspondence-No. 10.

U. 5. HOTEL, SARATOGA, 30th August, 1874.
We have said that the " Charatan is abroad -
abroad under every conceivable garb, but especial
~ assuming the name and character of those func-
lions which involve more exclusively the faculties
OF intellect, Imagination and TASTE The mere ma
terial pursuits, the mechanical arts are exposed to
an examination too general, and their merits
are understood too universally to afford that shell
ter which Is necessary for the purposes of the
charlatan. He takes refuge, accordingly, where
his claims be so easily or certainly tested !;
where the reality of his extravagant pretensions
cannot be readily tried, and where, consequently,
his systematic imposture can be conducted with
most success. This foul demon pollutes, by his
hateful presence, the sacred precincts OF the liberal
professions; the halowed temples Of the arts; the
haunts of the muses., and the halls of polite letters
The Americans are eshrewd-proverbially shrewd.
They pique themselves on being, in an eminent de-
slee, what is called knoving. No people have
greater horror of being duped or of being regarded
by the rest of the world green. Yet they are,
Individually, the best humbugged nation on the
globe. The unfedged quack selects them to prac-
tise on-they form his hornbook The full-grown
bloodsucker fattens on them. Will the aspiring
citizen submit to retain such position Will he
yield himself an unressting, nay, willing prey to
the swarm OF reptiles, which, annually passing the
Atlantic, infest his noble country! II he will not,
let him rouse himself from his torpor-let him
Awake, arise, or be for fallen.
The extent of quackery which prevails in
medical practice in this country, has no parallel
elsewhere, either in present past times, nor is It
easy to conceive any degree of public credulity
great enough to explain the general success which
attends it. In our limited experience of this coun
try, some of the wealthiest establishments which
have come within our notice, have been the pri-
vate residences Of fabrcators OF quack medicines.
In -, we visited large factory, where vast
variety OF ointments, pasters, balsoms syrups, and
other preparations were manufactured on the large
scale. We were politely shown through the pre-
misses by the proprietor, who was also the inventor
and author OF this strange catalogue of reme-
dies-this novel pharmacopia Having found it
easy to obtain some samples Of these, we examined
and analyzed them, and actually found them to be
composed of the most ordinary substances tinged
usually with some coloring matter Thus the
ointmenls were usually lard. The draughts or
drops commonly alcohol or brandy, favored by va
rious vegetable productions. Doubtless these lat
ter obtained large demand among the total absti-
nencc people. The arch.charatan himself resided
In splendid dwelling, was person Of the highest
consideration in the place, held the title or rank of
general" and entertained us en- prince. On
taking leave, we were presented with volume in
which the praises of his medicine were sung by
the general himself, and in which he gravely
maintained that they would cure every malady and
every injury incidental to the human body.
We take up at hazard, New York paper, in
which we have measured two hundred inches in
length OF the columns devoted to advertisements
Of every sort. On measuring of the announce
ment of quack medicines, we ascertain that they
alone measure eighty inches Thus Of the entire
revenue Of this paper, (and it is one of wide and
respectable crcuaton) forty per cent is derived
from the profits of the charlatan
Taking up another paper, we find single adver-
tisement which occupies three entire columns, and
the publication of which, for single day, could
not cost the advertiser less than sixty dollars
This advertisement is the announcement of sin
gle quack medicine! The fabrcator of notable
productions has called it "the Worlds Salve"-
OF course it cures every conceivable disease
whatever did in times past, that does in times
present, or that may in times to come affect the
human family. II will even recover those that
have been poisoned, no matter what the poison
may be-will mend the skeleton Of those whose
bones have been broken-will repair the flesh that
has been burned-cure cold feet, satrheum, era
dicate corns-nay, even modification itself will
yield to it. We shall look forward to an early an
nouncement of its power to reanmate the dead
Charlatanism in other forms, anon.
AN EUROPEAN TRAVELLER.