Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1849-08-09

IlOMObf - iSSueu IL OF LOulS u
monthly publication called the South Western H nm
epathic Journals price one dollar per year. The Un-
ion, of that city, of the Doth inst, has the following
fair statement and proposition:
~Supposing at this time the public would wish 10
know 10 what extent homeopathy has been introduced
in the treatment of the cholera in this city. and with
what result-as the science has been bitterly opposed
and some may still doubt-all such may have the name,
residence, age and personal standing, of every one
composing the following aggregate, viz: Number
treated by three homeopathic doctors to July Is, 1867;
hunter died 81; still under treatment number not
positive; entire number cured 1470; loss per cent 81.
In view of the fearful mortality of the past two
months, and the different feature presented above, we
would respectfully ask the city authorities and the
citizens to designate any of the ward hospitals TO be
exclusively under the charge of homeopathic physi-
Clans, on condition that the reports be published daily
or weekly, as the citizens may point out.
All we ask, is, that the reports of the two schools
come before the citizens publicly and legitimately as
to enable the world to know that there is no special
cause of alarm in the existence of cholera in any
city when it is met by a scientific and truly specific
mode of treatment.
G-We hope we may be permitted to add, that it
seems to us the test proposed, would be much more
%efectual in settling public opinion, than the display of
ever so much dogmatism, superciliousness or pompous
pretension. Trying is the naked truth" and is
mora demonstrative than any thing else, not excepting
empty denunciation.
We have the following. from the Wisconsin of
the 18th ult., published at Milwaukee, by which it ap-
pears that the doctors don't exactly harmonic there.
The editor prescribes some salutary advice.
ALLoPATHc Observation-Disclosures dignity!-
Some of the %alIopathic physicians Of our city,
considering themselves par erceAence members of the
Irregular faculty" and all who may happen to differ
from them in their views of the treatment o. disease,
as ''outslde barbarians,' wholly unworthy of notice,
lass, the Secretary of the Board of Health. who is a
homeopathic physician. This is, indeed, the last dis
play of professional dignity. Do these learned men
expect the time to come when all men will think alike
on the subject of medical treatment! If so, they
must expect human nature to change.
There is something that savors of the ridiculous,
in a body of men assuming SO cavalier-like a manner
toward a person, simply because he gives one kind Of
pills and they another, or because when he gives pills
they might give powders. We have no strong pre-
objections in favor Of either mode of treatment, and
never in sickness took a dose of Homeopathic medicine;
but in the name of common sense and manhood, let
such poor pitIful blcker;ng-such overstrained efforts
at dignity, cease, and let physicians treat those who
differ from them courteously. as true dignity demands.
This is the way to advance the interests of the mobile
art of healing"
At such u time as the present, when a fatal disease
is beginning to show itself in our city, it is to be
hoped that such unworthy feelings may not be mani
tested, but that medical men Of every school will
strive to give the public all possible information in
regard to the sickness and deaths which they may
be cognizant of, and agree to disagree as TO modes
of treatment.
They have also similar troubles in New York.
The law requires physicians to report all cases, at
tended by each. of the Asiatic cholera, under heavy
penalties for refusal. But some have refused thus to
report, and therefore, there appears a great dscrepan-
cy between the official reports of the Board of Health
and the City Inspector. The Journal of Commerce
says
On the publication of the report of the City Inspec-
toI for the last week, showing over 700 deaths by
Cholera. while the daily reports of the Sanitary Com
mlttee for the same period showed less than 300,
many harsh remarks were made, casting the blame of
the discrepancy upon the Committee, whereas it re-
suited from the obstinate refusal Of many physicians
TO report.
We do not see why a daily report Of interments,
from the office of the City Inspector, with n ~speci6ca-
ton of diseases, would not be quite as useful as a
daily report of cases and deaths BY the Sanitary Com
mittee, even if it could be relied on as complete. A
daily report o. in;erments would show not only the
number Of deaths by Cholera, bat by other diseases.
The number of ca ses could be as correctly inferred
from The number OF deaths, as from the reports Of
physicians; inasmuch as there is no uniformity among
physicians as 10 the degree n Cholera influence
which is requisite TO constitute a case. One physi-
clan, having been called to half n dozen cases Of
J~iarrhpa. might report them all as Cholera Especial
~ If he had a number Of deaths ikel1ise 10 report,)
while another physician, having half n dozen similar
cases, might class them all as ~diarrbea, and SD not
report any Of them. 1t is indeed extremely difficult
10 define what is Cholera. in the i~ncipient stages of
the disease, aud what is not.
George the Second, at n masquerade, observed a
lady whose dress displayed rather a large portion of
hor shnuldars and chesf % Madame.n said The mon.