Rutland County herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1849-07-25
Use and abuse of Medicine

Undec tho above head tho Edinburgh Jour
nal has an able and useful article, by Ply
stefan, from which we make the following
extracts
The English public attach too much i'm.
pottance to the mere administration Of medi-
cine. They appear to think that for every
medicine is to be taken that tho
chief, # not the only duty Of medical man,
is to prescribe and administer drugs and
that medicine is the solo cause OF every
change in a disease, whether for better or
worse, which follows the use Of 1t. In all
this there is much error An Illustration will
al once show what Is meant and prove is
truth. Take a case Of indigestion Tho
disease may have arisen from excess or i'm
proprsty in eating or drinking or from some
Other bad habit continued through ignorance,
uccessily or selfindugence. In the malot-
ity OF such cases, If the cause be removed,
the suffering will cease. II the medical man
however, were to content himself with point
ing out the cause, and directing tho patient
to avoid il, and were TO prescribe no medI-
Cine,such 10 the nveterate expectation Of
physic, that moLt patients would 90 away
dissatisfied. Medicine is therefore given,
foceihsy teitA directions to avoid the .ulurl-
Gus habit, the patient RECEIVERS and the drugs
get The credit Too often, the cause is re-
pesled aud the same process Of cure again
and again gone through with. Il is not 70
be supposed that oil cases of indigestion be.
long TO the class from which the nbeve exam
Bile Is AIKEN. There are some In which the
cause may not admit Of being removed those
arising from mental anxiety for instance ,
others 10 which, owing To the great debility
10 the stomach. the suffering Is very dispfo.
49, L., I,s q
cases medicine may be legitimately and use
fully employed 10 paHiats suffering. until
lime be gained for ehecting more radical
cure 10y other means
1t 10 important to know that thbfe Is great
power 10 the human body 20 throw of dis
ease, and to restore health without any help,
when the cause is temporary, and has ceas
ed TO operate. This power alone Is sufi-
cieut 90 cure many diseases not merely the
iuhlng, but even 10 many instances the moIs
severe ones. Suppose a cold hiss been IA
ken, and the subject Of IL Is huls feyeTish
| he mass OF eases the patient will get weI
without any medical assistance. The duty
OF tie medical man. J.. called 10, Is 10 iinu
out whether there be any serious disease II
there be, he will treat u II not, little flrlbel
may be needed. lie may pqihaic suffering
and shorten the illness-bolh good thIngs,
bot nature would effect cure without him
Again, suppose case Of measles, scafle
fever, OF typhus fever The disease has
b risen from come contagious poison, and Il
vii, run q certain course. Some cases are
. very mild IN these the medical man has
Z little 90 DO bot to keep the patient out o.
harms way, and 20 be ready 10 act II lh,
! case becomes moie severe Zach OF these
d .eases are liable Ia become compHcaief
with serious internal changes or with 4 dan
pemus falling Of the strength. A case thu
j. mild to-day, may be severe Tomorrow -
The prompt attention Of professional mar
, DO these circumstances may save hie. lil
= were knowa. however beforehand tbal lhs
. case would be mild, 10 might bo safely lct
o. naiure 10 case Of iyphus. it all be im
. youanl to find out tho cause Of The AuacE
with a ,icw 10 ita removal or Go the ren1'
u . of other m0mbsfs Of the family lrnm 500
% sphere Of us influence. Suppose laauY
d case Of sryupsia5 u may b. ile most ,rI
/. fling of the most serious .'sr7r '"f irs b.