Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1849-09-21
CHOLERA REMEDIES. &c.

MEssRs EDITORS: In the Covenant for Aug
ust l. l849, noticed an editorial article in ref
ercnce to Dr. Eastman's Remedy for Cholera |
was really sorry that Br. ID. did not make known
the composition of this remedy. If this meii-
cine is so valuable as to "be res0rted to in pref
erance TO all others" surely the true spirit OF
universal philanthropy demands that it be made
known for the benefit of suffering humanity
| was sorry on this account; | was also so ry on
another account. DR.. DIS. notice was calculated
to give the impression that DR.. Eastman's rem
edy was kept secret which is imputing to the
Doctor the sin Of quackery; and this, if he is an
honorable, high-minded physician, would give
him nploasant feelings. The true medical
profession have no secret remedies; they act
upon the broad principle of universal banevo-
lenCe. What one knows all are entitled to-
knowledge IS common stock. | judge that DR..
Eastman's medicine cannot be secret, from the
fact that | am unwilling to believe that Br d.
would lend his aid and influence to the advance
ment Of quackery. | know there are thos~, and
of the clergy too, with no knowledge of medi-
cine or the laws of organic lte-or, at most, so
little, It's 'a dangerous thing"--who seem will
ling, and often anxious, to rob, not only of his
means of support, but also of his well-melited
fame, the man who has spent his time and mo-
Tey to learn his profession, and then spent the
best years Of his life in anxious thought, and ta-
uguing toll in ministering TO suffering humanity;
taxed to the utmost his mental powers in the in
vestigation of disease and its therapeutic indica-
tons; and all this just to hoist into notice some
lgnoramuS, or lmposter perhaps, whose only
claim 10 notoriety is his brazen effrontery or ly-
ing cupidity.
We see the names of eminent divines attached
to the certificates OF all the ten thousand inal-
BILE nostrums which are to be found in every tav-
ern, store, grocery, &c, throughout the length
and breadth of our land. Do these clergymen
know what they are recommending? Not at
all! Do they reflect, that if the medicine is so
powerful to cure, it must be equally powerful to
KILL if wrongly applied2 No. The quack tells
them it is like the sword of Orlando, 1t will, at
stroke, cleave giant; but becomes, when it
touches child or lovely female soft and yield
ing as a silken streamer;" and, with marvellous
faith, they believe and endorse it all Again
They are aware that all the valuable patent med
lcines are made in accordance with prescriptions
laid down in the standard works on medicine;
slightly varied, perhaps, and spiced up with es-
sentlal oils, to hide their composition? BaSiii-
con Ointment, with little turpentine, makes the
woodworking SLoAN's OINTMENT; and a
quantity of lard, beeswax, and Iampblack makes
the celebrated Tannin Paste, which gives all
our boots and shoes the hydrophoba. Sugar
house moasses, mixed with escence of winter
green, cures all the ills which flesh is heir to,
when dubbed with the name of Compound
Syrup, or Extract Of SarsaparIa."
The following ludIclouS remarks are taken
from the . North Western Journal of Medicine
and Surgery" and, think, will do the readers
of the Covenant no hurt. 'The quack has
many allies in his business. There are many
editors who are ignorant of the p.a;n3st princi-
pies of medicine, anatomy, or physiology; and
others who think they know something, and de-
sire to evince their knowledge by fiIngat the
profession. Their papers have greater or less
influence over their readers. The quack gives
the editor box of his excellent purgative pills,
a bottle of his invaluable vermfuge, pays him
literally for advertising, and gets in return
AUDITORY paragraph in the editorial column. Of
course this is not general thing among GENTLE
men of the press, but we could name many
widely-circuIated and influential journals winch
puff quack medicine.
&" Ministers of the Gospel, too, are often found
ranged on the side of the quack, lending their
powerful aid to the support of innovation upon
the medical profession; though there is no body
of men so jealous of encroachment upon their
own. The certificate of re ,pectab.e minister
is OF great value to the nostrnm mongrrs, and is
cheaply obtained at the price Of a bottle Of tai
water, or a sol ution of tartarzed antimony seen
ted with aromatics. The quack shrewdIy con-
cludes that if he secure the shepherd, the
sheep will not be slow to follow,
\ ours truly,
A. w BENTON