New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-01-13
HOMEOPATHIC.
,..,,,vsl .4ddyess before The HaA"e@a"" -iea'e"y
Medicine,
px r. KIRBY, NJ. d. PRESIDENT.
IRepored for The Tribune

Medicine IN tilas WY ""'
day evening, before the members OF tue
and highly respectable audience al 're ~,
ut. Church. opposite La Fayette Place' pfN. 'a.1
ne proposed TO inquire, Who are the noHcUPa
,bists What is their duty land what VIII DC
a. HE result il it is faithfully performed
NJ hioo, vas accordingly treated under these
st., d;,.irct heads. Fortunately for the healing
c.. che cood of mankind, the first question
e de6nite answer. Until the time oil
TT.hrenapn. the art of Medicine had no hxed
that were known theories upon theories
.vore invented by ingenious minds OF the proieS
ts,,;on and to detect malpractice was out OF the
one.t;on. II isa maxim admitted by the most
eminent men Of the Allopathic school that there
is nothing certain in Medicine" Little or no value
is fixed to the testimony Of physicians as sAliieu
witnesses for the that facts and tneoriesare
.onipgled that neithertbe ingenuity OF the advo'
catenor the learning ofthe Judge can separatetnem'
andit is discarded on the ground OF uncertainty
It is now universally admitted that the medicsi
treatment of the sick should be undertaken only
rpon clear and well established laws OF Nature
A svsten of medicine which claims to prevent
nremature deaths, to detect malpractice and to
render medical testimony useful in the admins
fration of criminal law, should receive the most
Thorough investigation 1t is sufficient for our pur-
pose in these preliminary remarks, continued the
speaker, that Homeopathic sets up these high
claims and from the period OF her first develop
ment to the present moment, not principle OF
which she is constituted has been disproved or
found in any degree to conflict with other known
laws OF Nature.
The speaker next considered the questlon-who
are the Homeopathsts The spread of Hahne
nanns doctrine, he observed, has been rapid
and has gained such degree of popularity among
the int lligent the learned and the wealthy, that
many ia the profession have exclaimed, Lo! am
he A few claim 10 be wiser than the master and
most extraordinary doctrines have been propaga-
ted in the name of Homeopathic; and in her name
an unsuccessful and occasionally a pernlclous
practice has been pursued; and to such an extent
has this been followed that the opposition with
some show ofreason have expressed the opinion
that H abnemann's practice had been abandoned,
therefore the system was failure Let us view
things as they exist II there be those who pro-
Tess faith IN Homeopathic. and deny that faith
by their works, no harm come by the
admission of the fact II an opponent seize
upon such inconsistent and unworthy members OF
the school and hold them up to the gaze Of the
world as genuine Homeopathists; and by their
deformity and uginess create laughter and de-
visiop il is only one of those Ordeals which truth
often has to pass through on her way to triumph
and victory.
He who is familiar with the history of success
ful Reforms, where the People feel they have an
interest. would not be surprised at diversity of
opinions among those engaged In the reiorma-
zion; for il is well known that various sects may
eprout from the same root. Homeopatha hau
hardly been promulgated by her author, and no
time allowed for a proper investigation OF her
doctrines and practice, before writers began 10
Introduce what is incompatible with her primer.
nles protesting at the same time to be called
bv her name; and thereby laid g foundttion for
sects and parties in the Homeopathic school.
That " hich the speaker objected to 10 che point
under notice was, that before Homeopathy had
been thoroughly studied, the work of improving
II is undertaken; and for this reason, 1t cannot
be denied, there is a tendency to the iofmatlon
of sects in the school. The Organon OF Hahne,
mann was spoken of as the only true standard
of the genuine homeopathic; and Hahnemann's
language descriptive of the laws OF disease and
remedy was quoted by the DR.. at considerable
length This portion OF the Address was gen.
eral review Of the principles OF Medicine, as isld
down By the great founder OF HomeopaSn,d'
which our limited space ioroids US 70 lollo"
DIR. X. remarked that his own observations and
reading had convinced him that those who nave
carefully experimental, agree with the rue VI
Hshne m ann In reference 10 the dose Oh hOuSo'
pathic remedy, viz, that, without exception tue
doses are 10 be atteDuated 20 such degree tndt
merely produce an almost insensible aggravatloh
of the disease; and that the dose OF the homeo-
pathic remedy can never be sufficiently smah so
as 10 be inferior to the power OF the natural as
ease " hich 1t can, at least, partially eXthSulSh
and cuye provided it be capable of producing only
a small increase of symptoms Immediately after
1t is administered He only continued the d.
is recognized in our school who is regularly eau
Gated aereeably to the existing Medical schools
of our country for unless he has an accurate
knowledge of anatomy, physiology, chemistry'
botany. pathology and other branches tangnt IN
our COLLEGES. he would be incompetent to practice
the art
alton OF the question What is the duty OF homeo-
pathic ply scians 1t is no easy thing to feel the
force Of law If those laws which the Creator
has given TO man were carefully studied and their
BEAUTY harmony and design clearly perceived,
and the terrible consequences that must neces-
sarily result to every one who neglects TO make
chem rule Of practice toward his creator, MS
fellow. man. and to himself; and IL these divine
laws existed in the mind of man in all their
spiritusiitv and power would he dare, would he
even allow himself for a moment to think OF de-
parting from them in his conduct, under any cur
cumstances7 Mo- he would do as others have
done stand TO his integrity. But although the
laws OF God are plain enoughi although they are
universally in the Christian world admitted 10 be
true aud although all civil laws among Christians
are based upon them, because they explain right
and wrong, and although they are exPounded TO
as weekly by the ministers of our holy religion,
and their claims urged upon us with zeal and
eloquence which become an ambassador OF God,
vet hoa few do more than assent to their truth.
Now, Il under such circumstances the divine laws
influence men so slightly, and an entire disregard
of them so easily Obtains-is there not ground oil
fear that Homeopathists may not so study the
laws OF their art that they may live in them In
all their beauty, harmony, design spirituality
and powerl The speaker would take no low
view OF the laws which govern the Art Of Heal
ing. They are established by the Author OF all
truth; they are a merciful revelation made to man
by the Author of bis being, and no physician can
be guiltless who neglects them.
Atto,-r,c.. runa aIa., dirncfad To the an hecf of