The Delaware herald., 1854-04-26

United States. ~ ~ ''''
Att Gen.-The counsel for defence can have
the witness.
CrOSS-crGmiaed.
An. Ap.--IIow long have you been in the
practice of medicine, DIR. r.!
Wit.-Thirty years, sir.
An. Ap.--Well, sir, do You now sav, s.r. that
MI Alcohol Is not possessed Of any medical
quaIlhcatIons; and that the valuable and ce,e-
prated bltters OF which SO many Jarreis have
been sold, and syrups. &c, of which he is the
chiet proprietor, are mere quack nostruns. Of
no utility, but injurious!
Wit DO say so, SIR, and in this every intel
llgent physician IN the country viii agree with
me.
An. Ap.--Do you mean to be understood 10
say that the prescriptions Of my Glen; are of no
service when person has been exposed to to k
ing cold, or IN very colo or very warm climates!
Wit DO, sLr, and am ready to discuss the
SUBJECT with him or with any one else. cam
not discover by what rule prescription viii
warm mt ~ Labrador, and cool me in Sumatra:
neither can l discover that a cold. which Is
merely an inflammation, can be prevented by
prescription the most inflammatorv and heat
ing of any known in the materiq ncGica.-
Either position is the height OF absurdity.
An. Ap.--Well, sir, do you not know that in
many regions of country, the water is so impure
as to be very unhealthy, producing disease of
the bowels!
Witt do
An. Ap.--Wel, will you say that the infil
slons OF my client are of no service in the cor
rectlon of impure water!
Witt VIII, sir, and moreover will affirm
hat hnfh !,
my assertion. The Impurities of the water in
most cases are caused by their holding in solu-
ton a greater or less quantity Of some or more
Of the neutral salts, as salt, soda and potash. in
various combinations. Now, what influence
any infusion of Alcohol can have in DESTROYING
the effects of those salts upon the human sys-
TEN, have yet to learn. Filtration through
alternate strata Of sand and charcoal would DO
It, and render the most impure water both sweet
and lmpid; perfectly innoxious.
An. Ap.-So then you think that if my client
were driven out of the country, people would
not be sick any more!
Witt dad not say that, sir, said there
would be less sickness, and diseases would be
more manageable than they are now. When
man who has been drinking the poisonous
celebrated bItters," or sings, iueps, cordisls,
or brandy toddies, or any of the thousand and
one compounds Of alcohol, is taken sick, the
character and the severity of his diseases are
greatly aggravated by these, his previous habits;
and the cha nces are as nine to one against him,
Thousands sir, and hundreds of thousands have
died reputably i'll their beds, of feyers, of con-
sumptons, CT apoplexies, &c, of whom it was
truth well known to their medical atten-
dants, that the fatal termination Of their diseases
was chiefly owing to their having long been in
the habltua use Of the medicines which the
accused has been the chief instrument in COM
pounding.
An. Ap-But, doctor, you will admit that the
prescriptions are at least good to prevent con-
tagion!
Wit.--No, sir, Icannot even admit that. In
preventing disease they are of no more efficacy
than in healing it. Indeed, any man using such
prescriptions in time of prevailing epidemic,
will be more liable to be seized by that epidemic
than the ona who does not use them. This has
been satisfactorily tested to every candid mind,
since the cholera first made its appearance in
America. 5 49,
An. Ap.-.You said, sir, that were my client
driven out Of the country, the effect would be
beneficial to the practice of men of your pro-
fssson, and yet you say there would in this
case be less of disease Win you please recon-
cile this discrepancy in your statement! /
Witt will, sir; and it is easily done.-
Many diseases are caused by the mixtures and
iaiusions of the prisoner, and others are greatly
aggravated by them. Send him out of the !
country, as I have before said, and there would
be less disease Much our fatigue and ankle |
ty would then be removed. 2Again, much of our
practice is among the friends of the prisoner );
they generally employ him till they are sore
duced in property that he will attend them no |
longer, or till they are satisfied that his usage
will destroy them or through exposure, hard |
ship aud want, their families become ill, and |
physician must be called. These cases are not
very bad, and require long and un-
remtted attention; and yet, in nine cases out |
of ten, We receive little or no remuneration for !
all our time, attention, and labor. presume |
have on my books the names of three hundred
persons of tho above classs whom have attena-