The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-05-10
'e From the Medical Rsformer
ON tho use ANA abase Of Ca,hartics.


ON tho use ANA abase Of Ca,hartics.
In the whole "Materia Medical there is
not to be found a more useful class of rerne-
dies than these and none are SO often un-
necessarily administered. sr
We most decidedly object to the use of
these agents with the view of depletion. The
extent to which we consider them aPplica-
BILE is indeed quite limited; but this is no
reason why we should reject them altogeth-
er. II is true that depletion does result from
hypegcatharcis, as it does from hyperdia-
phorecis or hyper anything, but this does not
prove that these effects are deleterious when
not carried TO excess. DELEGATION is clearly
q necessary physiological action, quite as
much so as Emesis, or Diuresis, and if such
an action is necessary for the maintenance
of heal,h-snd we cannot believe that any
sane man can be found who will say that the
retention Of great quantities of faces does
not produce irritation, and become the cause
of disease-it must be quite as necessary
for its restoration. Cathartics then become
necessary when the retained fseces are liable
to excite undue irritation. Under some cir
eumstances, this class of remedies may also
become useful as revulsive agents.
While among some classes of Reformers
there is toe much prejudice against the
use of these agents, our Allopathic friends
by the excessive administration Of them
have entitled themselves to the appellation
of purging doctors. With them it is purge
for every thing, and if the patient does not
Immediately recover, it is repeated again
and again until the great debility that ensues
warns thetn that it cannot be carried any
fnrther. They purge with the view of de-
plstion Disease, they say consists in an
excess Of action and 10 reduce this they re-
sort to depletion by bleeding, purging and
poisoning. 1t is now becoming so unpopu-
lar to bleed for the cure of disease, that our
,Alopathic friends are compelledto do most
of their depletion-reducing of life-byt the
use of purgative medicine; hence the fool
ish extent to which it is carried.
AS in ancient times, when bleeding was
fashionable the people themselves became
bleeders, so in these purging times, they,
learning error from the doctors, resort to the
use of cathartics for thepurpose of preven-
ting and curing all the forms of disease to
which men are subject The prime reason
rendered by the purging doctors for the ad-
ministration of these remedies---though not
the true one-is that, "the stomach is foul
and must be cleansed." Now every physi-
clan who is worthy this honorable title,
knows full well, that purges aciH not eleanse
the stomach; but that their administration,
by interfering with the natural function OF
that organ, rather tends to derange and foul
it. In what condition is this viscous when
it is said to be foul! never knew it to be
in but one, and cannot even imagine it TO
be fouled in any other. From indigestion,
produced by overlooking it, the secretions
of this organ become of morbid charac-
Ter, and tough phlegm or slime Is formed
which persistently adheres 10 its walls and
which not only interferes with the digestive
process, but also produces that loathing Of
food which is characteristic of this state
Now in this condition Of the stomach, how
can purgative medicines cleanse it? They
enter the organ and in consequence of the
irritation produced upon its delicate lining,
more of this unnatural secretion is excited
in which by the peculiar action of the stom-
ach the medicine is rapidly hurried out of
this organ into the duodenum and bowels,
leaving it quite as foul--and perhaps fouler
las when it entered. & SSH
This cry of "foul stomach" learned from
purging doctors, is taken up by their delu-
ded patrons until the great demand for pur-
ging pills and powders has filed all our
drug stores with 'quack medicines There
are always to be found animals--we are
panied to be compelled to say it--that are
placed by naturalists among the man spe-
cies, that are always ready TO fill their pock-
cts by any means that will accomplish the
end, and troop of them are now engaged
in this country pandering to and encourag-
ing this silly idea for the sole purpose of
making money, and that too by the great
injury of their fellow creatures their fell
Low. citizens and even their very neiehbors!
1 Catharties are seldom needed in the treat
mentsof disease, and when the old time
medical profession abandons the awful de-
Idsion Of depletion! depletioh.! depfetion!!!
for the cure of disease, and accepts the le-
gitimate principles of medical science as
offered to them and to the world, by the
Reformed medical profession of America,
then and not It'll then will all this horrible
srrors quackeryi aand destruction be done
away with forever, and DO Braudreih, no
Noffats no Jayne and no McClintock will
flI, swell and fattenI uponsthe cfeduhty Of
American citizens. s'A2t y iss'a Y