The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-10-18
From the Medical Reformer.
NAME OF REEORMERS.
BY PROF. ). Nj. BuzzELL, M. D.


or those claiming the name, to harmonise
upon the choice of an appellation, whereby
they shall be called. The grand difficulty
lies in want of agreement upon Medi-
cal Platform, or in adopting system of
practice upon which all can unite. ALI
who differ in any respect from the Allopath:
ic School, claim to be Medical Reformers.
Now if these various systems of practice
differ materially in principle, although all
Medical Reiormers may sympathise in their
opposition to Allopathy, it is difficult to Sc
lect any one name that shall be Significantly
expressive of all the systems of practice,
pursued by the various practitioners in each,
unless we string together all the several
names assumed by each class of Reformers,
into kind of"rope walk" appellation, with
here and there an dlias, so that the public
shall not forget what "manner of persons" :"
we were, or of what elements the coalition
(and it could be called nothing else) was
formed.
In the organization Of Christian Church,
it is usual to embody together such members
as entertain similar views of religious faith
or who concur in respect 10 the distinctive
principles of faith, entertained by the de-
nomination to which it shall belong. In
fact the distinctive principles of the church.
( designate its denominational character.
| regard it therefore as impracticable, and
think also unnecessary for the various classes
of medical reformers TO seek for any one
name by which they may be called, while
they severally adhere tenaciously to their
different systems of practice.
Such as employ vegetable medicines ex-
clusively in their practice, may properly be
called Botanics. Such as use water only in
the treatment of all diseases, may with equal
propriety be denominated HYDRoPATHs.-
And so on. While those who choose to
avail themselves of all the innocuous agents
furnished by the Almighty, upon the face
and in the bowels of the earth, with the ele-
ments air and water, with heat and cold, in
short such as conforming strictly to Physio-
logical and Chemical laws, explore the
universe of nature, proving all things and
/ holding fast only TO that which is good, who
appropriate to themselves all that science
has de yeloped and observation and expert
ence taught in all past ages, and who may
also ayan thospsolvos Of ell improvements
in the future in the treatment of dis
ease in its diversified forms, may with
propriety be called EaLEcTIcs. And with
this latter class rejoice to stand Herelies
the whole world before he Here science
and unbiased investigations yea common
sense, have free scope. Here there Is no
particular ism or rathyto advocate OF de;end.
Here there is no particular man TO cano?ise,
because of some new ideas he may have
advanced, but all medical reformers are re-
spected forthe knowledge they have obtained
and diffused, by faithful and patientresearch,
and the sum of all their observations and
experienced treasured up; and here light is
received from every point of the medical
compass, not as through small aperture
through the walls of darkeneu room, but
as the plentiful sunlight of refulgent day |
am for neither Paul, Appollos or Cephas.
am not for menbutprinciples; for the best
means and method of curing disease and
mitigating human suffering. And TO follow
any one system adopted by medical reform
ers, and using the limited means in the
| treatment of disease included in 1t, may
satisfy others, but there is hardly Helbow
room" room enough for me, in sucha policy
as This. 1t would be as difficult, iorinstance,
to make me believe that the system of
practice instituted by DR.. Samuel Thomson,
is ample and complete, or that it is ade-
qualely adapted to answer all the indications
of disease, or that Hydropathy isphysiologi-
cally suited to euey variety of disease, as
that "Radway's Ready Relief" is a
sovereign specific for all diseases, or
that some one religious sect embraces all
the christianity there is in this, great world.
Well now here we Reformers are, un-
mistately divided in theory, or if not theroy,
in practice. What shall we do! This we
can do. We can harmonise together in the
great work of medicalreform, not urging any
pdItlcuidl ~ yeteiH VI pldCtico tilc SASluSioH
of all others, but exercising charity andgood
will towards each other, and also towards
our opponents or in other words, we can
hamonise EelectcaRg, as do the various re-
ligious ets,--harmonise as christians. We
need not contend with each other. We
should not contend. We are all professedly
engaged in the greatwork of medical reform.
We are laboring not only for our selves, but
for posterity. And il truth is our object, we
shall Ultimately arrive to the goal where
observation and unbiasedinvestigaiion must
and will lead us, viz, to the use of the best
means of all pathies or systems, in the treat
ment of disease, and the alleyiation of
human suffering. The fact is, there are
good things in all pathies or systems of
medical practice. Every new system has
developed some valuable principle or dis
covered some important means orappliance,
worthy Of regard by all such as desire to be
a., .x~1f., ~ xxyb