True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-08-20
DR.. Hardman on the treatment Of
Diseases Of the Lungs by Inhalation.
LETTER NO. |.
LII EH NV. L.
TO the Public and The Profession.

Treat Law OlNeT anu oOuA VI tne OhlVeIse-
God
Grant me, beseech thee, a know ledge of thy
will"
The idea that consumption cannot be
cured that it is necessarily from its very
nature, always fatal--has destroyed more
human lifc than the disease itself. This
desolating disease las eau sed more sofs
row and tears, touched with melancholy
more hearts, severed NOR, ties of alfsc-
lion, and love, clad more humanity in
.habiliments of mourning, caused more
misery aud death, than the combined raw,
ages of all the peslilen ial diseases, that
from time to time, have scOurged the
human race. The allied powers at the
terrible battle of Waterloo, or. upon the
ensanguined plains Of the horrible Crimea,
lost not half so many human lives by
slaughter, as are annually sacrificed, in
either this country or Europe. by the
wilhering hand Of consumption. All,
consumption Terrible Mouarch-insa-
liable devouring Tyrant: whence is thy
origin, and why hurlest thou the invinci-
BILE shafts of death upon the (ailest and
most beautiful Of the race! What man
date Of authority has heretofore, dared
arrest thy terrible progress, or reckon the
gastly victims of thy relentless march !!
Why smitest thou down, blooming and
joyful youth bounding hopefully into The
arena of life ? Why hast thou introduced
sorrow and weeping and badges Of NOR
ming and woe 10 the homes ofOne third
of the human race! All. Destroying
Angel Minister of Death! Stay thy po.
tential arm-stop thy wholesale career Of
destruclion--let thy deeds'of torluring
death be numbered
There is not. perhaps, in the whole cata.
logue of human maladies, disease, the
nature and cure of which, is so much ne
elected By The profession of Medicine I;
and which at the same time, more pre-
eminently demands the attention of that
profession; than that melancholy disease,
known as consumption. 1t is so general,
so fatal in termination, and so universally
difl'used THAT scarcely family is 10 be
found in the broad land, that has not fur.
niShed one, or more victims, 10 glut the
appetite of the Unsuitable destroyer Of the
race Therefore, it is scarcely necessary
to offer an apology for dispensing sound
information TO the People through the
public press, in relation to class of dis
eases, heretofore defying the art of man {;
inasmuch as the whole communily will
be benefited thereby, and perhaps hardly
an innividual of that community, can be
found, who has not, either in his own
person, or nearest relative or friend. a
painful and melancholy interest. What
say will be common sense observations,
based upon facts and sanctioned by ex-
perience, and nor metaphysical specuIa.
tions and mysterious hypothesis, clad in
senseless and unmeaning technicalites
| choose to address the plain understan
ding of the people Instead Of travelling
that crooked, slippery and conservative
road marked out by the superannuated
Fathers of Physic, called Professional
Etiquette" by which truth is so often
perverted in its lofty mission of substtu.
ting itself for error and dispensing Light
tor Darkness )" and if ever triumphant, il
is only by its own inherent might, irres
istably bearing down in its march, the
allied powers of conservatism, bigotry
and dogmatsm. The press is potential
in correcting all error and wrong, in Re-
ligicn. Politics or Medicine, and willis,
humanity calls for free and complete ex
position ofthe true principles ofthe two fol
mer, science and philanthropy, press 6
claim, demanding none the less for the
latter.
1t may be that some of the ideas ad
vanced in these letters, will appear noveI
to my professional brethren, and cal
down upon them the scanning eye of the
critic; but however much my faith may
have been shattered in that honorable
body, in these" latter days, " | still hav'
faith enough 10 believe, they will not ig'
more free discussion Of great prac.ica
principles ; and deny me fair, calm ant
impartial hearing. Let me exclaim ii
the Language of Themislocles to Eur
blades. when the latter upilted the stal
of his Indignation to chastise him, "Strik
but hear me. :" - ..'
Physicians have so long contente,
themselves, in viewing consumption, a
an incurable disease, thatthe public mint
f has 10 great extent been directed int
the same channel Of opinion, that no soon
eris aperson pronounced " consumptive,
than all hope of restoration to health val
ishes and then follows despondency o
mind, with is depressing and enfeebling in
huences. upon the entire body. The min,
and body are very Intimately united, AM
it should not be surprising that the.
should effect each other, and that whel
!. strong impressions are made upon tn
: one, it would be reflected upon the other
s Many diseases of grave character
: have acknowledged such cause.
Spasmodc Asthma and some affection
of the throat and heart are thus produced
g Long continued depression and anxiet
j, of mind, brought on by the reflection
n that "my disease is an incurable consumI
! tion," may produce great irregularity i
# the process Of digestion and assimilation
perverling nutrition, deranging the mel
+ vous system, producing debility, and has
o tening the fatal catastrophe ID 's"
n Another plain reason why consumI
;, Iion has been so uniformity fatal; is, thu
+ the patient believing it incurabe, make
" no attempt to find a cure, contentin
g himself with the use of palliatives |; thu
e lnllinr himnolcinin Calnn nnn,,r;L,rl .,,l n,