The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-12-18
Lecture by Robert Hunter, M. ID.

Lecture by Robert Hunter, M d.
THE TREATMENT OF coNsuMrrIoN-FALLAcYo OF THE
ALLoPATHIC, HOMEOPATHIC AND HYDRoPArHiC
SYSTEMS.
good audience assembled last evening IN the stuyve-
SAINT Instisue hear Dr. Robert Hunter deliver free
lecture the modern treatment OF consumption the
following resume Of the Doctors remarks. Medicine
old the world. In earliest periods medicine ana
religion proceeded together faithful compansoas-the
and e balm Of heans
their hands, the balm for the troubled spirit came from
their hands Chief among the Ills 70 when our noues
pulmonary consumption. For centuries THIS disease mas
been the great scouge Of our and yet 70 the
how little has been done by the profession 70 diminish us
fatal ravages Notwithstanding almost every case
has died, and still cotinues TO die, under the
hands OF physicians the same method OF medication IS
pursued and the theory Of the constitutional origin
the disease maintained in day which were coniena
ed for centuries ago You long been accustomed
10 regard the symptoms consumption the hand Of
DEATH have constantly witnessed the failure OF
every method Of practice that prescribed by the
physicians you have become deeply rooted in the
faith that the disease is ncurabe There are some coun
tries and climates where consumption is comparatively
disease but in this climate and country, ana indeed
in all temperate ATTITUDES, few can say us fail SHADOW
has not fallen upon their own threshhods Is consump-
ton curableY Tho duty OF answering this question de-
wolves upon me- and in the present lecture propose TO
expose the Of the common systems Of treatment
alopahic homeopathic and hydropathc-and upon their
ruins erect system OF medcaion which VIII DC more
worthy of your respect aud confidence Most persons
suppose the practice OF aopahy 70 be definite plan OF
treatment adopted aud employed by all; but the truth
is, there scc's inside OF the profession
than outside Of IT, some 200 years ago Dr. Norton dis
,inguished English physician, advanced this erroneous
theory:'Con ninpon being the result Of Inflammation
Of the lung structure, becdnss frequently repeated are
The proper remedy From that time u oecame very
common bleed from the and u apply cechcs over
This theory shortly exploded, bnt not 50
the practice which has continued almost % tho present
day Consumption is essentially disease Of debility.
The powers of LIE always weak before II is set up;
they become sll more feeble it advances. If we
would the patient must support his strength to
the utmost at the Tune that arrest the disease
when is txhaustns him. Bleeding then, even in the
the syetem and brings
fully under the control of the disease, which, conse
quence runs a more rapid course. But this practice is
supported by many Of the greatest in the profcs
sion. Another class Of physicians equally learned and
orthodox presiding on the erroneous idea that con
| sumption is mainly caused by disorder of the SO
| mach, place all their hopes on emetics. But
as to what emetc, or in what quantities
advises the patient takc emctic every morning and
| evening for months" DR.. simmons orders them only
"twce a week. This absurd and cruel practice con-
sauty prescribed in this city by medical men in good
standing THE dea" said of my patients to me the
mach inside out, and stranng the blood M l. PUSHES TO
the and face, something cannot understand"
is not much 10 characterize this practice as calculated
TO exhaust the strength IN Efforts wlch nave no possible
influence the disease while they invariably
destroy the tone of the stomach Mercury another and
OF the Oldest remedies relied for the cure OF
consumption. II strongly recommended at period
when ii was kind OF specific for all diseases ~ had
happily almost fallen dsuse, unfortunately Dr
wilson Philips book influence OF small doses of
mercury appeared, and al revived the practice II
is now used by some medical men, not because they
have any faith IT, but because they must do some
thing Ii used 10 be given az s.bue pillso as calo-
meln and the corrosive chloride Of mercury" now
| il is generally disguised by being combined with some
opium hemock. The intimate relationship
existing between scrofua and consumption should have
long taught the profession the folly AMI danger of
employing this agent. II there is medicine more in
furious than another in scrouous constitutions that med
mercury. Persons perfectly healthy are rendered
scrofuous and consupve by exposure TO It's influence
Next have the sedatve and duretc practice in which
dgalis has held the chief place of confidence, but 1t is
| now abandoned. Next followed the humbug Of squire
cod liver oil and that too 10 exploded There was more
this substance used IN this city I'VE
States
lsters and all irri,ants upon the skin reviewed
| by the Doctor and condemned change OF climate he
maintained had beneficial effect upon consumltion-
cured single case generally does INJURY, and i
ony prescribed By physicians get the pateL Off their
hands 10 die on this point the Doctor dweli with great
force and ut great length. The writings OF many CT the
most dist nrished men who have ever lived were
quoted to show that travelling change Of climate
generally injurious 10 the oonsumptive patient.
DR. Hunter next showed by quotations from the great
ncurabe Among those named Or. stokes, of Meath
Eaie'si, e eee ihss s1ss ana a. LOUIS me
writer's Is palliative treatment No medical man now
prescrbc with any hope Of curing his patient mere
y to give monetary relief Thus neither experience
or theory does aopathy claim to consumption.
VIII homeopathy do ~ think not. Their writers arc
emnenty committa on the subject but in practice
believe they make no claim to be able TO this dis
| ease by homeopathic prescriptions Many OF the more
candid frankly confess IL Is beyond their control Drs
Hartmann and Hempe two Of their learned writer's
on this dsesse acknowledge that their treatment Just
! uncertain the aopaihc Experience has shown
that IN practice their treatment Is entirely devoid Of
/ cess.
scarcely necessary 10 dwell the water cure treat,
ment of consumption. There reality be said 20
be any such treatment Tie most enthusiastic admirers
aud advocates Of vet sheets, &c., and cold douches
shrink from the responsibility Of their application in con
sumptve presntz the father Of hydropa,hy used
frankly 10 tell all hi consumptive patients that no
means could eyerc cure them 30 say Dr. Edward John
and Or james Gully the greatest lights Of hydro
/ pathy have thus shown you by quoting the admis.
scns Of the most eminent authors In each Of the three
systems, that their treatment Of consumption is total
| failure
The Doctor closed by announcing that free lectures
would he delivered at the same place saturday
and Tuesday evenings upon his system of curing consum