Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1857-03-14
For the QadsGaetoa Guardian.


MEDICINES, THEIR USES, AND MODE
or APPLICATION.
Mr. EDITOR:
l propose a few thoughts on
Medicine and their mode of application.
Although your paper is not devoted to
medicine, yet as guardian Of the public
interest of your growing village and
prosperous county. / believe a more
general knowledge of scientific medicine
would promote the prosperity Of your
readers equally as much as political econ
omy and its kindred subjects.
We are not able to say at what period
Of the world Medicine was first practised
as an art.
Art may be defined the power of doing
something which is not taugt By nature
or instinct. 1t involves the "a Of learn
ing, or improvement in knowledge
While the term Science implies positive
knowledge Of the principles on which Art
is based. and the reasons-the why and
the misunderstanding grounded on
demonstration.
The applicability of these definitions
will appear as We compare the uses and
modes of application of Medicines in
Homeopathic and Ainpathic practice.
Out Of mans pccaliar situation in the
world arises the necessity of the useful
arts. Hesitate of destitution in regard
to covering and place of shelter. natu-
rally suggests the necessity of clothing
and dwelling. The state of his organ
ization very significantly prompts him to
seek expedients for converting the natu-
raj stores of animal and vegetable pro-
auctions into savory food. The same
disposition of mind would prompt him,
when assailed by disease. TO search for a
remedy.
Thus step by step does nsAn's inren-
tive genius carry him forward from the
discovery of one useful art to another,
I'LL all his original wants are supplied, a
great degree Of comfort and independence
obtained, and he characterized the I" lord
of creation
From the simplicity of the mode of life
in early times. we may infer that diseases
were then mild in their nature and ad.
mitted of easy relief. corresponding tc
the inexperience of the times, and the
limited knowledge of medicinal agents
II there are immutable laws or govern.
ing principles in every other branch O
science with which we are acquainted,
why should there not be in medicine,
which is to man the most important of all
sciences
In the history of medicine frequent
changes Of theory and consequent chang
es in practice, afford evidence that Allo.
patty has not found the law of curc.-
And the question naturally arises. have
Tie lhuntife than history lvgs TO xrabhatiy
in the past, and even up to the present
In answer, we may point to the law, o.
fixed principle, founded in nature, anc
which the immortal SAMUEL HAHsExAS,
discovered and demonstrated as the rul,
for the administration of Medicine in dis
ease. Within the last three-quarters of
century it has been revealed to mar
through the Homeopathic school of Med
icine, with her thousands of physicians
and millions of recipients, who fully re.
cognise the universally and efficiency o.
this law, by which theensemble of symp.
toms occurring in disease have their tn
reflection and counterpart in those elici
ted by medicines.
A class of facts obtained from health,
persons express the morbific properties o
our medicines. Another class of fact.
obtained from the sick express the thera
peutic, or curative, propertias of the same
agents. A comparison of the two class.
es establishes as universal law. "ike
are cured by like" and the facts of each
individual case of disease determine the
remedy to be in accordance with this law
HAHNEMAEN was, the first who made
we'll ascertained facts the essential basis
of the whole therapeutic fabric. His is
the only known law which makes every
morbid phenomena observable in the liv.
ing body subscrvient to the restoration Of
health.
1t is the availableness of the facts
which stimulates the true physician to
examine SO infinitely the active and living
physiognomy Of disease-the symptoms.
1t is we'll established principle that
two vital actions. in every respect similar.
must involve the same parts. the same
tissues, the same fbres. the same parti-