Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-12-08
THREE CREEKS, Ark, Nov. 10


 DEAR SRA piece appears in your issue of 10th inst, by an N. D. which propose brief ly to notice. l am no M. D. to use high flown language, or follow in the footsteps of illustri- sous predecessors, but notwithstanding, can see and appreciate inconguities agree with an NJ. D. that a great many in Arkansas are too much in the habit of placing their lives and that ofther families in the hands ofpretenders with nothing to recommend them but a supera- bundance of brass.
 l once heard young graduate say, " he had rather die under the treatment of Professor DoDgleson, (znowing that it woald be done scientifically than get well under the treatment of a quack." Now if an NJ. D. goes thus far, l cannot go with him. Life though not always strewn with flowers, a yet too dear to be sacri- feed to theory.
 An NJ. D. denies that chills and fever is pro- duced by miasmatic state of the atmosphere, that it originates in the stomach and liver or both. Lower down he goes on to say 'tha5 the disease prevails to as great, and at times to a greater extent in high and healthy latitudes," and asks the question-In this country, why is this disease much more common in the pine hills than in the bottoms?
 Now sir, that the disease originates, or ratb- CT IS first made apparent in the derangement of the liver or stomach 1 believe all NJ. D.,s agree, but the question is what produced this unhealthy state of the stomach and Iiver.- Now 1t is simply absurd for any one to contend that there are more cases of chills in the hills than in the bottoms, CT near some river or swamp calculated to generate this miasma we are talking about. It is true, that those living immediately on the bank of a river are no more subject to intermittent fever than those a mile or more off on the hills, but this may be accounted for from the fact, this miasma rising from the lake or pond, or wet marsh, may pass over those living immediately on the bank and settle on the hills of the surrounding country. just as you have seen the smoke from fire in the open air pass over the heads of those i'm medately at it, and come to the earth again some distance off. Experience has taught those living in this southern country, that near lake or pond they are more subject to chills and fever than those living more remote. But again, taking an M. D.S theory as being correct, we might look for intermittent fever or chills and fever ill every cline and in all situations of life; it would prevail to no greater extent in the Mississippi swamp than on the Alleghany mountains, which we all know is not true. have known numbers of men who were born and raised in the mountains of Virginia who never saw one with the chilIs. This proves that the theory ofau NJ. D. (though nicely fixed up) is not true. So much for an NJ. D.'s theory of what produced the disease. Now as to his treatment. He tells us how to determine the seatofthe disease, and 1 must admit does it in very common sense way Then qoes on to say, where the disease is produced by indiges- ton, we first proceed to cleanse the stomach and bowels and then turn our attention to the digestive organs; these we correct by means of tonics, of which bromide of iron is our fayorite and we can truthfully assert that we have sell dom, II ever failed to find success attending it's use In this disease. When the disease proceeds from the liver our aim is to carry out of the system any overplus of biliary matter and at the same time correct the flow of the secretions from the gall bladder; this is readily done by the prudent use of caomel and opium combin- ed or separate, the nature of the case requires We never give quinine unless so requested by such persons as object to taking opium. Now. sir, to read the above prescription for simple chills and fever, without knowing from whence il came, we might really suppose it some old antiquated receipt, given some twenty or thirty years since when the use of oupine was in its infancy, and its various qualities but llt- tie understood. Who does not know that a weak and facilitated state of the blood may be corrected by he use of ron who does not know that when the liver fails to perform its functions caIomel will prompt it to action, but where the disease takes periodical form, as is always the case In chllls and fever, take your calomel un- til the liver Is taxed to its utmost, pour in your iron by the pound, and yet at stated intervals. the old sprocrer will make himself heard Now SIT, we must take an antperodic; what shall it De. All will answer at once, quinine. The main lever in removing disease, it acts as tonic and stimulant, giving strength to the patient, and as an antlperiodlc the surest known leaving the system in better state than any other Expe- rience has taught us that calome is dangerous remedy to tamper with; cases frequently come up where all that is necessary, is to break in up- on the periodicy of the disease, and nature will do the rest; when this is the case qunine is indispensable, by giving calomel you but pro- crastinate recovery.
 have done. My only design was to show up what conceived to be an absurd theory and practice If have failed, it is not because of the weakness of my position but the lack of ability in the author. l never gave a dose of medi- cine in my life unless prescribed by a phy-