Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-10-12
VOL. 6.---N0. Z.
rHE pH1LosoPHY oF MEp1c1nE.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF MEDICINE.
The following article, over the signature of
Gan Old Doctor,'' we find in the October NO.
of the Great Republic Monthly. 1t contains
some hints which it might be well enough for
those interested TO reflect upon:
ssThe great error of most practitioners is TO
regard medicine as having a curative power;
hence they persist in administering it in vari-
Gus modes and forms, while their patients
have life and ability to swallow it, until death
closes the scene.
ssAll medicines are, in various degrees, es-
sentially poisonous, and most OF them are very
concentrated poisons wherefore, to avoid i'm
mediate death from their.use, they are admin
istered in very small Quantities; but, never
theless. their continued and protracted use is
inevitably fatal, or destroys the patients con-
stitution in the end, il nature fortunately
holds out until its exhibition is discontinued
by some lucky circumstance.
s.The beneficial effect of any medicine in the
fist stages of its exhibition arises from the
prompt action of its poisonous qualities, in
small doses, TO rid the system of congestions
that would be fatal if not displaced by the vio-
lent efforts of the organ to get rid of the pol
son, whereby nature is at once enabled to re-
sumo its wontcd healthy action; consequently
a curative power or healthy quality is impu-
ted to the medicine. This is a delusion;
though the good effect, SO far, serves as well as
If the qualities of the medicine were sanative.
But if such prompt relief does not occur, or If
it does occur in a sufficient degree for the re-
action OF nature but is not sufficiently needed
by the practitioner to teach him to abstain
from the further exhibition of his medical poi
sons, his patient, under their continued use,
passes into state of chronic debility produced
by the medicine, not by the original disease.
Nevertheless, the practitioner, mistaking this
new crisis change in the type of disorder
for an alleged obsfiaacy in the original disease,
instead OF dessting, continues more diligently
to exhibit his poisonous medicines In every
form, while his patient is becoming emaciated
with prostration for want of nourishment and
other appliances of good nursing.
ssNo medicine or varieties OF medicine that
| debilitate the organs of dgestion-the stom-
ach and bowels and their auxiliares-should
be continued more than "A, 36. or As hours, ac-
cording to the strength of the patient to re-
sist their prostrating tendency. A nutritive
diet should never lac neglected longer than
this, or the patient will tall into a state of de-
biity and prostration of vital power worse
than the original disease. Indeed, TO guard
against this tendency to prostratfon, regard
should be had to nutritive, but light diet, in
the earliest stages OF treatment of the original
disease, to prevent its degenerating into ty
| phoid fever or other chronic stages of debility
and prostration, so often attended with weak
and fiuttering hectic pulse, frequently mista-
ken for fever, requiring further debiiitating
remedies instead of liberal nourishment,
tepld bath, and respite from the further ex-
hibltion OF medicine.
ssIn cases of great prostration, where medi-
cine has been too long persisted IN, attended
with heat and thirst, mucilaginous drinks
should be resorted to, slightly acidulated, and
sweetened 70 the taste of the patient; such as
| faXseed tea, with lemon juice and sugar, may
| be drank freely. hot or cold, first straining it
| from the fiaxseed. Boiled milk. thickened,
with grated nutmeg; also, we'll boiled Frice,
with milk sweetened and grated nutmeg; and !,
at intervals, wine psnada would be very CRATE
F! full Also, chicken thoroughly boiled, and al
| ternated with the above, would make as great
a change for the better as the pertinacious use
of medicines would make for the worse until
death should close the scene.
81 am sure that the above hints will strike
/ home to the common sense of every intelli-
| gent person, and should be needed by the
| friends of the sick everywhere"
p. 5. tepid bath, and sponging the tenn
! plies and the crown of the head with cold wa
| ter, would give great relief in delirium.