Columbia weekly news., 1859-09-22
DIR. SNYDER
Eclectic.

ECLECTIC.
4 name given 10 class of physicians who sele
their remedies from all sects in me iicne--hence ce
a6ored ~ those American physicians who profess te
re liberal in Their view and independent OF party and
favor progress and reform in medical science.
Tie principal object of the Eclectic system IS to
oI m some ol the Of the old system of
MEDICAL practice and substitute in the place of dele
erous drugs articles equally eflcaci)rs and AT the
time act in harmony with the laws that goTerD
tire animal economy. No candid and experienced ply
scian of the present dav will deny what an observing
bic has long asseried-that the various prepara
lions Of mercury, antimonv. arsenic and many other
articles of the mineral kingdom caanot be admins
tered in the many conditions of the system in which
they have been used without immediate or prcspec-
tive injury TO the patient. In prco these assertions
we quote the language of Dr. James Hamilton. Fellow
Of the Royal College Of Physicians. Edinburgh. who
says that among The nrner, US ,fciscns which have
been used for the alienation Of diseases there
are few which possess more active and Of course,
mere dangerous lowess than mercury Even the sinp
lest and miliest forms of that mineral
extensive influence over the human frame. and many
Of It's chemical preparations deleerous that
ther lest dose they speedily destroy lie lie also
states that when the effects of mercury the human
net.s accara civ investigated and duly considered
it cannot fail to appear that infinite injury nust
fioTn i,s Dr. Rees. Of the hoyai Collegeof
Surgeons. lunon, saws We krow not whether we have
mo-. re-; 81 .u hail tie co,efy Of mercuTy as bles
ns, regard it cpre since the diseases 1t entail
as nrnlerors those which II cures.
Entertaining this view Of he subject the fcun@ors
he Tc,.c.ic S,stern manifested their faith by their
wrrh ie honestly setting themselves at work to id
introduce the profession sa and more etieien.
ciGlcgUues. Whey III that he indiScrigninae of
neic.rv was productive great mischief. and doing
mere than ali cher combined 10 create preiu
dice against scientific medicine. To destroy the couf
delce OF community in its prac.oners, and to drive
them from the physician TO the nosrum dealer. they
mus, introduce substitutes, though in dong they
might Ike many reiormers and benefactors before
them, be eaiei for time qnaeks and empires. But.
through them labor and perseverance IL Is now abuid
antiv derlen -trate to all familiar with Eclectic
sources that Tor arousiIg the Liver and eectiug the
ecietions generally and even fer producing Salvation
Of harmless character. leptandrim. Podoph, Hin
Apoc,nin Irdin and occasional combinations o. ether
article are much more reliable Than Mercury and a.,
tended with of its hazards Evidence Is not lack
ing to show that the neurological properties Of antno
ny and arsenic make them quite obnoxious as the
mercurals Eclectics discard these also because the
indications for which thev used be met with
more SAFETY, prsmptuess and certainty with other
ees. For the sedative expecnrant. and diaphoretie
effects of tartarized antimony, than substitutes
are found in aeonite gelsemirum sangdinaria asceia
&c. No beneficial effects be obtained from arsenic
which cannot be obtained from hydiastIn. quiniEe.
and salcine. The Eclectic system embra
ces all medicines Of mineral origin which exper
has proven to be inIocuous and serSiceabe for
the c"re Of diseases. when used in suitable quantities
III suitable tines Such medicines are frequently
usei among which NAV lie mentioned the preparations
oi ion lime soda. sui nhar and many o, the su,phates
and carhona tes No article Of real therapeutic value i.
thfoxn aside which, with present knowledge of
chemical an physiological lsws- can be used without
risk or letIment to tie futrte integrity and health Ct
ne system.
r snyder devotes his time almost exclusively to the
frea .lnent of Chronic af Surgical diseases Cancer
Tumours Piles Fstulas &c cured without the use OF
the Anie. and attended with but little OF pain.