Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1860-05-18

Homcopathists, 700 Eclectics, 400 Hydro
pathists, 200 female physicians, 400 Botanics,
800 Chrome Thcrmalists besides these there
arc Indian Doctors, Clairvoyants, Natural
Bonc-Settcrs, Mesmerists, Galvanic, Astrolo-
gic, Magnetic, Uriscopic, 18th sons, Blow-pipe.
doctors, &C., &c. OF these systems Homco-
pathy is the most prominent, and therefore
claims our first attention. ..sa
HAnSExAN, the founder of the Homeopathy
system of medicine, was born in Saxony, In
1775, and graduated at the medical school at
Lcipsic. During his pupilagc he seems y
have imbibed strong dislike to the profess
sion, and instead of engaging in the practice
of medicine after graduating, he employed his
time in translating German publications, and
contributing to miscellaneous works After
employing himself in this way about twenty
years, he suddenly preached Homeopathy,
and published his first essay in 1896. 1t
does not appear that he ever practiced medi-
cine as taught at Lepsic, but after forgetting
what little he once knew of medicine, he
commences a school of his own. He cast
aside all Of the truths that experience had es-
tablished, and set at naught every principle
of philosophy and common sense. Being
prejudiced against all that had been taught
him at the schools, he made a bold attempt
to set up scheme of his own. This scheme
was based upon two prominent ideas.
The first of these is expressed by the Latin
phrase, "lSimilia similibus curantur like
cures like. In adapting this principle, and
applying it to medical practice, HAnSExAx
originated nothing, but simply seized upon
an old provcrb that had been current for
ages before his timc-viz: that 1.-The hair Of
the same dog will cure the bite" A greater
absurdity it is hardly possible to conceive
than is contained in this Homeopathic notion,
"Simiiia simiiibus curantur." 1t is directly
at war with experience and cozanpon sense.
In ever department Of business We find it
plainly contradicted, and still HAnSEHAN A.
firms that this is the sole lao Of eM,v, and At
the same time brings no facts in attestation
Of this position except the limited number
that have come under his own observation,
and these have never been verified by any
subsequent expcrimcnter, unless he previous
ly adopted his. system. Thus the basis of
this theory has not only no foundation in
facts, but the facts arc all against it. If this
principle should be carried oss in every day
life, what would be the RESULT If the wealth
er be warm, we should put on more clothing;
if our rooms become too cold, We would cx-
tinguish the fire. If the baker has too hot
an oven, he will add more fuel, If his bread
be too short, he will add more lard; if the
painter get his paint too dark, he will put in
lamp-black to make it lighter; if our houses
arc too dark we must shut the blinds; If tie
| engineer finds his boiler about to explode
from too much pressure, he must let on more
steam. 1t will readily be seen by every ono
that this principle, applied to the Different
departments of business, would be perfectly
absurd. The principles of medicine arc gov
erned by the same common sense that is used
in every other department of business, there
fore this principle is quite as absurd in one
case as in the other. Let me state plainly
the doctrine .Similia similiJus eurxHtrr"-
Find in the materia medica drug which
when given to healthy person will produce
symptoms similar to those under which the
patient is suffering, and that is your remedy.
Their theory if that the medicine produces in
the diseased parts of the system an sstiSeiAl
but stronger disease, and that this prepon-
derates over the original affection and takes
its place, and that as soon as the temporary
effect of the medicine has passed off, the pa
tent is cured. In other words it is contcnded
that if the medicine is given Homeopathically
T, it will act upon the part diseased by produce
ing similar medical disease which destroys
the original one and then subsidies of itself.
We have shown how this principle would
work in other matters, now let US copyiaer
its working in medicine. Take subject of
lead poison; person inhales the fumes Of
lead; the poison is absorbed by the lungs,
and circulates with the blood to the stomach
and produces lead collie; it alse sAews itself
by that unmistakable symptom Of paralysis
at the wrists. Now Homeopathically this
patient must be cured by administering more
lead. But it needs no knowledge Of medicine
to teach person that this would be perfectly
inconsistent treatment. Common sense teach
es us that we should antidote or eliminate the
poison, and "pari passu I" with the rcmevsJ
Of the poison the patient will recover his
health. A prominent exciting cause Of Aguc
is the miasmata arising from low, marshy
grounds. 4 patient afflicted with the ague
must thcn-if treated Homcopath;cally-b
placed in such situation as to be still more
exposed to these marshy cmanations. But
experience teaches us that the patient must
be removed as far as possible frcm these in
fluenccs, If we would facilitate his recovery.
Scurvy is produced by living upon salt meat,
and abstaining from the use Of fruit and veg
etables. Homeopathically the scurvy patient
must be cured by diet Of salt meat and per-
feet abstinence from fruit and vegctahacs.-
Common sense would indicate the opposite
course as the correct one. Suppose VIC have
a case of Apoplexy, If true homeopathic, We
must apply cold to the feet and hot applica-
tons to the head; in fact we must use every
means in our power to produce, f6r tme,