Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-04-17
The Art of Poisoning.

tors Of modern tines should salute each oIheF
with that curious ne1picabe, bat pcrfecty inteigi
BILE gestculaOn Of bgys-he thumb ~ tho end Of the
nose, with the baud expanded While Doctors, soel-
ally are among the most intelligent and agreeable CON-
pany you can meet within fact they are the only
class among US who study address and acquire the full
mastery Of it-and wonderful IL its effect in sick rooms
vet We never see Que that do not think Of physie
aud when we think Of physc by the irresistible force
o. the association Of ideas, think Of poison l. is
no secret to anybody nowadays that the medical dis
peusA,ory is little else than long catalogue OF the most
deadly posons. CalOmei is equally deadly the ex
tract OF mar .oulea aud ludanum, Il not so quick, is
as full OF death prussic acid. But notwithstanding
these facts patent the simplest Intelligence, and
modern science has taught that every mOrsel eat
and every breath Of air breathe ireghted with
]. son, the schOOl-Ooy wOnderment Of two thousand
,,.rs standing, excited by the great King Of Poutus
living on poison, knows abatement. People in
credulOus rather they still believe that poison is IA
ta to life Nature is full Of contradictions or more
properly speaking Of mysteries unso.ved aud perhaps
lnsoluble Arsenic which kills rats and men, Ettens
dogs and adOrns the cheek Of beauty A certain de-
gree Of heat and cold is essential TO vitality And yet
there animaeules which have been subjected to the
ineusest heat known 70 laboratories for twenty-our
hours tOgerher-and at the expiration Of tho ordeal,
asfal of life as Ga the other hand, there
are cold blOoded animals which, at the approach Of
winter go into state Of orpOr, aud no degree of cola
sfeSss their vitality.
Bat il is poisoning 10 the vulgar aecep,aton that is so
aohOent to the popular imagination In that sense it
regarded aeOwardly mode Of assassination prompt
ed by malice, and by beneyoeuee to man, As when
~. -. L
great Lord Bacon far gave way to the vulgar Anpa
'hies Of bis day, when prosecuting prisoner charged
with poisoning, 90 cap his climax Of denunciatons
BY ehaTacterIzing poisoning POpih trick" The
Italians Of that time had acquired great reputation in
the art Of poisoning Il said they could BY means
Of pair Of perfamed gloves or an impalpable powd
sprnkled garment eonsign the weares to certain
death fixed hour six twelve os eighteen months
distant This art Of slow Poisons if it ever existed
ike that Of Roman cement has been lost to mankind
unless indeed il exists and daily manifested in medi-
cal recipes
The modern practitioners of the fashionable and pop
uAr art Of poisoning, b. courtesy denOninated the sci
ence Of medicine, divided into innumerlbe secs-
The most prominent the orthodox, the Faculty par &c
eelres who have survived the biting sarcasm Of Moliere
and the exquisite humOr Of lie Sage and, therefore
have just tide to patent for immortality, trace their
descent through unbroken neal succession to the great
whom, with al his greatness there Is
lot NJ d. in Richmond who does not possess E,r |
better knOWledge OF the human system than he ever did
These are called AlOpathisss-a Illustrated By and
derived from, their leading dogaa-eontraya cOrarsis
eaatur. Various other seCl under the shadow of bis
have arsen-sOme aOursbed for dEy and disappeared;
Others been adopted BY aud aes into tie Faculty
-azd others again still oytsandng and furnishing OF
these last, ia the seOEothe Hahrsnann-,he Hom@Ovs-
thlts whose leading preipe , in direct agOnis to
that Of the AlOpAIhists-sinliG siB,il,5S euraatr-
HahnemaRn who a very learned man and full Of l
enterprise, in experimenting, aoeraned that Peruvian
bark quinine would produce on a healthy person
ehl identical to thas which attends fever in diseased
subject He pushed his experiments, and the results
convinced him Of the existence Of principle. He /
acted upon il He was denounced aud prosecuted and
driven from German State to another Bot his nrB
eps took root aOudshed-it continues to flourish
and to find aeceptatiOa amOag many men and s,il
,eater number Of women.
Far be It from US, outside barbaraus 10 undertake 10
srblrste between the merits Of these opposing scots
Ii We were to say that TO ignorance, the difference
appears 70 be only between large and nnitesal doses
Of poison, might offend the sensibties and do ipius
tee to both. In the fush Of health, we may kick up
our heels and make light Of the DOcsors but when the
dArkened chamber aud the eake pace OF attendants ad
mOnish that struggling between time and eter
nifty, gladly catch at any straw and the Doctor is the
first and last recourse.
The difference, which caunot solve NAV be safely
eit TO discerning public. For lackily there has re-
,ently come among Us, gentleman Dr.. Alfred Hughes
Of Wheeling, practising the principles of Hahne-
mann, thoroughly educased IN his profession, and with
several years experience in the practice To high pro
essiOnAl ability, be adds the merit Of political martyr
Tom. An original secess)nist and enjoying an exten
i've and lucrative practice in Wheeling, Whea the Pier
'ont usurPaOn set up all physicians we're required
o take the oath Of allegiance. DR. H. refused He was
orthWith arrested thrown into the jail at Wheeling, re-
moved thence to Camp Chase where be was detained in
lose eonhnsment nes ~ eight months Various IN.
ucsuents we're held o. 10 hin to renounce his priuci
lies and take the Oathal Of which be steadily refused
nd at last vac released when supposed to be at the
'oint Of death, b. the sacrifice OF at his property
While we could not wish any Of our friends 10 stand
need OF DOcsoS-yet Doctors assistance Is ne
easAry to despatch Us Ell this slow and easy mode Of
departure may not BE without its charms.
Fun for our Cavalry.