The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-02-23
Hiner0nt Doctors.

louS, and very considerable relish for
that peculiar chronological specimen
known as hm-bug. Indeed, ii is hardly
an exageration TO say that this is an in
digenous American inject Ii any one
don't think so. let him read again the life
of Barnum, look over the advertising list
of the New York Independent, and exam
inc into the sales of any apothecary's shop
and he probably will
There are good many facts connected
with this matter: that Is, there are good
MANY humbugs Perhaps not as many :ls
of some other kinds. but quite As imper-
tinent. and often times more annoying.
and they multiply, and grow prodisious.
Just because the people have an affection
for them and feed them we'll We c.,n
hardly account for the fact, but fact ii
is. that the Yankees have prodigious ca
pacity of swindling, and a prodisious love
of being swindled. When obscure and
questionable firms find it pro- j TO ex-
pend hundreds OF dollars weekly for az
ents who can make '.from six 10 ten do!-
lars day by engaging in light and re-
spectacle business it is pretty evident TO
men who can see good WAY into a mil
stone. that somebody must be gulled-
Notwithstanding all the cunning used 10y
the proprietors of this kind of business. TO
blind peoples eyes. and practise upon their
cre,lmlitv, Vet most of them are 50 perfect
" transparent TO any ole who has even
the reminiScen>e of an exc. that we Won
der 50 many can be found willing TO b.
caught even bv 4 Barnum 1t is an old
saving that "a burnt child breads the
fire" but it would seem that ii Is at pres
ent so old us to be little obsolete. If
were not. we would expect this universal
Yankee nation TO give some evidence that
the eve teeth had started but instead of
that he would be considered hardly up
with the times. who hadn't seen the '.Mer-
maid" or the ..What-is-it," or bought
The Secret out" or taken the '-Con>li-
tuition Water" 1t Is decidedly fashion
able 10 he humbugged. much more so than
to he bitten bv iieaS. or mosquitoes. or any
other kind of vermin. and good deal
more expensive
Having sud tins much of humbug in
@ener;,l-:ind it i fact there are Il good
MANY generals of that kind-we will now
lie little more explicit and specify
Probably the biggest humbug alive i> Pa
/ tent Medicine" but there Is another, VERY
nearly related TO it. which makes up in
assurance what ii lacks III size and man
AGES to hold no inconsiderable place among
those enterprises which take enormou,
SUMS OF money out OF some peoples pock-
els. without any regard TO equivalents.
The simple name OF this humhug. wilei
robbed of all il a,lornmcntS, and shaken
from among its borrowed pluma@e OF shin
in@ titles. amounts only To Travellina
Doctor. and if. TO this. you add the title
oi quack. you get still nearer the truth.
II i little strange that. a> clear 81 ght-
ed IL New England people generally are,
into those things which concern their owI
Interests. they should be caught by such
bait as this class of fellows throw out anJ
be swindled into paving double and trebl,
prices Ia those who. in all probability
don't know half rs much about their dis
orders ;iS their OWN REGULAR physician. who
is acquainted with their peculiaritie>. h;b
lis OF life. and other essential antccedcntS
II is true that they recommend them
selves to public confidence by nmherou
certificates. seemin"lv " well atteSied. but i
the public generally knew how this kin,
: of business Is managed, and these certii;
/ Gates obtained, the probabilities are they
: would lie held in less esteem than the
now appear 10 be. 1t would be strang
indeed if these men didn't etfert scn
cures. or. at any rate. If som j; :: re
| cover vino had been III their hands bu
We apprehend that if :,ll quack no>trum
/ were abolished AMI all the travelling tles.
< tors dead. there would be no sensible de
, probation in the public health. Iii ma
} can't get a comfortable living 10y a regul;,
, and settled practise, ii is not clear, 10 on
feeble understanding. why we and OF,
: ncighbors should help him 10 accumulat
Il fortune in an irregular and itincran
: one Ifpeoplc would only use as muc
common sense in this matter ;i> they ca
t conveniently spare, there would not prol
!. ABLY be - many quackS. - heavy apoti
d ecaries' sales, nor 50 many noxious alrel
. tisement> in the public prints True as
o may he that drowning people catch L
: >traws, Vet we never heard as one eve
:. saved his life by it, and we are very muc
n of opinion, after some observation of til
! matter, that it isn't altogether different
e employing travelling doctors VermO'
+ RecOTd
II To DESTROY RATs-The Griffin. Ga
n Empire State says that lady in that Cit
- whose house became infested with the,
q troublesome vermin, says the simple remt
+ dy of dissolving copperas in water, (mak
# it strong and sprinkle in the most prom
nent places. will make them leave at
two-forty rate, and no mistake She trle
. it successfully, and has not been trouble
, with rats or mice since. Ii is simple, an
will not cost much TO try it.
A lady in the bookstore of Messr
- Ticknor and Fields. seeing copy
, :'Every Saturday upon the table, inqui
:, ed if it was published monthly or sem