New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-06-05
DR.. HUNTER
ON
c u N 8 U n r TION .

| U U II f N.
In this terrible disease. which should, from it
| lowed to accumulate around it. invite the closes
scrutiny and of the physician, course of treat
ceive at total variance with the dictates of reason
experience. and the best established princi pies
| in the lungs. medicines have been prescribed il
SUCH a manner that they expend their action almos
in any other than very secondary and subordln ats
degree influencing the destructive changes going
| There established principles of treatment
Physicians OF equal reputation and equal experience
disease, medicines of the most opposite Qualities
and each persists in daily routine, the ipJudicous
| ness of which is condemned by a thousand deaths
| and unsupported by a single cure.
| If universal failure will prove the falsty of any
of 6s shs fssy Of the
| through the stomach, has been clearly and ncon
troveribly demonstrated as any error possibly car
The most learned and experienced physicians
while admitting the durability of mption nave
accom- plished no more than temporary palliation
The ignorant and inexperienced, while they side
with the erroneous popular conclusion that the dis
incurable yet tender their advice and assist
they prots Of snd
tients all reflections on their own want of skill Tbey
pursue the needless and disreputabe course of de-
|
| to winch their own injudicious ministratons are
hurrying them; designating mere cold or a
not Wholly ignorant Of they musp Snov " aan o II
spring from the inception of disease which, despite
any means they are employing must soon hurry their
patients to an untimey grave. They cling to their
patients until the latter under the influence Of the
hope deferred that maketh the heart sick, verge
toward entire dependency. When the advice TO
visit the country, to take sea voyage" to go
| to warm climate for season." is the stereotyped
soother of all complaints that may have escaped
their lips. You will be better in the ensu n 2
spring" is also q prepared comfort Of these
they delude thus far. The country referred to is
that which lies beyond the grave; and the spring"
'Life's fitful fever is over.
The view that consumption is essentially incurable
has certainly been we'll sustained by its universal
fatality under the treatment usually employed; and
liver OIL counter irritation cough mixtures
and change of climate" and if the same prnci pies
were to govern my treatment that have hitherto
directed to such disastrous results, ], too, should
have little hope. But have other resources than
these. and other principles more consonant with
nature, under the influence of which fresh oil is
poured into the waning lamp of life, and hope re-
viyed again in the dropping heart.
In abandon ing the old beaten path. neither the
patient nor physician gives up anything except it
escaping from it. Some time ago recol1ected OPEN
ing the work of a cele brated writer on pulmonary
disease, to what treatment he recommended. and
found it summed up in the following words: "Ailay
local irritation BY opium dIarrhoea by astIingen,
soace the close life by attending to the immediate
comforts of the patienti'
The close of lite is. indeed very natural termina.
ton OF such course. and the only which any
body could reasonably epect to result.
The treatment ct consumption by medicated in
halation is no longer new idea, and that it will
cure where all other means have failed is an estab
such nveterate character, seen for the first time in
the second stage and often only in the third STAGE
agements may not sometimes occur. This is the
case wit oil chronic diseases. MANY recover from
idly. others more slowly. and come only after the
treatment has been considerable time persevered
are compelled to work by means. and those means
can only prove successful when properly and perse-
emEP1ysd 1 but DO claim that when the
can almost invariably be expected from the inhala-
can not too highly condemn the foolhardy prac-
tice OF many of those who are now sufferers from
diseases of the lungs-who seeing their friends
themselves. to await the result, often even tnen
will not stir until they have waited to be that
the cure is permanent: Suicidal madness. Do they
not realize that each day but adds to their disease
and renders cure more difficult. Do they n OF know
that an affection which is to-day durable may. in
few weeks pass beyond the reach of all medicine,
and carry them to their graves, when they might,
ugs of life and health for years to come
We're the expenses attendant upon the treatment
they interfere with the patients business. there
might be some slight excuse in many Of these cases
aesy apH out more OF These
self to blame if he finds that day by day he sinks
til at last he passes beyond the reach of all human
aid
Having proved that consumption has been again
and again cured and by evidence of the posi-
tive and indubitable character established the fire.
quent of such recoveries, feel that this
vexed matter should be considered placed forever
at rest. 1t may be excusable for those who have |
not had much experience In the chamber of sick |
ness. and even for credtabe old matrons who have
spent their lives in nursing the SICK and yet |
throughout that long period, have not known one |
case OF recovery, though they have administered |
the pctlcns prescribed by of learned doctors
IT may be excusabe, say, for them to deny the Gu
# Sesve to
alb e. then are they ignorant, and for ignorance |
such as this where life is at stake the largest char
other hard. believe II durable, and yet |
deny such to be the case, because they |
know not the means. then are they false |
been attended with more success-fass to he pro. |
fession to which they beIorg-(because they deny |
what it has proved)-and false to their patients |
VII ON they deceive until the disease has reached
81 age when deception is longer possible, and then
proclaim its hopeless character eakeniug the last
hold OF their patients on life, and depressing the |
mind to utter despair.
If you Invalid, there is safe rule to guide you
in your judgment and one to which the physician has
no right to object. 1t is tbis-you have diseased
lungs and to attain recovery about seek p4edi-
cal advice. Among the physicians of your aconan-
lance there may be some who do not believe con-
from certain destruction, from the embodiment of
a!l evil Had one patient by their administrations
been rescued from the grave, this unbelef would
vanish, and the physician who during his practice
1as not saved one. is an unsafe pilot through the
storm on the troubled sea over which the consump-
admit the durability of consumption should be able
% point TO their success-should be able refer to
hose whom they have been instrumental in
esculng from tho grave after unequivocal symp- |
oms of this terrible maady had proclaim ed them
selves. |
K. B. HUNTER, Nd,