Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-02-17

medicine at all hazards, whether ii be
the right kind for bis particular condition
or not /. is far better TO take no mcdi.
cine at all, than TO take il at the hands of
person ignorant of its proper admins
tratiOn.
A common error in regard to medicine
is The prevalent opinion that by puIchas.
ing such book as "Warren's House
hold Physician" the possessor will then
bc enabled to determine what disease n
person may be suffering from, and PFC
scribe for it with fair degree of skill.
Such is not the case however. 1t is not
possible To collect in one book sufficient
knowledge to prepare one To prescribe
medicine understandingly, nor to dis
criminatc diseases correctly. 1t requires
long and special training for this The
nsual three years course prescribed by
our medical colleges is now generally
admitted 10 be too short n time for acquir
ing suitable skill for il. Discriminating
enc disease from another is often dilli
cult task to the educated physician. The
same disease rs manifested in different
persons often requires the most different
remedies. What might be the b 81 med
icinc for one fever patient might be the
very wors, for another person suffering
under the same fever. remedy that is
powerful to do good if properly prescrib
cd, is equally powerful TO iniurc If I'M
properly used. Hence We see The pro-
pricty Of rciraining from the usc of mcdi-
cines unless prescribed undorstandngly
1t is bette; 10 trust the case entirely to
nature than to ignorantly administer
drugs. 4 Il that the drugs are ever ablu
TO do is to assist nature in her efforts to
cure Disease is often the result OF some
morbid material retained within the SIS
tenn and which il il necessary should be
eliminated. The organs OF the body
which should do this may be in 4 torpid
condition. aud then the timely admins.
traIiun of the proper medicine will rouse
thai into activity, and thus the morbid
matter be removed and health restored
The province OF drugs is to assist the nat
ural process OF cure, and their timely aid
may often be sufficient to rescue the pa
tient from death. The object in the use
of medicines should bc TO assist and sus.
tain tho natura! powers of the System,
and to do this skilliully requires the most
patient and studious training.
Practice does not make perfect in this
art. \ man may have avery large prac.
ticc for many years, yet if hc does not
understand The science OF medicine he
will never bca skillIul physician. Years
in their ignorance, 50 that were they to
practice century they would never be
sAilfull in the true sense OF the word. -
Many seem 10 think that 4 physician TO
be worthy and skillful must needs
be "mouldy with age" must have lived
long enough to have fallen twenty five
years "bt hind the times" and forgotten
much that he ever knew. Although
gray hairs cover u multitude Of defects
and commend their bearers to onr re.
spcct, yet they do not necessarily render
Il man >kllltul.
There is much superstition associated
with the healing art, such as II belief in
the possession by some persons of mystic
rious and remarkable powers OF healing,
as in the case Of Healing Mediums"
"Clairyoyant Doctors" Laying on OF
hands, "Mesmcrelic, Electric, "Son
Of The seventh son." &c. We do not
hear of any such variety of lawyers as
"Clairyoyant." Why not? Because no
one would employ them. II 4 man has 4
suit pending. he seeks the best ability in
.he profession of law. He is not willing
TO trust his case with prctenders and hum.
bugs. yet the same man if he should be
sick, perhaps, would employ the greatest
humbug for doctor that he could hear
of; it might be, for instance. one of those
cunning rogucs who cure by tho "laying
on ofhands," or il might be one OF those
clear sighted chaps" who look you
through and through, or il might he
Healing Medium" who would call up
the spirit of some old "Indian doctor"
who never knew anything in this life,
and If he did afterwards it would show
that he was mole fortunate in the next
world. Some people evidently like to
be ''humbugged," and imposed upon in
cunning and devious ways. They like TO
indulge in the belief that the "DocI or"
who is attending them. or their friends,
is possessed of more than ordinary pow
ors that he can tell what their disease is
Ivy lust looking at them," by the eek"
preston of the eye" aud can tel! them
just how they feel. A shrewd, observing
person can often tell much about the
state of a persons mind and their physic.
III couditiGn by observing the express
ion of the patients face. Any person
can do this to a certain extent. One who
should make this Il study, it is evident
would become more proficient in the art
lhan the generality ofpcople. But to in
fer that person who possesses this pow
cr oftclling persons what some of their
symptoms are, is matter Of course skill
fnl in the cure of diseases. would be
great mistake. No man has The power