Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-03-22
For the Natchnau
D0glnatiSm in Medicine.

Mssrs Editors We notice in YOUR issue of
the 18th inst. an article purportng to be an an
Sver to one published recently on the conduct
OF DR.. Van Aernam Of the Pension Bureau. Two
things are noticeable in the article, not 10 say re.
n ukable, for writer putting forward such pre-
tensions and i0urishes of trumpet. The first IS
tint lie does not answer any question or point in
NJ article, and the second is the efrontery and
"niacty he shows is arrUgaung to himself and
hspartieular school all the wisdom, virtue and
honesty there is in medicine; while the profound
est ignorance is everywhere betrayed Of the sub
jeotS treated, the grossest intention to lal,ify
and misreprcsent We did not impute unworthy
motives to President Grants Administration. as
the writer says we did, but on the contrary we
said, " we believe the administration to be liber
al in spirit and purpose, the representative Of
the genius Of our government" Ii was that
political upstart clothed in little brief authority
W ich we censuIed will the writer mark that
it Is Doctor Van Aernam, that we arragn? And
now what is it, we repeat? why, it is lust this.
that If the writer himself now good Allopath
should ever get one more idea into his head than
he has now, and that should be to select his re-
medos by correspondence of drug action to the
manifestations of the disease he would, if he
ayowed it, be ineligible to hold the petty office Of
pension surgeon Does he know any les
That the discovery of new fact or a new truth
should make fool Of him, is contrary t. all ac-
cepted theories Of mental growth.
We nail your correspondent TO this glaring
GU rage upon science-this fact that men must
take the gag in a free country-this war upon the
fundamental doctrines and maxims Of the found
ers Of the Republic No sects, no creeds are
known in any part Of the framework of our gov.
erme1t. Your correspondent, it is very clear to
see, would change the Whole genius Of our insu.
tutioni, and have his dogma the proclaimed dogma
ni the government his sect to be backed BY all
the appliances and machinery of politics to break
down all other schools all who dare h sec
ne" udth or ayow that there could be any light
not found in that system which its own teachers
aVow mas been the opprobrium Of the healing art
Tor two thousand years. We said there was no
law b. justify such treatment Of one graduate to-
wa ID another we say now it is not only unjust.
bu' shows petty prejudice and despicable mean
ness unworthy of men investigating the truths
OF science the laws Of nature, the remedial means
Tor the afflicted, as well the spirit of the age
AMI We hurl back with scorn tho cowarly Ian
guage OF your correspondent, that Homnopaths
art quaeks and impostors. This sir, is adding
lns ut to injury. With what grace does he pa
RAGS himself here as the Alpha and Omega in
MEDICINE. was taught in his school Tint all
KIN Wedge of medicine was empirical Bless
me does your correspondent think that " wis
DOT will die with him. Let me tell him. un-
nainerly as he is, that that kind of talk is PLAYED
Gu One of his insultng neighbors paid a smart
lit'ie sum IN the courts for calling his rather
tro 'blesome competitor, the homn lpathic doctor
a Iack, over in New York the other day. We
SIN u not he alarmed at this business of making
up Hces. said we had schools chartered aud
standing on precisely the same grounds, as to
privileges, as the Old School Then, we have
ou' rights and it is just as good manners for us
to say quack or humbug, as for your correspond
eni. But we intend to keep better company
Docs your correspondent mean 10 say that Doctor
IessleF was quack when he tried homeopathy
IN st. Margaret's Hospital in Pneumonia, and
only LIST three per cent Of his cases, when he
was losing seventeen belorel Does he mean To
say that in public institution in New York the
directors were knayes and fools, because after see
ing the same class Of patients treated first by
ahopathic physicians and then homeopathic for
many alternate weeks rs test of success they
turned the allopathc out and placed home opathic
IN their place Does he mean 10 say that our
exhaustive provings upon drugs, in comparison
to hoh his Materia Medca, is scarcely more than
the b Z IS mass Of subterfuge2 Does he
me TO say that eminent professors in his own
colleges know nothing when they take chairs in
our colleges? All this he does say and goes very
lar Out OF the way to say it, and all because
asked II men of equal civil privileges and equal
fitness as to learning and integrity, were to be
proacrbed for opinions sake.
Now sir, do not propose to 90 into discussion
Of The matter he has garbled from IIahneman.
ala not one who believes everything is true
because it is old, nor everything false because il
Is new that liahneman deserves well of posteritv
AN sure, and am just as sure that posterity
Will take good care Of his name and fame. We
might with Infinitely more satire ask how long
Is 1t since his school was teaching the virtues of
lizards toes and portions OF dead mem yicera To
cure IT, diseases VI their iriepds2 What Hahne-