, 1874-11-29
PROFESSIONAL.
DIR. HUNTER, E,

Reasons for It's Continuance. Discovery Of the CEcn
latoE. Bleed Letting. Merc172's ard Transfcslon.
Success Of inhalation 4 Lesson from tie History Of
Medicine.
70 treat the lungs through the stomach is not
only false in principle, but so round about and
indirect 40 to make it impossible for any nledl-
ciues 80 administered to reach the seat OF the
disease.
Then why is this treatment continued Why
do so many physicians still persist in = practice
which is undoubtedly chargeahle with large
proportion OF the deaths by lung complaints?
T. 1t is continued because the people believe
consumption disease Of the entire eystem
caused by impure BLOOD" aud are uuable to un-
derstand why it may not be cured by acting en-
the general system through the stomach.
This false theory originated nearly three con-
tu1ies ago, when the nature Of consumption was
but little understood, aud tho profession was
excited over great event in mediclne-iha dis
covery Of the circulation Of tho blood By the IL
lustrlons Harvey. No sooner was the truth OF
this discovery realized than the wildsst enthusi-
asm took the place Of sober reason. Il was be-
lieved that, through it, old age might bo reiuvc-
mated and life indefinitely prolonged. It vas
assumed thas all diseases were in the blood, md
hence all that waB necessary to cure them WAS
to draw off the bad blood AMI lot thu vessels fill
up with new. This absurd idea was the crig1n
Of "bloodlettt;q," that murde1ous practice which
launched luyfiads into eternity-.ud for more
thar 200 years rejected all fac:s with 6corn, and
actually held the civilized world in bondage to q
medical error.
TIC theory that the state of the blood was the
cause OF disease having once got possession OF
the professional mind, the one idea, wi:h all
physicians, VAS how to get rid OF or purify
s'1ad blood" They believed if this could only
be done, eli sickness would Immediately yield to
medical skill Not satisfied therefore, with open
ing the veins and pouring out the blood on every
possible occasion, and for every known disease,
they next set to work purifying u what re-
nained BY filling the system with mercury and
other poiaons. Caiomel, corrosive chloride, and
buo pill we're their chief reliance, until common
uenHe and long suffering humanity cried out
against system which, under tho pretense OF
curing disease, frBt robbed the sick Of flint fluid
TN which all vitality and strength depends. and
then filled their blood with polsons and their
bodies with the clements Of decay.
Finding their patients could NOT live With
out blood. and not succeeding in their
efforts to purify it by introducing me1curial
Of letting all the bad blood out ard pumping in
tho blood OF sheep, goets. and other animals to
supply it's place. This, it WAS boldly predicted,
would not only ehectuslly drive ont disease, but
render man immortal" Unfortunately. hon.
ever, so many Of those who tried it suddenly de-
parted to "that bourne whence no traveller re-
turns that the civil authorities became alarmed
and 80 put stop to the zeal OF the Professor by
roval edict!
Where are these practices nor? Absolutely
abandoned by all educated physicians as not only
worthless but dangerous to health and life.
and yet down t6 within ten years Of this time
with the exception OF tho TRANSMISSION insanity
they were regularly taught in all modical schools
aud regularly practiced upon the sick by all ply
s1ciaus, and bud been 20 taught and 80 practiced
for upwards OF 200 years. The theory that bad
state Of tho blood ia the causo of consumption is
this same old delrsion still continued. It never
bad any foundation iu feet. It ia wholly untrue,
aud it il cheer ignorance to balieye that poison
ing tho blood with drugs could Cure Cousump-
ton Look at the facts What good has this
treatment over done? It has h.d centuries Of
trial under tho most favorable circumstances
It has been prescribed in the earliest dawn OF
the disease and persisted in through all its
stages. What are the fruits1 It has so unirer-
sally failed that few people can now. be made to
believe that any treatment can succeed.
Would it not be moro sensible for people to
doubt the truth Of this old theo1y7 Chemistry
has faileG to find any poison III the blood The
blood is found to be perfectly pure until after
the disease has passed its first stage. When it
becomes more deeply seated the lungs are una-
bic to do their full work, aud, as consequence,
the natural puritcation Of the blood by respira-
lion becomes defective. This causes the reten-
ton Of carbonaceous matter. q kind Of impurity
which nothing will remove but improved BREATH
ing. You may take all the medicines Of the
materia medica by tho stomach aud it sill not
affect it ono iota~ Inhalation, on the contrary.
aids nature by arresting the disease, cleansing
the air tubes, and improving respiration.
From this you will understand that the car
bouaecous condition OF the blood is not 4 cause
but an effect OF lung disease. The blood be-
comeB impure atysr the lungs become Affected
The blood depends on respiration for it's ritaluy
md must always become dejsc.iue when respira-
ton is impaired. Tho only way that it can be
restored is by restoring the function Of the
lungs.
II. I NOW come to the second question Why
do 60 many pnyt!clous s1lH LeS@ tAo 4uHsS
throuh the stomach They do 60 because they
know OF nothing else. Before they could prac~
tics inhalation they would have to go to school
again. Wero theJ to admit that inhalation wns
preferable to the old routine. their patients
would never rest satisfied until they obtained its
benefits The fear OF losing prestige and prac-
tice makes them resist 1ts general adoption by
the gick. It is the samo old policy a1wa5s pu1-
sued By the profession in regard to improve
ments in medical practice. II took the inmor-
tai Harvey thirty years before hecou1d get them
to admit the truth of his discovery Of the circu-
la.lon, although any plysicisn could have proved
it in Ave minutes by simply cutting down upon