The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-01-29

head and psoriasis flourish and increase upon
systems shattered by the copious use, both
internal and external. of mercury, arsenic,
zinc and lead. Dr. Wood mildly admits
that the mercurial influence does sometimes
produce salt-rheum-a fact SO we'll known
that it is recorded in most of the textbooks
as mercurial eczema
BLOOD REMEDIES
The false popular notion that every affec-
ton of the skin, from salt-rheum to scald
head, must be treated with the SO called
blood purifiers" to be cured, has filled
many a grave. do here assert, IN the most
positive manner, that the vascular, pustu
lar and scaly diseases above referred to can
not be cured by any internal remedies in
use by the medical profession, and in this
statement am supported by the Iamentable
failure OF those who attempt 1t. The fact is,
these diseases are purely local, and the day
is not far distant when it will be generally
admitted by all physicians They have no
connection with the blood. l have known
saltrheum to cover the body after undue
exercise, or sudden immersion in cold wa
ter. The true cause of these skin diseases
must be looked for in a arrangement of
the secretory and excretory tubes and vessels
of the true skin. l defy any member of
any medical school of practice to cure salt
rheum, psoriasis, or pemphigus, or i'm
petigo, solely with internal remedies. And
yet, Purify the bloodl' Is the cry of the
echoed by qnacks and charlatans. until the
popular cry, in season and out of season, is
blood purlfsrsi blood purifiers while the
seat of all the trouble, the diseased oil
glands, tubes and vessels of the skin, which
can DE reached only by external treatment,
are left to take care of themselves. How
much suffering, how much misery has been
caused by this senseless and cruel custom of
the graybeards of the profession no pen can
fally portray.
In Imitation OF his betters, the patent
medicine man has been abroad and scattered
his
"DocKs, "DANDELloNs" AND ''sARsAPARILLAsh
throughout the length and breadth of the
land Every day some new aspirant for
fame and fortune comes forward witk his
universal deranger and destroyer of the in
tricats system OF digestion and absorption
called 'sblood purifier" which, upon auaiy-
sis, will be more likely to be found blood
poisoner, and the credulous stand ready to
swallow gallons of it at enormous prices,
only to find themselves worse in The end.
OF what are these innocent looking
docks and "dandelions," popularity called
''blood purifiers and alternatives" by the
medical books, composed? The active in
gredient-that is the one supposed to cure
is either mercury or arsenic. Out of
seventeen prescriptions denominatsd alter
atives," taken from h standard medical work,
eight contained mercury In the form of cor
rosive subiimate, the protoiodlde, and the
blue pill, five arsenic, three iOdine-all cor
rosive poiso1s. For four hundred years
mercury has been the sheet anchor Of the
regular practitioner and arsenic the main
stay of the specialist. 1t is not to be ex-
pected that the productions OF quacks and
patent medicine men are any better. So
much for internal remedies. While the
blood Is being purified (?) by the internal
administration OF poison @ the good work
is often fastened forward, where the SUBJ
ject is skin disease, by the external appli-
cation of ointmeats and saves and solutions,
in every case containing a virulent poison.
! Referring to the same STANDARD medical
work" we find that these are directed to be
prepared from
CORROSIVE sUBLIMATE,
| (mercury.). white precipitate (mercury,),
red preclpitate (mercury.,D, citrine ONT
ment (mercuryl.i), prussic acid, arsenic,
| zinc sulphur, lead. creosote and opium, as
| suits the fancy or prejudice of the physician.
Here is the whole list in the exact order in
which they are given; not one is omitted.
| Verify there is Providence watching over
u.s. else how could we survive such treat
ment? This is the course pursued by the
average practitioner and advocated by most
! of the schools of medicine.
| But little light is being thrown upon the
| darkness that has surrounded the INTELLECT of
4 the past. To few German and French
| physicians and specialists We owe what true
progress we are making at the present time
| in the cure of obstinate affections of the scalp
and skin. They teach and prove that dis
eases of the skin and scalp can no.
/ be cured by internal treatment. External
remedies are the only hope. 1t is as reason
able as that we should treat sore finger as
we are accustomed to. Why should the sys
| tenn be deluged with mercury when, as
| everybody knows, perfect digestion and as
similation make pure blood, and poison will
not do it? Why should the digestive organs
| be p1ralyzed, the stomach nauseated, the
| whole course of digestion and absorption
upset. when a pimple makes its appearance
because of the imperfect action OF the oil
glands and tubes, or when the system i.
taxed to sustain life under some terrible
skin disease? 1t Is the fashion; it is par
OF our education. aud it is useful to both
doctors and their imitators. Habits anC
customs mot reason and common sense) will
invisible fingers lead US by the nose.
1t must not be supposed, however, that be
cause l so stoutly asssil the internal admin
istration of medicine for the cure of Skin
and scalp diseases, that do not approve o
proper internal remedies, as assistants wher
the pulse is full, the system feverish, tn,
skin hot and dry, the tongue coated, TIL
liver torpid, the bowels constlpated, or wheI
the system, as in many cases, is debilItatct
and weakened by the presence of the virus o
Scrofula, or when the constitution has beer
shattered by malarial and anti-periodic few
ers and prostrating contagious diseases. Oh
the contrary. do most heartily recommend
them, because know that there Is such
thing as purifying. enriching and strengthen
ing the blood. But / do so as assistants al
ways. The force of my medication. aud tina
of every successful practitioner, must be di
rected to the seat of the trouble, the skin o
scalp surface. 1t is the dishonest part of TIL
blood purifier business that condemn. TIL
poisonous remedies, born of ignorance an
cupldIty. thus fosted upon an innocent pub
lie, mean to pursue until l have drive
them out of existence.
A SENSIBLE CURE.
If have appeared severe upon my brett
rem of the medical profession, l have nc
} been unjustly so toward physicians who &C
, here to practices at variance with reason an
common sense, and, w1thal, lamentable fai
: ures. Pernicious doctrines, like cancer
must be removed root and branch, thong
some blood be spilled In the operation.