The National tribune., 1889-09-05

thousands of patients "miraculously cured 7"
by the application of the mystic metals. Cases
which had for years resisted the prescriptions
of the ablest doctors were cured in day by
mere touch of the miracle working apparatus
and tho hosannahs sped from Edinburgh to
Ireland and Wales, and were echoed from be-
yond the English Channel, when Dr. Simon
Haygarth, n ratiOnalistic physician of Bath.
happened to ascertain tho remarkable fact that
exactly similar miracles could be wrought with
little pieces of wood painted to resemble the
metals of the tractors"
Not long after the discounted mystery mon
gers were delighted by the discovery of q new
panacea-a chemical compound this time, COM
posed of rare Oriental herbs and powders, and
known as " Ravalenta Arabica." the Arabian
Rejuvenator," warranted to impart new vigOr to
the aged and debilitated, and to cure all sorts
of diseases by revivng the vital spirits" of
the patient, aud eXpelliDg the mOrbifc ele-
ments as if by spell of magic. At the mod
crate price of two Shilling5 invalds lettering
at the brink of the neither world could pur
chase new lease of life. general increase in
the fund of health mot to mention the fnan-
cial funds of the inventory demonstrated the
altogether unprecedented efficacy of the COM
pound, till an analytical chemist revealed the
distressing truth that the preparation con-
sisted mainly of powdered iegbtmii,a Of the
smaller varieties: vetcbes, cOw-peas and SUCH
like stuff, worth about two-penee peck.
Less durable decisions were the quackeres
intrenched behind bulwark of religious SUI
perstition, like the belief in the efficacy of the
Kings touch" as q scr0fula specific. For
long series of generations that unspeakable
idocy filed the highroads of Great Britain
with scrofulous tramps, courtward bound, and
begging their bread from house TO house, if
they could not afford the expense Of the way
side tavern. Charles the Second lat heart
skeptic, but too good natuTed to disObige even
an IDIOT in the course of his reign touched
more than $4,000 applicants, who reached his
palace countryseats at the rate of 100 q
week, and some of his predecessors were often
unable to enter their own castle-gates owing to
the immense assemblies of infatuated pilgrims.
William the Silent declined to encourage the
superstition, but needed all his stoicism to re-
sist the opportunities and Teproaches of the
disappointed dotards. At the end of the six
teenth century private citizen denying the
efficacy of the royal touch would have risked
an indictment for heresy. What Isn't every
| lawful ruler the Lords anOinted? And are
there not thousands Of living witnesses to
attest the remedial virtues of the royal handP
| In Spain more than one skeptic was actually
| burned for expressing doubt in the sovereign
virtues of yOuth-restOring thi gh-bOncs and dis
ease expellng exorcsms; but the days of the
| Holy lnquisition are past, and we can venture
to record the conviction that the only reliable
! formula for the permanent cure of human
maladies can be expressed in four words: I" Re-
| form of unsanitary habits"
| But admitting the power of imagination in
| eifectDg a change of physical conditions, what
harm eau there be, it might be asked, in per-
hitting patient to profit by the result of his
/ faith in the virtues even, Of a sheep elixir? Is
| it not certain that "expectant attention." as
Psychologists call it, has effected a change for the
| better where all other remedies seemed to fail ?
! In that case, we reply, we should greatly pre-
| fer less dangerous aud less disagreeable kind
! of faith cure" The pain caused by the inser-
! tiOn of an hypodermie syringe is apt to last for
hours. voluntary experimenter and convert,
/ in a communication TO the Philadelphia Press,
admits that the disagreeable sensation con-
/ tnued :" for two hours or more, and was at first
/ extremely acute. Besides, much more serious
results may follow the injection Of any foreign
| substance into the veins of the living body.
| Emboisms or Instructions of the veins and
! desperate swellings, may be caused by the intro
/ duction Of clotted blood. Fatal collapse may
ensue from an inadvertant injection of air into
! the veins together with the stimulating sOu-
! ton-not to mention another danger pointed
| out by DIR. George Shrady. of the Medical Rec
! ord, viz, the imminent risk of septic poison
/ ing and Of tuberculons infections to which the
| subjects OF such injections are exposed in the
| hands of incautious operators"
! There is a story Of poor sinner who OBJ
| tanned the favor of choosing the manner of his
! death and asked permission TO be hung 10 a
| goosebeIry bush, and people with decided
prediction for faith cure had better kiss the
| holy goose wing which the "colored Messiah +"
| of the GeOrgia-coast swamps is said to exhibit
/ "a an angels piniOu. At all events, they had
better leave hypOdermic syringes alone, unless
! they wish to contract a disease that might
| prove incurable by anything but genuine
/ miracle.
/ IT, Re a,uyfu,,.JN