Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-08-11
THE ELIXIR OF LIFE.
BROWN-SEoUARO'S THEORY Or
MAKING EVERYBODY YOUNG
AGAIN.
Discussed by Doctors-Partially Endorsed
by a French Sciontist-Deciared 10
lie Fraud by Others,
Philadelphia Tinesl

DR.. Ernest La Place, n celebrated french
physician. arrived in this city. last night'
10 take the chair of pathology IN the
Medico-C hirurgical College. Or. La flaco
has been for seven years coIaDorer VII u
Pastcur in his laboratory and IS person.
friend of DR.. Brown-Sequard. DR.. Ia
place is a mcdium-sized man OF light Duild
and has quick. nervous movements. MS
face Is strikingly similar 10 Pastcurs. ana
gives an impression of great lntellectua
strength. He has rather dark complex
ion. black hair and whiskers.
I'm an interview concerning the success
of ex-Surpeon- General W. A. Hammond IN
experimenting on DR.. Br0wn-Sequard' So
called elixir Of life. DR.. La Place said: -,
" AS vet | have no positive opinion WIN
regard to DR.. Brown-Sequard's success;
but from an a prioT-i standpoint ! would
give it o fair trial. There IS nothing I'M
probable in the theory and an immense
amount Of possibility. Looking at II from
AN analogous standpoint ! would be diS,
posed 10 try il. and try it with great deal
of confidence OF success. There would DE
no danger attending the experlments Inc
injection Of such a fluid as Or. Hammond
prepares. under aseptic condltlns-that Is.
conditions which exclude the presence OF
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS be attended with
10 danger to tho patient. ana posSlnN
the nature Of said injection would De
such as to possess very marked aud mere
tOfore unknown stimulatiyc and utltlve
effect to the nervous system NOW. 10
prove experimentally that animal matter
can be used with impunity under the SKIN;
pasteur has for the last four years treated
several thousand patients against hydro--
phoba by the simultaneous injections OF
the specially prepared spinal cord of rab-
bits without liberation or similar results
NOT WILD DIFFUSION.
"This rciuvena,ionis nota wild deluslon.
Do not think for az, instant OF chasing ~
with the absurd vagaries Of the middle
ages. II has much IN 1t to demand the at
tention of the scientist.
DR.. Brown-Sequard is a great friend Of
mine, and is without doubt the greatest
phys.ologist in the world. He IS not In ms
d0tago. rs many persons would have US be.
leVe, but IS intellectually in the prime of
his life. and his discovery of this magic
lfe-Ciylng elixir IL a product OF such
mind. It's no delusion, no halluclnauon,
but n woll-balanccd. caretully-thought-ou
problem, aud is illustrative Of the tenta-
tive spirit of science.
"Dr. Hammond has established himself
on no far-tctched promise in assuming Dr.
Brown-Sequard's theory. and l am fairly
confident that the experiments. II carried
ont on carefully calculated scientific prln-
ciples, viii be emlncntly satisfactory
DR.. MILLS NoN-BEL1EvEB.
Dr. Charles X. Mills. professor Of mental
diseases IN the University of Pennsylvania,
took different view. lie said: Frankly
from nv own view. doubt whether Chere
IS much in IT, Dr. Brown-Sequardi Is princl-
pallv q phvsolOgist and not distinctly a
practitioner. lie has always borne a high
scientific reputation, and 1t seems almost
incredible that ne should advance TINS
theory. / think 1t is q result OF advanced
years.
lilo is in his dotage, for he certainly
would not have advanced it n dozen years
ago. An elixir or life in the very nature OF
things Is an impossibiliiy. An individual
NAV be temporarily improved in health by
stimulating injections Of various sub
stances. and such a result, joined with an
affected mental condition, gives rise TO a
temporary delusion IN the mind OF the
patient that he j. rejuyenated. This theory
is far-fetchcd II is nothing more than a
shade Of the middle ages without any
reality. II belongs 10 the same category as
perpetual motion. squaring,the circle. and
is but q modern version OF Ponce de Leon
IN search of the magic pool.
mo medication can absolutely restore
degenerated bloOd-yesscls and playcd-out
nerye-cells. particularly when individuals
are undergoing natural processes OF DISCO
luton which accompany advancing years
+ In other words, life cannot be made eter-
nal. From the very essence Of things We
are doomed 10 decay and pass away, and
I all theories to the contrary are mere delu-
/ sons. Only the rivers of the gods run up
wards"
DIR. HAMMOND FRAUD.
DR.. ]. Ewing Mears, demonstrator of sur
/ rcrv in Jefferson College. said: My Opln-
I ION I'm a few words * that DR.. Brown-Se-
/ Guard is in his second childhood, and that
/ Dr. Hammond rs he is known in bls pro
/ fess0n is fraud. II IS as impossible Tor
this theory 10 he successful as II IS TO reJu-
/ venate an old decayed trunk of tree by
ENGRAVING 1t with young tree. The theory
( il not worthy of scientific investigation.
+ II i simply absurd. DR.. Hammond knows
/ it ~ well as do. He is doing It for the
money that is IN it, The medical profess
/ sion are aycrsc 10 such fakes.
"Whv2 Because they destroy confidence
in medical practitioners, and a. such are
/ deserving of the seyerest ccnsure. Tho
theory IS unworthy OF any credence and IS
not based on scientific investigation"
10 PATH n IT.
/ DR.. William II. Pancoast, one of the
/ faculty o. the Medico-Chirurgical College,
said Il known Brown-Sequard very well
D ana lave a great If~tIl lpI num- but 4
/ would ike 10 have his theory proved be-
/ fore 1 put any faith in it. The theory docs
not seem 10 be rational 7 believe that the
/ action of hypodermic Injection of this fluid
/ excitcs the Imagination. which temporarily
induces the patient to believe he IS re-
iuvenated. have patients who have eaten
/ the delicate portions of a lamb for years Of
/ which the nuid is made and / have never
noticed any effect upon them any more
than ordinary food.
Food which enters the stomach affects
/ the body in the same general line a that
which is hypodermically injected. have,
/ therefore, no faith in it and it will have to
/ be proven before believe IN IT,"
A sENILE OLD MAN.
I Dr.. Parvin. protcsssr of obstetrics in JEFF
/ forson Medical College. said: One Of the
vagaries of "a senile old man. The theory
/ has no value whatever. DR.. Brown-Se-
| guard, in my opinion, is not practitioner,
/ but only u dabbler in physiology. Put all
/ such theories where thoy beiong-back to
! thephilosophers' stones, to Ponce de Leon
! fountain of youth"
{ fEs1zsrxFzzzzursrzs s~.-zfr1s
Bicycle Bargains.