The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-02


Such results from medical men OF un-
questioned veracity challenge our con-
sideration, nor can We wholly ignore that
large number Of our psopls--sstimatsd at
a million ana q heN-who. having, tried
the doctors, now prsfar In all ordinary
illnesses to trust themselves in the hands
of the so-called Christian or Mental
Scientists. And these people are not by
any means the ignorant and illitsrate.
Among them NAV bs found men and
women fom the highest walks of life.
Some of the cures reported from st. Anne
do Beauprs. and the Lourdes. ana even
from Ola Orchard Beach, are. to say the
least. as marvellous rs any OF which the
doctors can boast. Do you say thess are
exaggerated or falses Very likely some
are. Are we sure that all reports Of
medical cures are absolutely rrus?
Upon this poirt such a wealth Of
evidence presses for notice that 1 hardly
know what 20 select or where to stop.
Who of us has not seen severe pain re-
lievcd by sudden fright. on JOY or excite
meptg Who does not know that toothache
generally ceases at sight Of the dental
chairy Who at some time or other
has not given placebos and noted their
magical effect? Who has ever doubted
the advantage of encouraging words to
the SEX: One of the best papers have
ever heard was from the late DIR. ID. Il.
Whittier upon the treatment Of neurAs-
thenia, and this was the substance OF it,:
Above all things SECURE the confidence OF
your patient. IL you oan do this you will
succeed in curing, or at least greatly re-
up your case first as last; you can never
do her much good.
Cures reported from the administration
of drugs like all Others, should be ac-
cepted with caution. Post hoe is not ne
cessarily proLter hoe. If a case OF measles
medic inc has cured it2 IL the crisis in
pneumonia occur at the end Of week is
1t because we havo given phoshorus byro-
MIA or veratrum viri le on the previous
day. In the days CT cur fathers early
every patient was treated by depletion
prrgGtiye. No water, no air. no nourish-
ment If any consequence was allowed
and still sJme lived, the race did not be-
come extinct. Was it bicause of tho tr. az
mebt or In spite Of 1t! lin tt- Iast pso-
ple have recovered In spite of trsat;ns mt
how do We know but that they nrs doing
so yet. There are so many conditions in.
volseu that we cannot without question
accept the simple statement that such
ma such medicine cured We must first
und, rstand the character Of the case, aud
its natural courss and duration without
medit inc. Wnat were the conditions fa-
vering recovery: What the difficulties t,
he overcome. What would tho medicine
have done if given ty stme one else: 1t
is only by comparison OF case 5 on n large
scale. and with all extraneous infiu-
ences conscientiously eliminated, that
even an approximate value of any RENE
dial agent Gan be established. In the coed
old days peos IL believed In the most re-
pulsive potions-
8 Scale Cf dragon, tooth of wolf
Witch's mummy, NAV and gulf
OF the raviDed salt-seA shark,
hoot Of hemlJck digged Il the dark. -"
And as have Just said some patients
live Modern Hahneman ians adm lister
the 30th. 2S0th or 10 000th of some thing
or other-and still some patients live
These latter have at least this advantage
their preparations are practically Glenn
and innocuous. But are they anything
more or less than placeb,s9 What reason
have we for supp, sing they posssss me-
dicinsl power. According to our hiqnt st
authorities tney contain no particle Of the
drugs whose names they respectively bear
and il by in advertanoe, q label from any
vial be lost, there Is no way under heaven
given among men whereby the supposed
identity of its cc''tents can be cstn biishod
III they possess medicinal power it must
TO by virtue Of sumo magical touch OF
transmutatiou, some srratic law by v hich
drug properties are tran smitaed from one
substance to another by reason of contact
II such law exist 1t is unique, We know
of nothing like it, It is moro than
unique, for il carried TO Its logical con-
clusion, it kills itstlf and everything
depending on il. II drug PROC
critics are transmitted by frictional
contact, there is not a bit OF alcohol. nor
a drop of watsr nor an atom OF solid
matter in all the world that has not been
potentized again and again with every
med icinal substance In existence If this
marvellous doctrine of dynamization be
true we eat nothing but medicine, we
drink nothing but medicine, all our baths
are nsdicated. and with 0very brestn we
inhale the oommipglsd potenciss OF q thou
sand drugs What wonder we are stricken |
Our ailments are but gigantic exhibi-
tion Of druI provings, provings to which
there is no end and from which there is
no escape Speaking In oil sincerity.
after 20 years Of study, experience and
observation would say that in my opin-
ion all reports Of cures from the use of
"high potencies, "a well as from drugs
I'm properly administered, should be trans.
ferrsd their to appropriate place-the rec
ords Of mental therapeutics.
Scores of ofhar inatances yhar., ar Ali,