The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-05-17
THE AGE OF PROGRESSION.
! BY U. NJ, Browder, A. NJ, d. o., President
Tennessee College of osteopathy.)

/ BY u, NJ, Browder, A. NJ, ID. o., President
Tennessee College of Osteopathy.)
This Is progressive age, an age of
science, art and literature, the result
of centuries of thoughtful investiga-
ton OF old theories, methods, plans
and stale processes. This is literal
ly true In relation to almost all the
subjects of human thought. The |
substantial evolution the world has
made in science, art aud literature,
during the last quarter OF IA century,
is II deed phenomenal. Old theories
have been thoroughly and scientifi
cally tested aud discarded, Old |
methods cast away for the newer aud !
better methods. The nineteenth |
century ended the greate-t period of |
human investigation, invention and |
discovery, known to the history of
the world. Many theories once pop |
ular because regarded as based in |
Science, are now stored away in the |
waste basket of modern investiga- |
ton as the iossilized remains of the |
past. And in 40 field of investiga- !
Llon has this fact been more lully |
demonstrated than in Medical |
Science. The old, stale and un-
scientific methods OF the diagnosis
and treatment of the diseases TO
which humanity is heir are to-day
rapidly becoming the merest fossils
OF DygOne days-relics of the age of
RECOMMENDATION and ignorance.
Ignorance of human anatomy ,physi
oIOgy and chemistry. Ignorance of
the laws of our being, and ignorance
Of the beneful effects of the drug
glng system eXtant in the world.
In so far as drug medication is
concerned in the evolution of newer
and more scientific methods, it is
but fair to say that, the vendor of
drugs spent most of his precious
time IN the study of the therapeutic
effects of drugs on the human sys-
tenn, of which he knew bat little.
Their methods of education were at
fault to begin with. In the very ma
ture OF things it was impossible for
the advocates of drug medication to-
reach satisfactory conclusions by the
methods they employed, for they
began at the wrong end of the sub
| ject. They made careful study of
chemistry outside of man, but knew
nothing of chemistry inside of man.
In other words, they aimed to master
chemistry abstractly considered
science which did not include man,
a1d especially his processes OF diges
ton, nervous system and the clrcu-
lation Of his vital fluids. Had they
commenced at the other end of the
subject, by first making a careful
| fin Of N a
those sciences of which he is sub
ject-such, for instance, as Anatomy,
Physiology, Chemistry, and Pa
tholOgy - thus familiariZing them
selves with mans structures and
their relations, the functions of the
same and the conditions upon which
such functions are performed, it
would have been vital for them also
to have mastered natures chemical
laboratory - the human stomach.
Thus they might have been saved
very much labor in their outside
chemistry in the preparation Of
remedies for the ailments of the
race.
The practice of medicine for the
last century has been an unbroken
series of experiments and guessing,
and is to day responsible for more
disease than was ever cured by this
system of guessing. The rapid
march of science in these latter days
has changed the current of thought
in another direction. The popu-
larity of the different systems of
ug-giving will soon be a thing of
the past. The general trend of
| 40 IN 70 dr. m
medication is clearly manifest in
what Prof. Rush, of Philadelphia,
says on the subject: "Those physi-
clans generally become the most
eminent who have most thoroughly
freed themselves from the Tyranny
of the medical schools. Dissections
convince us every day of our ignor,
ance in the field of pathology, and
make us ashamed of our prescrip-
tions. What mischief we have done
on the strength of faith in false facts
and theories. We have multiple
the diseases and have augment |
their dangerousness."
This is indeed very grave charge,
but since it is made by all eminent
professor of Therapeutics and prac
titioner in the field of drugs, it must
carry with it great weight OF
authority. This statement, how.
. ever, clearly shows the general trend
of scientific thought. 1t is now be-
lieved by the most scholarly among
: medical men, that the art called
! medical science is no science at all,
, but confused mass of incOherent
views, based upon false facts and
theories. DIR. j. NJ. Good declares
that Medical science is a ba .barous
iargon, and the effects which oul
me dicines produce on the human
system are in the highest degree un
l certain. Oaly one thing We are sure
of, viz. that they have destrJye &c
} more lives than war, pestilence anC
famine taken together" This i;
: still more radical and drastic, never
theless it illustrates the principal of
] evolution now working in the field
of science. True enough, medica
t science, so called, Is hot the only
system forced TO revise, bat it il
t certainly that this system ha
b profited least by passing through
the crucibie of scientific develop
ment.
To say the least, the advocates o
. drug medication are beginning L
4 realize the truth of Hamlet's state
i meut to HOratiO, viz There ar
i more things in heaven and earth