The Washington herald., 1907-09-09
Dr.. Osler and Therapeutics.

Editor The Washington Herald:
What do I think about it?" Wen, I
think. in the first place. that all seekers
after truth should think about IT," and
/ think. in the second place. that if they
do. the majority of them viii agree that.
among those who satisfy their mental
cravings with pseudo-scientihc and
pseudo-philosophicaI congratulations, few
equal. and none surpasses. in arrogant
cocksureness. that motley cohfraternity
Of individuals who, in the name of new
thought" array themselves against not
only the regular medical practitioner. hut
against the science Of medicine itself.
Doubtless you will have inferred from the
preceding sentence that the last person to
bring TO my notice the regrettable phe-
nomenon therein mentioned was a con-
tributor to your issue Of August 26.
The gentleman just referred TO begins
his formidable assault on the medical
front with a quotation from the Father
Of Medicine This Is both kind and in
teresting: but I think that. without un-
dertalking either to justify or to condemn
the PHYSICIANS OF the DAYS of Hip
pocrates. we may safely pass by that
revered and august shade leaving IL free
to enter the field of criticism whenever
It shall be pleased to demonstrate.
through the instrumentality Of one or
more of our ever-obliging spiritualistic
mediums" that it has squared itself
with the medical knowledge and practice
OF to-day
But let US return 10 that pernicious,
that malevolent deluSion Of mortal mind
known as materis medica and therapeu-
tics. 1t Is recognized by physicians that,
Of the American medical authors who
condemn the liberal use OF drugs. DR..
Osler stands first. 1t is therefore. natural
that this distinguished authority should
be appealed 10 in prOffering the assertion
Of the Worthlessness Of all drugs. Ac-
eordingly, We find in your correspondents
letter the following quotation concerning
diphtheria: We are still without drugs
which can directly counteract the tox-al-
bumins Of the disease. Medicines given
internally are of little avail in dlph-
iberia Now. one should not quote what
Dr. Osler says against the potency OF
drugs proper in diphtheria unless one is
willing 10 quote also what Or. Osler says
IN favor of other material remedies in
that disease. Assuming that your CORE
spondent is thus willing. I presume that he
will be greatly obliged 10 me for complet-
Ing his quotation On page i55 of the
third edition of The Principles and Prac-
tee of Medicine" Dr. Osler says:
Medicines given internally are of very
little avail in the disease. There is still
a widespread belief in the profession that
forms Of mercury are beneficial. The tine
ture of the perchloride of iron is also
very warmly recommended We are still.
however, without drugs which can direct
" counterfeit the Jox-albumins OF this
disease, and We must rely on general
measures OF feeding AID stimulantS 10
support the strength" Your correspond
ent failed 10 point out that this para
graph appears I'm "Osler" under the sub
heading. General Measures. and that
moreover it refers 10 drugs proper given
internally" by the mouth. and not at all
20 anutoxin. which is injected hypo-
dermically. Your correspondent likewise
failed to quote the following. under the
next subheading. "AntitOxin Treat
ment. on the same pass; 80 a. The
observations of Behring, Boux, and others
have shown that the use Of the blOOd-se-
rum Of animals has an important
healing influence upon diptheria spOn-
taneously acquired in man -
AS 10 lobay pneumonia, il is true that
DR.. Osler states that ''pneumonia IS a
self-limited disease. which cam neither
be absorbed nor cut short by any known
means at our command" and that the
young practitioner may bear in mind
that patients are more often damaged
than helped by the promiscuous mot
'prOmiscuous system OFT drugging.
which IS still only too prevalent" But
we are not told by your correspondent
that DIT. Oslcr Enthusiastically recognizes
the immense value Of a few drugs in that
disease. We are not told that. TO meet
certain indications. he recommends NOR
phine. DOver's powders whisky to the
amount Of two 10 sixteen ounces in the
twenty-fOur hours strychnia 70 the
amount even Of one-twe.ith Of a grain
every three hours c., and even blood
letting! Hence il Is quite evident, con
trary 20 what might have been inferred,
that DIT. OsieT has not surrendered TO
the 'new-thought people" and that, so
far at least as concerns the treatment
OF malarial fever. diphtheria. and lobar
pneumonia, he has by no means reached
certainly not by self-confession) the
''chloroform stage
This Is what I think of it at this tina
Next time I may think something else
about something else.
HERMAN E. KITTREDGE
Washington.