The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-22
PROTEST AGAINST
 ABUSE OF DRUGS Homeopathic Physicians Hold
 Meeting In Detroit EFFORT TO CURE DISEASE Prof. William D. Foster in His Annual Address Says That Death Rate
 in United States Has h.
 creased Lately.
EFFORT TO CURE DISEASE

Detroit, June 21.-Christian Science, the Emmanuel movement, the soul cure. os- teopathy mental healing and attempts to cure disease by the laying on of hands were all denominated as loud, emphatic protests against the abuse Of drugs by Prof William D. Foster of the Amer ioan Institute of Homeopathy in his an- nual address tonight before 15oO hemeo- pathic physicians from all over the coun- try at the sixty-fifth annual meeting of the American Institute of Homeopathy They illustrate in a marked way, Dr. Poster added, the violent reaction which pending therapeutic nihilsm."
 Dr. William Davis Foster, president of the American Institute of Homeopathy, +. his annual address before that body to- night. spoke of the growth of "thera- peutic nihillsm," and called attention to what he declared to be the abandonment of the science of medicine by the medi- cal schools
 We learn from most reliable statistics. reau," he said, that during the decade ending in 1900 the death rate has ma terially increased in the United States. During that period bacteriology made a brilliant record; the antitoxins and the specific serums were all highly exploited; the study of materia medica has been greatly neglected or wholly abandoned by all schools of medicine except the homeo- pathic. During and since that period we bu4 tarifn h.a yiCip af Christian Science and osteopathy at tempts to cure diseases by the laying on of hands as practiced by some religious sects, the exploitation of hypnotism and psychology as curative agents, the at tempt to alleviate human suffering by Adam Gods mental healing and Elm manuel movements, soul cure and various other agencies. Al these means are at once the result of, and loud protest against the abuse of drugs, illustrating in a marked way the violent reaction which has brought about impending therapeutic nihilsm.
 The ultra scientific medical schools of the United States, an imitation of the German universities, have ceased teaching materia medica and are rapidly falling into therapeutic nihilism. These schools lay great stress upon teaching of path ology, bacteriology. microscopy, the use of antitoxn and specific serums, but ignore the internal use of curative remedies. We are told to avoid and stamp out diseases. Great emphasis is laid on hygiene, the use of pure food. etc. It is universally admitted that all these measures may be wise, humane and help full. No thoughtful person can be found who will say that any one disease has been stamped out Yet the attempt is being made to discredit the study and use of drugs as remedial agents. So long as disease exists 1t is the business of the physician to employ every known means of cure, including the use of drugs"
 Dr. Foster declared that in several west ern states there was an urgent demand for homeopathic practitioners.
 Addresses of welcome were delivered by Governor Warner and Mayor Breitmeyer. pr. Joseph Hensley of Oklahoma City re- sponded