CHAPTER IV.
TURBID THERAPEUTICS.
An Astounding Array of Therapeutic Systems—Diet—Water—Optics—Hemotherapy—Consumption Cures—Placebos—Inconsistencies and Contradictions—Osler’s Opinion of Appendicitis—Fair Statement of Limitations in Medicine Desirable.
To be convinced that therapeutics are turbid, note the increasing numbers of diametrically opposed schools springing up and claiming to advocate the only true system of healing. Look at the astounding array:
Allopathy, Homeopathy, Eclecticism, Osteopathy, Electrotherapy, Christian Science, Emmanuel movement, Hydrotherapy, Chiropractics, Viteopathy, Magnetic Healing, Suggestive Therapeutics, Naturopathy, Massotherapy, Physio-Therapy, and a host of minor fads that are rainbow-hued bubbles for a day. They come and go as Byron said some therapeutic fads came and went in his day. He spoke of the new things that astounded the people for a day, and then, as it has been with
“Cowpox, tractors, galvanism and gas,
The bubble bursts and all is air at last.”
One says he has found that fasting is a panacea. Another says: “He is a fool; you must feed the body if you expect it to be built up.”
One says drinking floods of water is a cure-all. Another says the water is all right, but you must use it for the “internal bath.” Still another agrees that water is the thing, but it must be used in hot and cold applications.