Principles of the system as promulgated by its founder. Bold confidence of Thompson in his mode of practice. Points in his theory. Obstructed perspiration. Strife between the heat and the cold. Simplicity of the system. No need of “learned doctors.” Thompsonian views of the modus operandi of medicines. Radicalism of Thompsonism. Prejudice against mineral medicines. No article injurious simply because it is mineral. The most deadly poisons in nature vegetable. Effects of vegetable poisons generally as abiding as those of mineral. Lobelia a poison, sometimes fatal, though Thompsonians claim it to be perfectly harmless. Definition of poison. Some poisons more rapid than others in their effects. Poison sometimes used in a relative sense. This word one of the watch-words of Thompsonians, though they daily use poisons as common articles of food. Changes in Thompsonian practice since the system was first promulgated.
CHAPTER VI.
HOMŒOPATHY,
Brief notice of the founder of Homœopathy. His exalted ideas of his “discovery.” Two principles in his theory. 1. Like cures like. According to Hahneman there are three modes of practice—allopathic, antipathic, homœopathic. The last alone truly successful, according to him. The name allopath wrongly bestowed by Hahneman upon physicians. 2. Minute division, with agitation and trituration, communicates a new power to medicines. Subdivision very minute, and extremely particular directions given by Hahneman for effecting it. Whether such a power is thus communicated to be decided by facts. “Observations” on which the opinion is founded. Character of them illustrated from Jahr’s manual. Their extreme minuteness. Mode of collecting them. Based upon the ridiculous idea that all states of the body are to be referred to the remedy taken. Notices of some particular remedies in illustration. Alleged success of Homœopathy. Apparent success to be attributed to six causes. 1. Mental influence. 2. A strict regard to diet and regimen. 3. Operation of the vis medicatrix naturæ, or curative power of nature. 4. Comparisons made between the results of homœopathic practice and those of over-dosing physicians. 5. An occasional stealthy use of remedies in ordinary doses. 6. The facility with which people are deceived in regard to comparative results. Parallel case of a German clergyman. Empty boasts of homœopathists as to the character of their physicians. Points of resemblance and of difference between Thompsonism and Homœopathy.
CHAPTER VII.
NATURAL BONE-SETTERS,
Setting of bones wholly mechanical. There cannot be an innate skill in this, any more than there can be in any other kind of mechanics. Explanation of bone-setting. Skill obtained in this just as in anything else. Bone-setter learns all that he actually knows, by his own observation, and from others. It is not born with him. Gets some of his knowledge by stealth. Errors committed by natural bone-setters. Supposing a fracture to be a dislocation. Injuries of joints in which there is neither dislocation nor fracture—harm sometimes done in such cases by the bone-setter. Failure in the medical part of the treatment in some cases. Failure in the management of fractures. Physicians not all good bone-setters. Mechanical tact requisite. Though so many cases of mal-practice can be found among the patients of natural bone-setters, generally supposed by the community to be infallible. Difficulty in getting a verdict of damages against them. Reasons why they, in spite of their errors, acquire a reputation for skill. Setting sprains. Facility of the imposition practised. Breaking up old adhesions. Stiff joints and contracted tendons—efficacy of rubbing. Imagined tenderness and inability of motion. Sub-luxations—random pulling. False reports of cases.