Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. I.djvu/256

Rh family and his many friends. See now what homœopathy can do!

I lately heard a little boy spoken of, who in consequence of having taken cold had an attack of acute rheumatism, and lay in a state of such horrible suffering that he could not bear any one to come near him, and he became almost free from pain through homœopathic treatment within twelve hours. My good doctor was an allopathist in his younger days, and from over-exertion in his profession, suffered to that degree from neuralgia that the physicians gave him up, and as a last resource sent him over to Europe. There he met with Hannemann, who did not convince him by his teaching, but induced him to make trial of his means of cure. These immediately produced the most favourable results in his condition, and in so doing changed his medical theory. When he returned to America he was quite well, and a homœopathist. And I too praise homœopathy. But I believe at the same time that allopathy has its own sphere, and that it ought to go hand in hand with homœopathy, even as the excellent Dr. W. and Dr. O. came to visit me.

My good doctor has one trouble with me. The little globules which Mr. Downing gave me, and which caused me to sleep so well, have maintained their magic power over me, and cause me to sleep even when O.'s medicine will not do it. Downing will not tell me the name of this remedy, but carries on a merry little joke about it, saying that it is not the medicine, but the conjuration which he says over it, which makes it so efficacious, and when I ask for the name, he merely sends me some more globules. My good doctor smiles, and says, “I don't like this Downing medicine which excels mine. I do not like it because it is not I who give it you.” But I laugh (and he smiles too) and I always have my Downing medicine standing every night on a table by my