Page:Who are the quacks?.djvu/8

 a horrible, nasty, filthy and poisonous course of bleeding, blistering, leeching, cupping, scarifying, puking, purging, and mercurializing them with tonic doses of rank poisons.

Now friends, we would not have you imagine for a moment, that we blame the Physicians near as much for the "quackery" which exists in our progressed and very enlightened country, as we do the people themselves. Why, if Johny, Jacob, Isaac, Sammy, Susan or Kate should get a little Stomach-ache, or a slight Diarrhoea, which is not near as bad a condition as even a mild dose of "Castor Oil" would induce; "Papa or Mama," or both, are horribly frightened—fearing that Jimmie's precious internal fabric might become seriously afflicted; and post-haste John or Betsie must run for the doctor, who comes and examines the case, and discovers that Jimmie had eaten a little too much lobster, or oyster-pie. The physiological remedy necessary and judicious would be, to make Jimmie swallow glass after glass of pure warm water, until the stomach became thoroughly distended, with the pure fluid; when the peristaltic action of the alimentary canal would be reversed, and the nasty mess ejected by the same route it got there, and thus Jimmie be fully and properly cured.

But nay, this would be considered too simple treatment for so complicated an engorgement; and more than its simplicity, it would give "Papa and Mama" a chance to dodge or dispute the payment of the doctor's bill, as he gave nothing of value—simply used the plentiful and cheap article, "warm water." In such a case, the Physician would not only lose his pay, but his reputation would be forfeited, as a non-scientificist.

As long as the people justify the useless, abusive, and barbarous habit of swallowing drugs of various kinds; so long may they expect to be cursed with imbecility, disease and premature death—and a true "Healing Art" be overlooked and scorned by the masses.

Again, it is not only Physicians and Apothecary Men who deal out the poisonous drugs for disease, but the people use them repeatedly and continually while they enjoy comparative good health. Even the conscientious and Christian man and woman indulge in teas, coffees, catsups, peppers, tobaccos and the thousand and one, poisonous drugs, which have no business in the houses' of an enlightened and Christian community. These agencies belong to the Materia Medica, or book of medicine, and therefore are poisonous—they are neither food nor drink—yet they provoke the vital powers to action for their expulsion; aud make a similar impression upon the human organism, as a whip makes upon a horse, at a useless and unphysiological expenditiure of vitality. Do you think that he who was the pattern of all purity ever indulged in such habits? Do you believe that any human being could, consistently, possess the pure and holy spirit of Christ, whilst his body and mind were vitiated and stullified by such incompatible agencies which were never designed for the use of man, but for the purpose of aiding in the purification of the earth; by assisting in the atmospheric changes, &c?

It is impossible, at present, to go into details on this important subject; it would require several hours to give a mere outline of the design and intention for which the God of Nature created them.

Esteemed friends, you may condemn us, whilst we condemn your favorite; yea, beloved, and almost inherited unphysiological habits; but, if you could really and truly see and feel the importance of these matters as sensibly and acutely as we do, you would surely