INTRODUCTION. IX 



of treatment. Of the truth of the former I had no doubt, 

 but the latter could only be proved by experiment and 

 by satisfactory results ensuing from actual trial. The 

 opportunity for this soon came. The remarkable fact 

 that I, a chronic invalid, abandoned by the doctors be- 

 cause unrelieved by any of their medicaments, had cured 

 myself, speedily became known abroad among my neigh- 

 bors and friends, and some of them came to learn 

 whether I could do for them what I had done already so 

 well for myself. Thus was I afforded the chance I 

 sought. I cautiously gave them the benefit of my dis- 

 covery, and with only one uniform result. All were 

 cured. Their arguments had been answered with proof. 



My position was made at once impregnable. My 

 knowledge of Nature's laws had served me in a dire 

 extremity. The experience so gained had led me to 

 outline a theory which reason convinced me was correct, 

 and finally that theory had been established by incon- 

 trovertible testimony, in the course of which no flaw or 

 error could be detected. 



There now remained but one thing of much weight to 

 be decided. It was apparent that I held at my disposal 

 a discovery of no small importance and value. Should 

 I reserve it to myself, or give it to the public ? Either 

 course presented a difficulty. If I retained it I should 

 lay myself open very justly to the charge of withhold- 

 ing something replete with advantage to mankind, and 

 if I should publish it such a fundamental upturning of 

 all existing methods and practices in medical science 

 would follow that I must be prepared to encounter 

 violent antagonism and to defend myself against the 

 disciples of a system that had a record of ages to sus- 

 tain it. 



If nothing else, a sense of duty to others must alone 

 have speedily solved that question. I certainly had no 

 right to retain an exclusive knowledge of anything 

 calculated to benefit others, and neither had I any right 

 to allow some personal inconveniences to stand in the 

 way of such a course. My resolution was accordingly 



