INTRODUCTION. Vli 



There cannot be anything more irrational, than an 

 implicit adherence to a system, without a pre- 

 vious examination of it ; without having tested it, 

 and satisfactorily proved it (" Jurare in verba 

 magistrt ") consequently, I do not profess myself a 

 votary of Hahnemann's system. In the course of 

 this work, I shall have to cite cases wherein it will 

 appear, that the most minute doses of a medicine 

 have, sometimes, proved efficacious ; whilst, in 

 other instances, they did not produce any effect 

 whatever ; and I am bound to confess, that, in the 

 majority of cases, the results I obtained from 

 Homoeopathy, were not favorable ; I felt persuaded, 

 that larger doses would have been better. 1 have 

 also found it injudicious to wait too long in order to 

 discover, by the operation of a medicine, if it were 

 well-chosen ; and I consider it erroneous to pres- 

 cribe for a patient the strictest diet, prohibiting 

 the use of such things as the body has been accus- 

 tomed to — particulary tea and cofee^ which have a 

 stimulating influence on the nerves and blood 

 vessels. I do not deny the antipsoric theory in 

 several chronic diseases ; nor do I, like Hahnemann, 

 reject the use of external adjuvantia — such as bleed- 

 ing, blistering, &c. 



The disciples of Hahnemann are of opinion, that, 

 as tea and coffee exercise a peculiar influence on the 

 nervous system, and are therefore good and certain 

 remedies for persons unaccustomed to the use of 

 them, they should be used medicinally only. But 

 let me urge, amongst the substances whicli consti- 

 tute our usual nourishment, or things which we 

 consume as articles of luxury, there are many which 

 affect the nerves even more strongly than tea or 



