INTRODUCTION. 9 



All the pathology on earth does not enable us to cure disease ; 

 many of our farmers, who have rejected the lancet and poisons, 

 and use only those articles which are favorable to the whole 

 animal functions, are in the daily habit of curing disease, of 

 whose pathology they know nothing. The pathologist may 

 discover alterations in tissues, the blood, and the lungs, and 

 tell us that herein lie the cause and seat of disease ,* yet these 

 changes themselves are but results, and preceding these were 

 other manifestations of disorder ; therefore pathology must 

 always be imperfect, because it is a science of consequences. 



The most powerful microscopes have been used to discover 

 the seat of disease ; yet it has not taught us to cure one single 

 disease hitherto incurable. Experience is the only true guide 

 of every successful practitioner. 



The principles of our physiological practice may be summed 

 up as follows : — 



We contemplate the animal system as a perfect piece of 

 mechanism, subject to life and death ; that, while the vital 

 power is free and unobstructed, the animal is in a physiologi- 

 cal or healthy state ; but when, by any means, the vital power 

 is obstructed, it is in a diseased or pathological state. 



All our intentions of cure being in accordance with nature's 

 laws, (viz., promoting the integrity of the living powers,) we 

 have termed our system a physiological one, though it is 

 sometimes denominated botanic, in allusion to the fact that 

 all our remedial agents are derived from the vegetable king- 

 dom. 



We recognize a conservative or healing power in the ani- 

 mal economy, whose unerring indications we endeavor to 

 follow. 



Our system proposes, under all circumstances, to restore the 

 diseased organs to a healthy state, by cooperating with the 

 vitality remaining in those organs, by the exhibition of sana- 

 tive means, and, under all circumstances, to assist, and not 

 oppose, nature in her curative processes. 



Poisonous substances, blood-letting, or processes of cure 

 that contemplate destruction of parts, or, in other words, act 

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