INTRODUCTION. vil 



ami}^ of allopathists they are but feeble folk numericall\ . The 

 position which homoeopathists occupy would seem to furnish a 

 sufficiently valid reason for the production of a practical manual 

 that shall serve as a guide to laymen, especially those located in 

 districts which lie very distant from the centres where the profes- 

 sional veterinarian is established, and that without reference to 

 the fact that the system offers advantages far and away superior 

 to the old fashioned practice chiefly in vogue among the general 

 run of veterinary surgeons. It is of the first importance that all 

 whom it concerns should enjoy an intelligent appreciation of the 

 difference between Homoeopathy and Allopathy; and in the first 

 place with a view to explain the matter, it may be safely averred 

 that whereas Allopathy means, etymologically, treating by oppo- 

 sites, Homoeopathy is treating by likes. At first sight it looks as 

 though Allopathy had, from a rational standpoint, the best of the 

 argument, but as we proceed we shall discover that Allopathy 

 furnishes no guiding principle in the selection of drugs, whereas 

 the foundation of Homoeopathy is based upon its one guiding 

 principle ' ' likes may be cured by likes ' ' and but for this the whole 

 superstructure would tumble to pieces," — in fact there would be no 

 superstructure. Let us attempt in a few simple words to clear up 

 the objections to the old-fashioned allopathic method of prescribing; 

 it has already been said that allopathists have no principle or law 

 to guide them in selecting drugs for the cure of diseases, and 

 remarkable as this may seem to those not practically acquainted 

 with medicine, it is an undeniable fact; it has also been stated that 

 allopathists pretend to prescribe and treat disease by opposites, 

 that is to say they endeavor to find a drug or method of treatment 

 which is contrary or opposed to the patient's symptoms, or dis- 

 ease; for instance, if an animal or man is constipated, administer 

 a purge or laxative; if loose in the bowels administer an astringent, 

 and so on; at first sight this appears a very rational line of pro- 

 cedure; but inquire a little further; how are you to find out the 

 contrary or opposite of a toothache, a stomachache, a .sore throat, 

 sickness, inflammation of the lungs, bronchitis, inflammation of 

 the kidneys, and so on to the end of the chapter; the fact is }ou 

 cannot do anything of the .sort, and it will be clear to the percep- 

 tion of any practical mind, that failing this, the allopathi.sts' 

 method has uo guiding principle about it. The same objec- 



