THE USE OF POWERFUL REMEDIES. 507 



These agents are so overwhelmingly powerful, that their administration, in 

 one-drop doses, has to be watched by a careful physician or by an experienced 

 and conscientious nurse, with a scrupulous vigilance. When we reflect that 

 there are many careless physicians in the practice of medicine, not wanting in 

 learning, and not without the inevitable sheepskin, authorizing them to "fall on," 

 as well as very many home-made physicians who " fall on " without authority; and 

 when we reflect that this class, or these classes, are just as apt to be upheld by 

 the secular press as those who are not only possessed of honorable and honored 

 diplomas, but who are also careful, vigilant, assiduous, conscientious, and life- 

 respecting. I say, when we thus reflect, the question may well be asked, should 

 not such treacherous or dangerous agents be set aside. 



A gentleman was once asked if he thought all men would go to Heaven. 

 His answer was, "yes, if you allow me to select the men." I may be asked if I 

 would not allow or sanction the use of these remedies under any circumstances. 

 I answer, yes, if you will allow me to select the physicians and the nurses. I am 

 aware that these very articles of which I am apprehensive are used with excellent 

 effect in hospitals and in many families where tne physicians are within a few 

 minutes' call and the nurses well trained and vigilant from necessity; but it is a 

 patent fact that the great majority of the sick are not thus fortunately placed. 



Since beginning the practice of medicine (1861), I have seen a number of 

 cases in counsel where the patients died, I firmly believe, from the injudicious 

 use of these agents — especially aconite — and not from pneumonia or other dis- 

 eases. Experience of this kind, long since determined me not to use them ex- 

 cept in very rare instances and then only under very strict guard. The result is 

 that I have seldom made use of them in practice, nor do I now use them, and 

 yet I think that I can show as favorable results in practice as those who use them 

 — even if they lose but one patient in five or ten years by their accidental or oth- 

 erwise misuse. There are much safer remedies that will fulfill the same indica- 

 tions, and why not use them ? especially as the doctrine of specifics has but few 

 advocates at the present day. If they were used on account of some well au. 

 thenticated specific effect, there would be the more excuse for employing them 

 and running the risk of accidents; but they are not used on such accounts, but 

 are simply selected from a class to fulfill general indications. Some years since, 

 an acquaintance of mine, was attacked by a threatening cold and cough, so 

 threatening that he very early resorted to remedies, and in the cough mixture that 

 he used he had incorporated some dilute hydrocyanic acid. He was not so care- 

 ful as he should have been about taking the doses, and soon he was attacked 

 with irregular heart-action, s j that he became alarmed and sent for neighboring 

 hypsicians. 



Aconite, in very small doses, has an effect on many persons that is very dis- 

 agreeable, if nothing more, and that effect is a constant and very annoying swal- 

 lowing — a very peculiar sensation in the throat, that causes constant deglutition. 

 This probably is an idiosyncrasy with many persons, as it unmistakably is with 

 myself, and wise physicians will respect idiosyncrasies. The advice of " the fath- 



