REVIEW. 455 
the stimulating system has found favour with many, especially 
in chronic disorders. 
The true secret of this practice of physic we believe resides 
in the rigidly enforcing of the law's of hygiene, the hus- 
banding of the vital powers, and the attention paid to the 
general comforts of the patient, all of which has our cordial 
approval, and we readily give to it our earnest support ; but 
beyond this we cannot go. There can be no doubt that 
oftentimes rest and judicious dieting, or even abstinence from 
food, if necessary, prove means curative of disease. Again, 
we believe that medicinal agents are occasionally given in too 
large doses, or they may be too often repeated ; still, the 
minute quantities exhibited by the homceopathist is simply 
leaving nature to work the cure, and her powers none will 
be inclined to gainsay. 
Medicines we are quite contented to accept as being 
merely secondary agents, for frequently have we watched the 
progress of disease from its commencement to its termination, 
without any therapeutic whatever having been administered. 
These remarks have been elicited by a perusal of Mr. 
Haycock’s work, in which the doctrines of Hahnemann are 
applied to veterinary medicine. We confess we have not 
read it with either much satisfaction or profit; yet are there 
in it proofs of mind, observation, and research. The system 
is, however, the fashion of the day, and he may have done 
wisely in adopting it. Mr. Haycock appears to us not to 
be a sincere believer in the dogmas of homoeopathy, for 
after having explained the law of similar s 3 he says — 
“We do not profess, however, to be the exclusive exponents of any one 
rigid course of practice or system of medical treatment. We claim for this 
law of cure the highest place at all times ; but conditions arise, and morbid 
phenomena present themselves, which require aids of an auxiliary nature. 
The law is not at all times applicable, or rather, conditions occasionally 
arise which render it to a certain, extent nugatory. We cordially agree 
with Dr. Dudgeon, who says — ‘ cases do occur in which it is necessary to 
resort to other than homoeopathic means for their cure; and he is the best 
practitioner wiio knows how and when to avail himself of all the aids and 
appliances nature and art have placed at our disposal for the cure of 
disease, or its palliation when incurable/ ” 
Of this we presume we may take as illustrative his treat- 
