24 Bree, respecting Stramonium, [Aug. I, 
I have lately received several other tes- 
tiiuonies of the beneficial effects of the 
sinipie strair.oniuni, but particularly one 
of a poor labouring man at Clapton, 
in Middlesex, who, after being afflicted 
with spasmodic asih.na for several years, 
and constantly rendered incapable of 
earning his bread, is now so entirely 
recovered as to be enabled to follow 
his daily work without interruption; a 
circumstance which has occasioned the 
joy and astonishment of his family and 
neighbours. 
A few days ago my attention was di¬ 
rected to an article in the Medical Jour¬ 
nal of last monih, containing among 
other observations “ on Stramonium.’' 
a Letter from D ictor Biee. The ano¬ 
nymous writer of that article handles 
with no small degree of severity, (not 
to say scurrility) ail those who have 
hitherto contributed to make the public 
acquainted with the virtues of this di¬ 
vine plant, and goes so far as to accuse 
them indiscriminately of being “ com¬ 
mercially interested’' in the sale of the 
remedy, and concludes by cautioning 
them not to persist in recommending 
it, citing a variety of pretended cases, 
where it has either not been successful 
or attended with fatal effects. He is 
warmly seconded by Doctor Bree, who 
is pleased to speak in tpniis of utter 
contempt of the writers in “ journals 
and newspaper?,” and adds that Mr. 
Touhnm*b is the only testimony worthy 
attention, although it cannot have es¬ 
caped his observation that my comiiiu- 
tiicatiou is supported by Dr. Reid and 
Dr. Sims, two of the most respectable 
names in the profession. 
The Doctor’s politeness surely might 
have spared some of his observations, 
as few persons Inive taken more pains 
to attract the notice of the public by 
a specific for asthma than the worthy 
Doctor himself; and in my own case, 
as well as that of a friend, I beg leave 
to say, that the use of the preparation 
of steel or ir-jn (this physician’s favou- 
rke recipe) tended to confirm the symp¬ 
toms. I am persuaded, nevertheless, 
there are many instanres where it may 
have succeeded ; and I hope I am not 
committing a breach of good manner.? 
in assuring the Doctor, that I am not 
(to use liis own unjustifiable expression) 
either actuated by “ selfish interest” 
or ruled by “ ignorant entiiusiasm,’' 
in publidiiiig, througli the medium of 
vour respectable Magazine, the benefit 
I have received from the use of Stra¬ 
monium, although I w'ill take leave to 
say, there are persons who may be ac¬ 
tuated by “ selfish interest,” in prevent¬ 
ing its being made known.* On the 
contrary, I have endeavoured to pre¬ 
vail on .persons w'ho have opp.>rtunities 
of growing it, to raise large supplies, 
and dc'cribed the method of doing it. 
Dr. Bree speaks of persons who have 
applied to him that have not received 
benefit, but rather injury, from stramo- 
nium ; but conftsses that those who 
have been relieved by it, liave not, of 
course, sought his assi?tance; so ttiac 
he can have had no opportuniiv of c-'m- 
paring the numbers of the latter chi'S 
with those of the former, which I think 
he ought to have done to have formed 
any sound judgment upon tne subject. 
Besides, he seems to have taktii no 
pains to ascertain wliether, in the cases 
where the stramonium had been ineffi¬ 
cient, the genuine herb had been em¬ 
ployed. 
After all I must be allowed to observe 
that the best remedy may be rendered 
useless, or even hurtful, by misapplica¬ 
tion or abuse. And that nothing is 
more unjust than to infer from the 
occasional tnis-use of it, that a medi¬ 
cine is destitute of value, or mav not 
even be possessed of extraordinary 
virtues. 
It can scarcely be suspected that any 
one, circumstanced as I am, is actuated 
by mercenary motives, in making known 
to my brethren in affliction w'hat has 
been to me a source of unlooked-for 
and even miraculous consolation and 
* We have reason to believe that the 
friends of truth are in this discussion all on 
o.ne side, and that they are in reality com¬ 
bating phantoms. The public should be on 
its guard against pretended preparers of 
Stramonium, and confine its opinions to the 
simple herb, which may be had at Apothe¬ 
caries’ Kali, and o,*’" every respectable apothe¬ 
cary. The tricks of one party and the viru¬ 
lence of the other on this occasion, exceed 
even those oi Rowley and his confederates, 
in the cow-pox discussion, when they publish¬ 
ed representations of ox-taced children with 
horns growing out of their fcieheans ! Dr. 
Reid says, that stramonium is the greatest 
discovery of the last fifty years; but he 
does not say this of preparations of stra- 
moifium, against which tlie public should 
be vigilantly on its guard. The Editors of 
the Medical Journal are bound however to 
confirm as facts, the circumstances which 
they have anonymously published.—Eoi tor. 
