‘$72 
of credulity still remaining, with regard 
to the medicinal powers of various suliq 
stances, which are actually inert and 
powerless. This is kept up by the oc- 
easional occurrence of cases of disease, 
which could only be removed by time, 
apparently giving way to very simple 
means,’ There are many disorders which 
are not to be cured at once by. the inere 
agency of imedicinal substances, and 
bid defiance to the best efforts of the 
medical practitioner ; the patient, finding 
hus disorder obstinate, and disappointed 
at the fruitless endeavours mace for its 
removal, becomes wearied with the use 
of medicine, as prescribed by the regular 
practitioner, and gladly catches at the 
offered remedy with the greater ea- 
gerness, as being so much the more 
strange. The patient, after the trial of 
a variety of means, gets well, which he 
does by time and the natural powers of 
the constitution; and the remedy last 
used, whatever it may have been, ob- 
tains the credit of having worked a cure, 
of which, in reality, it is perfectly in- 
nocent, 
It may be alleged, that the means 
usually Somuneutee. in this way, can 
do no harm, if they do no good; and 
therefore, where other more powerful 
remedies have failed, these are deserving 
a trial. So far they may be allowable, 
where a placebo, to keep the patient’s 
raind aroused, is all that is desired; until 
those changes take place, in the natural 
Operations of the human frame, by 
which a healthful state is induced; and 
the patient recovers: but the niieckick to- 
be apprehended ts, that, m acute diseases 
of rapid progress, ‘much valuable time is 
lost in the use of means without efficacy 
or power; and when they are found to 
‘be without avail, the me is gone by, 
when the patient might havebeen rescued 
from destruction by judicious and well 
applied remedies. 
A patient, for instance, in the early 
period of true pulmonary consumption, 
trusting te the use of partridge’s eggs 
will be woefully deceived in the result : ; 
‘and when convinced of the error, have 
recourse to medicine, when unhappily 
the disease is no longer to be cured, or 
even arrested in its progress. 
The common mistake of ascribing re- 
sults to causes which are obviously In- | 
adequate, comes under the daily obser- 
vation of medical practitioners, and pre- 
‘vails more or less in other forms, where- 
ever ignorance and superstition sway the 
decisions of those who suffer themselves 
Cautions relative to Popular Remedies, 
law. 
able men, are all insufficient. 
[July t, 
to be guided by false and partial views or 
modes of” reasoning. 
This fact is tveated of in the folate 
correct and elegant manner, in a tract 
on a different subject, published some 
time ago bythe brother of a Jate most 
able and ever to be lamented military 
officer. “The evidence that is requisite 
to prove, or disprove, any proposition in 
the science of medicine, ts of a peculiar 
kind. It différs entirely from that spe- 
eres ‘of proot, which satisfies a court of 
Both direct and circumstantial 
evidence, which would leave no, doubt in 
the breasts of judges and jaries, have 
often not the slightest tendency to rerider 
a medical fact even probable. The de- 
clarations, and evea the oaths, of the 
most conscientious, disinterested, and 
‘‘ The reason of this is, that few men, 
even those of considerable capacity, dis- 
tinguish accurately between opinion and 
fact. 
* When a man assertshe has been cured 
ofa particular disease, by a certain drug, 
he is apt to think he is declaring a fact 
which he knows to be true; whereas, his 
assertion mcludes two opinions, in both 
of which, he may be completely mis- 
taken. ‘The first is, an opinion of his 
having the disease specified; the second, 
that the medicine employed removed the 
disease. Most people are convinced, 
that they are acquainted withthe malady 
they are afflicted with; they consider it 
as a meré matter of fact, and when they 
are cured, they have as littie doubt of 
the remedy that accomplished it. This 
belief is often strengthened by the con, 
fident declarations and specious beha- 
viour of the person who exhibits the 
reinedy: and jf the patient a poS+ 
sesses gratitude, this also heightens the 
delusion. He is thus easily prevailed 
upon to swear positively, both to the 
disease and the remedy, as if they were 
plain facts, obvious to the senses; where. 
as, both the one and the other ; ave ftre- 
» quently beyond the reach of human 
knowledge.” 
My objectin the ahgee statement, and 
quotation, is to caution your readers 
against placing any dependence on po- 
pular remedies, from their supposed vir- 
tue in particular cases; the peculiarities 
of constitution, and the infinite variety 
in the forms of disease, preclude all reas 
sonable hope from the use of such means, 
Your’s, &c. 
: TM, 
Reigate, May 14, 1809. 
To 
