14 THE NEW ZEALAND FAMILY HERB DOCTOR, 
Lobelia Inflata. Tf he had done nothing more than introduce 
this to the world his name ought to be honoured. It isa 
lamentable evidence of our fallen nature that a man should be 
persecuted by his fellows for doing good. The fact that it 
has always been so is proved by the life of Thompson and 
other benefactors. The nearest doctor to Thompson was a 
Dr. French, who did his utmost to crush him. And why ? 
Because Thompson had succeeded in curing a lady whom Dr. 
French had givenup to die. This, and many other splendid cures 
wrought by him caused the doctor to speak evil of him, and wish 
him out of the way, for he (Thompson) had proved how little 
value the college training of some doctors was when compared 
with one whose nature had been endowed with true genius and 
a love for the healing of the sick. Dr, French had been watch- 
ing an opportunity to accuse his supposed enemy of mal-practice. 
At last one of Thompson’s patients died. The doctor hadlearned 
that dobelia had been given to the young man that had 
succumbed. ‘This was all that was wanted. He laid and 
swore to an information charging Samuel Thompson, the 
seli-styled herb doctor, with manslaughter. Upon this charge 
Thompson was apprehended, lodged in gaol, and kept there 
until the sittings of the Supreme Court, which were only held 
once in six months. Poor Thompson had to lie in prison for 
four months. 
The case referred to was that of a young man with fever, 
whom Thompson had cured, but having to leave before 
complete recovery, Thompson told him to keep in-doors for a 
week. Before the week was on a_ beautiful spring 
day, the young man went out and sat down on a 
damp grassy bank till he felt a chill, He returned 
home, took to his bed, and alarming symptoms set 
in. Then Dr. French was sent for, who said he had been 
poisoned by Jlobelia, given him by Thompson. This is the 
origin of the same falsehood published now in most of the old 
school medical books. It is a strange poison that of which a man 
can take any quantity froma grain up toan ounce! We have 
taken a tablespoonful, with the result of a thorough emetic, 
