DISEASES OF ADULT LIFE. 345 
We heard a lecture on this subject from Professor Whitford of 
Chicago Eclectic Medical College, in which he gave his 
experience of many cases he witnessed treated and killed by 
this purging process, especially when calomel (a preparation 
of mercury), was the agent used. One case was a young man 
who had two old doctors. The first one gave ten grains of this 
poison which had no effect on him, unless to cause more 
irritation ; this was doubled in a short time. The other doctor 
called to consult approved of the treatment; another dose 
was given, they being determined to get a passage; they 
succeeded in getting one, but it was just under the ribs, 
causing speedy death. Another case, Whitford was called to 
consult on with a young man fresh from one of the leading 
allopathic colleges. When he saw the patient and learned the 
fact that he had given him an irritant cathartic, he took him 
into the next room and told him he had killed the patient, 
which time soon proved true. He also informed us of 
another doctor who had four cases, all of which died, and in 
every one case the purging treatment had been used. The 
professor had been called too late to prevent this, and did not 
think it then prudent to tell the doctor, as he was coming to 
graduate at the Eclectic College. After hearing the above 
lecture he followed the old professor to his room and said, 
‘* Professor, why did you not tell me I had murdered those 
four men?” Another interesting case mentioned was that of 
two lawyers, leading men in the city, who lived near each 
other, were friends, and strange to say were both taken about 
the same time with inflammation of the intestines: The first 
one had two of the leading allopathics, who treated him by 
trying to get his bowelstomove. The other sent for Professor 
Whitford who found him suffering intense pain and calling for 
something to move his bowels. It took him, he said, half an 
hour to convince him that it was almost certain death to vive 
him acathartic, He told him thatif he would follow his 
instructions faithfully he had no doubt but that he would be 
able to be at the funeral of his friend, whom the doctors were 
physicking and would surely kill. His patient consented to his 
