Address in refutation of the Thomsonian system of medical practice : delivered in the lecture room of the Chester Co. Cabinet of Natural Science, West Chester, Pa., on December 31, 1836 / by Sumner Stebbins.
- Stebbins, Sumner.
- Date:
- 1837
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Address in refutation of the Thomsonian system of medical practice : delivered in the lecture room of the Chester Co. Cabinet of Natural Science, West Chester, Pa., on December 31, 1836 / by Sumner Stebbins. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)
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![my fabric, and which I shall endeavour to explain in as clear and concise a manner as I am capable, with a hope that it may be understood by my readers, and that they may he convinces ot its correctne-s. I found, after maturely considering the subject, that all animal bodies are formed of the four elements, earth,air, fire, & water. Earth and water constitute the solids, and air and fire, or heat, are the cause of life and motion. That cold, or les- sening the power ofneat, is the cause of all disease—that to re- store heat to its natural state was the only way by which health could be produced; and that after restoring the natural heat, by clearing the system of all obstruction, and causing a natural per- spiration,the stomach would digest the food taken into it,by which means the whole body is nourished and invigorated, and heat or nature is enabled to hold its supremacy—that the constitution? of all mankind are essentially thesame, and differing only in the different temperament of the tame materials of which they are composed ; it appeared clear to my mind, that all disease pro- ceeded from one general cause and might bs: cured by one gen- eral remedy—that ; state of perfect health arises from a due balance or temperature of the four elements ; but if it is by any means destroyed, the body is more or less disordered. And when this is the case, then; is always an actual diminution, or absence of the element of fire, or heat; and inproporition to this diminution, or absence, the body is affected by its opposite,which is cold. A:ul I found that all disorders which the human family were afflicted with, however various the symptoms, and differ ent the names by which they are called, arise directly from ob- structed perspiration, which is always caused by cold or want of heat , for if there is a natural heat, it is impossible but that there must be a natural perspiration. Having fixed upon these general principles as the only solid foundation upon which a cor- rect and true understanding of the subject can be founded, my next business wa3 to ascertain what kind of medicine and treat- ment would best anewer the purpose in conformity t<) this univer- sal plan of curing disease ; for it must, I think, be certain, and self evident to every one, that,whatever will increase the inter- na] heat, remove all obstructioas of the system, restore the digestive powers of the stomach, and produce a natural perspi- ration is universally applicable in all eases of disease, and there- fore must be considered as a general remedy. The first and most important consideration, was to find a medicine that would es- taulisb a natural internal heat, so as to give nature its proper command. My emetic herb, No 1, (Lobelia) I found would ef- fectually cleanse the stomach, and would very essentially aid in raising the heat and promoting perspiration ; but would not hold it long enough to effect Uj- desir I object, so but that the cold would return again and assume its power. It was like a fire made ofehavings; a strong heat for a short time, and then all](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21156244_0010.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
