Views of homoeopathy : with reasons for examining and admitting it as a principle in medical science / by Daniel Holt.

  • Holt, Daniel M., approximately 1819-1868.
Date:
1845
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Views of homoeopathy : with reasons for examining and admitting it as a principle in medical science / by Daniel Holt. 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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    VIEWS OF HOMEOPATHY. It is sometimes the case that there are circumstances in the life of an individual, which render it not only expedient, but even a duty which he owes to his friends and the public, to give an exposition of the views which he entertains upon a particular subject, especially so, when that subject is one which is intimately connected with the welfare of society. This rule may hold good, whether it is applied to a subject which is strictly scientific or not. It is no new idea, that subjects which are comparatively new, and are not properly brought before the public mind for a critical examination of the principles upon which they are based, are looked upon with suspicion, especially so, when they seem to conflict with long established opinions. That it should be so to a reasonable extent, no one will deny; otherwise we should be liable to fall into errors, and em- brace doctrines which are untenable and false; especially is this the case upon subjects of a medical character ; and the reason why, in medical science, there are some points which are strongly contested, and which it is certainly difficult to settle, is because of the nature of the subject. The neces- sary uncertainty which exists, and must always exist to a greater or less extent, when we arise as it were above the circle of the exact sciences, which are governed by mere phy- sical laws, and have to do with laws which are endowed with life, where there are contingencies in the present state of our knowledge, and probably always will be, over which we have not complete control; and hence arises the distinction between the certain or exact, and uncertain sciences, the for- mer embracing the mathematical and strictly physical sci- ences, ending where life begins, and the latter, commen- cing with organization, and running through all the depart- ments of organic and animal life. All the principles in the three professions, and in political and moral philosophy of course belong to the latter. And hence we see the reason why. upon certain subjects, there is such a gene- ral agreement, and while upon others such a diversity of opinion; one belongs to the former, and the other to the