A lecture, addressed to the medical profession, Thursday, May 24th, 1877, on 'The place of the law of similars in the practice of medicine' / by J. Gibbs Blake.

Blake, James Gibbs.

Date:: 1877

Credit: A lecture, addressed to the medical profession, Thursday, May 24th, 1877, on 'The place of the law of similars in the practice of medicine' / by J. Gibbs Blake. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

13/26 page 11

$have been ■working at therapeutics 'v\uth the rule of similars as a guide to the selection of a drug. The ex parte statements ■which are the only sources of information on this subject accessible to the medical profession, by means of the weekly kledical Journals, represent a caricature of homoeopathy, and no correction or explanation is allowed to appear. The animus is manifest, for the advertisements of this lecture were refused admission by the British Medical Journal. * It is very difficult, and sometimes impossible, to reclaim a Avord that has become current AAutli a wrong meaning. Even in some scientific books, as for example in Dr. Carpenter’s hlental Physiology, •}* the word “ homceopathic ” is sometimes used as synonymous with infinitesimal. If that error cannot be rectified some other word will be required. “ Homoeotliera- peutic ” has been suggested as equivalent to the original mean- ing of “ homceopathic,” as defined in the first proposition. Its homologue “ hydrotherapeutic ” has become current. The word polytechnic is inapplicable to schools that are so called in Germany, because the Avord has obtained a different significa- tion in England. The polytechnic school of the Continent becomes the Science College in this country—a change of name in such a case is an adherence to, and not a departure from a principle. The results that are expected to follow the recent estab- lishment of classes J for teaching Homceotherapeutics are: 1st. An increase in the number of practitioners. At present tlie demand is greater than the supply. It is obvious that this state of things is attended by disadvantages, as a certain amount of competition is required to stimulate exertion and * The advertisement appeared in the Lancet two days after the lecture was given. The delay was attributed to the miscarriage of a letter. + Page 684. X The School of Homceopathy, Great Ormond Street, London.$