A fair examination and criticism of all the medical systems in vogue / by Alva Curtis.

  • Curtis, Alva, 1797-1881.
Date:
1872
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A fair examination and criticism of all the medical systems in vogue / by Alva Curtis. 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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    his doctrine that these fevers, however mild in themselves, are sufficiently powerful in many cases, to avert the return of the more dangerous morbid motion, (p. 197), with the Homeopathic doctrine of cure, or the Allopathic (Watson, p. 95), and point out the difference, if he can see any, and be wel- come to all that is peculiar to himself. 544. Dr. D. asks (197), what medicine acts invariably in the same man- ner? I answer, every medicine acts invariably in the same manlier, and Dr. Dickson agrees with me. The primitive agency of the purely medi- cinal substances, is one and the same, (184). How can it be otherwise? He says again, justly, (196), that the same atom can not work in two dif- ferent directions. But, he also says, if a medicine always acted invari- ably, that would prove it specific, (197). Well, what of that? Oh, he has said—but that we shall never discover! What does he say of others who presume to set limits to discovery? 545. But it is discovered—tannin produces invariably an astringent effect, and lukewarm water a relaxing effect on animal tissue. They never produce any other effect;—they are physiological specifies, and will invariably cure all those diseases,—wrong states of living tissue,—that need no other action than theirs. Other effects that follow their use, must be attributed to some other power than theirs—as the debilitating or the astringent cause, or the vital force, one, two, or all. 546. Prussic Acid. In giving its properties, Dr. D. says: Combined with lobelia inflata, I have found it one of the most generally effectual reme- dies for asthma with which I am acquainted, 198. What an experimental philosopher! Here is an effect,—relief from dysp- noea. The vital force, lobelia inflata, and prussic acid, are combined to produce this effect, either in harmony with, or in opposition to, each other. One drop of the prussic acid will kill a well man,—(Christison). You cannot give to a well man enough of lobelia in any form, to kill or injure him. But, lobelia, without the acid, almost invariably relieves asthma. A twelfth or a sixteenth of a drop of the acid is combined with lobe- lia and given—the asthma is cured—and—wonderful discovery! the acid is a most efficient remedy! 547. But, suppose prussic acid did allay the irritation in asthma, cough, chills, &c, how does it allay it? As all deadly narcotics do; it so paralyzes the nerves as to deprive them of the power to feel the impression that excites the irritation, and, if much is given, to respond to it, if it did feel! Dr. D. is welcome to even his cures by prussic acid.—Some cures are worse than killing.—We have no doubt that prussic acid will allay excessive irritability even in cancer, (197-8), if you take enough of it 548. Opiates. Of opium Dr. D. says: The most obvious effect is the control it exercises over the nerves of the senses. * * A minute dose generally heightens the perceptive powers, while a large dose generally di- minishes them, 199. Here is the same old Allopathic doctrine of the dual action of remedies—no account taken of the vital force!—whose reaction against the small dose produces, the heightening of +he perceptive powers, and the