A homopathic treatise on the diseases of children / by Alph. Teste ; translated from the French by Emma H. Côté.

  • Teste, Alph. (Alphonse), 1814-
Date:
[1857], ©1857
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A homopathic treatise on the diseases of children / by Alph. Teste ; translated from the French by Emma H. Côté. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    The thirtieth dilution contains a decillionth, in weight, of the substance incorporated in the first. But, the most imperceptible atom 'of which the micro- scope reveals the existence, the impalpable, invisible, and almost imponderable mote which floats in a ray of the sun, is a world in volume, in comparison with a de- cillionth of a grain of any matter whatever. Yet, nevertheless, it is such doses of mercury, of lime, of sulphur, or of arsenic, that often suffice to arrest the progress of a mortal malady, and effect the miracle of cure, in the most desperate cases. Reason, however, even the coolest, in its deductions, and the freest from prejudices, revolts at first sight from such an assertion ; but let facts appear, and rea- son bends. Forced to receive, in spite of itself, the evidence of the senses, it draws upon the storehouse of memory, and finishes by recognizing, for the pur- pose, as it were, of absolving its faith, that the uni- verse abounds in facts analogous to this action, prodi- gious as it is, of homoeopathic doses. Analogies, however, must be regarded as exception- able proof of the reality of phenomena, which, in fact, need no other proof of their existence, than that they do exist; but it serves at least the purpose of remov- ing prejudice, and engaging in practical trial, those sincere men, who, while doubting, yet seek to be enlightened. Permit us, then, to notice a few of these analogies. The deleterious effect of certain odors, whose prin-