The steam doctor's defence : exhibiting the superiority of the Thomsonian system of medicine, in relieving and curing disease : consisting of facts and extracts, from the writings of the most respectable authors on the system : to which is added, some account of the cholera, and its treatment on the Thomsonian plan : with an engraved frontispiece / by Benjamin Thompson.
- Liddell, Sophia.
- Date:
- 1833
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The steam doctor's defence : exhibiting the superiority of the Thomsonian system of medicine, in relieving and curing disease : consisting of facts and extracts, from the writings of the most respectable authors on the system : to which is added, some account of the cholera, and its treatment on the Thomsonian plan : with an engraved frontispiece / by Benjamin Thompson. 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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![thing with which I had ever been acquainted in domestic practice, or in my former official capacity of surgeon of the U. S. Army, or any private or public station 1 had ever been called to fill. To enter minutely into a labored detail of incidents, connected with this conversion to Thomsonism, would he uninteresting and useless. I know, that in these concessions and this devotedness to the botanic system, I forfeit the good opinion of many reputable friends and literary acquaintances; but those who know how highly and cordially I esteem a multitude of these, will be fully convinced that I could never have been induced to have risked this forfeit, or endanger that friendship and confidence, from any less motive, than the conscious and unavoidable impress of truth. Were they to make the same impartial investigation, with truth alone for their object, and could they have access to the same weight of testimony, I candidly believe, if the influence of mere self- interest could be banished from their minds, we should have a large accession of converts. I am happy to learn, from the most unquestionable documents, that Thomsonism is extending its benign and salutary influence through the United States—many of the learned professional characters, of preemi- nent standing, are not to be deterred from espousing the cause; many physicians, whose literary attainments would do honor to any institution, boldly espouse and defend the system ; others, like some ancient disci- ples, who approached the Messiah by night, for fear of the Jews, support the cause in a more covert way; events are ripening fast—a momentous crisis in medical practice is standing at the door—the lancet, calomel, nitre, antimony, arsenic, opium and blisters, must prevail, or they must be laid aside. Thomsonians wish not for any legal indulgence in the use of these deleterious, life depressing articles. They are willing to be restricted in the use of these—they are willing to be confined to botanical remedies, and those exclusively. .In the use of these remedies amidst all oppositions, the success tramples on authorities and powers, it travels gloriously and victoriously, and never shrinks from the severest scrutiny. This is not the time nor place to enlarge on this interesting theme. Remember, in your retirement, to give every facility to your Secre- tary in the discharge of his official duties—give the information required, which it is your interest and ours to communicate—your origin, age, number, discoveries, important cases, successfulness, competitors, perse- cutors, and comparative views of the effects of the ancient and modern practice, will furnish abundant matter for your heads and pens. The moment of our adjournment has now arrived.—A moment big with the fate of Thomsonism and the world. If we behold each other no more in this vale of tears, may we meet in that world, where the plant of renown shall infuse immortality in man. The physician shall be needed no more, for none of the inhabitants of that world shall ever say, I am sick. [from the thomsonian recorder.] LETTER OF DR. MONTGOMERY. The following extract is from a letter dated Liberty Hill, Kershaw District, South Carolina, February 11,1832. It is from the pen of the tal- ented, patriotic statesman and physician, Dr. Robert D. Montgomery. It](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21159282_0012.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
