The homoeopathic materia medica : arranged systematically and practically / by A. Teste ; translated from the French and edited by Chas. J. Hempel.

  • Teste, Alph. (Alphonse), 1814-
Date:
1854
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The homoeopathic materia medica : arranged systematically and practically / by A. Teste ; translated from the French and edited by Chas. J. Hempel. 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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    It is worthy of remark, however, that Hahnemann, whose genius swept every existing medical doctrine, and overthrew all existing systems, seems to have remained more or less undecided all his life, as regards the specific system. Not only does he seem to accept the exclusive efficacy of mercu- rius in syphilis, in other words, its absolutely specific action in the disease, as an immutable, absolute fact; but he pursues even to the remotest corners of medical ontology, his inquiry into the general relations existing between such and such a disease which he discovers, or fancies he discovers, and such and such a drug that cures it. Is not thuya his specific remedy for sycosis f sulphur for psora ? It is true, in the treatment of sycosis, he alternates thuya with nitric acid,1 without, however, accounting for the homoeopathicity of this proceeding, which snatches from thuya a considerable portion of the prestige of its specificity in this disease. It is like- wise true, that, compelled to admit that sulphur will not cure all non-syphilitic diseases, he declares that the cure of an inveterate psoric disease can never be accomplished by sul- phur alone.2 But as regards the want of success which is frequently encountered in the mercurial treatment of syphilis, Hahnemann does not seem willing to doubt the specific cha- racter of mercury in this disease which, however, is of a very remote origin, except when complicated with psora. Wher- ever such a complication does not exist, an infinitesimal dose of the best mercurial preparation is sufficient to cure forever, and thoroughly, the whole syphilitic disease.3 It is more- over evident, that even at the time when Hahnemann first published his Materia Medica Pura, he looked upon mercurius and thuya as exclusively endowed with the property of curing syphilis and sycosis,—mercurius the former, and thuya the latter; and this is the reason why these two otherwise long- acting drugs are not classed among his anti-psorics. The following passage from the Materia Medica Pura shows that my statement is correct:— To administer the smallest dose 1 Chronic Diseases, vol. I. 2 Ibid. ' Ibid.