these changes had not been of much use; and I believe the mortality is still greater than that of the first two years. Among my papers, I have met with the following letter, which I received at Lahore, and which may serve as a proof to unbelievers in the efficacy of my minute doses Dear and respected Sir, Residency, 2nd December, 1847. I may appear seemingly to have neglected your prescriptions, but I assure you, I have not. The reason of my not doing myself the pleasure to call on you, has been owing principally to heavy business, consequent on Col. Lawrence's leaving this, and some little to the distance of your present residence. The lozenges, however, last supplied, being over, I come before you again a beggar; but, before you comply with my petition, permit me to mention the effect of your medicine. The largest sore in my gums is nearly filled up with fresh flesh, while the discharge generally from the gums is greatly lessened. My general health is improved so much, that I fear I am becoming almost as stout again as I was at Simla, and when it is considered that I had but lately recovered from a violent attack of the liver, it must be confessed that my present improved health is to be ascribed to your valuable medicines for the last mouth and half. While I thus express my most grateful dsligations, I trust you will continue your kind favors for a title longer, and therefore beg a fresh supply, to be sent in an envelopes the box being at home. Allow me to subscribe mywell, with high respect, Dear Sir, Your obedient humble Servant, I might produce many such testimonials, but they me unnecessary; as I have not any desire to obtrude Hy System on the public. I simply call attention to that which I have experienced, and leave it to every reader to examine and judge for himself. I wish to avoid self-praise, and honestly to give the impartial reader an opportunity of judging from this work, whether the happy results, herein described, are to be attributed to good-fortune, or, to the excellence of the system, and my peculiar mode of treatment. We have continually to combat with deeply rooted habits and prejudices; and it requires no little patience, constancy, and perseverance to come off triumphant. Habit exercises a powerful influence on the mental faculties, as well as on the physical organisation. It is a very difficult task, and one which requires indomitable resolution, to forget what we have once learned, and to apply ourselves to the study of things which may have appeared impossible. Yet, men of sense often change their opinions-blockheads, never. This is espe cially the case with persons who are strongly prejudiced in favor of Systems to which they are indebted for their reputation, extensive practice, and good income. It can scarcely be expected that men should abandon their lengthy prescriptions and familiar methods, to study new ones; or, that they should be persuaded that minute doses could produce effects more salutary and rapidly than larger ones. Above all, those who prefer gain to conscientiousness, may be expected to raise an outcry against this publication. To those who may attempt to decry my System, whether from pecuniary interest, ignorance, or, a lack of power to relinquish prejudices, I say, with Cicero-Tacere præstat philosophis, quam loqui. To those who may ingenuously desire to correct errors, and who possess manliness sufficient to offer judicious advice, I shall give my cordial thanks, knowing how to appreciate an impartial critique. Palmam qui meruit ferat.-" Be his the palm who merits it." If my work meets with a favorable reception, and is considered useful, I shall feel happy in having attained my most ardent wishes; I shall forget the toils, dangers, and sacrifices I have undergone, and, moreover, escape the lot of many, who, after having spent the greater portion of their lives and fortune, and, not unfrequently, ruined their health, in rendering themselves useful to mankind, have too often met with ingratitude, and, sometimes, with persecution. Many benefactors of the human species have experienced such treatment, and analogy almost prepares us to expect it. If we turn to the histories of important discoveries and inventions, we shall find, that, on their first announcement, they were contemned and ridiculed, while the inventors and discoverers were laughed at, misrepresented, and vilified. Sydenham, whose memory we must revere, was, by several of his cotemporaries, stigmatized with the name of quack, and murderer. Many now celebrated men, who, in the fourteenth century distinguished themselves by their knowledge of physical science, were burned as sorcerers. Galileo was imprisoned in his seventieth year, for maintaining the rotation of the earth; and posterity may, perhaps, admire some of our cotemporaries, who having done much for the advancement of arts and sciences, have not enjoyed the esteem they merit. We daily observe what extraordinary things can be achieved by persevering practice, and what strange facts are brought to light by scientific investigation; never theless, there are men of our day, who will not even admit the truth of animal magnetism; still less will they give credence to that remarkable power of suspending existence, as illustrated in the account of the Faqueer Haridas, who could place himself in a state of asphyxia, and, after remaining buried in the earth for months, could, by pursuing his instructions, again be restored to life. This fact is already known to the reading world, and appears in a detailed form, in this volume, page 127. We may perceive from what is passing around us, that nature works destructively on one side, and productively on the other; incessantly striving, as it were, to preserve a balance. In this continual change of matter, subtile elements are generated which sometimes have pernicious influences on living beings, and occasion various diseases. We know, that the preserving and healing power of nature (vis conservatri.x et vis medicatrix naturae) may go hand in hand with medical assistance, although we do not know by what agency they operate; nor do we know anything of the formation and constituent parts of any disease, epidemical or endemical. Do we know the nature of mineral, or, animal magnetism? electricity, attraction, or, repulsion? Who can say, how aerolites are formed in the higher atmospheric regions? The book of nature lies open before us; but, who can decipher it? The different qualities of a medicament can be determined only by careful and reiterated trials on healthy as well as on diseased individuals. Experience teaches us, that the effects of remedies are manifold; that the same medicine operates very differently, according to the quantity of the dose, or, the intervals at which it is administered. Thus, minute doses of certain medicines remove nausea and arrest vomiting; whilst the same medicines given in larger doses, produce a contrary effect; others, when taken in large quantities, act as purgatives; but, when administered in minute portions, check diarrhoea. Therefore, since we are aware that medicines in minute doses possess peculiar qualities and powers, it is our bounden duty to make ourselves acquainted with this mode of using them, and it is imperative on us to forego such notions and principles (hereditary or acquired) as are founded on prejudice. Minute doses alone can produce real medicinal action. Properly employed, they operate beneficially; because, their action is confined to that part of the body which is the seat of disease, while the remainder of the system is not attacked or weakened; if improperly employed, they cannot, from their minuteness, be very injurious. Large quantities of any materials, whether from the kitchen or the apothecary's shop, whether prepared by cooks or prescribed by Greek, Arab, Indian, or European physicians, are not entitled to the name of medicines; they are to be considered nutriments, when properly used -when abused, they are poisons. Instances frequently occur, wherein large doses of socalled medicine, appear to produce curative effects upon the patients; but, it is probable, that, in some cases, the recovery is attributable to the healing power of nature alone, which often repairs what bunglers have injured. Many persons cannot conceive, how minute doses, which are so small that they are supposed to be lost |