Sincethislecturewasdeliveredagreatand，asIthink，beneficialchangehastakenplaceinthepracticeofmedicine。ThehabitoftheEnglish“generalpractitioner“ofmakinghisprofitoutofthepillsandpotionsheadministeredwasruinoustoprofessionaladvancementandthedignityofthephysician。Whenahalf-starvingmedicalmanfeltthathemustgivehispatientdraughtandbolusesforwhichhecouldchargehim，hewasinapitiablepositionandtoolikelytopersuadehimselfthathisdrugswereusefultohispatientbecausetheywereprofitabletohim。ThispracticehasprevailedagooddealinAmerica，andwasdoubtlessthesourceinsomemeasureoftheerrorsIcombated。
THECONTAGIOUSNESSOFPUERPERALFEVER。
ThisEssaywasreadbeforeasmallAssociationcalled“TheSocietyforMedicalImprovement，“andpublishedinaMedicalJournalwhichlastedbutasingleyear。Itnaturallyattractedlessattentionthanitwouldhavedoneifpublishedinsuchaperiodicalasthe“AmericanJournalofMedicalSciences。“Stillithaditseffect，asIhaveeveryreasontobelieve。Icannotdoubtthatithassavedthelivesofmanyyoungmothersbycallingattentiontotheexistenceandpropagationof“PuerperalFeverasaPrivatePestilence，“andlayingdownrulesfortakingthenecessaryprecautionsagainstit。ThecasehaslongbeendecidedinfavoroftheviewsIadvocated，but，atthetimewhenIwrotetwoofthemostcelebratedprofessorsofObstetricsinthiscountryopposedmyconclusionswithalltheweightoftheirexperienceandposition。
Thispaperwaswritteninagreatheatandwithpassionateindignation。IfItoucheditatallImighttrimitsrhetoricalexuberance，butIprefertoleaveitallitsoriginalstrengthofexpression。Icouldnot，ifIhadtried，havedisguisedthefeelingswithwhichIregardedtheattempttoputoutofsightthefrightfulfactswhichIbroughtforwardandthenecessaryconclusionstowhichtheyled。Ofcoursethewholematterhasbeenlookedatinanewpointofviewsincethemicrobeasavehicleofcontagionhasbeenbroughtintolight，andexplainedthemechanismofthatwhichwasplainenoughasafacttoallwhowerenotblindorwhodidnotshuttheireyes。
O。W。H。
BEVERLYFarms，Mass。，August3，1891
HOMOEOPATHYANDITSKINDREDDELUSIONS
[TwolecturesdeliveredbeforetheBostonSocietyfortheDiffusionofUsefulKnowledge。1842。]
[Whenaphysicianattemptstoconvinceaperson，whohasfallenintotheHomoeopathicdelusion，oftheemptinessofitspretensions，heisoftenansweredbyastatementofcasesinwhichitspractitionersarethoughttohaveeffectedwonderfulcures。ThemainobjectofthefirstoftheseLecturesistoshow，byabundantfacts，thatsuchstatements，madebypersonsunacquaintedwiththefluctuationsofdiseaseandthefallaciesofobservation，aretobeconsideredingeneralasoflittleornovalueinestablishingthetruthofamedicaldoctrineortheutilityofamethodofpractice。
Thosekindfriendswhosuggesttoapersonsufferingfromatediouscomplaint，thathe“HadbettertryHomoeopathy，“areapttoenforcetheirsuggestionbyadding，that“atanyrateitcandonoharm。“
Thismayormaynotbetrueasregardstheindividual。Butitalwaysdoesverygreatharmtothecommunitytoencourageignorance，error，ordeceptioninaprofessionwhichdealswiththelifeandhealthofourfellow-creatures。WhetherornotthosewhocountenanceHomoeopathyareguiltyofthisinjusticetowardsothers，thesecondoftheseLecturesmayaffordthemsomemeansofdetermining。
TodenythatgoodeffectsmayhappenfromtheobservanceofdietandregimenwhenprescribedbyHomoeopathistsaswellasbyothers，wouldbeveryunfairtothem。Buttosupposethatmenwithmindssoconstitutedastoacceptsuchstatementsandembracesuchdoctrinesasmakeuptheso-calledscienceofHomoeopathyaremorecompetentthanotherstoregulatethecircumstanceswhichinfluencethehumanbodyinhealthanddisease，wouldbejudgingveryharshlytheaveragecapacityofordinarypractitioners。
Todenythatsomepatientsmayhavebeenactuallybenefitedthroughtheinfluenceexertedupontheirimaginations，wouldbetorefusetoHomoeopathywhatallarewillingtoconcedetoeveryoneofthosenumerousmodesofpracticeknowntoallintelligentpersonsbyanopprobrioustitle。
Solongasthebodyisaffectedthroughthemind，noaudaciousdevice，evenofthemostmanifestlydishonestcharacter，canfailofproducingoccasionalgoodtothosewhoyielditanimplicitorevenapartialfaith。Theargumentfoundedonthisoccasionalgoodwouldbeasapplicableinjustifyingthecounterfeiterandgivingcirculationtohisbasecoin，onthegroundthataspuriousdollarhadoftenrelievedapoorman’snecessities。
Homoeopathyhascomebeforeourpublicataperiodwhenthegrowingspiritofeclecticismhaspreparedmanyingeniousandhonestmindstolistentoallnewdoctrineswithacandorliabletodegenerateintoweakness。Itisnotimpossiblethatthepretendedevolutionofgreatandmysteriousvirtuesfrominfinitelyattenuatedatomsmayhaveenticedafewover-refiningphilosophers，whohaveslidintoavaguebeliefthatmattersubdividedgrowslessmaterial，andapproachesnearertoaspiritualnatureasitrequiresamorepowerfulmicroscopeforitsdetection。
Howeverthismaybe，somepersonsseemdisposedtotakethegroundofMenzelthattheLaitymustpassformaljudgmentbetweenthePhysicianandtheHomoeopathist，asitoncedidbetweenLutherandtheRomanists。Thepractitionerandthescholarmustnot，therefore，smileattheamountoftimeandlaborexpendedintheseLecturesuponthisshadowysystem；which，inthecalmandseriousjudgmentofmanyofthewisestmembersofthemedicalprofession，isnotentitledbyanythingithaseversaidordonetothenotorietyofapublicrebuke，stilllesstothehonorsofcriticalmartyrdom。]
I
Ihaveselectedfourtopicsforthislecture，thefirstthreeofwhichIshalltouchbutslightly，thelastmorefully。Theyare1。TheRoyalcureoftheKing’sEvil，orScrofula。
2。TheWeaponOintment，anditstwinabsurdity，theSympatheticPowder。
3。TheTar-watermaniaofBishopBerkeley。
4。TheHistoryoftheMetallicTractors，orPerkinism。
Thefirsttwoillustratetheeasewithwhichnumerousfactsareaccumulatedtoprovethemostfancifulandsenselessextravagances。
Thethirdexhibitstheentireinsufficiencyofexaltedwisdom，immaculatehonesty，andvastgeneralacquirementstomakeagoodphysicianofagreatbishop。
Thefourthshowsustheintimatemachineryofanextinctdelusion，whichflourishedonlyfortyyearsago；drawninallitsdetails，asbeingarichandcomparativelyrecentillustrationofthepretensions，thearguments，thepatronage，bymeansofwhichwindyerrorshavelongbeen，andwilllongcontinuetobe，swollenintotransientconsequence。Alldisplayinsuperfluousabundancetheboundlesscredulityandexcitabilityofmankinduponsubjectsconnectedwithmedicine。
>FromthetimeofEdwardtheConfessortoQueenAnne，themonarchsofEnglandwereinthehabitoftouchingthosewhowerebroughttothemsufferingwiththescrofula，forthecureofthatdistemper。WilliamtheThirdhadgoodsenseenoughtodiscontinuethepractice，butAnneresumedit，and，amongherotherpatients，performedtheroyaloperationuponachild，who，inspiteofhis，disease，grewupatlastintoSamuelJohnson。Afterlayinghishanduponthesufferers，itwascustomaryforthemonarchtohangagoldpiecearoundtheneckofeachpatient。Verystrictprecautionswereadoptedtopreventthosewhothoughtmoreofthegoldenangelhungroundtheneckbyawhiteribbon，thanofreliefoftheirbodilyinfirmities，frommakingtoomanycalls，astheysometimesattemptedtodo。Accordingtothestatementoftheadvocatesandcontemporariesofthisremedy，noneeverfailedofreceivingbenefitunlesstheirlittlefaithandcredulitystarvedtheirmerits。Somearesaidtohavebeencuredimmediatelyontheverytouch，othersdidnotsoeasilygetridoftheirswellings，untiltheyweretouchedasecondtime。Severalcasesarerelated，ofpersonswhohadbeenblindforseveralweeks，andmonths，andobligedeventobeledtoWhitehall，yetrecoveredtheirsightimmediatelyuponbeingtouched，soastowalkawaywithoutanyguide。“Sowidely，atoneperiod，wasthebeliefdiffused，that，inthecourseoftwelveyears，nearlyahundredthousandpersonsweretouchedbyCharlestheSecond。Catholicdivines；indisputesupontheorthodoxyoftheirchurch，didnotdenythatthepowerhaddescendedtoprotestantprinces；——Dr。Harpsfield，inhis“EcclesiasticalHistoryofEngland，“admittedit，andinWiseman’swords，“whenBishopTookerwouldmakeuseofthisArgumenttoprovetheTruthofourChurch，SmitheusdothnotthereupongoabouttodenytheMatteroffact；nay，bothheandCopeacknowledgeit。““Imyself，“saysWiseman，thebestEnglishsurgicalwriterofhisday，[EdinburghMedicalandSurgicalJournal，vol。iii。p。103。]——
“ImyselfhavebeenafrequentEye-witnessofmanyhundredofCuresperformedbyhisMajestiesTouchalone，withoutanyassistanceofChirurgery；andthose，manyofthemsuchashadtiredouttheendeavoursofableChirurgeonsbeforetheycamehither。ItwereendlesstorecitewhatImyselfhaveseen，andwhatIhavereceivedacknowledgmentsofbyLetter，notonlyfromtheseverallpartsofthisNation，butalsofromIreland，Scotland，Jersey，Garnsey。ItisneedlessalsotorememberwhatMiraclesofthisnaturewereperformedbytheveryBloudofhislateMajestyofBlessedmemory，afterwhosedecollationbytheinhumanBarbarityoftheRegicides，thereliquesofthatweregatheredonChipsandinHandkerchieffsbythepiousDevotes，whocouldnotbutthinksogreatasufferinginsohonourableandpiousaCause，wouldbeattendedbyanextraordinaryassistanceofGod，andsomemorethenordinaryamiracle：nordidtheirFaithdeceivetheminthistherepoint，beingsomanyhundredthatfoundthebenefitofit。“[SeverallChirurgicallTreatises。
London。1676。p。246。]
Obstinateandincredulousmen，ashetellsus，accountedforthesecuresinthreeways：bythejourneyandchangeofairthepatientsobtainedincomingtoLondon；bytheinfluenceofimagination；andthewearingofgold。
Totheseobjectionsheanswers，1st。Thatmanyofthosecuredwereinhabitantsofthecity。2d。Thatthesubjectsoftreatmentwerefrequentlyinfants。3d。Thatsometimessilverwasgiven，andsometimesnothing，yetthepatientswerecured。
AsuperstitionresemblingthisprobablyexistsatthepresenttimeinsomeignorantdistrictsofEnglandandthiscountry。AwriterinaMedicalJournalintheyear1807，speaksofafarmerinDevonshire，who，beinganinthsonofaninthson，isthoughtendowedwithhealingpowerslikethoseofancientroyalty，andwhoisaccustomedonedayineveryweektostrikefortheevil。
Irememberthatoneofmyschoolmatestoldme，whenaboy，ofaseventhsonofaseventhson，somewhereinEssexCounty，whotouchedforthescrofula，andwhousedtohangasilverfourpencehalfpennyabouttheneckofthosewhocametohim，whichfourpencehalfpennyitwassolemnlyaffirmedbecameofaremarkablyblackcolorafterhavingbeensometimeworn，andthathisownbrotherhadbeensubjectedtothisextraordinarytreatment；butImustaddthatmyschoolmatedrewabowofremarkablelength，strength，andtoughnessforhistenderyears。
OneofthemostcuriousexamplesofthefallacyofpopularbeliefandtheuncertaintyofassertedfactsinmedicalexperienceistobefoundinthehistoryoftheUNGUENTUMARMARIUM，orWEAPONOINTMENT。
FabriciusHildanus，whosenameisfamiliartoeverysurgicalscholar，andLordBacon，whofrequentlydippedalittleintomedicine，aremyprincipalauthoritiesforthefewcircumstancesI
shallmentionregardingit。TheWeaponOintmentwasapreparationusedforthehealingofwounds，butinsteadofitsbeingappliedtothem，theinjuredpartwaswashedandbandaged，andtheweaponwithwhichthewoundwasinflictedwascarefullyanointedwiththeunguent。Empirics，ignorantbarbers，andmenofthatsort，aresaidtohaveespeciallyemployedit。Stilltherewerenotwantingsomeamongthemorerespectablemembersofthemedicalprofessionwhosupporteditsclaims。Thecompositionofthisointmentwascomplicated，inthedifferentformulaegivenbydifferentauthorities；butsomesubstancesaddressedtotheimagination，ratherthanthewoundorweapon，enteredintoall。Suchwereportionsofmummy，ofhumanblood，andofmossfromtheskullofathiefhunginchains。
Hildanuswasawiseandlearnedman，oneofthebestsurgeonsofhistime。HewasfullyawarethatapartoftherealsecretoftheUnguentumArmariumconsistedinthewashingandbandagingthewoundandthenlettingitalone。Buthecouldnotresistthesolemnassertionsrespectingitsefficacy；hegavewaybeforetheoutcryoffacts，andtherefore，insteadofdenyingalltheirpretensions，headmittedandtriedtoaccountforthemuponsupernaturalgrounds。Asthevirtueofthoseapplications，hesays，whicharemadetotheweaponcannotreachthewound，andastheycanproducenoeffectwithoutcontact，itfollows，ofnecessity，thattheDevilmusthaveahandinthebusiness；andasheisbyfarthemostlongheadedandexperiencedofpractitioners，hecannotfindthisamatterofanygreatdifficulty。Hildanushimselfreports，indetail，thecaseofaladywhohadreceivedamoderatewound，forwhichtheUnguentumArmariumwasemployedwithouttheslightestuse。Yetinsteadofreceivingthisflatcaseoffailureasanyevidenceagainsttheremedy，heaccountsforitsnotsucceedingbythedevoutcharacterofthelady，andherfreedomfromthatsuperstitiousandover-
imaginativetendencywhichtheDevilrequiresinthosewhoaretobebenefitedbyhisdevices。