findonlookingatthebooksellers’cataloguesthatoneBigel，orBigelius，tospeakmoreclassically，hasbeenatvarioustimespublishingHomoeopathicbooksforsomeyears。
Again，onlookingintothe“EncyclographiedesSciencesMedicales“
forApril，1840，Ifindaworkentitled“ManualofHYDROSUDOPATHY，ortheTreatmentofDiseasesbyColdWater，etc。，etc。，byDr。Bigel，PhysicianoftheSchoolofStrasburg，MemberoftheMedico-
ChirurgicalInstituteofNaples，oftheAcademyofSt。Petersburg，——
AssessoroftheCollegeoftheEmpireofRussia，PhysicianofhislateImperialHighnesstheGrandDukeConstantine，ChevalieroftheLegionofHonor，etc。“HydrosudopathyorHydropathy，asitissometimescalled，isanewmedicaldoctrineorpracticewhichhassprungupinGermanysinceHomoeopathy，whichitbidsfairtodriveoutofthemarket，if，asDr。Bigelsays，fourteenphysiciansafflictedwithdiseaseswhichdefiedthemselvesandtheircolleaguescametoGraefenberg，intheyear1836alone，andwerecured。NowDr。
Bigel，“whoseelevatedreputationiswellknowninEurope，“writesasfollows：“ThereaderwillnotfailtoseeinthisdefenceofthecurativemethodofGraefenbergaprofessionofmedicalfaith，andhewillbecorrectinsodoing。“Andhisworkcloseswiththefollowingsentence，worthyofsodistinguishedanindividual：“Webelieve，withreligion，thatthewaterofbaptismpurifiesthesoulfromitsoriginalsin；letusbelievealso，withexperience，thatitisforourcorporealsinstheredeemerofthehumanbody。“IfBigel，PhysiciantothelateGrandDukeConstantine，isidenticalwithBigelwhomthe“Examiner“callsPhysiciantotheEmperorofRussia，itappearsthatheisnowactivelyengagedinthrowingcoldwateratonceuponhispatientsandthefutureprospectsofHomoeopathy。
If，asmustbeadmitted，nooneofHahnemann’sdoctrinesisreceivedwithtolerableunanimityamonghisdisciples，exceptthecentralaxiom，Similiasimilibuscurantur；ifthisaxiomitselfreliesmainlyforitssupportuponthefollyandtrickeryofHahnemann，whatcanwethinkofthosewhoannouncethemselvesreadytorelinquishalltheaccumulatedtreasuresofourart，totriflewithlifeuponthestrengthofthesefantastictheories？Whatshallwethinkofprofessedpractitionersofmedicine，if，inthewordsofJahr，“fromignorance，fortheirpersonalconvenience，orthroughcharlatanism，theytreattheirpatientsonedayHomoeopathicallyandthenextAllopathically；“iftheyparadetheirpretendednewsciencebeforetheunguardedportionofthecommunity；iftheysuffertheirnamestobecoupledwithitwhereveritmaygainacredulouspatient；anddenyallresponsibilityforitscharacter，refuseallargumentforitsdoctrines，allegenopalliationfortheignoranceanddeceptioninterwovenwitheverythreadofitsflimsytissue，whentheyarequestionedbythosecompetenttojudgeandentitledtoananswer？
SuchisthepretendedscienceofHomoeopathy，towhichyouareaskedtotrustyourlivesandthelivesofthosedearesttoyou。Amingledmassofperverseingenuity，oftinselerudition，ofimbecilecredulity，andofartfulmisrepresentation，toooftenmingledinpractice，ifwemaytrusttheauthorityofitsfounder，withheartlessandshamelessimposition。Becauseitissufferedsooftentoappealunansweredtothepublic，becauseithasitsjournals，itspatrons，itsapostles，someareweakenoughtosupposeitcanescapetheinevitabledoomofutterdisgraceandoblivion。NotmanyyearscanpassawaybeforethesamecuriosityexcitedbyoneofPerkins’sTractorswillbeawakenedatthesightofoneoftheInfinitesimalGlobules。Ifitshouldclaimalongerexistence，itcanonlybebyfallingintothehandsofthesordidwretcheswhowringtheirbreadfromthecoldgraspofdiseaseanddeathinthehovelsofignorantpoverty。
Asonehumblememberofaprofessionwhichformorethantwothousandyearshasdevoteditselftothepursuitofthebestearthlyinterestsofmankind，alwaysassailedandinsultedfromwithoutbysuchasareignorantofitsinfiniteperplexitiesandlabors，alwaysstrivinginunequalcontestwiththehundred-armedgiantwhowalksinthenoonday，andsleepsnotinthemidnight，yetstilltoiling，notmerelyforitselfandthepresentmoment，butfortheraceandthefuture，Ihaveliftedmyvoiceagainstthislifelessdelusion，rollingitsshapelessbulkintothepathofanoblescienceitistooweaktostrike，ortoinjure。
THECONTAGIOUSNESSOFPUERPERALFEVER
Printedin1843；reprintedwithadditions，1855。
THEPOINTATISSUE。
THEAFFIRMATIVE。
“ThediseaseknownasPuerperalFeverissofarcontagiousastobefrequentlycarriedfrompatienttopatientbyphysiciansandnurses。“
O。W。Holmes，1843。
THENEGATIVE。
“Theresultofthewholediscussionwill，Itrust，serve，notonlytoexaltyourviewsofthevalueanddignityofourprofession，buttodivestyourmindsoftheoverpoweringdreadthatyoucaneverbecome，especiallytowoman，undertheextremelyinterestingcircumstancesofgestationandparturition，theministerofevil；thatyoucaneverconvey，inanypossiblemanner，ahorriblevirus，sodestructiveinitseffects，andsomysteriousinitsoperationsasthatattributedtopuerperalfever。“——ProfessorHodge，1852。
“Iprefertoattributethemtoaccident，orProvidence，ofwhichI
canformaconception，ratherthantoacontagionofwhichIcannotformanyclearidea，atleastastothisparticularmalady。“——
ProfessorMeigs，1852。
“……inthepropagationofwhichtheyhavenomoretodo，thanwiththepropagationofcholerafromJessoretoSanFrancisco，andfromMauritiustoSt。Petersburg。“——ProfessorMeigs，1854——
“Iarrivedatthatcertaintyinthematter，thatIcouldventuretoforetellwhatwomenwouldbeaffectedwiththedisease，uponhearingbywhatmidwifetheyweretobedelivered，orbywhatnursetheyweretobeattended，duringtheirlying-in；and，almostineveryinstance，mypredictionwasverified。“——Gordon，1795。
“Acertainnumberofdeathsiscausedeveryyearbythecontagionofpuerperalfever，communicatedbythenursesandmedicalattendants。“
Farr，inFifthAnnualReportofRegistrar-GeneralofEngland，1843。
“……boardsofhealth，ifsuchexist，or，withoutthem，themedicalinstitutionsofacountry，shouldhavethepowerofcoercing，orofinflictingsomekindofpunishmentonthosewhorecklesslygofromcasesofpuerperalfeverstoparturientorpuerperalfemales，withoutusingdueprecaution；andwho，havingbeenshowntherisk，criminallyencounterit，andconveypestilenceanddeathtothepersonstheyareemployedtoaidinthemostinterestingandsufferingperiodoffemaleexistence。“——Copland’sMedicalDictionary，Art。PuerperalStatesandDiseases，1852。
“Weconceiveitunnecessarytogointodetailtoprovethecontagiousnatureofthisdisease，astherearefew，ifany，Americanpractitionerswhodonotbelieveinthisdoctrine。“——Dr。Lee，inAdditionstoArticlelastcited。
[INTRODUCTORYNOTE。]Ithappened，someyearsago，thatadiscussionaroseinaMedicalSocietyofwhichIwasamember，involvingthesubjectofacertainsupposedcauseofdisease，aboutwhichsomethingwasknown，agooddealsuspected，andnotalittlefeared。Thediscussionwassuggestedbyacase，reportedattheprecedingmeeting，ofaphysicianwhomadeanexaminationofthebodyofapatientwhohaddiedwithpuerperalfever，andwhohimselfdiedinlessthanaweek，apparentlyinconsequenceofawoundreceivedattheexamination，havingattendedseveralwomeninconfinementinthemeantime，allofwhom，asitwasalleged，wereattackedwithpuerperalfever。
Whateverapprehensionsandbeliefswereentertained，itwasplainthatafullerknowledgeofthefactsrelatingtothesubjectwouldbeacceptabletoallpresent。IthereforefeltthatitwouldbedoingagoodservicetolookintothebestrecordsIcouldfind，andinquireofthemosttrustworthypractitionersIknew，tolearnwhatexperiencehadtoteachinthematter，andarrivedattheresultscontainedinthefollowingpages。
TheEssaywasreadbeforetheBostonSocietyforMedicalImprovement，and，attherequestoftheSociety，printedinthe“NewEnglandQuarterlyJournalofMedicineandSurgery“forApril，1843。AsthisJournalneverobtainedalargecirculation，andceasedtobepublishedafterayear’sexistence，andasthefewcopiesIhadstruckoffseparatelyweresoonlostsightofamongthefriendstowhomtheyweresent，theEssaycanhardlybesaidtohavebeenfullybroughtbeforetheProfession。
ThesubjectofthisPaperhasthesameprofoundinterestformeatthepresentmomentasithadwhenIwasfirstcollectingtheterribleevidenceoutofwhich，asitseemstome，thecommonestexerciseofreasoncouldnothelpshapingthetruthitinvolved。Itisnotmerelyonaccountofthebearingofthequestion，——ifthereisaquestion，——onallthatismostsacredinhumanlifeandhappiness，thatthesubjectcannotloseitsinterest。Itisbecauseitseemsevidentthatafairstatementofthefactsmustproduceitsproperinfluenceonaverylargeproportionofwell-constitutedandunprejudicedminds。Individualsmay，hereandthere，resistthepracticalbearingoftheevidenceontheirownfeelingsorinterests；
somemayfailtoseeitsmeaning，assomepersonsmaybefoundwhocannottellredfromgreen；butIcannotdoubtthatmostreaderswillbesatisfiedandconvinced，toloathing，longbeforetheyhavefinishedthedarkobituarycalendarlaidbeforethem。
IdonotknowthatIshalleveragainhavesogoodanopportunityofbeingusefulaswasgrantedmebytheraisingofthequestionwhichproducedthisEssay。ForIhaveabundantevidencethatithasmademanypractitionersmorecautiousintheirrelationswithpuerperalfemales，andIhavenodoubtitwilldosostill，ifithasachanceofbeingread，thoughitshouldcalloutahundredcounterblasts，provingtothesatisfactionoftheirauthorsthatitprovednothing。
Andformypart，Ihadratherrescueonemotherfrombeingpoisonedbyherattendant，thanclaimtohavesavedfortyoutoffiftypatientstowhomIhadcarriedthedisease。Thus，Iamwillingtoavailmyselfofanyhintcomingfromwithouttoofferthispaperoncemoretothepress。Theoccasionhaspresenteditself，aswillbeseen，inaconvenientifnotinaflatteringform。
IsendthisEssayagaintotheMEDICALPROFESSION，withoutthechangeofawordorsyllable。Ifind，onreviewingit，thatitanticipatesandeliminatesthosesecondaryquestionswhichcannotbeentertainedforamomentuntiltheonegreatpointoffactisperemptorilysettled。Initsverystatementofthedoctrinemaintaineditavoidsalldiscussionofthenatureofthedisease“knownaspuerperalfever，“andallthesomewhatstalephilologyofthewordcontagion。
Itmentions，fairlyenough，thenamesofsceptics，orunbelieversastotherealityofpersonaltransmission；ofDewees，ofTonnelle，ofDuges，ofBaudelocque，andothers；ofcourse，notincludingthosewhoseworkswerethenunwrittenorunpublished；norenumeratingalltheContinentalwriterswho，inignoranceofthegreatmassofevidenceaccumulatedbyBritishpractitioners，couldhardlybecalledwellinformedonthissubject。Itmeetsallthearrayofnegativecases，——thoseinwhichdiseasedidnotfollowexposure，——bythestrikingexampleofsmall-pox，which，althoughoneofthemostcontagiousofdiseases，issubjecttothemostremarkableirregularitiesandseemingcapricesinitstransmission。Itmakesfullallowanceforothercausesbesidespersonaltransmission，especiallyforepidemicinfluences。Itallowsforthepossibilityofdifferentmodesofconveyanceofthedestructiveprinciple。Itrecognizesandsupportsthebeliefthataseriesofcasesmayoriginatefromasingleprimitivesourcewhichaffectseachnewpatientinturn；andespeciallyfromcasesofErysipelas。Itdoesnotundertaketodiscussthetheoreticalaspectofthesubject；thatisasecondarymatterofconsideration。Wherefactsarenumerous，andunquestionable，andunequivocalintheirsignificance，theorymustfollowthemasitbestmay，keepingtimewiththeirstep，andnotgobeforethem，marchingtothesoundofitsowndrumandtrumpet。Havingthusnarroweditsareatoalimitedpracticalplatformofdiscussion，amatteroflifeanddeath，andnotofphrasesortheories，itcoverseveryinchofitwithamassofevidencewhichIconceiveaCommitteeofHusbands，whocancountcoincidencesanddrawconclusionsaswellasaSynodofAccoucheurs，wouldjustlyconsiderasaffordingamplereasonsforanunceremoniousdismissalofapractitionerifitisconceivablethatsuchastepcouldbewaitedfor，afterfiveorsixfuneralshadmarkedthepathofhisdailyvisits，whileotherpractitionerswerenotthusescorted。TotheProfession，therefore，Isubmitthepaperinitsoriginalform，andleaveittotakecareofitself。
TotheMEDICALSTUDENTS，intowhosehandsthisEssaymayfall，somewordsofintroductionmaybeappropriate，andperhaps，toasmallnumberofthem，necessary。Therearesomeamongthemwho，fromyouth，orwantoftraining，areeasilybewilderedandconfusedinanyconflictofopinionsintowhichtheirstudiesleadthem。Theyareliabletolosesightofthemainquestionincollateralissues，andtoberunawaywithbysuggestivespeculations。Theyconfoundbeliefwithevidence，oftentrustingthefirstbecauseitisexpressedwithenergy，andslightingthelatterbecauseitiscalmandunimpassioned。Theyarenotsatisfiedwithproof；theycannotbelieveapointissettledsolongaseverybodyisnotsilenced。
Theyhavenotlearnedthaterrorisgotoutofthemindsthatcherishit，asthetaeniaisremovedfromthebody，onejoint，orafewjointsatatime，forthemostpart，rarelythewholeevilatonce。
Theynaturallyhavefaithintheirinstructors，turningtothemfortruth，andtakingwhattheymaychoosetogivethem；babesinknowledge，notyetabletotellthebreastfromthebottle，pumpingawayforthemilkoftruthatallthatoffers，wereitnothingbetterthanaProfessor’sshrivelledforefinger。