Third edition of The practical proofs of the soundness of the Hygeian system of physiology : giving incontrovertible testimony to the afflicted, of the inestimable value of Morison's vegetable universal medicines ... with most important information connected with the succesful promulgation of the Hygeian system in the United States of America.

Date:: 1832

Credit: Third edition of The practical proofs of the soundness of the Hygeian system of physiology : giving incontrovertible testimony to the afflicted, of the inestimable value of Morison's vegetable universal medicines ... with most important information connected with the succesful promulgation of the Hygeian system in the United States of America. 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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should be the task of the true physician. They are still expecting to find out, to accomplish this, some great remedy or specific, in some remote quarter of the globe ; and the lichen of Iceland, or another exotic, the name of which I dp not remember, are now under their demure consideration, as proper drugs to operate the salvation of the human race. In a year or two they will be forgotten. Do you think this is the way to treat man, the chief work of the creation ! Depend upon it, their theory and practice are erroneous. We trust and depend upon them to be sure, because it is the practice of the world ; and every one knows not better, and is at a loss what to do. Discarding everything I had learn- ed and believed in before from their doctrines, I said to myself, What can it be that makes me so ill, so miserable ? It is neither musket-balls nor stones, nor sharp-pointed instruments ; for I have neither of those within me. It cannot be any of my solid parts ; for if any of them were in an injured state, I should soon feel the consequences of it. It can then be nothing else but my bad humours, which, from my stomach and bowels, are diffused all over my body. I then rested settled as to that point, resolved to place my confidence in the vegetable universal medicines, as the only rational purifiers of the blood and system, as they alone take away the dross and impurities out of the body—and they have not deceived me. One step leads to another : I soon found that the idea with regard to them was erroneous ; that instead of weakening, they strengthen ; that though used for any length of time, they still operate alike ; that the stomach and bowels never get wearied with them ; on the contrary, that they delight in them ; that all other functions and powers are improved ; that on leaving them off, cosliveness did not ensue (provided you have once persevered with the use of them to effectually purify the system ;) and that evacuating by these vegetables, is the natural function of the bowels, as digestion to the stomach, breathing to the lungs, sight to the eyes ; and every one knows, that all these are the better for being used. All nations, from the remotest ages, have had ships ; but Columbus only found out the way to America—before him they only knew to paddle about the shores : by Columbus, the world has derived from ships the advantages they were susceptible of. So I have ventured on an unknown ocean, and made the object I was in search

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