An improved system of domestic medicine : founded upon correct physiological principles : comprising a complete treatise on anatomy and physiology, the practice of medicine, with a copious materia medica, and an extensive treatise on midwifery, embellished with over one hundred useful engravings, gotten up expressly for family use / by Horton Howard.

  • Howard, Horton, 1770-1833
Date:
1856, ©1848-1852
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An improved system of domestic medicine : founded upon correct physiological principles : comprising a complete treatise on anatomy and physiology, the practice of medicine, with a copious materia medica, and an extensive treatise on midwifery, embellished with over one hundred useful engravings, gotten up expressly for family use / by Horton Howard. 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.)

    11/990
    of this adventurous empiric of the botanical school. But by the earnest entreaties of my sick neighbor, and the solicitations of the ignorant steam doctor, as I then thought him to be, I reluctantly consented to stay and witness the operation and effects of the new mode of curing disease wholly with botanic medicine, aided in its effects by the use of vapor or steam. I then carefully examined the symptoms of the sick man, found there was no abatement of their violence, and waited to see the result of the pro- cess to which he was, as I thought, presumptuously submitting. But after the operation was completed I again examined him, and felt myself aston- ished and confounded at the extraordinary effect which had been produced in so short a time. The fever was gone, the pain of his side was almost removed, the difficulty of breathing had ceased, the headache had departed, and his appetite for food returned. My prejudices, which alone had pre- vented me from giving this new system an impartial examination, were thus, in a moment, scattered to the four winds of heaven, whilst I was overwhelmed with reflections of my own want of liberality and consis- tency. I had now been an eye-witness to such sudden and salutary effects of medicines as I had reason to believe were unknown to the faculty of Eu- rope or America. Impressed with these views, I came to a serious pause. I knew full well the inefficiency of the common means resorted to in the treatment of disease ; I had but a few months before, lost a beloved daugh- ter, and had again and again seen patier.ts languish for weeks and even months, under less formidable attacks of <1 sease than that of my neighbor, of whom I am speaking, whilst he seemed in a fair way to get up in a few days ; which he actually did. I felt that I owed a duty to myself and to my family ; and that to my Maker I was accountable for the neglect of that duty. I paused—I reflected—I weighed the whole matter seriously. I had seen the effects of the new medicines in but one case ; but that was one of virulent character, and it yielded to the means employed, as if they acted by a charm; I came to the conclusion that it was my duty as a man, and as a Christian, to forego all my prejudices, and avail myself of the knowledge of these botanic medicines for the benefit of my own family. I accordingly applied to Dr. Hanxe, the practitioner who had attended my neighbor, and from him I received the knowledge of Dr. Thomson's System of Medicine. Sickness in my own family, as well as amongst my neighbors and friends in distant parts of the country, soon afforded oppor- tunities which confirmed my highest opinions of the new practice ; and I commenced, with zeal and energy, proclaiming my convictions to the world. I pursued this course because I believed that mankind would be benefited by the new system, and that it was my duty to encourage its promulgation. During this time, however, Dr. Tii jmson had become dissatisfied with his agent, and came into this country [Ohio] in order to make some per- manent arrangement for the extension of his system. My zeal and assi- duity in recommending his practice, had been wafted by the breath of the people to the ears of Thomson, and he conceived the idea of committing to my care the general n^ency of his business. After repeated solicitation!*