Dan King

“ Give it scope and it would sweep away every means in our power to distinguish truth from falshood,—blot out all the lights of science, reason and revelation. In its dark embrace the condition of its deluded votaries would resemble that of a mariner in mid-ocean, without compass or quadrant,—surrounded on all sides by dense fog, without a single star for his guide. To acknowledge the pretentions of Spiritualism would be, to surrender society with all its cherished institutions into the hands of false prophets. ”

“ He regrets no labor or suffering of his own, when he reflects that his efforts have assuaged the sorrows and dried the tears of so many individuals and families. This sublime consolation is his proudest and highest reward.
Heroes may boast of their valor, and glory in the number of their slain, they may mingle the shouts of triumph with the groans of the dying, exult over prostrate humanity, and proudly bear away the laurels of victory from the field of carnage. But the glory of medicine consists not in destroying but in saving life, not in making wounds but in binding them up ”

“ If Spiritualism is true, let every mad fanatic quietly cut his own throat, and fly away to the circle of Tom Paine. But we are not prepared for such desperate results,—Spiritualism is not true,—it is the dream of the maniac, and the doctrine of devils. It is a moral pestilence, that threatens to lay waste some of the fairest portions of our social communities, and consign to a hopeless grave all our cherished institutions. ”

“ Call this the old practice, or the new practice, or by whatever name you please, it is nevertheless the only true science of medicine. It is founded upon the same principles of reason and common sense that all other sciences are built upon—it rests to-day upon those everlasting principles laid down by Pythagoras and Hippocrates, just as the science of Astronomy rests upon the discoveries of Copernicus and Newton. It does not pretend to be perfect, and perhaps it never will be. ”

“ We would not be uncharitable towards the sick or invalids of any class, nor turn a deaf ear to the slightest groan of suffering humanity. We are aware that much suffering is hidden from common observation, and that many pine in silence and go down to the grave without a murmur. We know, too, that females generally bear pain with far more fortitude and less complaining than men. But whilst we know and acknowledge all these things, we cannot shut our eyes to the vast influence which fashion is constantly exerting in favor of quackery. ”

“ In the arts and sciences, in intellectual and metaphysical philosophy, theory, after theory, hypothesis, after hypothesis, has been promulgated only to be refuted and abandoned. Throughout all the long line of ages, bubble after bubble has burst, and every succeeding explosion has only made room for something still newer. In view of all this change, it is gratifying to know that there are fixed principles and unerring truths, that have stood the test of all experience, and are as enduring and unchangable as their creator. ”

“ The family newspaper should contain nothing that is inconsistent with the most scrupulous virtue. It should in all respects be pure as the mountain snow, and no obscene word should be allowed to pollute its columns. It should be fit to grace the parlor or drawingroom of the most fastidious female. The public seem not to be aware of the immense influence that such publications have upon human life. Every thoughtful mother and every virtuous daughter should commit every newspaper to the flames the moment she finds any such stain upon its pages. ”

“ Whoever will take the trouble to inquire may easily satisfy himself that there is nothing new in modern Spiritualism. It is only the same old hobby that has been ridden to market hundreds of times before; the ears may have been cropped and the caparison changed, but after all it is the very same old jade, on the same errands. And if time cannot convert a falsehood into truth, that which was a fraud and delusion two thousand years ago remains in falsehood still. Unerring truth is the attribute of Deity. ”

“ Bigotry and superstition may reject truths, but scientific medicine never has, and we believe never will, reject any thing but falsehood. Allow the science to take care of itself, and let no obstacles be thrown in the way of its progress, and it will undoubtedly go on improving and increasing in its resources for many centuries yet to come.
Now what are the inducements which the profession of medicine offers to those who may engage in it? Any one who will, may immolate himself on the altar of humanity; but what shall the individual gain to himself? Medicine is not a lucrative business ”

“ A moral Simoom more paralizing than Sahara ever witnessed is now passing over us,—The air is already darkened by its mysterious gyrations, and those who are overcome by it will suffer mental depravation, with little hope of recovery. And shall we prostrate ourselves before this poisonous breeze, or like cowards stand still until it has spent its fury upon the innocent and unguarded? I hope we shall do neither,–but as men and philanthropists stand up and resist its encroachments. ”

“ If I were asked what single cause contributed most to lead astray the public mind upon the subject of medicine and promote criminal quackery, I should answer, The Press. I think I may say, without fear of contradiction, that in no age or country has the nostrum business been carried to so great an extent as in the United States at the present time. Our free schools, of which every American ought to be proud, where all, who will, may acquire the substantial rudiments of a thorough education, are often so improved as to give the pupils only a smattering knowledge of a variety of subjects. ”

“ He who mingles base metal with pure coin is justly punished and government lays a heavy hand upon the man who adulterates food,—cities institute expensive and powerful quarantine regulations to protect their inhabitants from dangerous epidemics,—and what ought to be done with him who mingles base falshood with sacred truths, and spreads a moral pestilence on every side?
Spiritualism is a Mare Mortuum, a moral Asphaltites and whoever launches his bark upon its briny bosom will find the turbid element in constant agitation and himself moved to and fro by counter currents and adverse winds. ”

“ Homœopathic theories are so absurd, that all sagacious practitioners take special care to keep them as much as possible out of sight. All that they wish the public to know is that their scheme is a new and wonderful discovery made by the immortal Hahnemann; that it is the shortest, easiest, and surest road to health, and that it wholly discards all that pertains to the old and all but defunct system, and they assure us that the success of their mode of treatment is without a parallel. ”

“ The American people are great lovers of nostrums. They devour whatever in that line is new, with insatiable voracity. Staid Englishmen look on in astonishment. They call us pill-eaters and syrup-drinkers, and wonder at our fickleness and easy credulity; so that we have almost become a laughing-stock in the eyes of the world. Medicine mongers are continually catering for the public taste, and as soon as one dish becomes a little stale, the table is bountifully supplied with new varieties in the greatest profusion. ”

“ Every intelligent man must know that all his hopes of immortality are derived from the Bible. Aside from this, we have no evidence of a future state of existence. Without this, to use the language of Doct. Dwight man is "born none knows why,—and destined to go,—none knows whither". Darkness surrounds him in this life, and the chilling thought of annihilation hovers over his end. Now if Spiritualism is true this Bible is of little authority, because a communication from Voltaire, Tom Paine, or any other infidel, may at any time contradict any part, or the whole of it. ”

“ Whatever is valuable in history is hers—the experience of more than two thousand years is open to her inspection and use—and all the improvements and discoveries that are continually being made in every department of science are submitted to her observation and advantage. Her whole history shows, that she has ever readily appropriated to her own use every valuable discovery which has by any means been brought to light. She has gleaned and treasured up every important item of medical knowledge, and has become the grand repository of all that is valuable in the profession. ”

“ The public may not require physicians less, but will demand less of them in the way of positive medication. Hahnemann came, not as he and his followers supposed, to lay the foundation of a new and durable system of medicine, nor to prostrate and crush the old, and hurl into oblivion the fruits of all past experience—not to gain anything for himself or his followers—but, unwittingly and unwillingly, to labor through a long life in aid of that very system that he wished to overthrow and demolish. ”

“ An invalid sees an article advertised and recommended by some reverend clergyman, as a certain cure for some disease with which he supposes himself to be afflicted. Confiding in the high authority by which it is recommended, he procures and tries it, but is not benefited. He next tries some other nostrum, with no better success, and again he tries another and another, but is not cured. At length, perhaps, he becomes disgusted with all medicine, repudiates all medical means, and concludes that the whole profession is but a tissue of finesse and falsehood. ”

“ But when that is not the case, public opinion often appears to forbid all such aspirations, and assign public honors to others, who, though not more competent or more worthy, are yet more at liberty to discharge the requisite duties; so that the physician is to a great extent enshrined in his own special province—his bounds are set, over which he is not allowed to pass. The public seem to think that every fibre in his flesh, and every drop of blood in his veins, is the lawful property of humanity. ”

“ Quackery always has existed, and no doubt always will: it is a moral disease, which assumes a great variety of types and forms, that are constantly changing yet never become extinct, but as if by transmigration, when the cheat disappears in one instance, it immediately shows itself in another, and there is always a sufficiency in variety and profusion to satisfy the tastes and appetites of all classes. ”

“ We have seen what Hahnemann's Homœopathy was, and what all his honest followers professed and practised; and now we will endeavor to ascertain what Homœopathy is at the present time. As soon as Hahnemann had published his theories and plans of operations, all competent judges decided that they were untrue and could not be sustained. The whole system appeared like the dream of some wild fanatic—the vagaries of a disordered brain—a castle built in the air, which must be crushed to atoms by its own inertia. ”

“ He may aim a blow against that profession, but it will eventually recoil, with redoubled force, upon himself and the cause in which he is engaged.
It is not pretended that every man with a diploma in his pocket is deserving of implicit confidence, nor that all the members of this profession are all that they should be. Too many have been but imperfectly educated; the opportunities of too many have been insufficient; too many are by nature illy adapted to its delicate and responsible offices—and far too many neglect to improve themselves and keep pace with the onward progress of the science. ”

“ This versatile and enthusiastic people have ever been ready for a change—ever ready to give up whatever is old for anything that is new. Celebrated as they are the world over for their chivalry and prowess, they are nevertheless the most unstable of all people. Their civil, religious and social institutions are always either changing or preparing to change. At the time of Hahnemann's debut in Paris, France seemed to be enjoying a moment of calm though fearful repose. ”

“ It is always so in medicine; the lower ranks of the profession are ever quite full, but there is always "room enough up yonder." In the present condition of things, no young man should select the profession of medicine as the business of his life, unless he intends to surpass the common ranks, and take his position "up yonder." Every young man who contemplates entering into any profession, should aim above mediocrity, and endeavor, by his industry and fidelity, to obtain an honorable position in the profession of his choice. ”

“ He who created the elements, and provided for man his food and drink, saw fit, for wise purposes, to mingle carbonate of lime in nearly every thing which we swallow. The sick man swallows it in every glass of water, and in quantities much larger than Hahnemann directed. And would it not be the height of folly to attempt to cure a patient by giving him a decillionth of a grain of the article, once in six or eight hours, when every spoonful of water that he swallows contains more than a thousand such doses, and when he has taken the same article every day of his life? ”

“ The term Regular is sometimes applied to physicians, in the room of Allopathic, and ignorant men often endeavor to persuade the public that all medical science is confined to old fashioned stationary dogmas. This is wholly untrue. The science of Medicine, like the science of Philosophy, Astronomy, Chemistry or Geology, embraces all the truths that have been gleaned from the past and all the knowledge of the present time, and is ever looking forward to the future. ”

“ Although quackery comprises men and things of all imaginary colors, shapes and conditions, from the coxcomb who dispenses sugar pellets, to the knavish Yankee who assumes the savage with his pretended Indian remedies, yet there are certain family traits which are common to them all. All pretend to be new and very important discoveries—all are bitterly hostile to the regular profession—all boast of their wonderful success and rapid increase, and all are only so many different views in the same great panorama passing rapidly along, never to return. ”