R EPLY TO "AN EXAMINATION OF THE DOCTRINES AND EVIDENCES OF lljomaopat~nanh ~llopat~u : HOM(EOPATHY, BY WORTHINGTON HOOKER, M. D." By E. E. MARCY, M. D., AUTHOR OF "THE HOM(EOPATHIC THEORY AND PRACTICE OF MEDICINE." " Nor stands a fact Less in repute, because an empty jest Has cracked thereon, and shown its hollowness." REPLY BOKER. "No cheek is known to blush, or heart to throb, Save when they lose a question or a job." TO POPE. NE W -Y O RK: WILLIAM- RADDE, 322 BROADWAY. C. L. RADEMrXACHER & SHEEi,, 239 ARCH-STREET,"AN PHILADELPHIA;EXAMINATION OFTHE DOCTRINES AND EVIDENCES OF OTIS CLAPP, SCHOOL-STREET, BOSTON; J. Go WESSELHa:FT, 64 FOURTH STREET, ST. LOUIS. 185 2;. ROMffiOPATHY, BY WORTHINGTON HOOKER, M. D." BY E. E. -MARCY, M. ·n., A.UTHOR OF "THE HOM<EOPA.THIC THEORY AND PRACTICE OF MEDICINE." '' Nor stands a fact Less in repute, because an empty jest . Has cracked thereon, and shown its hollowness." BOKER • . " No cheek is known to blush, or heart to throb, Save when they lose a question or a job."· PoP.E. NEW--YOR-K: WILLIAM- RADDE~ 322 BROADWAY. C. L. RADRMACHER & SHE EK,, 239 ARCH-STREET, PHILADELPHIA;. OTIS CJ.APP, SCHOOL-STREET, BOSTON; 3. G. WESSELHCEFT, 64 FOURTH STREET, ST. LOUIS. --- Digitized by Origi al from UNIV RSI OF MICHIGAN UNIVERSITYOF MICHIGAN ENTERED, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1852, by WILLIAM RADDE, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New-York ANGELL, ENGEL & HEWITT, Printers, 1 Spruce-st. ~vW WvvvWvv ENTER;1m,according to Act of Congress, in the year 1852, by WILLIAM RADDE, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New-York ANGELL, ENGEL & HEWITT, Printers, 1 Spruce-st. Digitized by Origi al from UNIV RSI OF MICHIGAN UNIVERSITYOF MICHIGAN TO WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS OF THE LIVING AUTHORS OF AMERICA) WHO HAS GIVEN THE POWERFUL SUPPORT OF HIS GENIUS TO THE GREAT LAW OF "SIMILIA SIMILIBUS CURANTUR," THIS REFUTATION OF A SUPERFICIAL AND MENDACIOUS ATTACK UPON THAT LAW. IEI -3eopectfuIu Irncrtibeb, BY HIS ADMIRER AND OBEDIENT SERVANT, E. E. MARCY. TO WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT THE MOST 1'.LLUSTRIOUS OJ' THE LIVING .AUTHO:RS OF AMERICA, WHO HAS GIVENTHE POWERFUL SUPPORT OF HIS GENIUS TO THE GREAT LAW OF "SIMILIASIMILIBUS CURANTUR," THIS REFUTATION OF A SUPERFICIA~ AND MENDACIOUS ATTACK UPON THAT LAW; BY BIS ADMIRER A.ND ·o»EDIENT SERVAN~, E. E. MARCY. Digitiz by Ori i al fr m UNIVE STY OF ICHIGAN UNIVE SITY OF ICHIGAN Digitized by Orig,i11alfr □ m UNIVERSITYOF MICHIGAN UNIVERSITYOF MICHIGAN PREFACE. THE extraordinary advances made by the homeeopathic principles of medicine, have induced in the last two years an opposition unprecedented for activity, earnestness, and virulence. On their first promulgation in America, while they had the character of novelty, and few except disciples had any definite acquaintance with- them, two or three of the leading physicians of the allopathic school attacked them in pamphlets, in one case at least remarkable for a ready wit and -most felicitous manner. It will be understood that we refer to Dr. Holmes. Since the publication of his trifling, superficial, but brilliant essay, the master minds of the Old School, probably from a more familiar acquaintance with the subject, and a conviction that "discretion," -in this case, was "the best part of valor," have -generally been silent, and the attacks upon the Philosophical Method of Cure PREFACE. THEextraordinary advances mad.e by th~ homreo­ pathic principles of 1nedicine, have induced in the last two years anopposition unprecedented for ac~ ti vity, earnestness, and virulence. On their first pro­ mulgation in Ame~·ica, while they had the character of novelty, and few except disciples ·had any definite acquaintance with-them, two or three of the leading physicians of the allopathic school attacked them in pamphlets, in one case at least r~markable for a ready wit and 1nost felicitous 1nanner. It will be under­ stood· that we refer to Dr. Holmes. Since the pub- lication of his trifling, superficial, but prilliant essay, the master' minds of the Old School, probably from a mor.e familiar acquaintance with the subject, and a convicti9n that "discretion," ,in this case, was "the best part _of valor," have 'generally been silent, . and the attacks upon the Philosophical Method of Cure by Origi al fr m 0 ICHIGAN UNIVE SITY OF ICHIGAN X PREFACE. have been confined to the meaner and least scrupulous allopathic physicians,X the class which in all PREF.A.CE. professions, occupations, and conditions, is content for a small reward and a little notoriety to do the baser work for which there is supposed to be an occasion or a necessity. have been confined to the meaner and least scru­ For a certain insolence of tone, rather than for any peculiar talent or freshness exhibited in it, a volume pulous allopathic physicians, the class which in_ aff entitled " Homceopathy: an Examination of its Doctrines and Evidences, by Worthington Hooker, M. D.," has recently attracted some notice. It contains, indeed, nothing of fact, conclusion, ol suggestion, that had not been said often before, and in a more pungent professions, .occupations~ and conditions, is content and attractive nianner, but- possibly for the fortunate selection of a publisher-the book has had some currency, and in the followingfor pages wea~ have small taken the reward and a little notoriety to do the trouble to answer it; not that it deserved for its own qualities any such attention, but that in one exposure baser work for which there is supposed to_ be an oc­ this whole class of feeble, false, and malicious attacks upon Homceopathy- might be refuted. casion or a nece~sity. The progress of Homceopathy is an apparent and altogether unquestionable fact in the recent history of civilization. It is I evident that this progress is not to For a certain insolen~e of tone, rather than for any be retarded by sneers, or calumnies, or the partisan interference of universities, or even by legislative pec~liar talent or freshness ex~ibited in it, a volume entitled '' Homooopathy : _an Examination of its Doc­ trines and Evidences, by ~orthington Hooker, M. D.," has recently attracted so·me-notice. __It contains, in~ deed, nothing of fact, conch~sion,- oi _suggestion, that had not been said often before, and in a 111orepungent and attractive manner, but-possibly for the fortunate selection of a publisher-· the book has h~_dsonie cur­ rency, and in the following pages wehave taken the trouble to answer it·; · not that it deserved for its own qualities a-qy such atte~tion, but that in one exposure , ~ this whole class· of feeble, 'false, and malicious, atta~ks upon_Homooopathy might be refuted. The progr~ss of Homooopathy is an apparent and ~ltogether unquestionable fact in the recent history of civilization. .It is _~vi dent that this progres~ is not to be reta~ded by ~neers, or calumnies, or the partisan interference of universities; or even. by legislative Digitized by Origi al from UNIV RSI OF MICHIGAN UNIVERSITYOF MICHIGAN PREFACE. Xi . injustice and persecution. The sentence, I~agna est PREltACE. Xl veritas et prevalebit, in this case strikes as much terror into the hearts of the upholders of old abuses, aS the still more ancient judgment, Jfene, mene, tekel, up2harsin, when written by the finger of the Almightyinjustice and persecution. The sentence, JJ£agna est on the walls of the Assyrian palace. But what can the allopathists do? They' are committedveritas to a systemr; their daily-et bread prevalebit, or their luxurious life is dependent on_in its ascendancy; this and they case -strikes as much_ have no resort but at all hazards to oppose whatever may endanger its. popularity or stability. And the terror into the hearts of the upholders of old abuses, history of dogmatic controversy furnishes no parallels for the uncanldid, ungenerous, and altogether unworthy methods resorted to by the supporters of the ancien regime, in mledicine, against the disciples as~of tb~, still rnore ancient judgme~t, Mene, mene, tekel, Hahnemann -and the great masses of intelligent people who -are induced by the constant successesupharsin, when ·w1~ittenby the finger of the Almighty which mark the advance of his theory to -accept it as their law in cases of disease. on the walls of the .Assyrian palace. The first, the greatest of all difficulties in the way of a defence of the allopathic practice is, that that Bu_t what- ~can the allopathists do'? They_ are ~om­ practice is not the result of a system. There is about it nothing of method, or proportion, -nothing philosophical; but the whole collection of its propositionsmitted is admitted, by itsto niost eminenta systerri;- professors, to ~heir daily bread _or their luxi1ri­ ous. life .is .dependent on its ascendancy; -and they have no resort but at all hazards to oppose whatever n1ay endariger its-·.popular-~ty or stability. - .And the history of dogrn·atic coiitrove'rsy furnishes no parallels for the uncai1did,- ungenerous, and a1_together unwor­ thy methods· resorted to by ,the supporters of the anaien ·regirrie,-.in.!Jiedicine, against the disciples_ of Hahne1nann .-and - the. great 1nas~es of intelligent people who-~are. induced by the constant successes which 1nark. the advance of, his theory. to_ accept it as their law in: cases of disease.-, The first, -the greatest of· all difficulties in the way . , of a defe~ce. of the allopathic practice is, that that practice !a :not the result of a sy~te1n. There is about it notping of ·method, or proportion, -nothing philosophical; ~ut the V{hole collection of its propo­ sitions is admitted, by its 1n·osteminent professors, to Digitized by Origi al from UNIV RSI OF MICHIGAN UNIVERSITYOF MICHIGAN xii PREDACE.