Sincethislecturewasdeliveredagreatand，asIthink，beneficialchangehastakenplaceinthepracticeofmedicine。ThehabitoftheEnglish“generalpractitioner“ofmakinghisprofitoutofthepillsandpotionsheadministeredwasruinoustoprofessionaladvancementandthedignityofthephysician。Whenahalf-starvingmedicalmanfeltthathemustgivehispatientdraughtandbolusesforwhichhecouldchargehim，hewasinapitiablepositionandtoolikelytopersuadehimselfthathisdrugswereusefultohispatientbecausetheywereprofitabletohim。ThispracticehasprevailedagooddealinAmerica，andwasdoubtlessthesourceinsomemeasureoftheerrorsIcombated。
　　THECONTAGIOUSNESSOFPUERPERALFEVER。
　　ThisEssaywasreadbeforeasmallAssociationcalled“TheSocietyforMedicalImprovement，“andpublishedinaMedicalJournalwhichlastedbutasingleyear。Itnaturallyattractedlessattentionthanitwouldhavedoneifpublishedinsuchaperiodicalasthe“AmericanJournalofMedicalSciences。“Stillithaditseffect，asIhaveeveryreasontobelieve。Icannotdoubtthatithassavedthelivesofmanyyoungmothersbycallingattentiontotheexistenceandpropagationof“PuerperalFeverasaPrivatePestilence，“andlayingdownrulesfortakingthenecessaryprecautionsagainstit。ThecasehaslongbeendecidedinfavoroftheviewsIadvocated，but，atthetimewhenIwrotetwoofthemostcelebratedprofessorsofObstetricsinthiscountryopposedmyconclusionswithalltheweightoftheirexperienceandposition。
　　Thispaperwaswritteninagreatheatandwithpassionateindignation。IfItoucheditatallImighttrimitsrhetoricalexuberance，butIprefertoleaveitallitsoriginalstrengthofexpression。Icouldnot，ifIhadtried，havedisguisedthefeelingswithwhichIregardedtheattempttoputoutofsightthefrightfulfactswhichIbroughtforwardandthenecessaryconclusionstowhichtheyled。Ofcoursethewholematterhasbeenlookedatinanewpointofviewsincethemicrobeasavehicleofcontagionhasbeenbroughtintolight，andexplainedthemechanismofthatwhichwasplainenoughasafacttoallwhowerenotblindorwhodidnotshuttheireyes。
　　O。W。H。
　　BEVERLYFarms，Mass。，August3，1891
　　HOMOEOPATHYANDITSKINDREDDELUSIONS
　　[TwolecturesdeliveredbeforetheBostonSocietyfortheDiffusionofUsefulKnowledge。1842。]
　　[Whenaphysicianattemptstoconvinceaperson，whohasfallenintotheHomoeopathicdelusion，oftheemptinessofitspretensions，heisoftenansweredbyastatementofcasesinwhichitspractitionersarethoughttohaveeffectedwonderfulcures。ThemainobjectofthefirstoftheseLecturesistoshow，byabundantfacts，thatsuchstatements，madebypersonsunacquaintedwiththefluctuationsofdiseaseandthefallaciesofobservation，aretobeconsideredingeneralasoflittleornovalueinestablishingthetruthofamedicaldoctrineortheutilityofamethodofpractice。
　　Thosekindfriendswhosuggesttoapersonsufferingfromatediouscomplaint，thathe“HadbettertryHomoeopathy，“areapttoenforcetheirsuggestionbyadding，that“atanyrateitcandonoharm。“
　　Thismayormaynotbetrueasregardstheindividual。Butitalwaysdoesverygreatharmtothecommunitytoencourageignorance，error，ordeceptioninaprofessionwhichdealswiththelifeandhealthofourfellow-creatures。WhetherornotthosewhocountenanceHomoeopathyareguiltyofthisinjusticetowardsothers，thesecondoftheseLecturesmayaffordthemsomemeansofdetermining。
　　TodenythatgoodeffectsmayhappenfromtheobservanceofdietandregimenwhenprescribedbyHomoeopathistsaswellasbyothers，wouldbeveryunfairtothem。Buttosupposethatmenwithmindssoconstitutedastoacceptsuchstatementsandembracesuchdoctrinesasmakeuptheso-calledscienceofHomoeopathyaremorecompetentthanotherstoregulatethecircumstanceswhichinfluencethehumanbodyinhealthanddisease，wouldbejudgingveryharshlytheaveragecapacityofordinarypractitioners。
　　Todenythatsomepatientsmayhavebeenactuallybenefitedthroughtheinfluenceexertedupontheirimaginations，wouldbetorefusetoHomoeopathywhatallarewillingtoconcedetoeveryoneofthosenumerousmodesofpracticeknowntoallintelligentpersonsbyanopprobrioustitle。
　　Solongasthebodyisaffectedthroughthemind，noaudaciousdevice，evenofthemostmanifestlydishonestcharacter，canfailofproducingoccasionalgoodtothosewhoyielditanimplicitorevenapartialfaith。Theargumentfoundedonthisoccasionalgoodwouldbeasapplicableinjustifyingthecounterfeiterandgivingcirculationtohisbasecoin，onthegroundthataspuriousdollarhadoftenrelievedapoorman’snecessities。
　　Homoeopathyhascomebeforeourpublicataperiodwhenthegrowingspiritofeclecticismhaspreparedmanyingeniousandhonestmindstolistentoallnewdoctrineswithacandorliabletodegenerateintoweakness。Itisnotimpossiblethatthepretendedevolutionofgreatandmysteriousvirtuesfrominfinitelyattenuatedatomsmayhaveenticedafewover-refiningphilosophers，whohaveslidintoavaguebeliefthatmattersubdividedgrowslessmaterial，andapproachesnearertoaspiritualnatureasitrequiresamorepowerfulmicroscopeforitsdetection。
　　Howeverthismaybe，somepersonsseemdisposedtotakethegroundofMenzelthattheLaitymustpassformaljudgmentbetweenthePhysicianandtheHomoeopathist，asitoncedidbetweenLutherandtheRomanists。Thepractitionerandthescholarmustnot，therefore，smileattheamountoftimeandlaborexpendedintheseLecturesuponthisshadowysystem；which，inthecalmandseriousjudgmentofmanyofthewisestmembersofthemedicalprofession，isnotentitledbyanythingithaseversaidordonetothenotorietyofapublicrebuke，stilllesstothehonorsofcriticalmartyrdom。]
　　I
　　Ihaveselectedfourtopicsforthislecture，thefirstthreeofwhichIshalltouchbutslightly，thelastmorefully。Theyare1。TheRoyalcureoftheKing’sEvil，orScrofula。
　　2。TheWeaponOintment，anditstwinabsurdity，theSympatheticPowder。
　　3。TheTar-watermaniaofBishopBerkeley。
　　4。TheHistoryoftheMetallicTractors，orPerkinism。
　　Thefirsttwoillustratetheeasewithwhichnumerousfactsareaccumulatedtoprovethemostfancifulandsenselessextravagances。
　　Thethirdexhibitstheentireinsufficiencyofexaltedwisdom，immaculatehonesty，andvastgeneralacquirementstomakeagoodphysicianofagreatbishop。
　　Thefourthshowsustheintimatemachineryofanextinctdelusion，whichflourishedonlyfortyyearsago；drawninallitsdetails，asbeingarichandcomparativelyrecentillustrationofthepretensions，thearguments，thepatronage，bymeansofwhichwindyerrorshavelongbeen，andwilllongcontinuetobe，swollenintotransientconsequence。Alldisplayinsuperfluousabundancetheboundlesscredulityandexcitabilityofmankinduponsubjectsconnectedwithmedicine。
　　>FromthetimeofEdwardtheConfessortoQueenAnne，themonarchsofEnglandwereinthehabitoftouchingthosewhowerebroughttothemsufferingwiththescrofula，forthecureofthatdistemper。WilliamtheThirdhadgoodsenseenoughtodiscontinuethepractice，butAnneresumedit，and，amongherotherpatients，performedtheroyaloperationuponachild，who，inspiteofhis，disease，grewupatlastintoSamuelJohnson。Afterlayinghishanduponthesufferers，itwascustomaryforthemonarchtohangagoldpiecearoundtheneckofeachpatient。Verystrictprecautionswereadoptedtopreventthosewhothoughtmoreofthegoldenangelhungroundtheneckbyawhiteribbon，thanofreliefoftheirbodilyinfirmities，frommakingtoomanycalls，astheysometimesattemptedtodo。Accordingtothestatementoftheadvocatesandcontemporariesofthisremedy，noneeverfailedofreceivingbenefitunlesstheirlittlefaithandcredulitystarvedtheirmerits。Somearesaidtohavebeencuredimmediatelyontheverytouch，othersdidnotsoeasilygetridoftheirswellings，untiltheyweretouchedasecondtime。Severalcasesarerelated，ofpersonswhohadbeenblindforseveralweeks，andmonths，andobligedeventobeledtoWhitehall，yetrecoveredtheirsightimmediatelyuponbeingtouched，soastowalkawaywithoutanyguide。“Sowidely，atoneperiod，wasthebeliefdiffused，that，inthecourseoftwelveyears，nearlyahundredthousandpersonsweretouchedbyCharlestheSecond。Catholicdivines；indisputesupontheorthodoxyoftheirchurch，didnotdenythatthepowerhaddescendedtoprotestantprinces；——Dr。Harpsfield，inhis“EcclesiasticalHistoryofEngland，“admittedit，andinWiseman’swords，“whenBishopTookerwouldmakeuseofthisArgumenttoprovetheTruthofourChurch，SmitheusdothnotthereupongoabouttodenytheMatteroffact；nay，bothheandCopeacknowledgeit。““Imyself，“saysWiseman，thebestEnglishsurgicalwriterofhisday，[EdinburghMedicalandSurgicalJournal，vol。iii。p。103。]——
　　“ImyselfhavebeenafrequentEye-witnessofmanyhundredofCuresperformedbyhisMajestiesTouchalone，withoutanyassistanceofChirurgery；andthose，manyofthemsuchashadtiredouttheendeavoursofableChirurgeonsbeforetheycamehither。ItwereendlesstorecitewhatImyselfhaveseen，andwhatIhavereceivedacknowledgmentsofbyLetter，notonlyfromtheseverallpartsofthisNation，butalsofromIreland，Scotland，Jersey，Garnsey。ItisneedlessalsotorememberwhatMiraclesofthisnaturewereperformedbytheveryBloudofhislateMajestyofBlessedmemory，afterwhosedecollationbytheinhumanBarbarityoftheRegicides，thereliquesofthatweregatheredonChipsandinHandkerchieffsbythepiousDevotes，whocouldnotbutthinksogreatasufferinginsohonourableandpiousaCause，wouldbeattendedbyanextraordinaryassistanceofGod，andsomemorethenordinaryamiracle：nordidtheirFaithdeceivetheminthistherepoint，beingsomanyhundredthatfoundthebenefitofit。“[SeverallChirurgicallTreatises。
　　London。1676。p。246。]
　　Obstinateandincredulousmen，ashetellsus，accountedforthesecuresinthreeways：bythejourneyandchangeofairthepatientsobtainedincomingtoLondon；bytheinfluenceofimagination；andthewearingofgold。
　　Totheseobjectionsheanswers，1st。Thatmanyofthosecuredwereinhabitantsofthecity。2d。Thatthesubjectsoftreatmentwerefrequentlyinfants。3d。Thatsometimessilverwasgiven，andsometimesnothing，yetthepatientswerecured。
　　AsuperstitionresemblingthisprobablyexistsatthepresenttimeinsomeignorantdistrictsofEnglandandthiscountry。AwriterinaMedicalJournalintheyear1807，speaksofafarmerinDevonshire，who，beinganinthsonofaninthson，isthoughtendowedwithhealingpowerslikethoseofancientroyalty，andwhoisaccustomedonedayineveryweektostrikefortheevil。
　　Irememberthatoneofmyschoolmatestoldme，whenaboy，ofaseventhsonofaseventhson，somewhereinEssexCounty，whotouchedforthescrofula，andwhousedtohangasilverfourpencehalfpennyabouttheneckofthosewhocametohim，whichfourpencehalfpennyitwassolemnlyaffirmedbecameofaremarkablyblackcolorafterhavingbeensometimeworn，andthathisownbrotherhadbeensubjectedtothisextraordinarytreatment；butImustaddthatmyschoolmatedrewabowofremarkablelength，strength，andtoughnessforhistenderyears。
　　OneofthemostcuriousexamplesofthefallacyofpopularbeliefandtheuncertaintyofassertedfactsinmedicalexperienceistobefoundinthehistoryoftheUNGUENTUMARMARIUM，orWEAPONOINTMENT。
　　FabriciusHildanus，whosenameisfamiliartoeverysurgicalscholar，andLordBacon，whofrequentlydippedalittleintomedicine，aremyprincipalauthoritiesforthefewcircumstancesI
　　shallmentionregardingit。TheWeaponOintmentwasapreparationusedforthehealingofwounds，butinsteadofitsbeingappliedtothem，theinjuredpartwaswashedandbandaged，andtheweaponwithwhichthewoundwasinflictedwascarefullyanointedwiththeunguent。Empirics，ignorantbarbers，andmenofthatsort，aresaidtohaveespeciallyemployedit。Stilltherewerenotwantingsomeamongthemorerespectablemembersofthemedicalprofessionwhosupporteditsclaims。Thecompositionofthisointmentwascomplicated，inthedifferentformulaegivenbydifferentauthorities；butsomesubstancesaddressedtotheimagination，ratherthanthewoundorweapon，enteredintoall。Suchwereportionsofmummy，ofhumanblood，andofmossfromtheskullofathiefhunginchains。
　　Hildanuswasawiseandlearnedman，oneofthebestsurgeonsofhistime。HewasfullyawarethatapartoftherealsecretoftheUnguentumArmariumconsistedinthewashingandbandagingthewoundandthenlettingitalone。Buthecouldnotresistthesolemnassertionsrespectingitsefficacy；hegavewaybeforetheoutcryoffacts，andtherefore，insteadofdenyingalltheirpretensions，headmittedandtriedtoaccountforthemuponsupernaturalgrounds。Asthevirtueofthoseapplications，hesays，whicharemadetotheweaponcannotreachthewound，andastheycanproducenoeffectwithoutcontact，itfollows，ofnecessity，thattheDevilmusthaveahandinthebusiness；andasheisbyfarthemostlongheadedandexperiencedofpractitioners，hecannotfindthisamatterofanygreatdifficulty。Hildanushimselfreports，indetail，thecaseofaladywhohadreceivedamoderatewound，forwhichtheUnguentumArmariumwasemployedwithouttheslightestuse。Yetinsteadofreceivingthisflatcaseoffailureasanyevidenceagainsttheremedy，heaccountsforitsnotsucceedingbythedevoutcharacterofthelady，andherfreedomfromthatsuperstitiousandover-
　　imaginativetendencywhichtheDevilrequiresinthosewhoaretobebenefitedbyhisdevices。