Isitpossiblethatamanwhoisguiltyofsuchpedanticfollyasthis，——amanwhocanseeaconfirmationofhisdoctrineinsucharecoveryasthis，——arecoverywhichishappeningeveryday，fromabreathofair，adroportwoofwater，untyingabonnet-string，looseningastay-lace，andwhichcanhardlyhelphappening，whateverisdone，——isitpossiblethataman，ofwhosepages，nothereandthereone，buthundredsuponhundredsareloadedwithsuchtrivialities，istheNewton，theColumbus，theHarveyofthenineteenthcentury！
　　Thewholeprocessofdemonstrationheemploysisthis。Anexperimentisinstitutedwithsomedrugupononeormorehealthypersons。
　　Everythingthathappensforanumberofdaysorweeksis，aswehaveseen，setdownasaneffectofthemedicine。Oldvolumesarethenransackedpromiscuously，andeverymorbidsensationorchangethatanybodyeversaidwasproducedbythedruginquestionisaddedtothelistofsymptoms。Byoneorbothofthesemethods，eachofthesixty-foursubstancesenumeratedbyHahnemannisshowntoproduceaverylargenumberofsymptoms，thelowestinhisscalebeingninety-
　　seven，andthehighestfourteenhundredandninety-one。Andhavingmadeoutthislistrespectinganydrug，acataloguewhich，asyoumayobserveinanyHomoeopathicmanual，containsvarioussymptomsbelongingtoeveryorganofthebody，whatcanbeeasierthantofindallegedcuresineverymedicalauthorwhichcanatoncebeattributedtotheHomoeopathicprinciple；stillmoreifthegraveofextinguishedcredulityiscalledupontogiveupitsdeadbonesaslivingwitnesses；andworstofall，ifthemonumentsofthepastaretobemutilatedinfavorof“thesolelawofNatureintherapeutics“？
　　ThereareafewfamiliarfactsofwhichgreatusehasbeenmadeasanenteringwedgefortheHomoeopathicdoctrine。Theyhavebeensufferedtopasscurrentsolongthatitistimetheyshouldbenailedtothecounter，alittleoperationwhichIundertake，withperfectcheerfulness，toperformforthem。
　　ThefirstisasupposedillustrationoftheHomoeopathiclawfoundinthepreceptgivenforthetreatmentofpartswhichhavebeenfrozen，byfrictionwithsnoworsimilarmeans。Butwedeceiveourselvesbynames，ifwesupposethefrozenparttobetreatedbycold，andnotbyheat。Thesnowmayevenbeactuallywarmerthantheparttowhichitisapplied。Butevenifitwereatthesametemperaturewhenapplied，itneverdidandnevercoulddotheleastgoodtoafrozenpart，exceptasamodeofregulatingtheapplicationofwhat？ofheat。Buttheheatmustbeappliedgradually，justasfoodmustbegivenalittleatatimetothoseperishingwithhunger。Ifthepatientwerebroughtintoawarmroom，heatwouldbeappliedveryrapidly，werenotsomethinginterposedtopreventthis，andallowitsgradualadmission。Snoworicedwaterisexactlywhatiswanted；itisnotcoldtothepart；itisverypossiblywarm，onthecontrary，forthesetermsarerelative，andifitdoesnotmeltandlettheheatin，orisnottakenaway，thepartwillremainfrozenupuntildoomsday。Nowthetreatmentofafrozenlimbbyheat，inlargeorsmallquantities，isnotHomoeopathy。
　　ThenextsupposedillustrationoftheHomoeopathiclawistheallegedsuccessfulmanagementofburns，byholdingthemtothefire。Thisisapopularmodeoftreatingthoseburnswhichareoftoolittleconsequencetorequireanymoreefficaciousremedy，andwouldinevitablygetwellofthemselves，withoutanytroublebeingbestoweduponthem。Itproducesamostacutepaininthepart，whichisfollowedbysomelossofsensibility，ashappenswiththeeyeafterexposuretostronglight，andtheearafterbeingsubjectedtoveryintensesounds。Thisisallitiscapableofdoing，andallfurthernotionsofitsefficacymustbeattributedmerelytothevulgarloveofparadox。IfthisexampleaffordsanycomforttotheHomoeopathist，itseemsascrueltodeprivehimofitasitwouldbetoconvincethemistressofthesmoke-jackortheflatironthatthefiredoesnotliterally“drawthefireout，“whichisherhypothesis。
　　Butifitweretruethatfrost-biteswerecuredbycoldandburnsbyheat，itwouldbesubversive，sofarasitwent，ofthegreatprincipleofHomoeopathy。
　　ForyouwillrememberthatthisprincipleisthatLikecuresLike，andnotthatSamecuresSame；thatthereisresemblanceandnotidentitybetweenthesymptomsofthediseaseandthoseproducedbythedrugwhichcuresit，andnonehavebeenreadiertoinsistuponthisdistinctionthantheHomoeopathiststhemselves。ForifSamecuresSame，theneverypoisonmustbeitsownantidote，——whichisneitherapartoftheirtheorynortheirso-calledexperience。Theyhavebeenaskedoftenenough，whyitwasthatarseniccouldnotcurethemischiefwhicharsenichadcaused，andwhytheinfectiouscauseofsmall-poxdidnotremedythediseaseithadproduced，andthenthe；werereadyenoughtoseethedistinctionIhavepointedout。O
　　no！itwasnotthehairofthesamedog，butonlyofoneverymuchlikehim！
　　AthirdinstanceinproofoftheHomoeopathiclawissoughtforintheacknowledgedefficacyofvaccination。Andhowdoesthelawapplytothis？ItisgrantedbytheadvocatesofHomoeopathythatthereisaresemblancebetweentheeffectsofthevaccinevirusonapersoninhealthandthesymptomsofsmall-pox。Therefore，accordingtotherule，thevaccineviruswillcurethesmall-pox，which，aseverybodyknows，isentirelyuntrue。Butitpreventssmall-pox，saytheHomoeopathists。Yes，andsodoessmall-poxpreventitselffromeverhappeningagain，andweknowjustasmuchoftheprincipleinvolvedintheonecaseasintheother。Forthisisonlyoneofaseriesoffactswhichwearewhollyunabletoexplain。Small-pox，measles，scarlet-fever，hooping-cough，protectthosewhohavethemoncefromfutureattacks；butnettle-rashandcatarrhandlungfever，eachofwhichisjustasHomoeopathictoitselfasanyoneoftheothers，havenosuchpreservativepower。Weareobligedtoacceptthefact，unexplained，andwecandonomoreforvaccinationthanfortherest。
　　Icomenowtothemostdirectlypracticalpointconnectedwiththesubject，namely，——
　　WhatisthestateoftheevidenceastotheefficacyoftheproperHomoeopathictreatmentinthecureofdiseases。
　　AsthetreatmentadoptedbytheHomoeopathistshasbeenalmostuniversallybymeansoftheinfinitesimaldoses，thequestionoftheirefficacyisthrownopen，incommonwiththatofthetruthoftheirfundamentalaxiom，asbotharetestedinpractice。
　　WemustlookforfactsastotheactualworkingofHomoeopathytothreesources。
　　1。Thestatementsoftheunprofessionalpublic。
　　2。TheassertionsofHomoeopathicpractitioners。
　　3。Theresultsoftrialsbycompetentandhonestphysicians，notpledgedtothesystem。
　　Ithink，afterwhatwehaveseenofmedicalfacts，astheyarerepresentedbyincompetentpersons，wearedisposedtoattributelittlevaluetoallstatementsofwonderfulcures，comingfromthosewhohaveneverbeenaccustomedtowatchthecapricesofdisease，andhavenotcooleddowntheiryoungenthusiasmbythehabitoftranquilobservation。Thosewhoknownothingofthenaturalprogressofamalady，ofitsordinaryduration，ofitsvariousmodesofterminating，ofitsliabilitytoaccidentalcomplications，ofthesignswhichmarkitsinsignificanceorseverity，ofwhatistobeexpectedofitwhenlefttoitself，ofhowmuchorhowlittleistobeanticipatedfromremedies，thosewhoknownothingornexttonothingofallthesethings，andwhoareinagreatstateofexcitementfrombenevolence，sympathy，orzealforanewmedicaldiscovery，canhardlybeexpectedtobesoundjudgesoffactswhichhavemisledsomanysagaciousmen，whohavespenttheirlivesinthedailystudyandobservationofthem。Ibelievethat，afterhavingdrawntheportraitofdefunctPerkinism，withitsfivethousandprintedcures，anditsmillionandahalfcomputedones，itsmiraclesblazonedaboutthroughAmerica，Denmark，andEngland；afterrelatingthatfortyyearsagowomencarriedtheTractorsaboutintheirpockets，andworkmencouldnotmakethemfastenoughforthepublicdemand；andthenshowingyou，asacuriosity，asingleoneoftheseinstruments，anoddoneofapair，whichIobtainedonlybyaluckyaccident，soutterlylostisthememoryofalltheirwonderfulachievements；Ibelieve，afterallthis，Ineednotwastetimeinshowingthatmedicalaccuracyisnottobelookedforinthefloridreportsofbenevolentassociations，theassertionsofillustriouspatrons，thelaxeffusionsofdailyjournals，ortheeffervescentgossipofthetea-table。
　　Dr。Hering，whosenameissomewhatfamiliartothechampionsofHomoeopathy，hassaidthat“thenewhealingartisnottobejudgedbyitssuccessinisolatedcasesonly，butaccordingtoitssuccessingeneral，itsinnatetruth，andtheincontrovertiblenatureofitsinnateprinciples。“
　　Wehaveseensomethingof“theincontrovertiblenatureofitsinnateprinciples，“anditseemsprobable，onthewhole，thatitssuccessingeneralmustbemadeupofitssuccessinisolatedcases。Someattemptshavebeenmade，however，tofinishthewholematterbysweepingstatisticaldocuments，whichareintendedtoproveitstriumphantsuccessoverthecommonpractice。
　　Itiswellknowntothosewhohavehadthegoodfortunetoseethe“HomoeopathicExaminer，“thatthisjournalledoff，initsfirstnumber，withagranddisplayofeverythingthenewlyimporteddoctrinehadtoshowforitself。Itiswellremarked，onthetwenty-
　　thirdpageofthisarticle，that“thecomparisonofbillsofmortalityamonganequalnumberofsick，treatedbydiversmethods，isamostpoorandlamewaytogetatconclusionstouchingprinciplesofthehealingart。“Inconfirmationofwhich，theauthorproceedsuponthetwenty-fifthpagetoprovethesuperiorityoftheHomoeopathictreatmentofcholera，bypreciselytheseverybillsofmortality。Now，everyintelligentphysicianisawarethatthepoisonofcholeradifferedsomuchinitsactivityatdifferenttimesand，places，thatitwasnexttoimpossibletoformanyopinionastotheresultsoftreatment，unlesseveryprecautionwastakentosecurethemostperfectlycorrespondingconditionsinthepatientstreated，andhardlyeventhen。Ofcourse，then，aRussianAdmiral，bythenameofMordvinov，backedbyanumberofso-calledphysicianspractisinginRussianvillages，issingularlycompetenttothetaskofsettlingthewholequestionoftheutilityofthisorthatkindoftreatment；toprovethat，ifnotmorethaneightandahalfpercent。ofthoseattackedwiththediseaseperished，therestowedtheirimmunitytoHahnemann。Icanrememberwhenmorethanahundredpatientsinapublicinstitutionwereattackedwithwhat，Idoubtnot，manyHomoeopathicphysicianstosaynothingofHomoeopathicadmirals
　　wouldhavecalledcholera，andnotoneofthemdied，thoughtreatedinthecommonway，anditismyfirmbeliefthat，ifsucharesulthadfollowedtheadministrationoftheomnipotentglobules，itwouldhavebeeninthemouthofeveryadeptinEurope，fromQuinofLondontoSpohrofGandersheim。Nolongeragothanyesterday，inoneofthemostwidelycirculatedpapersofthiscity，therewaspublishedanassertionthatthemortalityinseveralHomoeopathicHospitalswasnotquitefiveinahundred，whereas，inwhatarecalledbythewriterAllopathicHospitals，itissaidtobeeleveninahundred。
　　Anhonestmanshouldbeashamedofsuchanargumentumadignorantiam。
　　Themortalityofahospitaldependsnotmerelyonthetreatmentofthepatients，butontheclassofdiseasesitisinthehabitofreceiving，ontheplacewhereitis，ontheseason，andmanyothercircumstances。Forinstance，therearemanyhospitalsinthegreatcitiesofEuropethatreceivefewdiseasesofanaturetoendangerlife，and，ontheotherhand，thereareotherswheredangerousdiseasesareaccumulatedoutofthecommonproportion。Thus，inthewardsofLouis，attheHospitalofLaPitie，avastnumberofpatientsinthelaststagesofconsumptionwereconstantlyentering，toswellthemortalityofthathospital。Itwasbecausehewasknowntopayparticularattentiontothediseasesofthechestthatpatientslaboringunderthosefatalaffectionstoanincurableextentweresoconstantlycominginuponhim。Itisalwaysamiserableappealtothethoughtlessnessofthevulgar，toallegethenakedfactofthelesscomparativemortalityinthepracticeofonehospitalorofonephysicianthananother，asanevidenceofthesuperiorityoftheirtreatment。Otherthingsbeingequal，itmustalwaysbeexpectedthatthoseinstitutionsandindividualsenjoyingtothehighestdegreetheconfidenceofthecommunitywilllosethelargestproportionoftheirpatients；forthesimplereasonthattheywillnaturallybelookedtobythosesufferingfromthegravestclassofdiseases；thatmany，whoknowthattheyareaffectedwithmortaldisease，willchoosetodieundertheircareorshelter，whilethesubjectsoftriflingmaladies，andmerelytroublesomesymptoms，amusethemselvestoanyextentamongthefancypractitioners。When，therefore，Dr。Mublenbein，asstatedinthe“HomoeopathicExaminer，“
　　andquotedinyesterday’s“DailyAdvertiser，“assertsthatthemortalityamonghispatientsisonlyonepercent。sincehehaspractisedHomoeopathy，whereasitwassixpercent。whenheemployedthecommonmodeofpractice，Iamconvincedbythis，hisownstatement，thatthecitizensofBrunswick，whenevertheyareseriouslysick，takegoodcarenottosendforDr。Muhlenbein！