b15966410_0072_142_2

MEDICINA IN EXCELSIS.

THEY pulled up on the
Heath—a select lot.
The front seat of the
four-in-hand, to the right of the Noble Driver, was occupied by the
BISHOP OF ASCOT. EVELYN and CLARA sat behind them.
“ From those letters in the Lancet and the Times, Doctor,” said the Chaplain, “the Homoeopathists seem seeking to be reconciled to the Faculty.”
Some of them,” replied DR. CLARA SYDENHAM.
“Do you consider Homoeopathy all heresy? inquired the young
Churchman.
“Meaning,” asked the Medical Lady, “all humbug? By
means. Its name expresses a truth.”
“ Similia similibus “
“Yes; but a partial truth. They should say ‘qucedam similia.’ The truth is true only in some cases.”
f” Still, true in some?”
,“ Certainly—a truth as old as the hills, proverbial for ages. ‘A hair of the dog that bit you.’ For instance. In the last generation, you know, as a matter of history, young men at a symposium overnight, would sometimes imbibe more wine or grog than they found good for them next morning. Then a common remedy for their nervous disorder, in the slang of the period, termed, I think, ‘seediness,’ was a glass of bitter ale. So like cured like. Among the working classes, some men, even in the present day, from excess
drink, are occasionally subject to D. T.”
“What is that?”
“Delirium tremens. When it attacks a hospital patient, we have to exhibit alcoholic stimulants. Like curing like again.”
“But not in infinitesimal doses?”
“No, indeed. Infinitesimal doses of gin would, however, cure dipsomania—if the patient could bear to drink nothing else stronger than water—but, then he would be cured just as soon without them.”
“By the water cure, instead of homoeopathy?”
“Just so. Infinitesimal doses are all heresy, if you like. But the homoeopathists make another mistake.”
“In calling the regular practice of medicine ‘allopathy,’ as if
consisted wholly, or mainly, in prescribing allopathic as opposed
homoeopathic remedies in the sense of specifics. Our real specifics, drugs which directly counteract diseases, are, whether allopathic or homcaopathic, comparatively few. The great majority of complaints are curable, if not by diet and exercise alone, by exercise and diet, assisted by physic, which counteracts disease indirectly, in merely removing hindrances to naturally getting well; in particular, by causing torpid organs of elimination to do their duty. Our old friend, the black and blue reviver —“
“The what, DR. CLARA?”
“Don’t you know? Blue pill and black dose. Why, that is all the physic necessary to cure no end of diseases of different names— given due regimen as well as draught and pill. Regimen is not allopathic, neither are pill and draught, which simply promote the functions of the biliary and digestive organs. We are not Allopathists any more than Homoeopathists, so let HAHNEMANN’S followers not call us names, and let them learn why they shouldn’t, and when they get to understand that, then, perhaps, we may agree with them
?11t our horses together.”
Good,” said the Bishop, who had overheard the chat between his Chaplain and DR. CLARA. “And so now for our little penny sweep, before lunch.” So saying, his Lordship sent round the shovel-bat, in which he had deposited the billets enclosing the names
the competitors for the “Cup.” The fortunate drawer was to hand. over the stakes to. the Pastoral Aid Society.