An appeal for homoeopathy; or remarks on the decision of the late Judge Cowen, relative to the legal rights of homoeopathic physicians / By F. Vanderburgh, M.D.

  • Vanderburgh, Federal, 1788-1868.
Date:
1844
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An appeal for homoeopathy; or remarks on the decision of the late Judge Cowen, relative to the legal rights of homoeopathic physicians / By F. Vanderburgh, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

    34/44 (page 28)
    necessity of my advancing any other argument to your Honor, but it seemed necessary to disabuse the public mind in relation to this science, and to enter into an explanation of its studies, precepts and practice, for their enhghtenment and satisfaction, and it is but adding a slight tribute to the vast stream of pub- lic opinion, which sooner or later must regulate the medical controversies of the whole civiUzed world. In making the foregoing statement, I know that I shall wound the feelings of medical gentlemen wlfbse friendship I prize, but my wish and purpose is any other than to excite angry feelings in any human being. 1 am actuated by sentiments of sorrow and profound re- gret, called forth by the contemplation of the miserable con- dition in which society is placed, by the rejection of a system of practice abounding with so many rich consolations and comforts. I assure medical gentlemen, and beg them to believe, that my comments upon their science and practice, are made with the desire to urge them to examine this new one, which I am recommending to their adoption. I will close by stating to your Honor that motives of medical practice should not be lightly impeached. The degree of Doctor of Medicine is the highest gift in the power of medical colleges to bestow ; it conveys the high- est of all trusts, and invests the physician with the care and keeping of life. He who practises medicine for its profits alone, in seeking his own interests, will be criminally inatten- tive to the dearest interests of his patient, subverting the high- est purposes of his profession, and defeating the great end of successful practice. To be successful, he must love as his own the life con- fided to his care, and the highest exercise of his mental en- ergies he should consider as only adequate to his trust. When