NEW-HAMPSHIRE JOURNAL OF MEDICINE.

ery,

CONCORD, NOVEMBER, 1850.

QUACKERY.

We propose from time to time to speak of the different forms of Quackin the profession as well as out of it. In the Boston Transcript we find some articles upon this subject, from which we offer extracts instead of our own thoughts. It is understood that the writer is a lawyer, his nom de plume being "a sexton of the old school." In No. 113 of "dealings with the dead," he says:

"There is nothing marvellous in the existence of quackery, if we recognize the maxim of M. Sorbiere, in his Relation d'une Voyage en Angleterre, p. 155, komo est animal credulum et mendax-man is a credulous and lying animal. David said, that all men were liars; but, as this is found in one of his lyrics, and he admits that he uttered it in haste, it may be fairly carried to the account of poetica licentia. With no more, however, than a moderate allowance for man's notorious diathesis, towards lying for pleasure or profit; it is truly wonderful that credulity should preserve its relative level, as it does, and ever has done, since the world began. Many, who will not go an inch with the Almighty, without a sign, will deliver their noses, for safe keeping, into the hands of a charlatan, and be led by him, blind-fold, to the charnel house. Take away credulity, and the world would speedily prove an exhausted receiver for all manner of quackery."

The following, we apprehend, gives the true explanation of the fact that educated men are so often found to encourage empiricism. We once availed ourself of the columns of a religious newspaper to protest against a laudation of hydropathy which had appeared in the same journal. Afterward we received a dogmatical admonetur from the reverend editor, which not only afforded us amusement, but convinced us that he too knew nothing about the

matter.

"Ignorance is the hotbed of credulity. This axiom is not the less respectable because the greatest philosophers occasionally place confidence in the veriest fools, and do their bidding. Wise and learned men, beyond the pale of their professional pursuits, or peculiar studies, are, very frequently, the simplest of simple folk-non omnia possumus omnes. Ignorance must be very common, for a vast majority of the human race have not proceeded so far in the great volume of wisdom and knowledge, as that profitable but humiliating chapter, whose perusal is likely to stimulate their energies by convincing them that they are of yesterday and know nothing. Credulity must therefore be very common."

But our sexton continues to discourse in this way:

"In a dissertation before the Medical Society, in June, 1828, Dr. George Cheyne Shattuck, after setting forth a melancholy catalogue of the troubles and perplexities of the medical profession, concludes by saying, that "all these trials to which the physician is subjected, do not equal that which

proceeds from the uncertainty of the healing art." When we contrast this candid avowal from an accomplished and experienced physician, with the splendid promises and infallible assurances of empirics-with their balms of Gilead, panaceas and elixirs of everlasting life-we cannot marvel that the larger part of all the invalids, in this uncertain and credulous world, fly from those conservative professors who promise nothing, to such as will assure them of a perfect relief from their maladies, no matter how complicated or chronic they may be-with four words of inspiriting import-NO CURE NO

PAY.

I am no physician; my opinion, therefore, is not presented ex cathedra: but the averment of Dr. Shattuck is, I presume, to be viewed in no other light, than as the opinion of an honorable man, who would rather claim too little than too much for his own profession; who would rather perform more than he has promised, than promise more than he can perform. If the regularly bred and educated physician complains of uncertainty, none but a madman would seek for its opposite, in the palace or the kennel of a quack, for the charlatan may occasionally be found in either.

The first thing to be done, I suppose, by the regular doctor, is to ascertain what the disease is. This, I believe, is the very last thing thought of by the charlatan. He is spared the labor of all pathological enquiry, for all his medicines are, fortunately, panaceas. Thus, he administers a medicine for the gout; the patient does not happen to have the gout, but the gravel; it is the same thing; for the physic, like our almanacs, was calculated for different meridians."

It is most refreshing to us to find educated men thus speaking out the truth on matters concerning which they often err. We would desire to express our thanks for every blow struck in our favor by those who ought always to be with us, but are too ready to oppose. From the nature of the case, their influence is far greater than that of a physician, to whom, perhaps, not without seeming justice, it is objected that it is his craft that is in danger.

NEW-YORK REGISTER OF MEDICINE AND PHARMACY.

A new journal has appeared in New-York city, under this name, edited by C. D. Griswold, M. D. It is to appear twice each month, and each number contains sixteen pages. Price, one dollar. We wish it the greatest success, and that it may have a large circulation, not only among physicians but pharmaceutists. It will be seen that we have transferred an article from it to our pages, and desire to commend the suggestions there made to the earnest consideration of our readers.

In justice to the N. H. Journal, we must notice a statement made by the editor in his salutatory, with somewhat of a jaunty air, viz: that the Register is the cheapest journal in the world. This statement, we beg leave to doubt. We find by measurement, with liberal allowance to the Register, that each page of THE JOURNAL contains two hundred and eighty more ems than each page of that periodical; so that if we give but twenty-eight pages, it is in reality more than a page more of matter each month than is afforded

by this cheapest journal in the world. To say nothing of other periodicals, we apprehend that the Register must yield to the other dollar journals, the Med. News and Library, and the Northern Lancet. As to the latter, however, we confess, we should rather have a smaller quantity of matter, and have it printed more clearly than have been the only two numbers we have been favored with at the interval of several months, and which have sorely tried our eyes, though they are neither weak nor old.

Let us not be understood to claim for ourself the honor of editing the cheapest journal, but when such a claim is put forward by others, we must repel it as unjust to us. We confess our ambition would be rather to edit the best journal in the world.

A word more, and we have done. It gives us pleasure to acknowledge the kind and flattering reception THE JOURNAL has received from the profession, especially of our own state. But still it has not yet received that support which is necessary to insure its continuance after its first year. From what we have above said, it will be seen that we offer a larger amount of matter than some other journals, even with twenty-eight pages, and it will be recollected that our plan was to give thirty. This we are ready to do when sufficient encouragement is given us to warrant it. Let us suggest that each one interested in the matter, use a little exertion to increase our list, for we know that "many a little makes a mickle."

MEDICAL SOCIETIES.

The adjourned meeting of the Centre District Society was held at Fisherville, on the 23d ult. An unusually large number of members was present. The morning was occupied in revising the by-laws, and in discussing other business matters. After dining, the society reassembled and listened to interesting dissertations from Drs. E. G. Moore, of Concord, and M. D. Senter, of Suncook; the subject of the former being the history of medicine, and of the latter, spermatorrhea.

We are glad to see that the district societies preserve their organization and continue to flourish, though they are no longer the gates through which all must pass who would enter the state society. Entire independence is the true policy.

At a regular meeting of the Dover Medical Association, holden November 6th, 1850, the following preamble and resolutions were introduced by Dr. N. Martin, and unanimously passed:

Whereas, a member of this association has been taken from us by death, the loss of whose companionship and cooperative powers we shall sensibly feel and long continue to regret-whose walk was circumspect and whose reputation was without a blot, and whose sympathies were coëxtensive with the requirements, the honor and the duties of the profession, therefore,

Resolved, That we feel deeply the loss we have sustained in the death of Dr. GEORGE W. WOODHOUSE, a young gentleman in the prime of life, of high qualifications for professional usefulness, and in whom gentleness and worth were singularly blended.

Resolved, That we mingle our heart-felt condolence with the bereaved relatives of the deceased, and especially with the anguished wife and the stricken mother; the one has been severed from the object of her early and tenderest affection, the other, from one dear as her own heart, and on whom she had hoped to lean and look through the residue of her earthly pilgrimage! May God be son and spouse, and succor both.

Resolved, That the foregoing preamble and resolutions be entered upon the Records of the society, and that the secretary transmit a copy of the same to the friends of the deceased; also to the editor of the New-Hampshire Journal of Medicine, for publication.

Dover, N. H., November 15, 1850.

J. H. PAUL, Secretary.

DARTMOUTH COLLEGE.

The examinations for the degree of M. D., at Dartmouth College, were held on Nov. 5th and 6th;-Drs. E. Spalding, of Nashua, and A. Smalley, of Lyme, being present as delegates from the N. H. State Medical Society.

On Wednesday, Nov. 6th, an excellent and interesting address to the graduating class was delivered by Dr. E. Spalding; after which the degree of M. D. was conferred by Rev. Dr. Lord, President of the College, on the following gentlemen:

This useful compendium of facts connected with our state, has made its appearance for 1851. The profession will find in it, as usual, a list of the physicians in the state, together with matter of more general interest.

THE

NEW HAMPSHIRE

JOURNAL OF MEDICINE.

VOL. I.

66

DECEMBER, 1850.

ANTISPASMODIC MEDICATION.

No. 5.

FROM THERAPEUTIQUE MEDICALE," BY TROUSSEAU AND PIDoux.

[Translated for the N. H. Journal of Medicine.]

It is not our purpose under this head to study all the means which have been used with advantage to combat the spasmodic or nervous state, but only the pharmaceutic agents which enjoy the specific property of producing a happy modification of certain disorders of innervation, and that in a direct manner and without the intervention of any appreciable action between the drug and its effect. If, without restricting ourselves to the natural limits of antispasmodic medication, properly so called, we should wish to include in this chapter the whole of the means which under different circumstances may properly be used for the cure of spasms, it would be necessary to discuss the whole materia medica. Two examples will explain our meaning. A woman, hitherto healthy, is attacked by certain nervous disorders, as palpitations, dyspnoea, convulsive movements, capriciousness, and a feeling of constriction of the throat. Afterwards, she complains of a feeling of repletion, and after some days loses her appetite, (the temperature has been for some time increased,) the tongue is covered with a thick, yellow coat-is flat and trembling, there is a bad taste in the mouth, and nausea. Observe that this woman, for the first time in her life, now experiences these nervous sensations, and that they have arisen only after the appearance of a bilious state, and in degrees exactly proportioned to its increase and duration. You prescribe an emetic; a great quantity of bile is thrown off, and the next day all the saburral symptoms, with the apparently more serious nervous accompaniments, have entirely disappeared. Must we on this account consider the tartarized antimony or the ipecacuanha as antispasmodic? No one