On the sources and benefits of professional earnestness : being an address delivered before the Illinois Homoeopathic Medical Association.

  • Ludlam, R. (Reuben), 1831-1899.
Date:
1859
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the sources and benefits of professional earnestness : being an address delivered before the Illinois Homoeopathic Medical Association. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    Bhe ifl performing an Herculean task. This virtue alone, negative and unappreciated as it is, were sufficient to im- mortalize her founder. It is related of the celebrated Dr. Graves, that, being thoroughly impressed with the importance of supplying the systems of his febrile patients with nourishment, he ex- pressed a desire that the following words in metaphor should be placed as an epitaph on his tomb : He fed fevers! If homeopathy were dead, and past the power of a resurrec- tion to her more positive labors, it were neither an inappro- priate nor an inglorious epitaph for her which should read— ie proscribed drugs I But, my friends, the science we advocate, the art we practice, yields not only the negative results of which we have Bpoken, but likewise those which are more positive and clearly demonstrable. As the effect must follow its cause, so curtain is it that our remedies, if properly em- ployed, will not prove themselves inert and worthless. They may work Bilently, but it is surely; may seem to be slow, but are mere direct than any others; may appear childish, but are nevertheless curative ; impart no taste to the tongue, but will tell on the tissues ; may be pronounced impondera- ble, but will prove themselves remedial; may not kill,—for their mission is to cure. It is given to us, my brethren, to develop these resources. Homeopathy and Nature may work together in the most perfect harmony. Neither will blindly venture the respon- sibility which others assume with the organism invaded by disease, to persecute its more vital interests, pervert its functions, and still further to derange, if not absolutely to destroy, its beautiful mechanism. Both stand opposed to doing evil that good may come; for both prefer to work by silent and unseen influences, catalytic or Providential-no matter what men style them-to the production of results the most gratifying and absolutely marvelous. In developing these resources, a very important item will be to dismiss trom our minds the idea that, individually or collectively, we shall ever attain to all possible knowledge upon the subject before us. Those who desire thus to limit