Health, or, How to Live

“AND NOW LOOK ON THIS.”

Says Professor Parker: “As we place more confidence in nature, and less in preparations of the apothecary, mortality diminishes.” Again: “Hygiene is of far more value in the treatment of disease than drugs. And again: “I wish the materia medica was in Guinea, and that you would study materia alimentaria.” And yet again: You are taught learnedly about materia medica, and but little about diet.” Once more: “We will have less mortality when people eat to live.” And finally: “I have cured granulations of the eyes, in chronic conjunctivitis, by Hygienic treatment, after all kinds of drug-applications had failed.” HHTL 162.6

Says Professor Carson: “Water is the best diaphoretic we have.” Again: “My preceptor used to give colored water to his patients; and it was noticed that those who took the water recovered more rapidly than those of another physician, who had bled his patients.” HHTL 162.7

Says Professor Clark: “Pure cold air is the best tonic the patient can take.” Again: “Many different plans have been tried for the cure of consumption, but the result of all have been unsatisfactory. We are not acquainted with any agents that will cure consumption. We must rely on Hygiene.” And again: “Cream is far better for tubercular patients than cod-liver oil, or any other kind of oil.” And yet again: “In scarlet fever you have nothing to rely on but the vis medicatrix naturae.” Once more: “A hundred different and unsuccessful plans have been tried for the cure of cholera. I think I shall leave my patients, hereafter, nearly entirely to nature; as I have seen patients abandoned to die and left to nature, recover while patients who were treated died.” And, finally: “A sponge-bath will often do more to quiet restless, feverish patients than an anodyne.” HHTL 163.1

Says Professor Barker: “The more simple the treatment in infantile diseases, the better the result.” HHTL 163.2

Says Professor Peaslee: “Water constitutes about eight-tenths of the weight of the human body, and is its most indispensable constituent.” Again: “Water is the only necessary — the only natural — drink.” HHTL 163.3

Says Professor Gilman: “Every season has its fashionable remedy for consumption; but Hygienic treatment is of far more value than all drugs combined.” Again: “Cold affusion is the best antidote for narcotic poisoning. If the medical profession were to learn and appreciate this fact [Why don’t they learn it? — R. T. T.], the number of deaths from narcotism would be diminished one-half.” And again: “The continued application of cold water has more power to prevent inflammation than any other remedy.” And yet again: “The application of water to the external surface of the abdomen, is of great importance and value in the treatment of dysentery. I have also cured adults by this means alone.” Once more: “Water is equal in efficacy, as a diuretic, to all other diuretics combined. Water is the thing that produces diuresis; all other means are subordinate.” And finally: “Water is the best febrifuge we have.” HHTL 163.4

Says Professor Smith: “The vapor of warm water is the most efficacious expectorant we have.” Again: “Abstinence from food is one of the most powerful antiphlogistic means.” HHTL 164.1

To the above testimonials against the drug system, and in favor of the Hygienic, I will add the opinions of a few of the standard authors of the Allopathic school: HHTL 164.2