so, will give this subject the mature and deliberate cousideration which it merits, and hereafter, wholly abstain from the expression of adverse opinions, until they investigate this point thoroughly, or, are willing to abide by the opinions of those whose proper work it is to examine the question, and who have, with that devotion which only a true love for science can inspire, given all the energies of educated minds for years and years together, to the study and elucidation of the subject.

It is not worth the ink that would be expended, to hold an argument on this point with non-medical persons; it is the most worthless of all possible efforts, to discuss any question with a party wholly ignorant of the point involved, who has given it no critical investigation, who has no views but simple impressions, a feeling sense, an intuitive conviction, as some express themselves. But there are some medical men who truly believe, that for a case of undoubted Consumption there is no cure. This proves one thing certainly, and only one, that they themselves have never been able to effect a cure in any case.

I have before me now a book, apparently just from the press, but issued in 1844, containing lectures delivered in the most celebrated medical school in the United States, by a gentleman of high repute, so high indeed, that his name gives honor to the school, without the school returning any to him. On pages 77 and 78, this gentleman makes the assertion, and gives the reason above stated. In 1847, one of the most worthy and substantial citizens of New Jersey applied to a colleague of this gentleman for advice in his own case, which was pronounced to be Consumption, that he could not live

six months.' This patient visited me in Cincinnati the same year. He complained of "a pain running from the centre of the left breast to the inner edge of the left shoulder blade, half way to the point, just as if some one were pressing with the weight of a heavy hand, more or less every day; a dull, heavy, leaden-like feeling through the breast; a good deal of general chilliness at times, feet always cold; sleep, bowels, appetite, all irregular; some difficulty of breathing; cough not very troublesome, but a great deal of clearing of the throat, without bringing up much; spitting of blood for a number of years in specks, mucus is sometimes stained with it; palpitation, more or less an invalid for fifteen years; pulse one hundred and ten in a minute, breathing sixteen. Conversation or reading causes an aching or pain in the throat, with a prickling sensation sometimes in swallowing, together with an unpleasant vacuum feeling; for a good many years, a good deal of pain in the breast, and weakness in the back, pains in the head and sides; a feeling of heavy weight at pit of stomach."

My opinion of this case was, that he had not Consumption, that there was no disease of the lungs, and that if he did not get well, it would be his own fault. At the end of five years, this gentleman is busily engaged in active outdoor life; winter and summer he gets up at five o'clock in the morning and goes to work, has a good appetite, no pains, no cough, no throat feelings; and that he ever had anything like Consumption is simply ridiculous, as the reader would imagine, if he could see him ride or work on a winter's day by early light, which he does, not of necessity, but choice, he being a substantial, independent farmer. He has no symptom of disease whatever, except of a dyspeptic

character, which are present or absent, according to the amount of food he eats. This case simply proves that this gentleman either had Consumption or not. If he had Consumption, it demonstrates its curability; for now, at the age of thirty-eight, he has a regular full pulse of sixty-eight, breathing sixteen, weight one hundred and forty, vital capacity three hundred, height five feet eleven inches. If he did not have Consumption, then it is very certain that this distinguished practitioner made a great mistake. It adds to the value of this history, that I did not know, until within two weeks past, that this gentleman had been consulted, or that such an opinion had been given.

The truth is, the mere opinion of a medical man as to the curable nature of Consumption, is if possible more worthless than that of the non-medical, unless he has had frequent opportunities of examining the lungs of three classes of persons: 1st, those deprived of life while in perfect health; 2d, those who died of palpable Consumption; 3d, those who died of other diseases. Besides the usual facilities afforded to medical students in our own medical schools, I have had whole barrels of lungs of the dead at a time, in London, with the advantages of the finest pathological museum in the world, and I can truly say, that I have never observed a fact, or a specimen, which did not afford an explanation in accordance with the views I have presented. And the reader, for his own satisfaction, has simply to ask a question or two of any physician, old or young, who opposes the opinion advocated. Have you ever attended a dozen persons, or half a dozen, who had apparently Consumption, and who died at the time, or years afterwards, and when they did die, did you open their

bodies, and carefully examine their lungs for facts bearing on the question of the curability of common tubercular Consumption? If they have never had such opportunities of observation, their testimony is nothing in comparison with that of several of the men I have given, who spent from ten to twenty-five years in examining the lungs of the dead, with especial reference to the point in hand. And even if they have had the dozen opportunities, and have formed adverse opinions, they are only valuable in the proportion of a dozen to many thousands.

Dr. Chapman, of Philadelphia, who thinks himself that while decided Consumption is not curable by any means now known, is forced to confess that "The annals of medicine of every period contain instances of ENTIRE cures of the disease." And that "Many are the instances I have known of this disease, in its early stage, entirely obviated." It is to direct attention to these early stages that this book is mainly written; to describe plainly the nature, the character of the symptoms which indicate this early stage, thus putting the community on their guard, in the hope of inducing them to act promptly, and by doing so, save life.

While I have advocated the curable nature of Consumption of the lungs, in the most decided manner, I do not wish to be considered as adopting ultra or extravagant views of the subject. My opinion is;

1. That at any stage, previous to the commencement of actual decay of the substance of the lungs, Consumption is completely and permanently and uniformly curable.

2. That even after the lungs have begun to decay

away, the disease may be permanently arrested, but that such an arrest, is not of common occurrence.

3. That when the lungs have begun to decay away, in any particular person, that person will most probably die, at no far distant day.

4. That when such decay is present, if to a small extent, its arrest may be striven for hopefully, but,

5. That it is wrong to hold out high probabilities of recovery, and to promise it certainly, infamous!

6. That in all stages of the disease, up to the last day of life, the physician should labor resolutely, steadily and hopefully, for the restoration of the patient.

But after all, I scarcely expect a revolution on this great question to begin with educated men. Reforms come from the people, and to them must we look for a change of opinion.

The following are apt and authentic illustrations of some of the sentiments just proposed, showing that leading men, not only do not begin reforms, but have in all ages of the world been its bitterest opposers, more espe cially in medicine:

Surgery once staunched the blood, by applying boiling pitch to a wounded artery. Ambrose Pare introduced the practice of tying the artery with a ligature; and for this, the faculty hissed him to scorn, as one who would hang human life upon a thread.

Antimony, which was introduced by Paracelsus, as a medicine, and is now generally regarded as a potent remedial agent, was at first proscribed by the French parliament, at the instigation of the college, and to prescribe it was made a penal offence.

Protestant England originally regarded Peruvian