times be desirable to remove simple tumors by an operation. Malignant tumors, having an origin in constitutional disease should not, I think, be operated upon. They may be benefitted by Homœopathic treatment; the forcible removal of them subjects the sufferer to a painful operation, and tends to shorten, rather than to prolong life. We have the testimony of experienced Allopathic surgeons to this fact. It will be evident on a careful study of all these cases that none of them are cases for which Homœopathy is not adapted. We hear it said from time to time;-such a case is not suited to Homœopathy;-there are no such cases. Every case of disease is suited to Homœopathy, and Homoeopathy is adapted to every case. It will be observed that it is for a part only of these cases that Homœopathy is not suited. It is perfectly competent to act within its own sphere, in every case of disease; that which, in any case, lies beyond this sphere, if we follow the dictates of right reason, must be treated by other means. They are chiefly mechanical difficulties which require to be mechanically removed. A few are chemical. The Homœopathist need not be ashamed of these things; he must avow them; he must explain them; he must, of all men, be open and straightforward, and do every thing in public. Nothing can damage Homoeopathy, or the character of Homœopathists, so much as clandestine proceedings. But what shall be done with those "bites of the caterpillar," to which we have seen that SYDENHAM, nearly two centuries ago, compared the mischief produced by the deleterious doses of Allopathic drugs?—The bites of the caterpillar! What must be done with them? They are very difficult to deal with. I will describe what I did, a few months ago, with a case of this kind. In the beginning of November last Mr. H., aged about 38, married, of a nervous temperament, not feeling quite well, consulted his physician, complaining chiefly of nervousness. Mercury, hyoscyamus, and digitalis in large doses, along with other medicines, were prescribed for him. The next day he felt worse, the medicines were repeated, and others added. He continued to get worse, the drugs were continued; he took to his bed; another physician was called in in consultation, and the drugs repeated. When he had been three months in bed; was emaciated to the last degree; was suffering from bilious diarrhoea; his heart beating as if it would break his ribs, 140 times in a minute; his head confused; the mercury and foxglove being still continued, and belladonna added in large and frequently repeated doses; his wife was told that she must expect the worst. This was his condition in April last, when I first saw him. He had taken Mercury and Foxglove for five months, together with Henbane, Capsicum, Columba, Ammonia, Opium, Valerian, Camphor, Sulphuric Acid, Quinine, Ether, Assafetida, Colocynth, Nitric Acid, Dandelion, Prussic Acid, Hop, Poppy, Cod-liver Oil, Rhubarb, Deadly Nightshade, Epsom Salts, Senna, &c. &c. These medicines had been prescribed, in the order here given, with various salines and infusions, by these two highly respectable physicians, between the 13th of November, and the 26th of March, in as many separate prescriptions, now in my possession. What could I do? I advised him to try to take some food, and to abstain from all medicine for a week. At the end of the week he was a little better, but had been greatly agitated the day before by the stormy visit of one of his former physicians. I prescribed Sulphur for him, and in about two months, by attention to diet, and by taking a few doses of Nux Vomica, Sulphur, Nitric Acid, and Cinchona, I had the pleasure of leaving my patient quite well, and he soon afterwards resumed his occupation, upon which a family was dependent. Before I conclude I must not omit to notice one class of cases which remains, and which HAHNEMANN reminds us common sense excludes, in the first stage of their treatment, from the domains of Homœopathy. They are, in fact, not cases of disease, but of privation of life ;-I allude to suspended animation by drowning, or any other kind of suffocation. Persons in this condition do not need healing of disease, but, if possible, restoring to life. Whatever means are most likely to be conducive to this end must be diligently used by the Homoeopathist. If he should happily succeed in these efforts, and any ailment then exist in his patient, his rule comes into action, and he treats his case accordingly. It will be perceived that on the use of auxiliaries, which at present somewhat divides the Homœopathic body, I do not join either party, but I have endeavoured to place the subject in such a point of view, that both parties may agree with me. It may have been presumptuous in me to attempt this, but I shall be thankful and not proud if I should succeed. If both parties should agree with me this consequence will follow-that they will agree with one another; for it is a general law of nature that "things which are equal to the same thing, are equal to one another." Such, when "cleared of doubt," is the principle of Homœopathy. When it is remembered how many centuries medical men have been groping in the dark without any principle to guide them, it seems scarcely possible to over-estimate the value, or to exaggerate the importance of such a discovery. It might have been expected that it would be hailed with delight by the professional body, or 18 THE PRINCIPLE OF HOMEOPATHY. that at least it would be used thankfully till a better could be found, but it has met with the more common treatment of new truth-rejection without enquiry. "Damnant quod non intelligunt," says CICERO, they condemn what they do not understand; the majority being "those who prefer custom and habit before all excellency," who |