A.P. Wolf
05-26-2007, 05:59 PM
Worth exploring what the old quack wrote himself.
Does this sound like a man who would murder women with a knife?
'There is no disputing the fact that the knife is a source of immense mischief to the human family. Every day brings us tidings of some unfortunate man or woman being ushered into eternity through the means of a surgical operation. I could name twenty cases which have occurred within a year, when the persons were in a common degree of health at the time the operations for different purposes were commenced, and all of whom died in less than a week after undergoing such operation. How melancholy would the reflection be if, from an absolute necessity, physicians were compelled to operate in this manner, and when the fact was known that such operations were generally followed by death. But wviat different feelings inspire us when we reflect that most of those operations are undertaken and performed without any necessity, and only to exhibit to the world the manual surgical tact of a vaporing, iron-hearted M. D. That in nine cases out of ten, when operations are performed and death ensues, the patient might have been cured or sensibly benefited, we have not the shadow of a doubt; for, as Professor Abernethy says, " It is owing to our ignorance that the knife is used in any case." It is asked, what will we substitute for mercury and the knife? We answer that for mineral poisons we substitute the vegetables that grow in Nature's garden; we have tried them, and we find them abundantly successful. Moreover, we find them of such variety in strength and
Page 33 (http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=moa;cc=moa;sid=95e3f6e828e116b80d4cccd93c806 bc1;idno=ADH4174.0001.001;seq=35)
SKETCH OF DR. TUMBLETY. 33 medicinal qualities as to answer every indication disease presents, and to accomplish all, and much more than the conjoined use of calomel and the lancet. Diseases which have been given up by mineral practitioners have been cured by vegetable prescriptions, both here and elsewhere. A vast number of cases, denominated surgical, in which deathly operations have been recommended, have been completely cured by the Reformed Practice. Indeed, in no department of God's vast scheme of goodness to man is that goodness so strikingly exhibited as in the arrangement of medicinal plants to restore health and remove obstinate diseases. All that is required of us is to know the medicinal quality of each plant, and the disease it is designed to cure; then, when we are sick, we may put forth our hand and take it as the boon of heaven.'
Does this sound like a man who would murder women with a knife?
'There is no disputing the fact that the knife is a source of immense mischief to the human family. Every day brings us tidings of some unfortunate man or woman being ushered into eternity through the means of a surgical operation. I could name twenty cases which have occurred within a year, when the persons were in a common degree of health at the time the operations for different purposes were commenced, and all of whom died in less than a week after undergoing such operation. How melancholy would the reflection be if, from an absolute necessity, physicians were compelled to operate in this manner, and when the fact was known that such operations were generally followed by death. But wviat different feelings inspire us when we reflect that most of those operations are undertaken and performed without any necessity, and only to exhibit to the world the manual surgical tact of a vaporing, iron-hearted M. D. That in nine cases out of ten, when operations are performed and death ensues, the patient might have been cured or sensibly benefited, we have not the shadow of a doubt; for, as Professor Abernethy says, " It is owing to our ignorance that the knife is used in any case." It is asked, what will we substitute for mercury and the knife? We answer that for mineral poisons we substitute the vegetables that grow in Nature's garden; we have tried them, and we find them abundantly successful. Moreover, we find them of such variety in strength and
Page 33 (http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=moa;cc=moa;sid=95e3f6e828e116b80d4cccd93c806 bc1;idno=ADH4174.0001.001;seq=35)
SKETCH OF DR. TUMBLETY. 33 medicinal qualities as to answer every indication disease presents, and to accomplish all, and much more than the conjoined use of calomel and the lancet. Diseases which have been given up by mineral practitioners have been cured by vegetable prescriptions, both here and elsewhere. A vast number of cases, denominated surgical, in which deathly operations have been recommended, have been completely cured by the Reformed Practice. Indeed, in no department of God's vast scheme of goodness to man is that goodness so strikingly exhibited as in the arrangement of medicinal plants to restore health and remove obstinate diseases. All that is required of us is to know the medicinal quality of each plant, and the disease it is designed to cure; then, when we are sick, we may put forth our hand and take it as the boon of heaven.'