Thecharacteroftheoppositionwhichsomeofthesepapershavemetwithsuggeststheinferencethattheycontainreallyimportant，butunwelcometruths。Negativesmultipliedintoeachotherchangetheirsignandbecomepositives。Hostilecriticismsmeetingtogetherareoftenequivalenttopraise，andthesquareoffault-findingturnsouttobethesamethingaseulogy。

Butawriterhasrarelysomanyenemiesasitpleaseshimtobelieve。

Self-loveleadsustooverratethenumbersofournegativeconstituency。Thelargerportionofmylimitedcircleofreadersmustbequiteindifferentto，ifnotignorantof，theadverseopinionswhichhavebeenexpressedorrecordedconcerninganyoftheseAddressesorEssaysnowsubmittedtotheirownjudgment。Itisproper，however，toinformthem，thatsomeofthepositionsmaintainedinthesepageshavebeenunsparinglyattacked，withvariousdegreesofability，scholarship，andgood-breeding。Thetoneofcriticismnaturallychangeswithlocalconditionsindifferentpartsofacountryextendedlikeourown，sothatitisoneofthemostconvenientgaugesofthepartialmovementsinthedirectionofcivilization。Itissatisfactorytoadd，thattheviewsassailedhavealsobeenunflinchinglydefendedbyunsoughtchampions，amongtheablestofwhomitispleasanttomention，atthismomentofpoliticalalienation，theEditoroftheCharlestonMedicalJournal。

“CurrentsandCounter-Currents“waswrittenanddeliveredasanOration，afloridrhetoricalcomposition，expresslyintendedtosecuretheattentionofanaudiencenoteasytoholdaslisteners。

Itsucceededindoingthis，andalsoinbeingascuriouslymisunderstoodandmisrepresentedasifithadbeenapoliticalharangue。Thisgaveitmorelocalnotorietythanitmightotherwisehaveattained，sothat，asIlearn，oneingeniouspersonmadeuseofitstitleasanadvertisementtoaproductionofhisown。

Thecommonestmodeofmisrepresentationwasthis：qualifiedpropositions，thewholemeaningofwhichdependedonthequalifications，werestrippedoftheseandtakenasabsolute。Thus，theattempttoestablishapresumptionagainstgivingpoisonstosickpersonswasconsideredasequivalenttocondemningtheuseofthesesubstances。Theonlyimportantinferencethewriterhasbeenabletodrawfromthegreaternumberoftherefutationsofhisopinionswhichhavebeenkindlysenthim，isthatthepreliminaryeducationoftheMedicalProfessionisnotalwayswhatitoughttobe。

Oneconcessionheiswillingtomake，whateversacrificeofprideitmayinvolve。ThestoryofMassasoit，whichhasfurnishedacoral，asitwere，forsometeethingcritics，whensubjectedtoapowerfullogicalanalysis，thoughcorrectinitsessentials，provestohavebeentoldwithexceptionablebreadthofstatement，andtherefore(toresumethemetaphor)hasbeenslightlyroundedoffatitsedges，soastobesmootherforanywhomaywishtobiteuponithereafter。InotherrespectstheDiscoursehashardlybeentouched。Itisonlyanindividual’sexpression，inhisownway，ofopinionsentertainedbyhundredsoftheMedicalProfessionineverycivilizedcountry，andhasnothinginitwhichonrevisionthewriterseescausetoretractormodify。ThesuperstitionsitattackslieattheveryfoundationofHomoeopathy，andofalmosteveryformofmedicalcharlatanism。

Stillthemereroutinistsandunthinkingartisansinmostcallingsdislikewhatevershakesthedustoutoftheirtraditions，anditmaybeunreasonabletoexpectthatMedicinewillalwaysproveanexceptiontotherule。OnehalftheoppositionwhichthenumericalsystemofLouishasmetwith，asappliedtotheresultsoftreatment，hasbeenowingtothefactthatitshowedthemovementsofdiseasetobefarmoreindependentofthekindofpracticepursuedthanwasagreeabletotheprideofthosewhoseself-confidenceitabated。

Thestatement，thatmedicinesaremoresparinglyusedinphysicians’

familiesthaninmostothers，admitsofaverynaturalexplanation，withoutputtingaharshconstructionuponit，whichitwasnotintendedtoadmit。Outsidepressureislessfeltinthephysician’sownhousehold；thatisall。Ifthisdoesnotsometimesinfluencehimtogivemedicine，orwhatseemstobemedicine，whenamongthosewhohavemoreconfidenceindruggingthanhisownfamilycommonlyhas，thelearnedProfessorDunglisonisherebyrequestedtoapologizeforhisdefinitionofthewordPlacebo，ortoexpungeitfromhisMedicalDictionary。

Onethingiscertain。Aloudoutcryonaslighttouchrevealstheweakspotinaprofession，aswellasinapatient。Itisadoubtfulpolicytoopposethefreestspeechinthoseofourownnumberwhoaretryingtoshowuswheretheyhonestlybelieveourweaknesslies。

VastasaretheadvancesofourScienceandArt，mayitnotpossiblyproveonexaminationthatweretainotheroldbarbarismsbesidetheuseoftheastrologicalsignofJupiter，withwhichweendeavortoinsuregoodlucktoourprescriptions？Isittheactofafriendorafoetotrytopointthemouttoourbrethrenwhenaskedtoaddressthem，andisthespeakertosubduetheconstitutionalhabitofhisstyletoagivenstandard，underpenaltyofgivingoffencetoagraveassembly？

HomoeopathyanditsKindredDelusions“waspublishednearlytwentyyearsago，andhasbeenlongoutofprint，sothattheauthortriedinvaintoprocureacopyuntilthekindnessofafriendsuppliedhimwiththeonlyonehehashadforyears。Afoolishstoryreachedhisearsthathewasattemptingtobuyupstraycopiesforthesakeofsuppressingit。Thiseditionwasinthepressatthatverytime。

ManyoftheargumentscontainedintheLectureshavelostwhatevernoveltytheymayhavepossessed。Allitspredictionshavebeensubmittedtotheformidabletestoftime。Theyappeartohavestoodit，sofar，aboutaswellasmostuninspiredprophecies；indeed，someofthemrequiremuchlessaccommodationthancertaingravecommentatorsemployintheirreadingsoftheancientProphets。

Ifsomestatisticsrecentlypublishedarecorrect，HomoeopathyhasmadeveryslowprogressinEurope。

InallEngland，asitappears，therearehardlyafifthmoreHomoeopathicpractitionersthantherearestudentsattendingLecturesattheMassachusettsMedicalCollegeatthepresenttime。InAmericaithasundoubtedlyprovedmorepopularandlucrative，yethowlooseaholdithasonthepublicconfidenceisshownbythefactthat，whenaspeciallyvaluedlife，whichhasbeenplayedwithbyoneofitsagents，isseriouslythreatened，thefirstthingweexpecttohearisthataregularpractitionerisbythepatient’sbed，andtheHomoeopathiccounselloroverruledordiscarded。Again，howmanyoftheardentandcapriciouspersonswhoembracedHomoeopathyhaverunthewholeroundofpretentiousnovelties；——havebeenboardedatwater-cureestablishments，closetedwithuterineandotherspecialists，andfinallywanderedoverseastoputthemselvesinchargeofforeigncelebrities，whodosedthemaslustilyastheywereeverdosedbeforetheytooktoglobules！ItwillsurprisemanytolearntowhatashadowofashadeHomoeopathyhasdwindledinthehandsofmanyofitsnotedpractitioners。Theitch-doctrineistreatedwithcontempt。Infinitesimaldosesarereplacedbyfulloneswheneverthefancy-practitionerchooses。GoodHomoeopathicreasonscanbefoundforemployinganythingthatanybodywantstoemploy。

Homoeopathyisnowmerelyaname，anunprovedtheory，andaboxofpelletspretendingtobespecifics，which，asallofusknow，failignominiouslyinthosecaseswherewewouldthankfullysacrificeallourprejudicesandgivetheworldtohavethemtruetotheirpromises。

HomoeopathyhasnotdiedoutsorapidlyasTractoration。Perhapsitwaswellthatitshouldnot，forithastaughtusalessonofthehealingfacultyofNaturewhichwasneeded，andforwhichmanyofushavemadeproperacknowledgments。Butitprobablydoesmoreharmthangoodtomedicalscienceatthepresenttime，bykeepingupthedelusionoftreatingeverythingbyspecifics，——theoldbarbarousnotionthatsickpeopleshouldfeedonpoisons[Lachesis，arrow-

poison，obtainedfromaserpent(Pulte)。Crotalushorridus，rattlesnake’svenom(Neidhard)。ThelessdangerousPediculuscapilisisthefavoriteremedyofDr。Mure，theEnglish’ApostleofHomoeopathy。“Theseareexamplesoftheretrogradecurrentsettingtowardsbarbarism]againstwhichapartoftheDiscourseatthebeginningofthisvolumeisdirected。

Theinfinitesimalglobuleshavenotbecomeacuriosityasyet，likePerkins’sTractors。ButtimeisaveryelasticelementinGeologyandProphecy。IfDaniel’sseventyweeksmeanfourhundredandninetyyears，asthelearnedPrideauxandothershavesettleditthattheydo，the“notmanyyears“ofmypredictionmaybestretchedoutagenerationortwobeyondourtime，ifnecessary，whentheprophecywillnodoubtprovetrue。

ItmightbefittingtoaddafewwordswithregardtotheEssayontheContagiousnessofPuerperalFever。ButthewholequestionI

considertobenowtransferredfromthedomainofmedicalinquirytotheconsiderationofLifeInsuranceagenciesandGrandJuries。ForthejustificationofthissomewhatsharplyaccentedlanguageImustreferthereadertothepaperitselffordetailswhichIregrettohavebeenforcedtoplaceonpermanentrecord。

BOSTON，January，1861。

ASECONDPREFACE。

TheseLecturesandEssaysarearrangedintheordercorrespondingtothedateoftheirdeliveryorpublication。Theymust，ofcourse，bereadwithaconstantreferencetothesedates，bysuchascaretoreadthem。Ihavenotattemptedtomodernizetheiraspectorcharacterinpresentingthem，inthissomewhatalteredconnection，tothepublic。SeveralofthemwerecontainedinaformervolumewhichreceiveditsnamefromtheAddresscalled“CurrentsandCounter-

Currents。“Someofthosecontainedintheformervolumehavebeenreplacedbyothers。TheEssaycalled“MechanismofVitalActions“

hasbeentransferredtoadistinctcollectionofMiscellaneousessays，formingaseparatevolume。

IhadsomeintentionofincludingwiththesepapersanEssayonIntermittentFeverinNewEngland，whichreceivedoneoftheBoylstonprizesin1837，andwaspublishedinthefollowingyear。Butasthiswasuponasubjectoflocalinterest，chiefly，andwouldhavetakenupagooddealofroom，Ithoughtitbesttoleaveitout，trustingthatthestraycopiestobemetwithinmustybook-shopswouldsufficientlysupplythenotveryextensiveorurgentdemandforapaperalmosthalfacenturyold。

Someofthesepaperscreatedalittlestirwhentheyfirstfellfromthepressintothepoolofpublicconsciousness。Theywillslideinveryquietlynowinthisnewedition，andfindoutforthemselveswhetherthewatersarethoseofLethe，orwhethertheyaretoliveforatimeasnotwhollyunvaluedreminiscences。

March21，1883。

PREFACETOTHENEWEDITION。

TheseEssaysareoldenoughnowtogoalonewithoutstafforcrutchintheshapeofPrefaces。Averyfewwordsmaybeaconveniencetothereaderwhotakesupthebookandwishestoknowwhatheislikelytofindinit。

HOMOEOPATHYANDITSKINDREDDELUSIONS。

Homoeopathyhasprovedlucrative，andsolongasitcontinuestobesowillsurelyexist，——assurelyasastrology，palmistry，andothermethodsofgettingalivingoutoftheweaknessandcredulityofmankindandwomankind。Thoughithasnopretensionstobeconsideredasbelongingamongthesciences，itmaybelookeduponbyascientificmanasacuriousobjectofstudyamongthevagariesofthehumanmind。Itsinfluenceforgoodorthecontrarymaybemadeamatterofcalminvestigation。IhavestudieditintheEssaybeforethereader，undertheaspectofanextravagantandpurelyimaginativecreationofitsfounder。Sincethatfirstessaywaswritten，nearlyhalfacenturyago，wehaveallhadachancetowitnessitspracticalworking。Twooppositeinferencesmaybedrawnfromitsdoctrinesandpractice。Thefirstisthatwhichisacceptedbyitsdisciples。

Thisisthatalldiseasesare“cured“bydrugs。Theoppositeconclusionisdrawnbyamuchlargernumberofpersons。Astheyseethatpatientsareverycommonlygettingwellundertreatmentbyinfinitesimaldrugging，whichtheyconsiderequivalenttonomedicationatall，theycometodisbelieveineveryformofdruggingandputtheirwholetrustin“nature。“Thusexperience，“Fromseemingevilstilleducinggood，“

hasshownthatthedealersinthispreposteroussystemofpseudo-

therapeuticshavecooperatedwiththewiserclassofpractitionersinbreakingupthesystemofover-dosingandover-druggingwhichhasbeenoneofthestandingreproachesofmedicalpractice。While。

keepingupthemiserabledelusionthatdiseaseswerealltobe“cured“bydrugging，Homoeopathyhasbeenunintentionallyshowingthattheywouldverygenerallygetwellwithoutanydruggingatall。

Inthemeantimethenewerdoctrinesofthe“mindcure，“the“faithcure，“andtherestareencroachingontheterritorysolongmonopolizedbythatmostingeniousofthepseudo-sciences。Itwouldnotbesurprisingifitswholegroundshouldbetakenpossessionofbythesenewclaimantswiththeirflatteringappealstotheimaginativeclassofpersonsopentosuchattacks。Similiasimilabusmayprovefatallytrueforonce，ifHomoeopathyiskilledoutbyitsnew-bornrivals。

Ittakesaverymoderateamountoferuditiontounearthacharlatanlikethesupposedfatheroftheinfinitesimaldosingsystem。TherealinventorofthatspecioustrickerywasanIrishmanbythenameofButler。Thewholestoryistobefoundinthe“OrtusMedicinm“ofVanHelmont。Ihavegivensomeaccountofhischapter“Butler“indifferentarticles，butIwouldreferthestudentsofourHomoeopathiceducationalinstitutionstotheoriginal，whichtheywillfindveryinterestingandcurious。

CURRENTSANDCOUNTER-CURRENTS

Myattackonover-druggingbroughtoutsomehostilecommentsandtreatment。ThirtyyearsagoIexpressedmyselfwithmorevivacitythanIshouldshowifIwerewritingonthesamesubjectstoday。

Someofmymorelivelyremarkscalledoutverysharpanimadversion。

Thusmyillustrationofpreventionasoftenbetterthantreatmentinthemother’swordstoherchildwhichhadgotapoisonousberryinitsmouth，——“Spititout！“gavemortaloffencetoawell-knownNewYorkpractitionerandwriter，whoadvisedtheMassachusettsMedicalSocietytospitouttheoffendingspeaker。Worsethanthiswasmystatementofmybeliefthatifaship-loadofmiscellaneousdrugs，withcertainveryimportantexceptions，——drugs，manyofwhichwerethenoftengivenneedlesslyandinexcess，asthenused“couldbesunktothebottomofthesea，itwouldbeallthebetterformankindandalltheworseforthefishes。“Thiswastoobad。Thesentencewasmisquoted，quotedwithoutitsqualifyingconditions，andfrightenedsomeofmyworthyprofessionalbrethrenasmuchasifI

hadtoldthemtothrowallphysictothedogs。Butfortheepigrammaticstingthesentimentwouldhavebeenunnoticedasaharmlessoverstatementattheveryworst。