"It seems, then, that it is simply a matter of ignorance with the laity that your system has not become universally adopted," interposed Professor Gray. "And the 'Regular School,' as they style themselves, is exceedingly active in keeping them thus ignorant." "That is the state of affairs exactly," cried Dr. Jones. "To illustrate the fact that we have a law of cure, while the so-called Regulars have nothing like it, a certain physician, a number of years ago, sent out twenty letters, ten to prominent men of each school. He sent to each the ordinary price of a prescription, and represented himself as a patient. He detailed precisely the same symptoms to each. Now, if medicine is worthy of being called a science, why should there not have been an answer, and but one answer, as to the remedy indicated in this case?" "So I have said a thousand times," exclaimed the Count, excitedly. "And I can foretell the denouement so far as the Regular school is concerned: You received as many prescriptions that were totally unlike as there were men of that school who prescribed for you." "Right, you are, my lord!" shouted the Doctor. "But eight of them responded. No two of their prescriptions at all resembled each other, and the aggregate number of drugs prescribed by them was somewhere near seventy, if I remember correctly. If all these drugs had been put into a jug, the compound would have been a mass of incompatibles that would have poisoned any miserable wretch who was fool enough to take it." "But how did the men of your school do, Doctor?" asked Professor Gray. "Did they do any better?" "Did they!" again shouted Dr. Jones, swelling and flushing with pride. "Every one of them prescribed Lycopodium Pollen, which was the indicated remedy." "How many physicians of your school are there in America?" asked the Count. "Something like twelve thousand, I believe." "And would each of them have prescribed the remedy you mentioned?" "All worthy of the name would have done so." "And are not all worthy?" "I am forced to say no! not by a great many. Like every other representative system of truth, our greatest source of danger is from within. No chain is stronger than its weakest link, as has been said many times. The world judges us by our weaklings. Every good thing has its hordes of counterfeits." "Well," said the Count, "I am deeply interested in this matter. I must hear more of it, Doctor." "And I also am desirous of information upon this all important subject," added Professor Gray.