Education, Medical -- Massachusetts -- 19th century; Homeopathy; Libraries, Medical -- Massachusetts -- 19th century; Medicine
Let us see, then, by whose agency this delusion was established and kept
up; whether it was principally by those who were accustomed to medical
pursuits, or those whose habits and modes of reasoning were different;
whether it was with the approbation of those learned bodies usually
supposed to take an interest in scientific discoveries, or only of
individuals whose claims to distinction were founded upon their position
in society, or political station, or literary eminence; whether the
judicious or excitable classes entered most deeply into it; whether, in
short, the scientific men of that time were deceived, or only intruded
upon, and shouted down for the moment by persons who had no particular
call to invade their precincts.
Not much, perhaps, was to be expected of the Medical Profession in the
way of encouragement. One Dr. Fuller, who wrote in England, himself
a Perkinist, thus expressed his opinion: “It must be an extraordinary
exertion of virtue and humanity for a medical man, whose livelihood
depends either on the sale of drugs, or on receiving a guinea for
writing a prescription, which must relate to those drugs, to say to
his patient, 'You had better purchase a set of Tractors to keep in your
family; they will cure you without the expense of my attendance, or the
danger of the common medical practice.' For very obvious reasons medical
men must never be expected to recommend the use of Perkinism. The
Tractors must trust for their patronage to the enlightened and
philanthropic out of the profession, or to medical men retired from
practice, and who know of no other interest than the luxury of relieving
the distressed. And I do not despair of seeing the day when but very few
of this description as well as private families will be without them.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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