Chapter 3
417
of itself, forcing into extraordinary action the remaining life-forces to
war against and overcome the drug-intruder.”
I was brought again into the sick room of the first case, that of
the father and his daughter. The daughter was sitting by the side
of her father, cheerful and happy, with the glow of health upon her
countenance. The father was looking upon her with happy satisfaction,
his countenance speaking the gratitude of his heart, that his only child
was spared to him. Her physician entered, and after conversing with
the father and child for a short time, arose to leave. He addressed the
father, thus,—
“I present to you your daughter restored to health. I gave her
no medicine that I might leave her with an unbroken constitution.
Medicine never could have accomplished this. Medicine deranges
nature’s fine machinery, and breaks down the constitution, and kills,
but never cures. Nature alone possesses the restorative powers. She
alone can build up her exhausted energies, and repair the injuries she
has received by inattention to her fixed laws.”
He then asked the father if he was satisfied with his manner of
treatment. The happy father expressed his heartfelt gratitude, and
perfect satisfaction, saying,—
have learned a lesson I shall never forget. It was painful, yet it
is of priceless value. I am now convinced that my wife and children
need not have died. Their lives were sacrificed while in the hands of
physicians by their poisonous drugs.”
I was then shown the second case, the patient to whom nux vomica
[449]
had been administered. She was being supported by two attendants,
from her chair to her bed. She had nearly lost the use of her limbs.
The spinal nerves were partially paralyzed, and the limbs had lost their
power to bear the weight of the person. She coughed distressingly,
and breathed with difficulty. She was laid upon the bed, and soon
lost her hearing, and seeing, and thus she lingered awhile, and died.
The gentleman before mentioned looked sorrowfully upon the lifeless
body, and said to those present,—
“Witness the mildest and protracted influence of nux vomica upon
the human system. At its introduction, the nervous energy was excited
to extraordinary action to meet this drug-poison. This extra excitement
was followed by prostration, and the final result has been paralysis of
the nerves. This drug does not have the same effect upon all. Some