*

There is one thing, and one only, which, like the rest of the community,
we share with them in common, and this is that _growing spirit of
profound distrust_ with which all classes seem daily more and more
constrained to regard the Medical Fraternity and all its ways.

It is the general knowledge of the existence of this sentiment which has
called into being the present epidemic of curious cults and
catholicons--due, it would appear, more to this insidious temptation to
such _commercial enterprise_ than to any other cause--and which form so
prominent a feature throughout all sections of the community--and
especially in the press--throughout the length and breadth of the land.
To such, in an alarming degree, the public turns, in protest, as it
were, against the tyranny and turpitude of this "learned profession,"
with its kindred corporations and its studied callous disregard of
scientific advancement in any direction which might tend to jeopardize
or reduce the profitable exercise of its own obsolete methods, its
system of poisonous medicaments, and dangerous operations and
anti-toxins.

There is no possible efficacy or help to be derived from other
teachings, whatsoever they may be, except from those based absolutely
upon the solid foundation of biological fact. Since Johannes Mueller
(1833) wrote the first book on physiology and its chemistry, more than
a thousand so-called "Authorities" in that branch of science have tried
to find some of the secrets of nature pertaining to physiology. A very
few (about 10 or 12) may be named as great men who discovered certain
laws and solved certain problems. But the majority added nothing to
Mueller's discoveries. Most of them became teachers or authors, one
plagiarizing the work of the other, eulogy being very liberally
distributed on all sides, but valuable deductions from the great
masters, very few have been able to make, and even those were more or
less suppressed by the "orthodox school." In less than half the time
since 1833, i.e. 85 years, it was my good fortune to give more valuable
deductions and practical applications to the student and the reader,
than the mediocre talents of the "old school" were able to give.

* * * * *

I pretend to no miracles and expect none; nor do I arrogate to myself
any so-called _super_-natural secrets or powers; I simply maintain that,
aided by the erudition of the great scientists of the past and