Conclusion: Help Yourselves If Your Physicians Will Not Help You!

Categories: TREATMENT OF OTHER FEVERS
Sources: Hydriatic Treatment Of Scarlet Fever In Its Different Forms

And I am none of your water-enthusiasts, who pretend to cure everything

and any thing with water. My confidence in the hydriatic treatment of

eruptive fevers, however, is almost unlimited, because it is founded on

an experience of many years of happy results with scarcely any

exception, and on the fact that no other method can show a similar

result.



I have always been considered an honest man, dear reader and always

anxious to serve my fellow-men; and what selfish view could I have in

thus attempting to persuade you to save your children's lives by

adopting my method of treatment? I shall neither make friends with the

members of the profession by thus exciting you to rebel against the old

routine, nor shall I augment the number of the patients of my

establishment; for we cannot very well carry patients with scarlet-fever

and small-pox to a distant institution. Believe me, I have no other

object in publishing this pamphlet, than that of saving the life and

health of as many human beings as possible, which otherwise would

perish. In publishing this pamphlet, I intend to perform a sacred duty,

without any regard to making a pleasant or unpleasant impression upon

my brother physicians, and consequently without any regard to my own

interest.



The fact that I exposed my own youngest children, the pleasure, and the

support _in spe_, of my declining age, to the contagion of scarlatina,

during an epidemic which had rather a malignant character, proves more

than any thing my honest confidence in my own remedy. Ask your

physician, if he is adverse to the hydriatic method, whether he knows a

remedy in which he has so much confidence as to be willing to imitate my

example. There is no such remedy in the apothecary's shop, and there is

no physician who would expose his own children to the contagion of

scarlatina from the confidence he has in the curative or protective

powers _of any drug_.



I hope, my brother-physicians will believe me, when I assure them, that

I do not mean any disrespect to the profession, in thus introducing a

new sound method for the weak old routine. Perhaps, my exposition of the

principles of my practice, and the attempt at a systematic arrangement

of the materials at my disposal, may gain a few converts. If I am not

mistaken, this pamphlet is the first that treats the subject

systematically and to some extent. I am aware that it might be better

written and more perfect. But, I trust that it will do some good, and

hope it will pave the way for a better production, based on a more

extensive practice and enriched with new discoveries on the part of

American physicians, whose genius and activity are not inferior to those

of any other nation.



When the Hydriatic System becomes more and more a part of the practice

of educated and enlightened practitioners, it will become a much greater

benefit to the human race, not only with regard to the cure of eruptive

fevers, but of that of all diseases to which it can be adapted, beside

the happy reform it will assist in bringing about in our effeminate and

luxurious way of living, which, at all times, has been a source of ruin

for individuals, families and nations.



But as long as the profession continues in its old routine, I can give

you no other advice than that of following my prescriptions and of

helping yourselves:--



"Aide-toi, et le ciel t'aidera!"