Excerpt from Remarks on Diet, in the Treatment of the Sick and Convalescent: According to the Method of Reason and Common Sense

These are indeed the days of literary fecundity. It is an old saying, that the more heads the better the counsel; because nothing is more common than heads, and nothing so unusual as good advice. Men write books and publish them for several reasons among these, perhaps, the most prominent are, the extension of the general stock of information, and the correction of the errors into which preceding writers have been betrayed. My motive may be justly ascribed to the latter reason, in presenting to every unprejudiced reader the following pages. I know that public scepticism, with regard to the medical art, is fostered and cherished by the publication of the contradictory Opinions of its professors, and in most cases, too, on points so apparently obvious and intelligible, that every one constitutes himself a judge of their merits. One author tells you that liquid food cannot be tolerated by a weak stomach and another, that solid food is highly injurious from which the reader very readily concludes, that the question is altogether unimportant, and eats just what he happens to fancy. As a general rule, the sick, or valetudinarians, are seldom capable of healthy reflection. They are almost always seeking for causes of fear and anxiety; (if they will not come unbidden, ) hence they are very apt to suspect the seeds of disease in every dish, and poison in every cup, when doctors disagree.

The Emperor Adrian prepared an inscription for his own tombstone, and was killed by the great number of physicians who attended him. To him may be likened that unhappy patient, who shall submit his case to the treatment recommended by discordant authors, whether on dietetics, or general professional subjects. The dyspeptic, and the hypochondriacal, are usually credulous, yet wanting in faith. Anxious for relief, they fly from physician to physician, expecting much, but getting little. Patience is severely taxed, and at length almost exhausted, when some kind friend steps in to sympathize and counsel. The blue pill has beentaken, and the diet measured with scrupulous accuracy as to quantity, but there has been no relief. Mercury has been condemned, and a generous allowance of food advised, yet all in vain - what is to be done? Thanks to the friend whose sympathy has stepped in just at this critical moment, the skilful physician has not yet been tried, - the directions for diet accordimg to H ahne mann's method are yet to be tested, and the anxious sufferer, with hopes revived, sends for this long sought for doctor. Reader is this a caricature, or a lively sally P If you are as sensible as I take you to be, I may safely appeal to your candor and enlightened judgment for the truth of the portrait.

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