THE GULLS OF THE GLOBULES.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 587, 29 November 1851, Page 4

THE GULLS OF THE GLOBULES.

Mh. Punch begs to acknowledge the leceipt, from a clergyman, of a polite note, u little book, a large puce of slicking plaster, and a piogiauune of the Fancy Bazaar to be holden on tlie 12th and. 13th instant, at the Jlanovoi Squaie .Rooms, for the benefit of the Hahnomann Hospital. The epistle is intended to coirect, by means of the book, a mistake under which Mr. Punch is supposed, by his levert'iid cone-.pondent, to labour, concerning the mode of tieating fractuies and othei injuries piactised at the establishment in question. Mr. Punch presumes that the sticking; plaister —.which is labelled *' Arnica TMiiister" —has been sent to him, in older to enable him to satisfy himself, experimentally, of the tmth of homuLopathy. Now, Mr. Punch is blessed with so sound a constitution, that whenever be has ibe misfortune to cut his finge^ he has only to bring together the edges of tha wound, which hi variably heals by what his medical attendant calls the " first intention," or as quickly as the necessary process of " adhesive inflammation," as it is termed by the same respectable practitioner, can be naturally accomplished. Since common com t plaster answers this puipose as well as possible, neither Arnica plaster nor any other could possibly answer it better. To te-it the efheacy pf Aiuica plaster upon other'!, 3JV. Punch would have to tiy several hundreds of compaiative experiments, on as many subjects, with Arnica plaster on the one hand, and oidinary plaster on the other, under similar conditions, carefully ascertained, of general health, diet, regimen, and all other circumstances that could expedi'e or retard the healing piocess. This ib lather too much trouble for Mr. Punch to take ; and it seems to have been too much for hotuosopathists to take themselves. Yet this, he imagines, is the way in which investigations are managed in inductive philosophy,—which is the philosophy of Lord Bpcon and Mr, Punch, and all who pretend to be scientific men, as homcuopathiscs <10, whatever may be thought of the pretence. That" one trial will prove the fact," is the axiom of others than Punch anil Bacon. The little book which accompanies the sticking plaster is a treatise on " Arnica and llhus, with directions for their use, in Mechanical Injuries, and in other Affections." It simply pioves that homceopathists do not ] profess to reduce dislocations and fractui-es by means of homoeopathic globules. Punch does not cay they do. All he does say is, that homoeopathic globules will as j much set a bioken bone, re-adjust a displaced one, or reproduce an amputated limb, as remove any disease whatever. Success, no doubt, in many instance, will attend the treatment, thus, in this same little book, recommended ior

" DISLOCATIONS. " Of course the surgeon must reduce the dislocated limb; but Arnica taken internally, and applied as a lotion afterwards, and Rims after two oi three days, a dose internally, and applied as a lotion, greatly facilitate the cure, and prevent the injurious consequences of such iiu injury." Oj coune the surgeon 7nust reduce the dislocation. Yes. A rather impoitant element this in the treatment of dislocations ! An equally judicious surgery is recommended bv this clever little book m <( niAcruiu s. " In this case tho surgeon must set the limb, but Arnica used internally and applied as a lotion," &c, &c, &c. Cold water —per se —is no bad lotion for a limb swollen and inflamed by reason of a fiacture ; and no evidence has been submitted to Mr. Punch at all proving that an infinitesimal degree more efficacious. Infinitesimal globules are much too big for Mr. Punch to swallow, or for anybody else endowed with more than an infinitesimal Quantity of common sense; however well they may be adapted to the oesophagus of his Excellency Chevalier BJjnsen, IlisGrace the Duke of Hamilton,! K.G., F.R.S./F.S.A., the Right llonouiable the Earl of Shrewsbury (who swallowed the " Estatica"), the Right Honourable .'ho Lord Robeit Grosvenor, M.P., Mis. Kpps, tind all the ladies of quality, from the Duchess of Kent downwaids whose names figuie in the list of patrons and patronesses of the Ilahnemanu Hospital Fancy Bazaar ; a suitable device for raising the wind in behalf of an institution the utility of which ib " all fancy."