from history that Homœopathy, with all its boastings, has had but meagre success compared with many other delusions. Hahnemann denied the existence of a recuperative power in the animal organism, and held that every recovery under his plan of treatment was due alone to the medicine. Whilst unassisted nature did the cure, Hahnemann ascribed it to his futile attenuations.
There are various circumstances attending homœopathic practice, which tend to increase the number of apparent cures under that treatment. Many persons, having some slight real or imaginary indisposition, are just sick enough to take sugar pellets or powders, but not sick enough to require an ordinary dose of medicine of any kind; and when they have amused themselves sufficiently with homœopathic placeboes, they are cured. Some, out of curiosity, are induced to try the sugar doses, being assured that they are pleasant to take and always perfectly safe. Let the patient imagine himself sick, and again imagine himself well, and the cure is wrought.
There are many females, who, if we may believe them, are kept alive from day to day by the
