Observations on the Causes, Symptoms, and Nature of Scrofula or Kings Evil, Scurvy, and Cancer | Page 2

(or constitutional) cancer in the mouth or throat,
have been treated with complete success; while, in reality, the cases, if
they ever existed, (of which I have considerable doubt) were either of a
scrofulous nature, or the remains of a certain disease. I am confident
the pretender NEVER saw a real case of cancer of the mouth and throat;
and the very assertion that portions of bone have been exfoliated in
these cases, gives the lie direct to the whole, for it is a fact that cancer
never causes bone to exfoliate, and in this I am borne out by every
medical authority. It may cause the long bones to become fragile, so
that the patient may have a fractured limb from a very slight cause, or it
may convert bone into a dense carcinomatous structure; but exfoliation
will never take place. Then as to the occurrence of confirmed cancer in
the mouth and throat, I have no hesitation in stating that it rarely if ever
occurs, and that if it ever did, it was a perfectly incurable disease; and I
could cite a host of authorities to prove my assertion. And who is to
oppose these great authorities? What man with experience so
extensive--with knowledge so profound--with sagacity so
searching--with learning so deep--shall declare that he himself has seen
and treated sixty cases of true carcinomatous disease of the mouth and
throat? Who is this Goliah of Surgery? Who is the judge in this matter
to whose opinion he commands us to bow? Reader! the fact is, that the

assertion is so glaringly false, that if only a particle of shame enter into
his composition, it must betray its existence.
This, however, is only one part of the fabricated statements which have
been delusively put forth to deceive and misguide the public; but I
presume it would be a waste of time to attempt to prove the abominable
practices of these empirics; not that it would be a difficult matter to do
so, for were I so disposed I could adduce such a body of evidence as
would demolish their empty pretensions with as much ease as the sun
dispels the morning vapours. But I think my readers will agree with me
that I have displayed enough of their charlatanry to satisfy any man
who lays claim to anything like common sense.
Leaving, then, these literary delinquents to their HONEST reflections, I
have merely to observe, that the medicines and applications which I am
in the habit of using, are principally selected from indigenous plants;
and I cannot but regret that the medical botany of our own country
should have been so much neglected; and I am not singular in this
opinion, as many eminent medical men have expressed themselves to
the same effect; and, indeed, many of the plants which I use are now
frequently resorted to by the faculty. I claim no specific in the treatment
of those diseases which come under my cognizance; I merely state that
my mode of managing those cases has been extremely successful, and
refer the reader to the following cases as a proof of my assertion.
It will be seen that many of these cases have been of long standing.
This has been done for the purpose of showing that the medicines and
treatment generally exert a permanent effect on the constitution of the
patient, thus allaying the scruples of many persons, that although they
may be successful for a certain period, they may not prevent a relapse.
This may be perfectly true in some cases; all the patients in these cases
were perfectly well when this pamphlet went to press; yet I will not
positively assert that they shall always continue so. This assurance
would be foolish and indiscreet, because there is scarcely one disease to
which the human frame is subject, which may not, on some peculiar
exciting cause being applied, be again brought into action, although the
person may have been perfectly relieved from the first attack. Instances

of this description frequently occur in secondary attacks of measles,
small-pox, scarlet fever, &c.; and surely it may occur in a disease like
scrofula, the nature and treatment of which has "perplexed the
researches and baffled the efforts of the most eminent writers and
practitioners of Europe." At any rate, when we see cases of twenty
years' standing, and upwards, there is but little room for suspicion of a
relapse.
In conclusion, I have to beg that the reader will attentively peruse the
observations on Scrofula and Cancer; as I consider it highly important
that every individual should be fully acquainted with the symptoms of
these, too often, intractable diseases, and that their approaches should
be crushed at the onset. As to the cases, the reader is at full liberty to
make