long before this period? and what ties pertaining to their appointcan be so good for them as Calisthe. ment, have thought it expedient nics ? by which I mean a modified to present to lbe consideration of course of gymnastics which have as.

the society, the nostrum known sumed the name and character of by the name of CHAMBER's Rem

EDY FOR INTEMPERANCE. So the feminine gender. Beside, the much celebrity has lately attachspecies of exercise which the ele- ed to this medicine, and so many gant essayist does permit, as an ex- apparently well authenticated reception to his general rule, is far ports of its efficacy have been more severe and trying than many presented to the public, that it others which should precede and in- seemed to them that it was due troduce it. Further, we have a di- to the public; to enter on its ex

amination ; in order that if its prerect experiment before us in this

tensions were fraudulent, they city in which girls from four years might early be made acquainted old and upward, have promiscuously with the deception, and if otherjoined, in these exercises, always wise, that they might avail themsuited to the wants, habits, strength. selves of its benefits, under a full or weakness of individuals, not only understanding of its composition, with safety, but with decided advan. effects and mode of operation. tage. The health, strength, activi- tude of the evil for which the rem

When we consider the magnily, courage and good spirits of all cdy is proposed, whether in a have been awakened, improved, and medical or moral point of view, more or less confirined.

so far from being surprised at the The truth is, all young animals ineasure of the popularity it has delight in motion, and require much acquired in the space of four or of it to be well. Now it'any ramily five months, since it was publicly have a place whose space, appara. remark, that as physicians we are

announced, we are constrained to tus, and provisions furnish equal disappointed that its circulation means for free, varied and abundant has not been more extensive, and exercises, as the Calisthenic estab. its exhibition more general : a lishinent; then certainly they do not fact ouly explicable on the ground need this. But bow many families that the community at this day in' hundred of the most wealthy are too intelligent, and have had and independent, have any provision too much experience of the falla. of this kind entitled to a comparison medicines in times past, to allow

cy of the pretensions of secret with the gymnasium or Calisthenium? themselves to be as easily the

dupe of imposture, as formerly. A REPORT ON CHAMBERS' REMEDY As physicians, we are bound by

solemn obligations of duty to the Read before the Med. Soc. of the public, as well as to our own re,

City of New York, Aug. 20, putation, to reprobate, and if need 1827. Published by order of the be, to expose every attempt to Society, under the Direction of impose on the credulity of the

the Com. on Quack Medicines. prejudiced or the ignorant, in matThe Committee on Quack Medi- ters relative to our profession ; cines, in the discharge of the du- none of us, therefore, can make

FOR INTEMPERANCE.

such a compromise with those en- mittee that the constituents of it gagements which we voluntarily are the following :--Emetic tarassumned, when first authorized to tar,-capsicum, --sulphur, --carpractise physic, as to permit us bon--cochineal and gum. The to hold any terms with nostrums silex probably belongs to the pod or nostrum venders ; for one of of the capsicum. The gummy two things,--all secret remedies ingredient is probably gum araare either devices of cunning to bic, and was somewbat embarserve personal interest, or they rassing, as it impeded the passage are not ; if they are, the apology of the

solutions through the filter, of the profession for opposing and affected the crystallizations. their circulation is complete on The sulphur is seen flowing on every sound principle of common the surfaces of the solutions, and sense ; if they are not, and their appears as a yellow powder in authors have claims to intelli- the residuums, mixed with car. gence as physicians, it is certain bonaceous natter. that these are made of necessity On a second trial with another at the expense of moral obliga- parcel of the medicine, fiftyfour tion on their part, and can have grains of tartar emetic, in its no right to our confidence, on any crystallized form, was procured, principle of common honesty. and the mother waters still held But as it occasionally happens considerable in solution, which on that secret remedies possess some account of the gum entering into active virtues, which chance or its composition, could not be conaccident may have at first deve- veniently separated. loped, it may become as much From the above analysis it the interest of the public, as would appear that the remedy of physicians, to examine scrupu- owes its efficiency to the quantity lously into their composition, in of tartar emetic which it contains ; order that their merits may be for if we except the pepper, fully tested, and that the profes- there is no other in the quantity sion may avail themselves of used, that possesses any assignathem, under circumstances fa. ble virtue. If any doubt could Vorable to their particular appli: rest on this result to which the cation ; for even such medicines analysis leads, it could not fail to as nostrums are calculated to do be removed by the collateral evia more harm than good, from the dence which may be brought in general terms in which they are confirmation, from its exhibition recommended, and the want of both internally and externally, skill in those who are charged its effects on the stomach and with their administration; as there bowels are precisely those which is no truth of more universal ap- might be expected from tartar plication, than that any medicine emetic, and externally applied it which is beneficially operative, will produce the pustular erupwhen properly exhibited, must be tion which is peculiar to this mein the same ratio injurious, if im- tallic salt.* From the printed properly used. Chambers' remedy was ana

Its effects in all the instances which

have come to the knowledge of the Comlyzed by Mr. G. Chilton ; from mittee, are emetic and cathartic, some. which it is evident to the Com- times the one and sometimes the other ;

directions which accompany the bulk and color to the whole, and
medicine we learn that the whole serve to disguise the only efficient
packet, containing about half an article.
ounce is to be diffused in one Having possessed ourselves of
hundred ounces of the patient's the medicine, we will now exa-
favorite liquor, and that from two mine its pretensions. We trust
to six ounces ought to be taken that we will be excused for not
before breakfast and repeated copying or commenting on the
four or five mornings in succes- circular letter of Mr. Chambers,
sion. Should he require more, accompanying each package; the
he may indulge himself ad libitum only remark which we feel it our
in this medicated drink, but in no duty to notice is the following: -
other. If, as is presumed, and it “ I am very positive a free use of
is probably within the truth, that the mixture will not injure the con-
the powder contains one drachm stitution ; also positive it will cure,
of tartarized antimony, each half if sufficient be taken." Whether
pint of the patient's favorite drink or not it be true, we trust will
must contain 4 4-5 grains of it, appear in the sequel ; not to me-
and each wineglassful i 1-5 grains, dical men however, for the very
and the fasting dose rather more attempt to show its fallacy is lit-
than 3 1-2 grains ; a quantity un- tle less than an insult to their un-
der ordinary circumstances suffi- derstanding ; but to the public at
cient to produce not only distress- large, who are particularly in-
ing nausea, but in most instances, terested, not only in this question,
full vomiting. The capsicum in but in all others of a siniilar cha-
in its composition may so modify racter called up by the preten-
the action of the emetic tartar, sions usually appended to quack
as to prevent full vomiting, in advertisements.
which case it will be expected to Intemperance considered as a
prove cathartic ; whether it is disease, is one of a very compli-
added with this view, we have no cated nature, involving derange-
means of judging; it is most pro- ments both of function and organic
bable that it is intended to give structure, which if they do not
taste to a medicine which other- result fatally of themselves, in a
wise would be insipid, as the sul- short time so modify and aggra-
phur, gum and coloring matter, vate other diseases, as to place
without reference to their medi- the unhappy subjects of them
cinal effects, give weight and eventually beyond the reach of

remedy. The forms in which it
depending no doubt on the quantity tak- presents itself are so various, that
en, but most generally both, and they a simple catalogue with their
continue about three hours, followed by
nausea for a considerable time afterwards.

leading symptoms would make no This last fact is stated on the authority inconsiderable part of a system of bers to incorporate the various materials brain and its membranes, of the of the person who was employed by Cham- nosology. Inflammation of the composing the powder ; he knew nothing of the nature of the several articles which stomach, liver, kidneys and small he was employed to triturate, except that 'intestines ; dropsies in all their it was, as he says, strong stuff, for it various forms, gout, mesenteric caused the backs of the hands and arms, obstructions, all diseases dependwhich were bared during this labor, to break out in painful pustules.

ing on an habitually increased cir

culation of the blood, as hemor- is so in a degree, no person will rhages, congestions, effusions, apo- deny; as medical men we are too plexy and palsy ; and others of a fainiliar with its operation to acchronic character, as dyspepsia, cord to it any specific virtues : diabetes, and even mania itself whatever agency it exerts over are the liveries which it assumes, and above the disagreeable assobesides such as are formed from ciations it can create, is justly their varied combinations. These attributable to the diseased action indeed present a formidable array it produces in the stomach and of death's instruments, but they smaller intestines, which during do not include the whole, as the its continuance supersedes the experience of every wellinformed necessity of recurring to the use physician can testify : and are of the accustomed stimulus; and these to be controlled or cured the habit is arrested for a time by one remedy, and this tartar precisely in the same manner as emetic ? Nay, it would be folly intemperate drinking occasionally to argue the question ; let child relieves itself, as evinced in the bood answer, the boasted pre- cases of all drunkards whose hatensions of the elixir vitæ of Pa- bits of intemperance are interracelsus, that patriarch of quacks, mittent or periodical. As it rewere scarcely less extravagant. spects the medicine of Chambers, That the habitual use of tartar there can be no doubt, that with emetic can do no harm to the the exception of its extravagant constitution is a position entitled pretensions, and the confidence to the same measure of respect; with which they are urged, there for few persons who have witness- is nothing new. Not more than ed the progress of intemperance two years ago, a nostrum of a sican be ignorant of the fact, that milar character, promising simi-, in a very large proportion of cases lar success, was offered on sale the stomach becomes so much at New Orleans, by a French diseased and so irritable, that gentleman called L'Oiseau ; the vomiting is among the most dis- benefits for a short time, which tressing and fatal symptoms at- attended its use, were such as to tending it. As a medicine on induce the proprietors of several which to rely for the cure of in- plantations to purchase the recipe temperance therefore, it is de- that they might improve the inceptive and injurious.

temperate habits of their negroes: If tartarized antimony be re- the effects however were soon medial in checking the habit of found to be hazardous, and its reintemperate drinking, and that it medial virtues temporary. If it.

be not abandoned, it has already From information derived from the lost the confidence of the public. * most respectable sources, it has been satisfactorily ascertained that its sanatary effects are merely temporary in all cases * On the authority of information from in which moral restraints offer but a fee- NewOrleans, it is stated that this remedy, ble opposition to the babit of intoxication, in the hands of some of the planters was and it is equally certain that in several so disastrous in its effects, that many perinstances death followed the exhibition sons to whom it was given, sunk under of the presumed remedy so closely, as to its operation, and that prudential calculeave little doubt of its agency in pro- lations induced Mons. L'Oiseau to change ducing it.

bis residence

*

The basis of this nostrum was also ment of the destructive habit for tartar emetic, though ipecacuan-, which it is now proposed ; with ha and several violent vegetable this difference, however, that in caibarties entered into its compo- the hands of skilful physicians, sition. The prescription found who possessed a thorough knowits way to this city and was pub- ledge of the medicine they admilicly advertised and sold at a store nistered, whilst the same meain the Bowery, but it soon lost its sure of benefit was derived, little popularity, and gave place to that or no harm was occasioned by its of Chambers'.

use; they have no hesitancy, It is not the intention of your therefore, in recording their corCommittee, to represent all nos- viction, that as a nostrum,-ibough trums of this description as utter- it may be productive of much adly worthless, for there can be no vantage in certain cases, the doubt that they are found occa- general terms in which it is resionally very serviceable in ar- commended, the general direcresting the habit of intemperate tions with which it is accompadrinking ; but it is ouly in cases nied, and the indiscriminate manwhere the habit is recent, and ner in which it is liable to be moral restraints come in aid of used, far more than countervail their exhibition ; where the mor- its benefits. bid need which frequent intoxica That certificates in its favor tion induces, is so strong as to should be numerous, is very natubreak through these restraints, ral; and indeed if they were not and to destroy that selfrespect this fact would stamp it with the without which a man, however mark of reprobation, as it is highintelligent, is but little removed ly probable that more intemper above the brute, they are not on- ate persons have been the subly of no use, but their frequent jects of its operation within six administration is positively ha- months, in the city of New York, zardous.

simply in consequence of its being Your Committee remark, that a nostrum, or secret remedy, than though the opportunities for åc- would have become the patients quiring information on the subject of physicians, for the cure of the of this medicine were ample, and same habit, in the space of half a they took great interest in the century. results to which their inquiries Your Committee in closing this might lead, they have found no report, have only to observe that reason to exempt it from the ge- it has been drawn up under a dise: peral censure to which all quack tinct recognition of the responsiprescriptions are justly liable: bility which may attach to its its effects, so far as they have publication, in case the society been able to ascertain them, are should think proper so to direct. just such as might have been an- Drunkenness, as a vice, is so deticipated from its composition, as structive of all morals, and as a shown by the analysis, and such disease, so remediless in its reas have followed the exhibition of sults; the evils which it entails analogous remedies, from the are so calamitous, and the misery time that expedients of this kind which it inflicts so poignant, that were first adopted for the treat- it may be emphatically styled