ness, or even paralysis. The horse, under the
action of whip and spur, may exhibit great spirit and rapid movements,
but urge him beyond his strength with these agents, and you inflict a
lasting injury. Withhold the stimulants, and the drooping head and
moping pace indicate the sad reaction which has taken place. This
illustrates the evils of habitually exciting the nerves by the use of
tobacco, opium, narcotic or other drugs. Under their action, the tone of
the system is greatly impaired, and it responds more feebly to the
influence of curative agents. Tobacco itself, when its use becomes
habitual and excessive, gives rise to the most unpleasant and dangerous
pathological conditions. Oppressive torpor, weakness or loss of
intellect, softening of the brain, paralysis, nervous debility,
dyspepsia, functional derangement of the heart, and diseases of the
liver and kidneys are not uncommon consequences of the excessive
employment of this plant. A sense of faintness, nausea, giddiness,
dryness of the throat, tremblings, feelings of fear, disquietude, and
general nervous prostration must frequently warn persons addicted to
this habit that they are sapping the very foundation of health. Under
the continued operation of a poison, inducing such symptoms as these,
what chance is there for remedies to accomplish their specific action?
With the system already thoroughly charged with an influence
antagonistic to their own, and which is sure to neutralize their effect,
what good can medicine do?

Dr. King says, "A patient under treatment should give up the use of
tobacco, or his physician should assume no responsibility in his case,
further than to do the best he can for him." In our own extensive
experience in the treatment of chronic diseases, we have often found it
necessary to resort to the same restriction.

The opium habit, to which allusion has also been made, is open to the
same objections, and must be abandoned by all who would seek recovery.

* * * * *

PART IV.

DISEASES AND THEIR REMEDIAL TREATMENT.

INTRODUCTION.

Knowledge which is conducive to self-preservation is of _primary_
importance. That great educator, profound thinker, and vigorous writer,
Herbert Spencer, has pertinently said that, "As vigorous health and its
accompanying high spirits, are larger elements of happiness than any
other things whatever, the teaching how to maintain them is a teaching
that yiel