The Therapeutist, then, abandoning all idea of constructing a science of Therapeutics on the rational method, must have recourse to the empirical, as the elaborators of other natural science have done. The elements of his science will be as follows: He has to deal with a subject known by its phenomena-the sick body, with an agent known also by its phenomena-the sick body, with an agent known also by its phenomena-the drug; and with a law which shall tell how to apply the agent to the subject for the accomplishment of a a cure, a law which shall express the general relation between the drug and the morbid organism.
The following tabular statement will show more clearly the nature of Therapeutics as a science, and its harmony with other Natural Science; for every Inductive Natural Science (except those of classification) consists elementarily of two series of independent phenomena, connected by the formula of their general relation:
THERAPEUTICS.
Morbid Functions & Organs, Or, Pathology and Pathological Anatomy, Therapeutics Law.
Or. Sick-Phenomena,
Toxic Functions & Organs,
Or. Pathogenesis and Pathogenetic Anatomy,
Or, Drug, Phenomena.
PHYSICS
Phenomena of the Sun, as regards
Volume and Density, Law of Attraction.
Phenomena of the Earth, as regards Volume and Density.
CHEMISTRY.
Properties of Potassa, Law of Chemical Properties of
Affinity and Sulphuric acid.
Definite Proportion.
OPTICS.
Properties of the Law of the Properties of the
Luminous, Body, Diffusion of light receiving body.
Light.
Though thus simple in theory, Therapeutics is in reality the most complex of all the natural sciences. Each of the classes of phenomena requires for its study the aid of several auxiliary sciences. Thus, in order to know thoroughly the phenomena of disease, we must call to our aid Anatomy and Physiology, Chemistry, Physics and Psychology. To know and understand thoroughly the phenomena of artificial disease or pathogenesy, we must avail ourselves of the same auxiliary sciences.
The more imperfect our knowledge of these science, the less complete will be our acquaintance respectively with the phenomena of Pathology and Pathogenesy, and the converse. But, however complete or partial may be our knowledge of these two classes of phenomena, the relation between them, as known, remains the same, and is always expressed by the therapeutics law. The same is true of Physics and of all the natural sciences. Our knowledge of the physical properties of matter is continually increasing. The more complete it is, the more exact will be our application of the law of attraction. But complete or incomplete, the law is equally applicable, and pro tanto available.
Dr. Dunham graduated from Columbia University with Honours in 1847. In 1850 he received M.D. degree at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York. While in Dublin, he received a dissecting wound that nearly killed him, but with the aid of homoeopathy he cured himself with Lachesis. He visited various homoeopathic hospitals in Europe and then went to Munster where he stayed with Dr. Boenninghausen and studied the methods of that great master. His works include 'Lectures on Materia Medica' and 'Homoeopathy - Science of Therapeutics'.