"I know many of you will say, 'My physician is a very excellent man and
a good scholar I have all confidence in him.' But what if his system
is false? Is your confidence in him or in his system? If in his
system, you are to be pitied. If in him, take his good advice and
refuse his bad medicine."

The Caucasian has not much to learn from the Mongolian, it is true,
but the public might safely imitate the Chinese in dealing with their
physicians. A Chinaman of rank pays his physician a retaining salary
so long as he remains in health, but, the instant he gets sick, the
salary ceases. Manifestly, it is a common sense proceeding. The doctor
has a vital interest in preserving the health of his client, since
sickness entails a pecuniary loss; and best of all, the patient
escapes having his system drenched with drugs. There is no valid
reason why there should be any such thing as serious sickness; nor
would there be if Hygiene were taught, and practised, and the whole
materia medica consigned to oblivion. As Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes
said, "If all drugs were thrown into the sea, it would be so much
better for man, but so much worse for the fishes."

Now, the remedies of the Hygienic system, which I advocate, comprehend
everything except poisons. The drug system rejects almost everything
but poisons. My system rejects only poisons, and adopts everything
else. I welcome anything that possesses remedial value, provided it is
in accordance with the laws of Nature, and am equally ready to accept
suggestions from the laity, as from fellow practitioners. I am ready
to submit everything thus presented, to the test of experiment, and
employ it if found worthy.