MEDICAL AND LAY PRESS

Of this Country and France.

A NOTABLE MEDICAL INSt.i.tUTION.

_From the New York TRIBUNE AND FARMER, Nov. 22, 1884._

It is a well-recognized fact by writers upon longevity that the men of the present day, both old and young, are less manly and vigorous, less able to resist the attacks of acute disease, and not only less likely to produce healthy and vigorous offspring, but in the majority of instances producing a fewer number as well as a less vigorous and robust progeny.

The ratio of births to deaths has fallen off some 12 per cent. in births in the past fifteen years. This fact, coupled with the equally startling consideration that the mortality of infants has increased about 11 per cent. in the past ten years, must needs fill the mind of a lover of his kind with dismay and alarm. Although invested and thickly hedged about by ideas of false modesty and pseudo-propriety, in reality the whole fabric of national and individual prosperity, health, vigor and enjoyment, as well as the very important perpetuation of our species, depend upon perfectly strong, healthy and vigorous procreative powers.

As an oak cannot grow from a flower seed, neither can weak, puny and debilitated parents give birth to strong, vigorous and mentally sound and active progeny.

The subject of Procreative Pathology deserves more careful and extended study and observation than the majority of our physicians have heretofore been inclined to give it. Most of them have let the more numerous and oftentimes the more trivial cases daily coming under their notice crowd this most serious matter from sight, and when applied to for advice or treatment by sufferers from these disorders or debilities, have either pooh-poohed it or have given some simple (or useless) placebo, believing the trouble to be more imaginary than real. Is it any wonder, then, that such patients have walked blindfold into the arms of quacks and charlatans who profess the most tender interest in even their minutest symptoms?

We have been led to make the foregoing remarks by what we have just finished reading in a very interesting and able work upon this subject recently issued from the press of the Civiale Remedial Agency, of 174 Fulton street, this city. The subject matter of this book cannot fail to interest every man, young or old, and must prove of special interest to men just married, and to that large cla.s.s of middle-aged men who find to their surprise and chagrin that while their bodily health is apparently excellent, their procreative powers have prematurely declined.

The fact of the establishment in this city of an original inst.i.tution under reputable business management, each department of which is presided over by a physician of special skill and qualifications, is something of which every citizen should feel proud. And to judge by the cla.s.s of patients who may be found in their elegant consulting-rooms, and the very large amount of express and mail matter they are constantly receiving, we believe that they are appreciated.

With our magnificent hospitals, second to none in the world, our large medical colleges and dispensaries, and the establishment of so large and excellent an inst.i.tution as the Civiale Agency, the main offices being now transferred from Paris to this city, New York may justly claim to be the great medical centre of the United States, and sooner or later of the world.

We maintain now, as we have always maintained, that the surest and best way to drive quacks and humbugs from any branch of medicine, is to have some of our very ablest and most honorable physicians make such a branch their specialty, and such is the course now being pursued by the Civiale Agency.

The very fact that it takes its name from and is engaged in manufacturing and prescribing the remedies of France's most ill.u.s.trious specialist, Prof. Jean Civiale, is by itself evidence enough of its medical value and professional integrity. Our feelings upon these matters, _i.e._, the great importance of their bearing upon both individual and national vigor and prosperity, the necessity for driving from this field of practice those quacks and humbugs who entrap the foolish and ignorant, those cheap and worthless remedies that flood the drug market--our feelings upon these matters are, we repeat, very strong; and hence, when we find an inst.i.tution for the treatment of these diseases conducted upon the highest moral, medical and business principles by men of undoubted medical and business standing and integrity, we feel that we cannot endorse them too heartily.

The _Tribune and Farmer_, of New York city, in its current issue of July 26th, 1884, says

"AN EXCEPTION TO THE RULE."

"The propriety of devoting editorial s.p.a.ce to the subject-matter of any medical advertis.e.m.e.nt that may appear in our columns may be doubted by some, and indeed, were it not for our personal knowledge of the skill and integrity of the Medical Director of the Civiale Remedial Agency of New York (whose advertis.e.m.e.nts will be found elsewhere in this issue), we should deem ourselves more than guilty were we to utter a word of endors.e.m.e.nt as to the efficacy of their system of treating that serious cla.s.s of diseases in men which has been generically termed Nervous Debility, and which for so many years has been, and is at present, made the stalking-horse for impudent swindlers, quacks and impostors to palm off worthless and often injurious compounds on their suffering fellow-men.

"Let it be understood, then, that we know whereof we speak, and that our object is simply to furnish those who are afflicted with such reliable information as will enable them to determine the true character of their disease, and the best means to be adopted for a cure.

"The method of treating diseases of the Genito-Urinary organs by means of the urethral ca.n.a.l is in the first place no new-fangled experiment, but is identical with the system which has been employed for the past fifteen years in the leading hospitals of France, and more especially in Paris, as the standard treatment, and one that gives uniform satisfaction; and in the history of medical science there are perhaps no two physicians who have done more for the alleviation of human suffering and the cure of s.e.xual and Seminal Diseases than those eminent French Surgeons, Prof. Jean Civiale and Prof. Claude Lallemand, to whose joint studies and endeavors this system owes its origin.

"We believe, in fact, that this theory and practice of medicine is an advance in the right direction, and we predicted, from its first introduction in the United States some time ago, that the people would readily see its truth and accept the wonderful benefits of its practice.

And the result has certainly borne out our prediction, for thousands of sufferers from such ills as Impotence, Spermatorrhoea, Kidney, Liver and Urinary troubles have been cured by these remedies."

{Ill.u.s.tration: ONE VIEW OF THE HOSPITAL OF THE HOTEL DIEU, PARIS.

This celebrated hospital of Paris, the oldest as well as the largest and finest in the city, covers 22,000 square metres of land, has over 1,000 beds, and a corps of over 100 physicians on its medical and surgical staff. It is situated on the _Ile de la Cite_, near the famous church of Notre Dame. It was here that both LALLEMAND and CIVIALe studied under the celebrated DUPUYTREN, one of France's greatest surgeons, until, in after years, they themselves became sufficiently great to become its Consulting Surgeons. In France, honors are gained by ability alone, and not, as here, by political influence and wire-pulling.}

The following is a list of the French Hospitals with which Civiale and Lallemand were connected during their lives.

HOTEL DIEU. LA PITIE. LA CHARITE. LARABOISIERE. St. ANTOINE. HOPITAL NECKAR. HOPITAL COCHIN. HOPITAL St. LOUIS. HOPITAL Du MIDI. HOPITAL LOURCINE. La MATERNITE. HOSPICE BICETRE.

We next give extracts from Appleton's Cyclopedia, to which reference has already been made.

LALLEMAND, CLAUDE FRANcOIS, a French physician, born in Metz, Jan. 26, 1790, died in Ma.r.s.eilles, Aug. 25, 1854. After serving as a.s.sistant surgeon in the armies of the Empire, he studied in Paris at the Hotel Dieu under Dupuytren, and, from 1819 to 1845, was Professor of Clinical Surgery at Montpelier, with the exception of three years, during which he was suspended for his liberal political expressions. His most important work, _Recherches Anatomica Pathologiques sur l'Encephale et ses Dependances_ (Paris, 1820-1836), established his reputation, and was translated into many languages. In 1845 he was elected to the _Academy of Sciences_, removed to Paris, and was consulted by patients from every part of Europe. He bequeathed 50,000 francs to the Inst.i.tute.

--[_Appleton's Cyclopedia, vol. x, p. 144._

{Ill.u.s.tration: Prof. JEAN CIVIALe.}

{Ill.u.s.tration: Prof. CLAUDE F. LALLEMAND}

CIVIALe, JEAN, a French surgeon, the originator of the operation of Lithotrity, born near Thiezac, Auvergne, 1792, died in Paris, June 13, 1867. At a very early age, while a pupil of Dupuytren at the _Hotel Dieu_ hospital in Paris, his attention is said to have been attracted to the subject of his future discovery; and, after many years of perseverance, he succeeded in perfecting and introducing to the profession his new operation of lithotrity. Before that time the only means was the serious and often dangerous operation of lithotomy (SEE STONE). He was the teacher of several generations of lithotriptists, became a member of the MEDICAL ACADEMY, and an officer of the LEGION OF HONOR. His princ.i.p.al publications are: _De la Lithotritie, ou brolement de la pierre_, (_Paris_), 1827); _Lettres sur la Lithotritie, &c._ (1827); _Traite pratique et historique de la Lithotritie_ (1847); _Resultats Cliniques de la Lithotritie pendent les Annes_ 1860-64 (1865). --[_Appleton's Cyclopedia, vol. iv, p. 618._

We also take pleasure in referring--not as patients, but simply as to standing, probity, business capacity and the ability of our Consulting Staff--to the following firms or gentlemen in this city:

WEST SIDE PHARMACY, dealers in Drugs, Chemicals, &c., corner Hudson and Charlton streets.

COFFIN & ROGERS, 85 John street, New York.

AMERICAN DRUG COMPANY, Islip, Long Island.

Editor of the "NEW YORK TRIBUNE AND FARMER."

E. DUNCAN SNIFFEN, 3 Park Row.

A CHARACTERISTIC LETTER.

(For once we transgress our rule--never to put a debility patient's letter in print unless the patient urges us to do so--and do it at the request of our Medical Chief of Staff, and with the patient's full consent. The name, however, we omit, simply stating that should any intending patient desire to come and see or send some friend living in the city, to see and verify that letter and many more like it, we shall be most happy to oblige them.)

RODNEY, MISS., August 14, 1884.

_Dear Sirs:_--My course of treatment being almost all used, I feel it my duty to state to you my present condition, and I can say without hesitation that I am almost a new man, and I thank G.o.d that improvement has been so thorough and rapid, may it be but lasting. s.e.xual desire is now perfect, erections are perfect, emissions come at the right time, oozing of vital fluid at stools and in the urine has stopped, I rest well at night with the exception I shall state further on, appet.i.te is good and digestion almost perfect. I can now approach the presence of the opposite s.e.x with some satisfaction to myself; ambition is returning, and in fact a whole new lease of life seems suddenly to have been allotted to me. The varicocele has almost disappeared. I cannot say enough in praise for this beautiful little appliance, "the Cradle Compressor." Now, if it were not for the urinary disorder which still remains, I should call myself well; that this remains, however, is no fault of the crayons, and could the Course No. 3 have reached me undamaged by heat, as did the Course No. 2, I have not the least doubt I should now be well. The symptoms of this disorder, still present, are dreams at night, not nervous ones as before, but still unpleasant; mucous oozing after straining, also in the morning on rising I find the lips of organ glued, and on forcing apart a drop of this mucous fluid makes its appearance. I have no doubt whatever that had crayons reached me perfectly, this disorder would have been conquered same as the other.

Now, in your little circular you guarantee a cure "in all cases wherein your Medical Examiner decides a cure is possible." Now this certainly holds good in my case. Please let me know what you are willing to do about the matter, for I certainly need another course of No. 3 crayons, and if you would furnish them in place of the ones destroyed in transit, I should consider your guarantee fulfilled. The course you sent me last could not be used at all; they were ten times worse than the first ones, and I only wasted them in trying to use same. However, do not send any crayons till you hear from me, and I think the weather cool enough, as they would only be wasted again. Could you furnish me, and at what price, a suspensory, such as you would recommend, if not, where could I get one? I think it advisable to wear one after laying aside the Compressor, as I have to be on my feet all the time.

Please excuse encroachment on your time and believe me ever,

Yours very truly, ---- SINGER.

DOUBLE VARICOCELE AND SPERMATORRHOEA RADICALLY CURED.

(These letters are published at the patient's own request, and he will be most happy to correspond with any earnest and honest inquirer).

"TIRED OF HUMBUGGING."

"ISLIP, Suffolk County, N.Y.

"_Manager of the Civiale Remedial Agency,_ "174 Fulton street, New York.

"_Dear Sir:_--My attention has been several times called to your method of curing Varicocele of the Bag without any cutting or tying, and I am now going to describe my case to you, and get your idea whether you can cure me or not. I would have done this long ago if I hadn't been afraid of being humbugged, as I often have been by doctors and men who said they could cure me right off without any pain or trouble. But they all fooled me out of my money, and that's all. But I'm going to try once more, and please tell me if you think my case is too bad for your Compress and Cradle.