The Practice of Medicine on Thomsonian Principles, authored by J.W. Comfort, is a comprehensive guide to an alternative medical system developed by Samuel Thomson in the early 19th century. Thomson, a self-taught herbalist, founded Thomsonian medicine, emphasizing the use of botanical remedies, steam baths, and emetics to restore the body’s natural heat and eliminate toxins. Comfort’s work, first published in 1843, serves as both a practical manual for practitioners and a biographical account of Thomson’s life and medical philosophy.

The book is divided into several sections, beginning with a detailed biography of Samuel Thomson. It chronicles his early life, his development of the Thomsonian system, and the challenges he faced in promoting his methods against the established medical community. Comfort provides insights into Thomson’s beliefs, particularly his theory that disease results from a loss of vital heat and that restoring this heat through natural means can cure illness.

Following the biographical sketch, the text delves into the practical aspects of Thomsonian medicine. Comfort outlines various treatments, including the administration of herbal remedies, the use of steam baths, and the application of emetics to cleanse the body. The book also includes a materia medica, detailing the properties and uses of plants central to Thomson’s system, such as lobelia, cayenne pepper, and goldenseal. These sections are designed to equip both practitioners and families with the knowledge to apply Thomsonian principles in everyday health care.

Comfort’s work not only serves as a manual for alternative medical practices but also as a historical document reflecting the medical landscape of 19th-century America. It highlights the tension between emerging alternative medicine systems and traditional medical establishments. While Thomsonian medicine eventually declined, Comfort’s book remains a valuable resource for understanding the roots of botanical medicine and its role in challenging conventional medical practices of the time.