medical essays-第67节
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Nathan Smith； born in Rehoboth； Mass。； a graduate of the Medical School of our University； did a great work for the advancement of medicine and surgery in New England； by his labors as teacher and author； greater； it is claimed by some； than was ever done by any other man。 The two Warrens； of our time； each left a large and permanent record of a most extended surgical practice。 James Jackson not only educated a whole generation by his lessons of wisdom； but bequeathed some of the most valuable results of his experience to those who came after him； in a series of letters singularly pleasant and kindly as well as instructive。 John Ware； keen and cautious； earnest and deliberate； wrote the two remarkable essays which have identified his name； for all time； with two important diseases； on which he has shed new light by his original observations。
I must do violence to the modesty of the living by referring to the many important contributions to medical science by Dr。 Jacob Bigelow； and especially to his discourse on 〃Self…limited Diseases；〃 an address which can be read in a single hour； but the influence of which will be felt for a century。
Nor would the profession forgive me if I forgot to mention the admirable museum of pathological anatomy； created almost entirely by the hands of Dr。 John Barnard Swett Jackson； and illustrated by his own printed descriptive catalogue； justly spoken of by a distinguished professor in the University of Pennsylvania as the most important contribution which had ever been made in this country to the branch to which it relates。
When we look at the literature of mental disease； as seen in hospital reports and special treatises； we can mention the names of Wyman； Woodward； Brigham； Bell； and Ray； all either natives of Massachusetts or placed at the head of her institutions for the treatment of the insane。
We have a right to claim also one who is known all over the civilized world as a philanthropist； to us as a townsman and a graduate of our own Medical School； Dr。 Samuel Gridley Howe； the guide and benefactor of a great multitude who were born to a world of inward or of outward darkness。
I cannot pass over in silence the part taken by our own physicians in those sanitary movements which are assuming every year greater importance。 Two diseases especially have attracted attention； above all others； with reference to their causes and prevention； cholera； the 〃black death〃 of the nineteenth century； and consumption； the white plague of the North； both of which have been faithfully studied and reported on by physicians of our own State and city。 The cultivation of medical and surgical specialties； which is fast becoming prevalent； is beginning to show its effects in the literature of the profession； which is every year growing richer in original observations and investigations。
To these benefactors who have labored for us in their peaceful vocation； we must add the noble army of surgeons； who went with the soldiers who fought the battles of their country； sharing many of their dangers； not rarely falling victims to fatigue； disease； or the deadly volleys to which they often exposed themselves in the discharge of their duties。
The pleasant biographies of the venerable Dr。 Thacher； and the worthy and kind…hearted gleaner； Dr。 Stephen W。 Williams； who came after him； are filled with the names of men who served their generation well； and rest from their labors； followed by the blessing of those for whom they endured the toils and fatigues inseparable from their calling。 The hardworking； intelligent country physician more especially deserves the gratitude of his own generation； for he rarely leaves any permanent record in the literature of his profession。 Books are hard to obtain； hospitals； which are always centres of intelligence； are remote； thoroughly educated and superior men are separated by wide intervals； and long rides； though favorable to reflection； take up much of the time which might otherwise be given to the labors of the study。 So it is that men of ability and vast experience； like the late Dr。 Twitchell； for instance； make a great and deserved reputation； become the oracles of large districts； and yet leave nothing； or next to nothing； by which their names shall be preserved from blank oblivion。
One or two other facts deserve mention； as showing the readiness of our medical community to receive and adopt any important idea or discovery。 The new science of Histology； as it is now called； was first brought fully before the profession of this country by the translation of Bichat's great work； 〃Anatomie Generale；〃 by the late Dr。 George Hayward。
The first work printed in this country on Auscultation；that wonderful art of discovering disease； which； as it were； puts a window in the breast； through which the vital organs can be seen； to all intents and purposes； was the manual published anonymously by 〃A Member of the Massachusetts Medical Society。〃
We are now in some slight measure prepared to weigh the record of the medical profession in Massachusetts； and pass our judgment upon it。 But in…order to do justice to the first generation of practitioners； we must compare what we know of their treatment of disease with the state of the art in England； and the superstitions which they saw all around them in other departments of knowledge or belief。
English medical literature must have been at a pretty low ebb when Sydenham recommended Don Quixote to Sir Richard Blackmore for professional reading。 The College Pharmacopoeia was loaded with the most absurd compound mixtures； one of the most complex of which （the same which the Reverend Mr。 Harward； 〃Lecturer at the Royal Chappel in Boston；〃 tried to simplify； was not dropped until the year 1801。 Sir Kenelm Digby was playing his fantastic tricks with the Sympathetic powder； and teaching Governor Winthrop； the second； how to cure fever and ague； which some may like to know。 〃Pare the patient's nails； put the parings in a little bag； and hang the bag round the neck of a live eel； and put him in a tub of water。 The eel will die； and the patient will recover。〃
Wiseman； the great surgeon； was discoursing eloquently on the efficacy of the royal touch in scrofula。 The founder of the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford； consorting with alchemists and astrologers； was treasuring the manuscripts of the late pious Dr。 Richard Napier； in which certain letters （Rx Ris） were understood to mean Responsum Raphaelis；the answer of the angel Raphael to the good man's medical questions。 The illustrious Robert Boyle was making his collection of choice and safe remedies； including the sole of an old shoe； the thigh bone of a hanged man； and things far worse than these； as articles of his materia medica。 Dr。 Stafford； whose paper of directions to his 〃friend； Mr。 Wintrop；〃 I cited； was probably a man of standing in London； yet toad…powder was his sovereign remedy。
See what was the state of belief in other matters among the most intelligent persons of the colonies； magistrates and clergymen。 Jonathan Brewster； son of the church…elder； writes the wildest letters to John Winthrop about alchemy；mad for making gold as the Lynn rock…borers are for finding it。〃
Remember the theology and the diabology of the time。 Mr。 Cotton's Theocracy was a royal government； with the King of kings as its nominal head； but with an upper chamber of saints； and a tremendous opposition in the lower house； the leader of which may have been equalled； but cannot have been surpassed by any of our earth…born politicians。 The demons were prowling round the houses every night； as the foxes were sneaking about the hen…roosts。 The men of Gloucester fired whole flasks of gunpowder at devils disguised as Indians and Frenchmen。
How deeply the notion of miraculous interference with the course of nature was rooted； is shown by the tenacity of the superstition about earthquakes。 We can hardly believe that our Professor Winthrop； father of the old judge and the 〃squire；〃 whom many of us Cambridge people remember so well； had to defend himself against the learned and excellent Dr。 Prince； of the Old South Church； for discussing their phenomena as if they belonged to the province of natural science：
Not for the sake of degrading the aspect of the noble men who founded our State； do I refer to their idle beliefs and painful delusions； but to show against what influences the common sense of the medical profession had to assert itself。
Think； then； of the blazing stars； that shook their horrid hair in the sky； the phantom ship； that brought its message direct from the other world； the story of the mouse and the snake at Watertown； of the mice and the prayer…book； of the snake in church； of the calf with two heads； and of the cabbage in the perfect form of a cutlash； all which innocent occurrences were accepted or feared as alarming portents。
We can smile at these： but we cannot smile at the account of unhappy Mary Dyer's malformed offspring； or of Mrs。 Hutchinson's domestic misfortune of similar character； in the story of which the physician； Dr。 John Clark of Rhode Island； alone appears to advantage； or as we read the Rev。 Samuel Willard's fifteen alarming pages about
