Medical Essays

第35章

singleperson,combininginmanycases,asinthatofMr。GilesFirmin,theofficesofphysicianandpreacher,taughtwhatheknewtoafewdiscipleswhomhegatheredabouthim。Ofthemakingofthat“Anatomy“onwhichmyfirstpredecessorinthebranchIteach“didreadverywell“wecanknownothing。Thebodyofsomepoorwretchwhohadswunguponthegallows,wasprobablyconveyedbynighttosomelonelydwellingattheoutskirtsofthevillage,andtherebythelightofflaringtorcheshastilydissectedbyhandsthattrembledovertheunwontedtask。Andeverandanonthemasterturnedtohisbook,ashelaidbarethemysteriesofthehiddenorgans;tohispreciousVesalius,itmightbe,orhisfiguresrepeatedinthemultifariousvolumeofAmbroisePare;totheAldineoctavoinwhichFallopiusrecordedhisfreshobservations;orthatgiantfolioofSpigeliusjustissuedfromthepressofAmsterdam,inwhichlovelyladiesdisplaytheirviscerawithacoquettishgraceimplyingthatitisratherapleasurethanotherwisetoshowthelace-likeomentum,andholduptheirappendicesepiploicaeasiftheyweresaying“theseareourjewels。“

Histeachingofmedicinewasnodoubtchieflyclinical,andreceivedwiththesamekindoffaithasthatwhichacceptedhiswordsfromthepulpit。Hisnotionsofdiseasewerebasedonwhathehadobserved,seenalwaysinthelightofthetraditionaldoctrinesinwhichhewasbred。HisdiscoursesavoredoftheweightydoctrinesofHippocrates,dilutedbythesubtlespeculationsofGalen,reinforcedbythecuriouscommentsoftheArabianschoolmenastheywereconveyedinthemellifluouslanguageofFernelius,blended,itmaybe,withsomethingoftheloftymysticismofVanHelmont,andperhapsstealingaflavorofthatearlierformofHomoeopathywhichhadlatelycometolightinSirKenelmDigby’s“DiscourseconcerningtheCureofWoundsbytheSympatheticPowder。“

HisPathologywasmythology。Amalformedfoetus,asthereadersofWinthrop’sJournalmayremember,wasenoughtoscarethecolonistsfromtheirpropriety,andsuggestthegravestfearsofportendeddisaster。ThestudentoftheseventeenthcenturyopenedhisLicetusandsawfiguresofalionwiththeheadofawoman,andamanwiththeheadofanelephant。Hehadofferedtohisgaze,asbornofahumanmother,theeffigyofawingedcherub,apterocephalousspecimen,whichourProfessorofPathologicalAnatomywouldhardlyknowwhethertotreatwiththereverenceduetoitscelestialaspect,ortoimprisoninoneofhisimmortalizingjarsofalcohol。

Hispharmacopoeiaconsistedmainlyofsimples,suchasthevenerable“Herball“ofGerarddescribesandfiguresinaboundingaffluence。

St。John’swortandClown’sAll-heal,withSpurgeandFennel,SaffronandParsley,ElderandSnake-root,withopiuminsomeform,androastedrhubarbandtheFourGreatColdSeeds,andthetwoResins,ofwhichitusedtobesaidthatwhatevertheTacamahacahasnotcured,theCarannawill,withthemorefamiliarScammonyandJalapandBlackHellebore,madeupagoodpartofhisprobablelistofremedies。HewouldhaveorderedIronnowandthen,andpossiblyanoccasionaldoseofAntimony。Hewouldperhapshavehadarheumaticpatientwrappedintheskinofawolforawildcat,andincaseofamalignantfeverwith“purples“orpetechiae,orofanobstinateking’sevil,hemighthaveprescribedacertainblackpowder,whichhadbeenmadebycalciningtoadsinanearthenpot;achoiceremedy,takeninternally,orappliedtoanyoutwardgrief。

Exceptforthetoad-powderandtheperemptorydrastics,onemighthaveborneupagainstthisherbdoctoringaswellasagainstsomemoremodernstylesofmedication。BarbeyracandhisscholarSydenhamhadnotyetcleansedthePharmacopoeiaofitsperilousstuff,butthereisnodoubtthatthemoresensiblephysiciansofthatdayknewwellenoughthatagoodhonestherb-teawhichamusedthepatientandhisnurseswasallthatwasrequiredtocarryhimthroughallcommondisorders。

Thestudentsoonlearnedthephysiognomyofdiseasebygoingaboutwithhismaster;fevers,pleurisies,asthmas,dropsies,fluxes,small-pox,sore-throats,measles,consumptions。Hesawwhatwasdoneforthem。Heputupthemedicines,gatheredtheherbs,andsolearnedsomethingofmateriamedicoandbotany。Helearnedthesefewthingseasilyandwell,forhecouldgivehiswholeattentiontothem。Chirurgerywasaseparatespecialty。Womeninchild-birthwerecaredforbymidwives。Therewasnochemistrydeservingthenametorequirehisstudy。Hedidnotlearnagreatdeal,perhaps,butwhathedidlear

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