Medical Essays

第43章

AllthishasnotdeprivedCottonMatherofthecreditofsuggesting,andaboldandintelligentphysicianofthehonorofcarryingout,thenewpractice。Onthetwenty-seventhdayofJune,1721,ZabdielBoylstonofBostoninoculatedhisonlysonforsmallpox,——thefirstpersoneversubmittedtotheoperationintheNewWorld。Thestoryofthefierceresistancetotheintroductionofthepractice;ofhowBoylstonwasmobbed,andMatherhadahand-grenadethrowninathiswindow;ofhowWilliamDouglass,theScotchman,“alwayspositive,andsometimesaccurate,“aswasneatlysaidofhim,atoncedepreciatedthepracticeandtriedtogetthecreditofsuggestingit,andhowLawrenceDalhonde,theFrenchman,testifiedtoitsdestructiveconsequences;ofhowEdmundMassey,lectureratSt。Albans,preachedagainstsinfullyendeavoringtoalterthecourseofnaturebypresumptuousinterposition,whichhewouldleavetotheatheistandthescoffer,theheathenandunbeliever,whileinthefaceofhissermon,afterwardsreprintedinBoston,manyofourNewEnglandclergystoodupboldlyindefenceofthepractice,——allthishasbeentoldsowellandsooftenthatIspareyouitsdetails。SetthisgoodhintofCottonMatheragainstthatletterofhistoJohnRichards,recommendingthesearchafterwitch-marks,andtheapplicationofthewater-ordeal,whichmeansthrowyourgrandmotherintothewater,ifshehasamoleonherarm;——ifsheswims,sheisawitchandmustbehanged;ifshesinks,theLordhavemercyonhersoul!

ThusdidAmericareceivethisgreatdiscovery,destinedtosavethousandsoflives,viaBoston,fromthehandsofoneofourownMassachusettsphysicians。

Theyear1735wasrenderedsadlymemorablebytheepidemicoftheterriblediseaseknownas“throatdistemper,“andregardedbymanyasthesameasour“diphtheria。“Dr。Holyokethinksthemoregeneraluseofmercurialsininflammatorycomplaintsdatesfromthetimeoftheiremploymentinthisdisease,inwhichtheywerethoughttohaveprovedspeciallyuseful。

Atsometimeinthecourseofthiscenturymedicalpracticehadsettleddownonfourremediesasitschiefreliance。ImustrepeatanincidentwhichIhaverelatedinanotheroftheseEssays。WhenDr。Holyoke,nearlyseventyyearsago,receivedyoungMr。JamesJacksonashisstudent,heshowedhimtheformidablearrayofbottles,jars,anddrawersaroundhisoffice,andthennamedthefourremediesreferredtoasbeingofmoreimportancethanalltherestputtogether。ThesewereMercury,Antimony,Opium,andPeruvianBark。“Idoubtifeitherofthemrememberedthat,nearlyseventyyearsbefore,in1730,Dr。WilliamDouglass,thedisputatiousScotchman,mentionedthosesamefourremedies,inthededicationofhisquarrelsomeessayoninoculation,asthemostimportantonesinthehandsofthephysiciansofhistime。

Inthe“Proceedings“ofthisSocietyfortheyear1863isaverypleasantpaperbythelateDr。EphraimEliot,givinganaccountoftheleadingphysiciansofBostonduringthelastquarterofthelastcentury。ThenamesofLloyd,Gardiner,Welsh,Rand,Bulfinch,Danforth,JohnWarren,Jeffries,areallfamousinlocalhistory,andarecommemoratedinourmedicalbiographies。Oneofthem,atleast,appearstohavebeenmorewidelyknown,notonlyasoneofthefirstaerialvoyagers,butasanexplorerinthealmostequallyhazardousrealmofmedicaltheory。Dr。JohnJeffries,thefirstofthatname,isconsideredbyBroussaisasaleaderofmedicalopinioninAmerica,andsoreferredtoinhisfamous“ExamendesDoctrinesMedicales。“

Twogreatmovementstookplaceinthiseighteenthcentury,theeffectofwhichhasbeenchieflyfeltinourowntime;namely,theestablishmentoftheMassachusettsMedicalSociety,andthefoundingoftheMedicalSchoolofHarvardUniversity。

Thethirdcenturyofourmedicalhistorybeganwiththeintroductionofthesecondgreatmedicaldiscoveryofmoderntimes,——ofalltimeuptothatdate,Imaysay,——oncemoreviaBoston,ifwecounttheUniversityvillageasitssuburb,andoncemorebyoneofourMassachusettsphysicians。InthemonthofJuly,1800,Dr。BenjaminWaterhouseofCambridgesubmittedfourofhisownchildrentothenewprocessofvaccination,——thefirstpersonsvaccinated,asDr。ZabdielBoylston’ssonhadbeenthefirstpersoninoculatedintheNewWorld。

Alittlebeforethefirsthalfofthiscenturywascompleted,intheautumnof1846,thegreatdiscoverywentforthfromtheMassachusettsGeneralHospital,whichrepaidthedebtofAmericatothescienceoftheOldWorld,andgaveimmortalitytotheplaceofitsorigininthememoryandtheheartofmankind。Theproductionoftemporaryinsensibilityatwill——tuto,cito,jucunde,safely,quickly,pleasantly——isoneofthosetriumphsovertheinfirmitiesofourmortalconditionwhichchangetheaspectoflifeeverafterwards。

Rhetoriccanaddnothingtoitsglory;gratitude,andthepridepermittedtohumanweakness,thatourBethlehemshouldhavebeenchosenasthebirthplaceofthisnewembodimentofthedivinemercy,areallwecanyetfindroomfor。

Thepresentcenturyhasseentheestablishmentofallthosegreatcharitableinstitutionsforthecureofdiseasesofthebodyandofthemind,whichourSt

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