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WhatshallIsayofthepersonalhabitsyoumustformifyouwishforsuccess？Temperanceisfirstuponthelist。Intemperanceinaphysicianpartakesoftheguiltofhomicide，forthemuddledbrainmayeasilymakeafatalblunderinaprescriptionandtheunsteadyhandtransfixanarteryinanoperation。Tipplingdoctorshavebeentoocommoninthehistoryofmedicine。Paracelsuswasasot，Radcliffewasmuchtoofondofhisglass，andDr。JamesHurlbutofWethersfield，Connecticut，afamousmaninhistime，usedtodrinkasquarebottleofrumaday，withacorrespondingallowanceofopiumtohelpsteadyhisnerves。Wecommonlyspeakofamanasbeingtheworseforliquor，butIwasaskinganIrishlaboreronedayabouthisdoctor，who，ashesaid，wassomewhatgiventodrink。“Ilikehimbestwhenhe’salittlethatway，“hesaid；“thenIcanspaketohim。“Ipitiedthepoorpatientwhocouldnotventuretoalludetohiscolicorhispleurisyuntilhisphysicianwastipsy。
TherearepersonalhabitsoflessgravitythantheoneIhavementionedwhichitiswelltoguardagainst，or，iftheyareformed，torelinquish。Amanwhomaybecalledatamoment’swarningintothefragrantboudoirofsufferinglovelinessshouldnotunsweetenitsatmospherewithreminiscencesofextinguishedmeerschaums。Heshouldrememberthatthesickaresensitiveandfastidious，thattheylovethesweetodorsandthepuretintsofflowers，andifhispresenceisnotlikethebreathoftherose，ifhishandsarenotliketheleafofthelily，hisvisitmaybeunwelcome，andifhelooksbehindhimhemayseeawindowthrownopenafterhehasleftthesick-chamber。
Iremembertoowelltheolddoctorwhosometimescametohelpmethroughthoseinwardgriefstowhichchildhoodisliable。“Faroffhiscoming“——shallIsay“shone，“andfinishtheMiltonicphrase，orleavetheverbtothehappyconjecturesofmyaudience？Beforehimcameasoul-subduingwhiffofipecacuanha，andafterhimlingeredashudderingconsciousnessofrhubarb。Hehadlivedsomuchamonghismedicamentsthathehadatlastbecomehimselfadrug，andtohavehimpassthroughasick-chamberwasastrongerdosethanaconscientiousdiscipleofHahnemannwouldthinkitsafetoadminister。
NeedIremindyonoftheimportanceofpunctualityinyourengagements，andoftheworryanddistresstopatientsandtheirfriendswhichthewantofitoccasions？Oneofmyoldteachersalwayscarriedtwowatches，tomakequitesureofbeingexact，andnotonlykepthisappointmentswiththeregularityofachronometer，buttookgreatpainstobeathispatient’shouseatthetimewhenhehadreasontobelievehewasexpected，evenifnoexpressappointmentwasmade。Itisagoodrule；ifyoucalltooearly，mylady’shairmaynotbesosmoothascouldbewished，and，ifyoukeepherwaitingtoolong，herhairmaybesmooth，buthertemperotherwise。
Youwillremember，ofcourse，alwaystogettheweather-gageofyourpatient。Imean，toplacehimsothatthelightfallsonhisfaceandnotonyours。Itisakindof，ocularduelthatisabouttotakeplacebetweenyou；youaregoingtolookthroughhisfeaturesintohispulmonaryandhepaticandotherinternalmachinery，andheisgoingtolookintoyoursquiteassharplytoseewhatyouthinkabouthisprobabilitiesfortimeoreternity。
Nomatterhowhardhestaresatyourcountenance，heshouldneverbeabletoreadhisfateinit。Itshouldbecheerfulaslongasthereishope，andsereneinitsgravitywhennothingisleftbutresignation。Thefaceofaphysician，likethatofadiplomatist，shouldbeimpenetrable。Natureisabenevolentoldhypocrite；shecheatsthesickandthedyingwithillusionsbetterthananyanodynes。Iftherearecogentreasonswhyapatientshouldbeundeceived，doitdeliberatelyandadvisedly，butdonotbetrayyourapprehensionsthroughyourtell-talefeatures。
Wehadaphysicianinourcitywhosesmilewascommonlyreckonedasbeingworthfivethousanddollarsayeartohim，inthedays，too，ofmoderateincomes。Youcannotputonsuchasmileasthatanymorethanyoucangetsunshinewithoutsun；therewasatranquilandkindlynatureunderitthatirradiatedthepleasantfaceitmadeonehappiertomeetonhisdailyrounds。Butyoucancultivatethedisposition，anditwillworkitswaythroughtothesurface，nay，more，——youcantrytowearaquietandencouraginglook，anditwillreactonyourdispositionandmakeyoulikewhatyouseemtobe，oratleastbringyounearertoitsownlikeness。
Yourpatienthasnomorerighttoallthetruthyouknowthanhehastoallthemedicineinyoursaddlebags，ifyoucarrythatkindofcartridge-boxfortheammunitionthatslaysdisease。Heshouldgetonlyjustsomuchasisgoodforhim。Ihaveseenaphysicianexaminingapatient’scheststopalla
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