Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

is one which does not enhance our reputation or altogether improve our social position. I am aware that this is very dangerous ground to tread upon, and I am particularly desirous to avoid giving the slightest offence to those representatives among us who not only adorn the art of medicine, but who, by their skill and their labours, greatly enhance the sum of human happiness. But, gentlemen, we all know that there are specialists of another kind, with whose specialism there is mixed not a little quackery and considerable dishonesty. I might speak to you of many specialisms, the restricted field of which cannot give a man an opportunity of making a sufficient income unless he does so by either inducing his patients to pay him, or himself pay them, needless visits, in order that he may apply instruments of precision and wonderful apparatus to remote organs or to out-of-the-way parts of the body. These dishonesties are in the long run found out by the more intelligent of the public, and though it may be profitable, what honest man among us cares to live by practising exclusively upon the follies of the ignorant?

There is one more point concerning which I think I ought to say a few words, for I think that no one can doubt that it has had, and still has, a great influence on the social position of our profession. The attitude of the profession as a whole to those who choose to practise special systems, and to label themselves with distinctive designations, has led a certain section of the public to take an unfavourable view of our position with regard to them. The correspondence which has lately appeared in the Times under the heading "Odium Medicum" has not, I think, enhanced the position of our profession in the eyes of the more intelligent of the public. I am not here to make the slightest excuse for the practitioners of homœopathy, nor do I wish to defend in any way the position which the practitioners of that system have chosen to take up, but I submit that though "hard words break no bones," wholesale insinuations of incapacity or fraud do not, and cannot redound to the credit of our profession at large. I

deplore most sincerely the discussion of such matters in the
public newspapers, and I sincerely hope that no medical man
who respects himself, will condescend to an anonymous
correspondence, however telling and witty it may be, even
though the columns of the Times are open to him.
And now
gentlemen, having spent, as I think, a sufficient time in
endeavouring, however feebly, to show how we ourselves may
improve our social position, and perhaps do some little to wipe
off the slur cast upon us by a poet in our own ranks when he
wrote these lines:

"Like a port sculler one physician plies,
And all his arts and all his skill he tries;
But two physicians. like a pair of oars,

Will waft you swifter to the Stygian shores."

I should like to utilise the remainder of the time at my disposal in quoting first of all some of the opinions which have been uttered by various great minds as to the future of our profession; and in pointing out how we ourselves may hope yet to see a vast improvement in it. The profession of medicine may not be appreciated as it should be politically, socially, or commercially; it may not be recognised by the State in the shape of State rewards, and this may be some reason why it is not appreciated as it should be by the public. It has been pointed out over and over again that there is no item in the expenditure of a household more grudgingly bestowed, and more liable to be questioned and more tardily settled, than the doctor's bill. One of our greatest statesmen has said: "Your profession has a great future before it, and I believe that in one generation, or at most two, it will be far in advance of the other learned professions." Lord Bacon said of the pursuit of knowledge that "it is not a couch whereon to rest a searching and a restless spirit," or "a terrace for a wandering and fiery mind to walk up and down with a fair prospect," or "a tower of State for a proud mind to raise itself up," or a fort and commanding ground for strife or contention,” or a shop for profit or sale," but it is a rich storehouse for the glory of the Creator, and for the relief of man's estate. Thomas Carlyle has said: "I have often said what profession is there

[ocr errors]

equal in true nobleness to medicine? He that can abolish pain, and relieve his fellow mortal from sickness, he is indisputably the usefullest of men. Him, savage and civilised will honour; he is in the right, be in the wrong who may. As a Lord Chancellor, under one's horsehair wig, there must be misgivings; still more as a Lord Primate under one's cauliflower; but if I could heal disease, I would say to all men and to angels, 'en' ecce'." Another living celebrity has said: "When we regard the rapid and marked progress which our art and science has made during little more than half a century, I feel that we are fully justified in believing that progress in the future will be even more remarkable, and that with materials for investigation in abundance, with willing and able workers, there can be neither fear nor doubt for the continued advance of the healing art.”

Taking a true view of our profession, there is every reason to believe that its progress will be rapid, and that the estimation in which it will eventually be held will be almost beyond conception; that it will become the true priesthood of men; and that it will aid with other teachers in pointing out to man that the cause of his miseries is his own ignorance, and the wilful breaking of those inexorable laws which rule and guide the universe, and that his future is in his own hands, and can only be spoilt by his own faults. Let us all set before us a high and noble standard, and remember that one of our own body has said that "the end of life is to be and not to get." Let those of us who are teachers, teach always up to noble ends and purposes, discarding all ignoble thoughts of mere utilitarianism, or of what will pay.

Let those of us who are practitioners of whatever grade, remember that Hippocratic oath which was the standard of ancient times, and may yet be taken to be the standard of modern times, if we add to it those graces which may be considered to belong to a Christian gentleman. This Hippocratic oath is probably known to all of you, but I will take leave to quote it" I swear by Apollo the physician, and Esculapius, and Health, and All-heal, and all the gods and goddesses, that, according to my ability and judgment, I will keep this oath and

this stipulation-to reckon him who taught me this Art, equally dear to me as my parents, to share my substance with him, and relieve his necessities if required, to look upon his offspring in the same footing as my own brothers, and to teach them this art, if they shall wish to learn it, without fee or stipulation; and that by precept, lecture, and every other mode of instruction, I will impart a knowledge of the Art to my own sons, and those of my teachers, and to disciples bound by a stipulation and oath according to the law of medicine, but to none others. I will follow that system of regimen which, according to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous. I will give no deadly medicine to anyone if asked, nor suggest such counsel; and in like manner I will not give to a woman a pessary to produce abortion. With purity and with holiness I will pass my life and practise my Art. I will not cut persons labouring under the stone, but will leave this to be done by men who are practitioners of this work. Into whatever houses I enter, I will go into them for the benefit of the sick, and will abstain from every voluntary act of mischief and corruption; and further, from the seduction of females or males, of freemen and slaves. Whatever, in connection with my professional practice, or not in connection with it, I see or hear in the life of men, which ought not to be spoken of abroad, I will not divulge, as reckoning that all such should be kept secret. While I continue to keep this Oath unviolated, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and the practice of the art, respected by all men in all times! But should I trespass and violate this Oath, may the reverse be my lot!"

This, which was the standard of professional ethics among our ancient Greek brethren, may even yet furnish us with a standard for ourselves, but let us further add to it the main principles of that more noble system of morality, which, taught by the Divine Son of the carpenter on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, eighteen centuries ago, has been the guide, the solace, and the light of nearly all the great minds in our profession

since.

If we take these principles, and those enunciated by Hippocrates, the father of our art, if we remain but true to ourselves, then shall be seen that honouring of the physician. which the Preacher recommends to us in the words, “Honour a physician with the honour due unto him for the uses which ye may have of him; for the Lord hath created him, for from the Most High cometh healing; and he shall receive honour of the king. The skill of the physician shall lift up his head, and in the sight of great men he shall be in admiration." And this honour, I venture to prophesy, will be the distinguishing mark of our profession in the future, due alike to its education, to its high character, to its unstained charity, to its usefulness, and to its knowledge.

THE ENLARGEMENT OF THE LIVER IN RICKETS.

BY EDGAR HOGBEN, B.A., M.D., M.R.C. P.,

MEDICAL TUTOR, QUEEN'S COLLEGE. BIRMINGHAM, AND PHYSICIAN FOR OUT-PATIENTS AT THE QUEEN'S HOSPITAL,

IT has long been recognised that the disease which we call Rickets is not primarily a disorder of the osseous system. The affection has been referred by most pathologists to a state of general mal-nutrition which is produced by various anti-hygienic. conditions to which the child has been subjected. The bony skeleton at the period of infancy and childhood is of all the organs of the body that which is making the most rapid strides of development. When the digestive and other physiological functions of the young child have to be performed under prejudicial circumstances it is natural to expect that the formation of his bones should be retarded or proceed at least in an irregular manner. The pathological histology of the process of ossification in rickets has received the most careful attention at the hands

E

« ForrigeFortsæt »