REFERENCE SERIES. MEDICAL SYMBOLISM IN CONNECTION WITH HISTORICAL STUDIES IN THE ARTS OF ILLUSTRATED. BY THOMAS S. SOZINSKEY, M.D., PH.D., AUTHOR OF "THE CULTURE OF BEAUTY,' KD 4534 HARVARD Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1891, by EDWARD S. POWER, M.D., In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D. C., U. S. A. DEDICATION. THE medical profession is often spoken of as nonprogressive. As a practical member of it, the author is of a different opinion. He knows full-well not only that, to many, age does not tend to make anything medical more worthy of attention, but that the old is apt to be wilfully overlooked. He discovered some time ago that in the library of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia-the centre, probably, of medical learning in the United States-Adams' edition of the works of Hippocrates had rested with the leaves uncut for over twenty years. New things are far too much in vogue. If Bacon were alive to-day he might still say, with too much truth, as he said three hundred years ago: "Let a man look into physicians' prescripts and ministrations and he will find them but inconstancies and every-day devices, without any settled providence or project" ("Advancement of Learning "). The age is too much one of trial, of incoherency, to be either eminently scientific or highly successful in practice. Beyond question, the medicine of the past is harmfully neglected; for its literature few have a desirable taste, and fewer yet a sufficient knowledge. Deploring this state of things, the author would gladly assist in bringing about a change. Hence, it affords him pleasure to dedicate this essay to his professional brethren. |