medical essays-第83节
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o well in his broad… brimmed hat； worn a little jauntily on one side； calling out to the students in the court…yard of the Hospital St。 Louis； 〃Enfans de la methode naturelle； etes…vous tous ici？〃 〃Children of the natural method ＇his own method of classification of skin diseases；＇ are you all here？ 〃All here； then； perhaps； all where； now？
My show of ghosts is over。 It is always the same story that old men tell to younger ones； some few of whom will in their turn repeat the tale； only with altered names； to their children's children。
Like phantoms painted on the magic slide； Forth from the darkness of the past we glide； As living shadows for a moment seen In airy pageant on the eternal screen； Traced by a ray from one unchanging flame； Then seek the dust and stillness whence we came。
Dr。 Benjamin Waterhouse； whom I well remember； came back from Leyden； where he had written his Latin graduating thesis； talking of the learned Gaubius and the late illustrious Boerhaave and other dead Dutchmen； of whom you know as much； most of you； as you do of Noah's apothecary and the family physician of Methuselah； whose prescriptions seem to have been lost to posterity。 Dr。 Lloyd came back to Boston full of the teachings of Cheselden and Sharpe； William Hunter； Smellie； and Warner； Dr。 James Jackson loved to tell of Mr。 Cline and to talk of Mr。 John Hunter； Dr。 Reynolds would give you his recollections of Sir Astley Cooper and Mr。 Abernethy； I have named the famous Frenchmen of my student days； Leyden； Edinburgh； London； Paris； were each in turn the Mecca of medical students； just as at the present day Vienna and Berlin are the centres where our young men crowd for instruction。 These also must sooner or later yield their precedence and pass the torch they hold to other hands。 Where shall it next flame at the head of the long procession？ Shall it find its old place on the shores of the Gulf of Salerno； or shall it mingle its rays with the northern aurora up among the fiords of Norway；or shall it be borne across the Atlantic and reach the banks of the Charles； where Agassiz and Wyman have taught； where Hagen still teaches； glowing like his own Lampyris splendidula； with enthusiasm； where the first of American botanists and the ablest of American surgeons are still counted in the roll of honor of our great University？
Let me add a few words which shall not be other than cheerful； as I bid farewell to this edifice which I have known so long。 I am grateful to the roof which has sheltered me； to the floors which have sustained me； though I have thought it safest always to abstain from anything like eloquence； lest a burst of too emphatic applause might land my class and myself in the cellar of the collapsing structure； and bury us in the fate of Korah； Dathan； and Abiram。 I have helped to wear these stairs into hollows；stairs which I trod when they were smooth and level； fresh from the plane。 There are just thirty… two of them； as there were five and thirty years ago； but they are steeper and harder to climb； it seems to me； than they were then。 I remember that in the early youth of this building； the late Dr。 John K。 Mitchell； father of our famous Dr。 Weir Mitchell； said to me as we came out of the Demonstrator's room； that some day or other a whole class would go heels over head down this graded precipice； like the herd told of in Scripture story。 This has never happened as yet； I trust it never will。 I have never been proud of the apartment beneath the seats； in which my preparations for lecture were made。 But I chose it because I could have it to myself； and I resign it； with a wish that it were more worthy of regret； into the hands of my successor； with my parting benediction。 Within its twilight precincts I have often prayed for light； like Ajax； for the daylight found scanty entrance； and the gaslight never illuminated its dark recesses。 May it prove to him who comes after me like the cave of the Sibyl； out of the gloomy depths of which came the oracles which shone with the rays of truth and wisdom！
This temple of learning is not surrounded by the mansions of the great and the wealthy。 No stately avenues lead up to its facades and porticoes。 I have sometimes felt； when convoying a distinguished stranger through its precincts to its door； that he might question whether star…eyed Science had not missed her way when she found herself in this not too attractive locality。 I cannot regret that weyou； I should sayare soon to migrate to a more favored region； and carry on your work as teachers and as learners in ampler halls and under far more favorable conditions。
I hope that I may have the privilege of meeting you there； possibly may be allowed to add my words of welcome to those of my former colleagues； and in that pleasing anticipation I bid good…by to this scene of my long labors； and； for the present at least； to the friends with whom I have been associated。
APPENDUM
NOTES TO THE ADDRESS ON CURRENTS AND COUNTER CURRENTS IN MEDICAL SCIENCE。
Some passages contained in the original manuscript of the Address； and omitted in the delivery on account of its length； are restored in the text or incorporated with these Notes。
NOTE A。
There is good reason to doubt whether the nitrate of silver has any real efficacy in epilepsy。 It has seemed to cure many cases； but epilepsy is a very uncertain disease； and there is hardly anything which has not been supposed to cure it。 Dr。 Copland cites many authorities in its favor； most especially Lombard's cases。 But De la Berge and Monneret （Comp。 de Med。 Paris）； 1839； analyze these same cases； eleven in number； and can only draw the inference of a very questionable value in the supposed remedy。 Dr。 James Jackson says that relief of epilepsy is not to be attained by any medicine with which he is acquainted； but by diet。 （Letters to a Young Physician； p。 67。） Guy Patin； Dean of the Faculty of Paris； Professor at the Royal College； Author of the Antimonial Martyrology； a wit and a man of sense and learning； who died almost two hundred years ago； had come to the same conclusion； though the chemists of his time boasted of their remedies。 〃Did； you ever see a case of epilepsy cured by nitrate of silver？〃 I said to one of the oldest and most experienced surgeons in this country。 〃Never；〃 was his instant reply。 Dr。 Twitchell's experience was very similar。 How； then； did nitrate of silver come to be given for epilepsy？ Because； as Dr。 Martin has so well reminded us； lunatics were considered formerly to be under the special influence of Luna； the moon （which Esquirol； be it observed； utterly denies）； and lunar caustic； or nitrate of silver； is a salt of that metal which was called luna from its whiteness； and of course must be in the closest relations with the moon。 It follows beyond all reasonable question that the moon's metal； silver； and its preparations； must be the specific remedy for moonblasted maniacs and epileptics！
Yet the practitioner who prescribes the nitrate of silver supposes he is guided by the solemn experience of the past； instead of by its idle fancies。 He laughs at those old physicians who placed such confidence in the right hind hoof of an elk as a remedy for the same disease； and leaves the record of his own belief in a treatment quite as fanciful and far more objectionable； written in indelible ink upon a living tablet where he who runs may read it for a whole generation； if nature spares his walking advertisement so long。
NOTE B。
The presumption that a man is innocent until he is proved guilty； does not mean that there are no rogues； but lays the onus probandi on the party to which it properly belongs。 So with this proposition。 A noxious agent should never be employed in sickness unless there is ample evidence in the particular case to overcome the general presumption against all such agents； and the evidence is very apt to be defective。
The miserable delusion of Homoeopathy builds itself upon an axiom directly the opposite of this； namely； that the sick are to be cured by poisons。 Similia similibus curantur means exactly this。 It is simply a theory of universal poisoning； nullified in practice by the infinitesimal contrivance。 The only way to kill it and all similar fancies； and to throw every quack nostrum into discredit； is to root out completely the suckers of the old rotten superstition that whatever is odious or noxious is likely to be good for disease。 The current of sound practice with ourselves is； I believe； setting fast in the direction I have indicated in the above proposition。 To uphold the exhibition of noxious agents in disease； as the rule； instead of admitting them cautiously and reluctantly as the exception； is； as I think； an eddy of opinion in the direction of the barbarism out of which we believe our art is escaping。 It is only through the enlightened sentiment and action of the Medical Profession that the community can be brought to acknowledge that drugs should always be regarded as evils。
It is true that some suppose； and our scientific and thoughtful associate； Dr。 Gould； has half countenanced the opinion； that there may yet be discovered a specific for
