Curiosities of Medical Experience

Part 1

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Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (italics).

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CURIOSITIES OF MEDICAL EXPERIENCE.

J. G. MILLINGEN, M.D., M.A.

SURGEON TO THE FORCES; RESIDENT PHYSICIAN OF THE COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX PAUPER LUNATIC ASYLUM AT HANWELL; MEMBER OF THE MEDICAL SOCIETY OF THE ANCIENT FACULTY OF PARIS; OF THE MEDICAL SOCIETY OF BORDEAUX; AND AUTHOR OF "THE ARMY MEDICAL OFFICER'S MANUAL," &c.

SECOND EDITION.

REVISED AND CONSIDERABLY AUGMENTED.

IN ONE VOLUME.

London: Richard Bentley, New Burlington Street, Publisher in Ordinary to Her Majesty. 1839.

Whiting, Beaufort House, Strand.

TO SIR JAMES M'GRIGOR, BART. M.D., F.R.S., K.T.S., &c. &c. DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT, TO WHOSE ZEAL AND EXAMPLE THE MEDICAL OFFICERS OF HER MAJESTY'S FORCES ARE SO MUCH INDEBTED FOR THAT DISTINGUISHED CHARACTER AND CONSIDERATION THEY COLLECTIVELY AND INDIVIDUALLY HOLD IN THE ESTIMATION OF THE EUROPEAN ARMIES, THIS WORK IS INSCRIBED, AS A TESTIMONIAL OF PUBLIC RESPECT AND SINCERE PRIVATE ESTEEM, BY THE AUTHOR.

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.

The rapid sale of the first edition of this work has induced the publisher to reprint it with considerable additions in a less expensive, and more concise form--and the author embraces this opportunity, gratefully to acknowledge the liberality with which it has been received, and the indulgence shown to its many imperfections. At the same time he cannot but regret, that in some quarters it has been surmised that he yielded credence to the many strange relations which he has recorded from various medical works, but which he merely narrated, to show the fallacy even of experience, and the many dangers that may arise from the most ingenious theories and doctrines, in the very ratio of their apparent plausibility.

Although these sketches were not intended for the profession, yet they may prove of some utility to the pupil who commences the arduous study of medicine. They may convince him, that great names, however justly respected and renowned, do not constitute a sufficient basis, on which to rest a satisfactory and conclusive judgment; and, as Locke has justly observed, that "reverence or prejudice must not be suffered to give beauty or deformity to any of their opinions." He will find that of which further experience will subsequently convince him, that medical investigation is too often founded upon analogy and hypothesis--but let not this painful and disheartening impression arrest his progress, or deter him from seeking to assist his judgment by collecting "the scattered parts of truth," for in speaking of hypothesis, Dr. Crichton has thus expressed himself: "There is a period in knowledge, when it must be indulged in if we mean to make any progress; it is that period when the facts are too numerous to be recollected without general principles, and yet, where the facts are too few to constitute a valid theory. If the exterior form of an edifice is often the principal motive with men for examining its internal structure; so it is in science, that the splendour of an hypothesis, and the desire of proving its solidity, are more frequent motives for research than a mere love of knowledge."

Notwithstanding our boasted progress in scientific pursuits, and our supposed approach to perfection, there never perhaps was a period, since the fanciful days of Paracelsus, Agrippa, and Van Helmont, when more deceitful and fascinating reveries were indulged in than at the present enlightened moment, nor more ingenuity and disingenuousness displayed in seeking to give substance to a vision or overthrowing its baseless fabric. It is painful to be obliged to admonish the would be legislators of our belief, in the words of the sceptical Bolingbroke:

"Folly and knavery have prevailed most where they should be tolerated the least, and presumption has been excused most where diffidence and candour are on many accounts the most necessary.

"Quale per incertam lunam sub luce maligna Est iter in Silvis."

Hanwell Lunatic Asylum, Dec. 1838.

INTRODUCTION.

The great success and correspondent utility of D'Israeli's "Curiosities of Literature," have induced me to add to the ample harvest of that ingenious writer a few gleanings from another field. They may not afford the same amusing variety to the general reader, but they may tend to draw some attention to many important points that affect the chequered lot of mankind. The progress that every science has rapidly made during the last half-century has been astounding, and seems to have kept pace with those struggles of the intellectual faculties to burst from the shackles of prejudice and error that had ignobly bound them for so many ages. Groping in darkness, man sought the light, but unfortunately the sudden refulgence at times dazzled instead of guiding his steps in the pursuit of truth, and led him into errors as perilous as those that had surrounded him in his former mental obscurity. His gigantic powers were aroused, but, too frequently misapplied, they shook the social edifice to its very foundation. The daring hand of innovation destroyed without contemplating what better fabric could be raised on the ruin: and while the nobler faculties with which Providence had gifted us were exerted for the public weal, the baser parts of our passions sought liberty in licentiousness. Ambition degenerated into ferocity, scepticism led to impiety, and even apparent virtue sought to propagate the doctrines of good, by assuming the "goodly outside" of vice. Religion was overthrown because priestcraft had deceived, and high rank was held up to detestation because princes and nobles had been corrupt; and to use Shakespeare's words,

Thus we debase The nature of our seats, and make the rabble Call our cares, fears; which will in time break ope The lock o' the senate, and bring in the crows To peck the eagles.

In ten short years this mighty revolution in the intellect of man took place,--in a country too that may be considered the cradle of the future weal and woe, perhaps of the universe;--in ten short years we beheld Montesquieu, Raynal, Rousseau, Voltaire, Condillac, Helvetius, beaming like rising meteors in the dark firmament, and shedding a fearful gleam on the past, the present, and the future; boldly tracking a path once trodden with groping steps by Bacon, Descartes, Hobbes, and Gassendi! No longer trusting in blind confidence to the scholastic rules of those dignitaries of science whose conclusions were considered sufficient to command our faith, man became sceptical and positive; doubt and disbelief were carried into every investigation; the reign of prestiges was over; the former monopolists of power and of science, the two great levers of society (the more effective since their fulcra rested on timidity and ignorance), were thrown from their antiquated stand, and found themselves brought face to face in explanatory contact with their once all-believing and obedient pupils, but now become a neoteric generation;--the crown and the sceptre, the cap and the gown, were baubles in their eyes. When the faculty of reasoning was not able to prevail, the shafts of ridicule were drawn from the quiver of philosophic wit, and inflicted rankling wounds where they could not destroy. Ancient systems were exploded with ancient prejudices, theories were overthrown with dynasties, and doctrines with governments;--one might have imagined that the formidable power of steam had been communicated to the mind, illustrating the words of Milton,

The mind is its own place, and in itself Can make a heaven of hell, and hell of heaven.

Part 2

Science, now aimed at generalization-the physiologist, the chemist, became legislators, stepping from the academic chair to the senatorial seat, and from teaching how to benefit mankind they hurried to destroy, forgetful, in their ambitious dream, of the noble encomium of Cicero, "Homines ad deos nulla se proprius accedunt, quam salutem hominibus dando."

Philosophy and the study of medicine were now inseparable; this generous science was not to be attained in books only, but in the study of mankind. Rousseau thus spoke of physicians when writing to Bernardin de Saint Pierre:--"Il n'y a pas d'etat qui exige plus d'etude que le leur; par tous les pays, ce sont des hommes les plus veritablement savans et utiles." Voltaire was of a similar opinion when he thus expressed himself:--"Il n'est rien de plus estimable au monde, qu'un medecin qui, ayant dans sa jeunesse etudie la nature, connu les ressorts du corps humain, les maux qui le tourmentent, les remedes qui peuvent le soulager, exerce son etat en s'en defiant, et soigne egalement les pauvres et les riches."

How came it then that these great observers did not partake of the prejudices of Montaigne, Moliere, and other writers, who invariably stigmatized the practice of physic? simply because it was no longer a dogmatic profession exercised with scholastic pedantry, but a science founded on the study of nature, and the immutable laws of sound philosophy. Although a classic education forms an indispensable part of a physician's education, yet it is in more important pursuits that his experience should be obtained: the knowledge of ancient languages is principally useful in discovering the errors of the olden writers, and in detecting the barefaced plagiarisms of the moderns.

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