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you any wrong。 I hope you won't lose any patients by my making a
little fun of your meters and scopes and contrivances。 They seem so
odd to us outside people。 Then the idea of being bronzed all over
was such an alarming suggestion。 But I did not mean to damage your
business； which I trust is now considerable； and I shall certainly
come to you again if I have need of the services of a physician。
Only don't mention the names of any diseases in English or Latin
before me next time。 I dreamed about cutis oenea half the night
after I came to see you。
Dr。 Benjamin took my apology very pleasantly。 He did not want to be
touchy about it； he said； but he had his way to make in the world；
and found it a little hard at first； as most young men did。 People
were afraid to trust them； no matter how much they knew。 One of the
old doctors asked him to come in and examine a patient's heart for
him the other day。 He went with him accordingly； and when they stood
by the bedside； he offered his stethoscope to the old doctor。 The
old doctor took it and put the wrong end to his ear and the other to
the patient's chest； and kept it there about two minutes； looking all
the time as wise as an old owl。 Then he； Dr。 Benjamin； took it and
applied it properly； and made out where the trouble was in no time at
all。 But what was the use of a young man's pretending to know
anything in the presence of an old owl？ I saw by their looks； he
said； that they all thought I used the； stethoscope wrong end up； and
was nothing but a 'prentice hand to the old doctor。
I am much pleased to say that since Dr。 Benjamin has had charge of
a dispensary district； and been visiting forty or fifty patients a
day； I have reason to think he has grown a great deal more practical
than when I made my visit to his office。 I think I was probably one
of his first patients； and that he naturally made the most of me。
But my second trial was much more satisfactory。 I got an ugly cut
from the carving…knife in an affair with a goose of iron constitution
in which I came off second best。 I at once adjourned with Dr。
Benjamin to his small office； and put myself in his hands。 It was
astonishing to see what a little experience of miscellaneous practice
had done for him。 He did not ask me anymore questions about my
hereditary predispositions on the paternal and maternal sides。 He
did not examine me with the stethoscope or the laryngoscope。 He only
strapped up my cut； and informed me that it would speedily get well
by the 〃first intention；〃an odd phrase enough； but sounding much
less formidable than cutis oenea。
I am afraid I have had something of the French prejudice which
embodies itself in the maxim 〃young surgeon； old physician。〃 But a
young physician who has been taught by great masters of the
profession； in ample hospitals； starts in his profession knowing more
than some old doctors have learned in a lifetime。 Give him a little
time to get the use of his wits in emergencies； and to know the
little arts that do so much for a patient's comfort；just as you
give a young sailor time to get his sea…legs on and teach his stomach
to behave itself；and he will do well enough。
The old Master knows ten times more about this matter and about all
the professions； as he does about everything else； than I do。 My
opinion is that he has studied two； if not three； of these
professions in a regular course。 I don't know that he has ever
preached； except as Charles Lamb said Coleridge always did； for when
he gets the bit in his teeth he runs away with the conversation； and
if he only took a text his talk would be a sermon； but if he has not
preached； he has made a study of theology； as many laymen do。 I know
he has some shelves of medical books in his library； and has ideas on
the subject of the healing art。 He confesses to having attended law
lectures and having had much intercourse with lawyers。 So he has
something to say on almost any subject that happens to come up。 I
told him my story about my visit to the young doctor； and asked him
what he thought of youthful practitioners in general and of Dr。
Benjamin in particular。
I 'll tell you what；the Master said；I know something about these
young fellows that come home with their heads full of 〃science；〃 as
they call it； and stick up their signs to tell people they know how
to cure their headaches and stomach…aches。 Science is a first…rate
piece of furniture for a man's upper chamber； if he has common sense
on the ground…floor。 But if a man has n't got plenty of good common
sense； the more science he has the worse for his patient。
I don't know that I see exactly how it is worse for the patient；I
said。
Well； I'll tell you； and you'll find it's a mighty simple matter。
When a person is sick； there is always something to be done for him；
and done at once。 If it is only to open or shut a window； if it is
only to tell him to keep on doing just what he is doing already； it
wants a man to bring his mind right down to the fact of the present
case and its immediate needs。 Now the present case； as the doctor
sees it； is just exactly such a collection of paltry individual facts
as never was before；a snarl and tangle of special conditions which
it is his business to wind as much thread out of as he can。 It is a
good deal as when a painter goes to take the portrait of any sitter
who happens to send for him。 He has seen just such noses and just
such eyes and just such mouths； but he never saw exactly such a face
before； and his business is with that and no other person's；with
the features of the worthy father of a family before him； and not
with the portraits he has seen in galleries or books； or Mr。
Copley's grand pictures of the fine old Tories； or the Apollos and
Jupiters of Greek sculpture。 It is the same thing with the patient。
His disease has features of its own； there never was and never will
be another case in all respects exactly like it。 If a doctor has
science without common sense； he treats a fever； but not this man's
fever。 If he has common sense without science； he treats this man's
fever without knowing the general laws that govern all fevers and all
vital movements。 I 'll tell you what saves these last fellows。 They
go for weakness whenever they see it； with stimulants and
strengtheners； and they go for overaction； heat； and high pulse； and
the rest； with cooling and reducing remedies。 That is three quarters
of medical practice。 The other quarter wants science and common
sense too。 But the men that have science only； begin too far back；
and； before they get as far as the case in hand； the patient has very
likely gone to visit his deceased relatives。 You remember Thomas
Prince's 〃Chronological History of New England；〃 I suppose？ He
begins； you recollect； with Adam； and has to work down five thousand
six hundred and twenty…four years before he gets to the Pilgrim
fathers and the Mayflower。 It was all very well； only it did n't
belong there； but got in the way of something else。 So it is with
〃science〃 out of place。 By far the larger part of the facts of
structure and function you find in the books of anato