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They jog along the bridle…path on their horses until they come to another lowly dwelling。 They sit a while with a delicate looking girl in whom the ingenuous youth naturally takes a special interest。 The good physician talks cheerfully with her； asks her a few questions。 Then to her mother： 〃Good…wife； Margaret hath somewhat profited； as she telleth； by the goat's milk she hath taken night and morning。 Do thou pluck a maniplethat is an handfulof the plant called Maidenhair； and make a syrup therewith as I have shewed thee。 Let her take a cup full of the same； fasting； before she sleepeth； also before she riseth from her bed。〃 And so they leave the house。
〃What thinkest thou； Luke； of the maid we have been visiting？〃 〃She seemeth not much ailing； Master； according to my poor judgment。 For she did say she was better。 And she had a red cheek and a bright eye； and she spake of being soon able to walk unto the meeting； and did seem greatly hopeful； but spare of flesh； methought； and her voice something hoarse； as of one that hath a defluxion； with some small coughing from a cold； as she did say。 Speak I not truly； Master； that she will be well speedily？〃
〃Yea； Luke； I do think she shall be well； and mayhap speedily。 But it is not here with us she shall be well。 For that redness of the cheek is but the sign of the fever which； after the Grecians； we do call the hectical； and that shining of the eyes is but a sickly glazing； and they which do every day get better and likewise thinner and weaker shall find that way leadeth to the church…yard gate。 This is the malady which the ancients did call tubes； or the wasting disease； and some do name the consumption。 A disease whereof most that fall ailing do perish。 This Margaret is not long for earthbut she knoweth it not； and still hopeth。〃
〃Why； then； Master； didst thou give her of thy medicine； seeing that her ail is unto death？〃
〃Thou shalt learn； boy； that they which are sick must have somewhat wherewith to busy their thoughts。 There be some who do give these tabid or consumptives a certain posset made with lime…water and anise and liquorice and raisins of the sun； and there be other some who do give the juice of craw…fishes boiled in barley…water with chicken… broth； but these be toys； as I do think； and ye shall find as good virtue； nay better； in this syrup of the simple called Maidenhair。〃
Something after this manner might Master Giles Firmin have delivered his clinical instructions。 Somewhat in this way； a century and a half later； another New England physician； Dr。 Edward Augustus Holyoke； taught a young man who came to study with him； a very diligent and intelligent youth； James Jackson by name； the same whose portrait in his advanced years hangs upon this wall； long the honored Professor of Theory and Practice in this Institution； of whom I shall say something in this Lecture。 Our venerated Teacher studied assiduously afterwards in the great London Hospitals； but I think he used to quote his 〃old Master〃 ten times where he quoted Mr。 Cline or Dr。 Woodville once。
When I compare this direct transfer of the practical experience of a wise man into the mind of a student；every fact one that he can use in the battle of life and death；with the far off； unserviceable 〃scientific〃 truths that I and some others are in the habit of teaching； I cannot help asking myself whether； if we concede that our forefathers taught too little； there is nota possibility that we may sometimes attempt to teach too much。 I almost blush when I think of myself as describing the eight several facets on two slender processes of the palate bone； or the seven little twigs that branch off from the minute tympanic nerve； and I wonder whether my excellent colleague feels in the same way when he pictures himself as giving the constitution of neurin； which as he and I know very well is that of the hydrate of trimethyle…oxethyle…ammonium； or the formula for the production of alloxan； which； though none but the Professors and older students can be expected to remember it； is C10 H4 N4 O6＋ 2HO； NO5｝=C8 H4 N2 O10＋2CO2＋N2＋NH4 O； NO5。
I can bear the voice of some rough iconoclast addressing the Anatomist and the Chemist in tones of contemptuous indignation： 〃What is this stuff with which you are cramming the brains of young men who are to hold the lives of the community in their hands？ Here is a man fallen in a fit； you can tell me all about the eight surfaces of the two processes of the palate bone； but you have not had the sense to loosen that man's neck…cloth； and the old women are all calling you a fool？ Here is a fellow that has just swallowed poison。 I want something to turn his stomach inside out at the shortest notice。 Oh； you have forgotten the dose of the sulphate of zinc； but you remember the formula for the production of alloxan！〃
〃Look you； Master Doctor；if I go to a carpenter to come and stop a leak in my roof that is flooding the house； do you suppose I care whether he is a botanist or not？ Cannot a man work in wood without knowing all about endogens and exogens； or must he attend Professor Gray's Lectures before he can be trusted to make a box…trap？ If my horse casts a shoe； do you think I will not trust a blacksmith to shoe him until I have made sure that he is sound on the distinction between the sesquioxide and the protosesquioxide of iron？〃
But my scientific labor is to lead to useful results by and by； in the next generation； or in some possible remote future。
〃Diavolo！〃 as your Dr。 Rabelais has it；answers the iconoclast； 〃what is that to me and my colic； to me and my strangury？ I pay the Captain of the Cunard steamship to carry me quickly and safely to Liverpool； not to make a chart of the Atlantic for after voyagers！ If Professor Peirce undertakes to pilot me into Boston Harbor and runs me on Cohasset rocks； what answer is it to tell me that he is Superintendent of the Coast Survey？ No； Sir！ I want a plain man in a pea…jacket and a sou'wester； who knows the channel of Boston Harbor； and the rocks of Boston Harbor； and the distinguished Professor is quite of my mind as to the matter； for I took the pains to ask him before I ventured to use his name in the way of illustration。〃
I do not know how the remarks of the image…breaker may strike others； but I feel that they put me on my defence with regard to much of my teaching。 Some years ago I ventured to show in an introductory Lecture how very small a proportion of the anatomical facts taught in a regular course； as delivered by myself and others； had any practical bearing whatever on the treatment of disease。 How can I； how can any medical teacher justify himself in teaching anything that is not like to be of practical use to a class of young men who are to hold in their hands the balance in which life and death； ease and anguish； happiness and wretchedness are to be daily weighed？
I hope we are not all wrong。 Oftentimes in finding how sadly ignorant of really essential and vital facts and rules were some of those whom we had been larding with the choicest scraps of science； I have doubted whether the old one…man system of teaching； when the one man was of the right sort； did not turn out be