medical essays-第4章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　a　duel；　submitted　himself　to　a　trial　of　the　Sympathetic　Powder。　　Four　days　after　he　received　his　wounds；　Sir　Kenehn　dipped　one　of　Mr。　Howell's　gaiters　in　a　solution　of　the　Powder；　and　immediately；　it　is　said；　the　wounds；　which　were　very　painful；　grew　easy；　although　the　patient；　who　was　conversing　in　a　corner　of　the　chamber；　had　not；　the　least　idea　of　what　was　doing　with　his　garter。　　He　then　returned　home；　leaving　his　garter　in　the　hands　of　Sir　Kenelm；　who　had　hung　it　up　to　dry；　when　Mr。　Howell　sent　his　servant　in　a　great　hurry　to　tell　him　that　his　wounds　were　paining　him　horribly；　the　garter　was　therefore　replaced　in　the　solution　of　the　Powder；　and　the　patient　got　well　after　five　or　six　days　of　its　continued　immersion。〃

King　James　First；　his　son　Charles　the　First；　the　Duke　of　Buckingham；　then　prime　minister；　and　all　the　principal　personages　of　the　time；　were　cognizant　of　this　fact；　and　James　himself；　being　curious　to　know　the　secret　of　this　remedy；　asked　it　of　Sir　Kenelm；　who　revealed　it　to　him；　and　his　Majesty　had　the　opportunity　of　making　several　trials　of　its　efficacy；　which　all　succeeded　in　a　surprising　manner。〃　＇Dict。　des　Sciences　Medieales。＇

The　king's　physician；　Dr。　Mayerne；　was　made　master　of　the　secret；　which　he　carried　to　France　and　communicated　to　the　Duke　of　Mayenne；　who　performed　many　cures　by　means　of　it；　and　taught　it　to　his　surgeon；　who；　after　the　Duke's　death；　sold　it　to　many　distinguished　persons；　by　whose　agency　it　soon　ceased　to　be　a　secret。　　What　was　this　wonderful　substance　which　so　astonished　kings；　princes；　dukes；　knights；　and　doctors？　　Nothing　but　powdered　blue　vitriol。　　But　it　was　made　to　undergo　several　processes　that　conferred　on　it　extraordinary　virtues。　　Twice　or　thrice　it　was　to　be　dissolved；　filtered；　and　crystallized。　　The　crystals　were　to　be　laid　in　the　sun　during　the　months　of　June；　July；　and　August；　taking　care　to　turn　them　carefully　that　all　should　be　exposed。　　Then　they　were　to　be　powdered；　triturated；　and　again　exposed　to　the　sun；　again　reduced　to　a　very　fine　powder；　and　secured　in　a　vessel；　while　hot；　from　the　sunshine。　If　there　seem　anything　remarkable　in　the　fact　of　such　astonishing　properties　being　developed　by　this　process；　it　must　be　from　our　short…sightedness；　for　common　salt　and　charcoal　develop　powers　quite　as　marvellous　after　a　certain　number　of　thumps；　stirs；　and　shakes；　from　the　hands　of　modern　workers　of　miracles。　　In　fact　the　Unguentum　Armarium　and　Sympathetic　Powder　resemble　some　more　recent　prescriptions；　the　latter　consisting　in　an　infinite　dilution　of　the　common　dose　in　which　remedies　are　given；　and　the　two　former　in　an　infinite　dilution　of　the　common　distance　at　which　they　are　applied。

Whether　philosophers；　and　more　especially　metaphysicians；　have　any　peculiar　tendency　to　dabble　in　drugs　and　dose　themselves　with　physic；　is　a　question　which　might　suggest　itself　to　the　reader　of　their　biographies。

When　Bishop　Berkeley　visited　the　illustrious　Malebranche　at　Paris；　he　found　him　in　his　cell；　cooking　in　a　small　pipkin　a　medicine　for　an　inflammation　of　the　lungs；　from　which　he　was　suffering；　and　the　disease；　being　unfortunately　aggravated　by　the　vehemence　of　their　discussion；　or　the　contents　of　the　pipkin；　carried　him　off　in　the　course　of　a　few　days。　　Berkeley　himself　afforded　a　remarkable　illustration　of　a　truth　which　has　long　been　known　to　the　members　of　one　of　the　learned　professions；　namely；　that　no　amount　of　talent；　or　of　acquirements　in　other　departments；　can　rescue　from　lamentable　folly　those　who；　without　something　of　the　requisite　preparation；　undertake　to　experiment　with　nostrums　upon　themselves　and　their　neighbors。　　The　exalted　character　of　Berkeley　is　thus　drawn　by　Sir　James　Mackintosh：　Ancient　learning；　exact　science；　polished　society；　modern　literature；　and　the　fine　arts；　contributed　to　adorn　and　enrich　the　mind　of　this　accomplished　man。　　All　his　contemporaries　agreed　with　the　satirist　in　ascribing

　　　　　〃'To　Berkeley　every　virtue　under　heaven。'

〃Even　the　discerning；　fastidious；　and　turbulent　Atterbury　said；　after　an　interview　with　him；　'So　much　understanding；　so　much　knowledge；　so　much　innocence；　and　such　humility；　I　did　not　think　had　been　the　portion　of　any　but　angels；　till　I　saw　this　gentleman。'〃

But　among　the　writings　of　this　great　and　good　man　is　an　Essay　of　the　most　curious　character；　illustrating　his　weakness　upon　the　point　in　question；　and　entitled；　〃Siris；　a　Chain　of　Philosophical　Reflections　and　Inquiries　concerning　the　Virtues　of　TAR　WATER；　and　divers　other　Subjects；〃an　essay　which　begins　with　a　recipe　for　his　favorite　fluid；　and　slides　by　gentle　gradations　into　an　examination　of　the　sublimest　doctrines　of　Plato。　　To　show　how　far　a　man　of　honesty　and　benevolence；　and　with　a　mind　of　singular　acuteness　and　depth；　may　be　run　away　with　by　a　favorite　notion　on　a　subject　which　his　habits　and　education　do　not　fit　him　to　investigate；　I　shall　give　a　short　account　of　this　Essay；　merely　stating　that　as　all　the　supposed　virtues　of　Tar　Water；　made　public　in　successive　editions　of　his　treatise　by　so　illustrious　an　author；　have　not　saved　it　from　neglect　and　disgrace；　it　may　be　fairly　assumed　that　they　were　mainly　imaginary。

The　bishop；　as　is　usual　in　such　cases；　speaks　of　himself　as　indispensably　obliged；　by　the　duty　he　owes　to　mankind；　to　make　his　experience　public。　　Now　this　was　by　no　means　evident；　nor　does　it　follow　in　general；　that　because　a　man　has　formed　a　favorable　opinion　of　a　person　or　a　thing　he　has　not　the　proper　means　of　thoroughly　understanding；　he　shall　be　bound　to　print　it；　and　thus　give　currency　to　his　impressions；　which　may　be　erroneous；　and　therefore　injurious。　He　would　have　done　much　better　to　have　laid　his　impressions　before　some　experienced　physicians　and　surgeons；　such　as　Dr。　Mead　and　Mr。　Cheselden；　to　have　asked　them　to　try　his　experiment　over　again；　and　have　been　guided　by　their　answers。　　But　the　good　bishop　got　excited；　he　pleased　himself　with　the　thought　that　he　had　discovered　a　great　panacea；　and　having　once　tasted　the　bewitching　cup　of　self…quackery；　like　many　before　and　since　his　time；　he　was　so　infatuated　with　the　draught　that　he　would　insist　on　pouring　it　down　the　throats　of　his　neighbors　and　all　mankind。

The　precious　fluid　was　made　by　stirring　a　gallon　of　water　with　a　quart　of　tar；　leaving　it　forty…eight　hours；　and　pouring　off　the　clear　water。　　Such　was　the　specific　which　the　great　metaphysician　recommended　for　averting　and　curing　all　manner　of　diseases。　　It　was；　if　he　might　be　believed；　a　preventive　of　the　small…pox；　and　of　great　use　in　the　course　of　the　disease。　　It　was　a　cure　for　impurities　of　the　blood；　coughs；　pleurisy；　peripneumony；　erysipelas；　asthma；　indigestion；　carchexia；　hysterics；　dropsy；　mortification；　scurvy；　and　hypochondria。　　It　was　of　great　use　in　gout　and　fevers；　and　was　an　excellent　preservative　of　the　teeth　and　gums；　answered　all　the　purpose　of　Elixir　Proprietatis；　Stoughton's　drops；　diet　drinks；　and　mineral　waters；　was　particularly　to　be　recommended　to　sea…faring　persons；　ladies；　and　men　of　studious　and　sedentary　lives；　could　never　be　taken　too　long；　but；　on　the　contrary；　produced　advantages　which　sometimes　did　not　begin　to　show　themselves　for　two　or　three　months。

〃From　my　representing　Tar　Water　as　good　for　so　many　things；〃　says　Berkeley；　〃some　perhaps　may　conclude　it　is　good　for　nothing。　　But　charity　obligeth　me　to　say　what　I　know；　and　what　I　think；　however　it　may　be　taken。　　Men　may　censure　and　object　as　they　please；　but　I　appeal　to　time　and　experiment。　　Effects　misimputed；　cases　wrong　told；　circumstances　overlooked；　perhaps；　too；　prejudices　and　partialities　against　truth；　may　for　a　time　prevail　and　keep　her　at　the　bottom　of　her　well；　from　whence　nevertheless　she　emergeth　sooner　or　later；　and　strikes　the　eyes　of　all　who　do　not　keep　them　shut。〃　　I　cannot　resist　the　temptation　of　illustrating　the　bishop's　belief　in　the　wonderful　powers　of　his　remedy；　by　a　few　sentences　from　different　parts　of　his　essay。　　〃The　hardness　of　stubbed　vulgar　constitutions　renders　them　insensible　of　a　thousand　things　that　fret　and　gall　those　delicate　people；　who；　as　if　their　skin　was　peeled　off；　feel　to　the　quick　everything　that　touches　them。　　The　tender　nerves　and　low　spirits　of　such　poor　creatures　would　be　much　relieved　by　the　use　of　Tar　Water；　which　might　prolong　and　cheer　their　lives。〃　　〃It　＇the　Tar　Water＇　may　be　made　stronger　for　brute　beasts；　as　horses；　in　whose　disorders　I　have　found　it　very　useful。〃　　〃　This　same　water　will　also　give　charitable　relief　to　the　ladies；　who　often　want　it　more　than　the　parish　poor；　being　many　of　them　never　able　to　make　a　good　meal；　and　sitting　pale；　puny；　and　forbidden；　like　ghosts；　at　their　own　table；　victims　of　vapors　and　indigestion。〃　　It　does　not　appear　among　the　virtues　of　Tar　Water　that　〃children　cried　for　it；〃　as　for　some　of　our　modern　remedies；　but　the　bishop　says；　〃I　have　known　children　take　it　for　above　six　months　together　with　great　benefit；　and　without　any　inconvenience；　and　after　long　and　repeated　experience　I　do　esteem　it　a　most　excellent　diet　drink；　fitted　to　all　seasons　and　ages。〃　　After　mentioning　its　usefulness　in　febrile　complaints；　he　says：　〃I　have　had　all　this　confirmed　by　my　own　experience　in　the　late　sickly　season　of　the　year　one　thousand　seven　hundred　and　forty…one；　having　had　twenty…　five　fevers　in　my　own　family　cured　by　this　medicinal　water；　drunk　copiously。〃　　And　to　finish　these　extracts　with　a　most　important　suggestion　for　the　improvement　of　the　British　nation：　〃It　is　much　to　be　lamented　that　our　Insulars　who　act　and　think　so　much　for　themselves；　should　yet；　from　grossness　of　air　and　diet；　grow　stupid　or　doat　sooner　than　other　people；　who；　by　virtue　of　elastic　air；　water…drinking；　and　light　food；　preserve　their　faculties　to　extreme　old　age；　an　advantage　which　may　perhaps　be　approached；　if　not　equaled；　even　in　these　regions；　by　Tar　Water；　temperance；　and　early　hours。〃

Berkeley　died　at　the　age　of　about　seventy；　he　might　have　lived　longer；　but　his　fatal　illness　was　so　sudden　that　there　was　not　time　enough　to　stir　up　a　quart　of　the　panacea。　　He　was　an　illustrious　man；　but　he　held　two　very　odd　opinions；　that　tar　water　was　everything；　and　that　the　whole　material　universe　was　nothing。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…

Most　of　those　present　have　at　some　time　in　their　lives　heard　mention　made　of　the　METALLIC　TRACTORS；　invented　by　one　Dr。　Perkins；　an　American；　and　formerly　enjoying　great　repute　for　the　cure　of　various　diseases。　　Many　have　seen　or　heard　of　a　satirical　poem；　written　by　one　of　our　own　countrymen　also；　about　forty　years　since；　and　called　〃Terrible　Tractoration。〃　　The　Metallic　Tractors　are　now　so　utterly　abandoned　that　I　have　only　by　good　fortune　fallen　upon　a　single　one　of　a　pair；　to　show　for　the　sake　of　illustration。　　For　more　than　thirty　years　this　great　discovery；　which　was　to　banish　at　least　half　the　evils　which　afflict　humanity；　has　been　sleeping　undisturbed　in　the　grave　of　oblivion。　　Not　a　voice　has；　for　this　long　period；　been　raised　in　its　favor；　its　noble　and　learned　patrons；　its　public　institutions；　its　eloquent　advocates；　its　brilliant　promises　are　all　covered　with　the　dust　of　silent　neglect；　and　of　the　generation　which　has　sprung　up　since　the　period　when　it　flourished；　very　few　know　anything　of　its　history；　and　hardly　even　the　title　which　in　its　palmy　days