Physician and patient

Importance of the subject. Definiteness of results in chemistry. Only a distant and humble approach to this possible in medicine. Illustration from chemistry. CAUSES OF THE UNCE...

Show in what medical skill consists, in view of the uncertainty of medicine—_appreciating the condition of the patient in all respects, and applying remedies in the best manner...

False estimate of the importance of _positive_ medication. This error appears in various ways. Healing of wounds—anointed axe. Attributing effects to agencies just preceding the...

The grand source of quackery the false reference of effects to causes. The way in which a remedy, whether active or inert, acquires its reputation. Quack medicines principally o...

Principles of the system as promulgated by its founder. Bold confidence of Thompson in his mode of practice. Points in his theory. Obstructed perspiration. Strife between the he...

Brief notice of the founder of Homœopathy. His exalted ideas of his “discovery.” Two principles in his theory. 1. _Like cures like._ According to Hahneman there are three modes...

Setting of bones wholly mechanical. There cannot be an _innate_ skill in this, any more than there can be in any other kind of mechanics. Explanation of bone-setting. Skill obta...

Not easy to distinguish between good and bad practice by results. If it were, would not be such differences of opinion among physicians and in the community. Examples of these d...

All real knowledge based upon observation, not on theory. Facts of two kinds—individual and general. General facts ascertained by observation of many individual or particular fa...

No class of men so erroneously estimated as physicians. Object of this chapter to show how the community can judge of them correctly. Education of physicians—evidences of it. Me...

The credulous, ignorant, and novelty-seeking, not the only persons imposed upon by quackery. Many of the judicious and intelligent also. Efforts to undeceive the public on this...

Erroneous views in regard to consultations. “Jury of doctors.” Dictation not consultation. Giving opinions in relation to the past treatment. Offices of the _consulting_, and of...

Confidence which one feels in his physician no reason for disparaging others. Interference proper in some cases—quackery—gross ignorance—intemperance. Reckless attacks upon prof...

Inadequate views of this influence prevalent. Importance of understanding it. Connection of mind and body. No proof that mind is essentially indestructible. Manifestations of mi...

Two classes of causes—those which act upon the mind, and those which act upon the body. Insanity always, strictly speaking, a disease of the organization. Too much disposition t...

Physician’s employment a cheerful one. Contrary opinion quite prevalent, but erroneous. Cases in which he can neither cure nor palliate few. Prevailing cast of physician’s mind,...

Variety of opinion and practice on this subject. Percival’s views in his Medical Ethics. Advocates falsehood. Object of this chapter to present the practical considerations bear...

Intimate relation of physician to his patients. Mutual confidence. Abuse of confidence. Guilt of it, especially in case of females. Sympathy of the physician—active—grows consta...

Great mental and bodily toil. Irregularity of life. No command over time. Exposure to causes of disease. Physicians a short-lived class. Compensation generally small. Medicine n...

The uncertainty of medicine is a common topic in all circles; and yet it is one which is very generally misunderstood, even by the intelligent and reflecting in the community. T...

The uncertainty of medicine is often most unjustly made to give a free license to blind experimenting. It should the rather stimulate to the most careful and searching observati...

One of the most common of these errors is a false estimate of the importance of _positive_ medication. This error appears in a great variety of forms. I will notice a few of them.

The reader is now prepared, by the facts and considerations presented in the previous chapters, to see in what way quackery, in its various forms, has obtained such a hold upon...

Thompsonism, or Thomsonianism, as it is more often called, or written, is a system of quackery, which, though it is evidently declining in public favor, is still so prominent, t...

Samuel Hahneman, the founder of the system of practice called by this name, was born at Messein in Saxony in the year 1755. At the age of twenty he went to Leipsic, to obtain hi...

The setting of bones is wholly a mechanical operation; and there cannot be a natural innate skill in this particular kind of mechanics, any more than there can be in any other k...

One would suppose at first thought, that the difference between the results of good, and those of bad practice in medicine, would be palpable to the most common and superficial...

All real knowledge is based upon observation; and it is the facts discovered by observation, which, accumulating from age to age, constitute the _store_ of human knowledge. Not...

There is no class of men whose talents and attainments are so erroneously estimated by the public as are those of physicians. Some of the causes of this erroneous estimate have...

It must be obvious to any one who observes the wide influence which quackery maintains in its various forms in the community, amid all the efforts which are made to overthrow it...

The object of this chapter is to notice some points in relation to the intercourse of physicians, which the community ought to understand, and to correct some prevalent errors,...

Great latitude is allowed by the community in interfering with the practice of physicians. It is the object of this chapter to point out some of the ways in which this interfere...

Many seem to think that when the body is sick, it is simply a sickness of the body alone, and the mind has nothing to do with it. They do indeed allow that when actual mental de...

It is not the object of this chapter to treat at large of insanity. It is my intention to speak, as briefly as possible, of some points in regard to its causes and its treatment...

I remember well that Dr. Jackson of Boston used to remark to the students, that the medical profession is, from the nature of its duties, a _cheerful_ profession. The physician...

On the question, whether strict veracity should be adhered to, in every case and under all circumstances, in our intercourse with the sick, there is very great difference of opi...

The relation which the physician sustains to the community is a peculiar one. No other man has so free access to so many families among all classes of society. He is admitted in...

The physician is subjected to great fatigue both of body and mind. He has no time that he can call his own. That regularity of life, which is so essential to comfort as well as...

You were pleased to desire me to send you the result of my observation and experience on the deeply interesting subject of endeavoring to promote the spiritual welfare of the si...

In my former communication I placed before you the considerations which had most impressed my own mind, in reference to the _importance_ of aiming to promote the spiritual welfa...

In accordance with your request, I now proceed to offer a few suggestions derived from personal observation, on the methods which appear to me best calculated to secure the impo...

§ 1. A physician should not only be ever ready to obey the calls of the sick, but his mind ought also to be imbued with the greatness of his mission, and the responsibility he h...

§ 1. Every individual, on entering the profession, as he becomes thereby entitled to all its privileges and immunities, incurs an obligation to exert his best abilities to maint...

§ 1. As good citizens, it is the duty of physicians to be ever vigilant for the welfare of the community, and to bear their part in sustaining its institutions and burdens: they...