Chaos & order, or The orthodox practice of medicine unveiled, versus the medical heresy! / by Dr. Th. Berigny.

  • Berigny, Th.
Date:
1858
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Chaos & order, or The orthodox practice of medicine unveiled, versus the medical heresy! / by Dr. Th. Berigny. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    in her attempts disorganisation reaches a certain extent, life returns to her original abode ; for she is not the result of the perfect human apparatus (mens agitat molem.—Virgil). VII. Nature, exercising an occult power to resist injury, certain evila may be gradually put up with to an extent which varies according to the constitution, age, and circumstances of the individual. VIII. If disease be the natural reaction against evil, through the healing power (nature), the purpose of the healing art is to come in to help nature, and facilitate her triumphs. As these principles are entertained by eminent men in science, we cannot refrain from quoting a few of their sentiments on the subject. The art of healing, it is very generally admitted, is one of those branches of medical knowledge in which there exists the greatest amount of errors, defects, and prejudices ; and where experience is alike most difficult and deceptive. The mistakes that are daily made are often far greater than we are willing to admit. And then, how little do we know of the extent of nature's own curative resources, and how much she will often effect, unaided by, or perhaps even in spite of, the interference of art. In the practice of our pro- fession, it should ever be borne in mind that we have to do, not only with the existing disease, but also with the conservative and reparatory efforts of nature, which, by itself, is often sufficient to produce a cure. Hence those reputations of medicine and modes of treatment, which so rapidly start up and are as quickly forgotten ; and hence those false gods of Therapeutics, that to-day are adored, and to- morrow are despised.—Bulletin de Therapeutique. Certain writers (amongst whom is Gideon Harvey, physician to William III.) have advocated systematic deception and chicane in the practice of medicine. Harvey's book was a refined satire on the therapeutics of his day. He knew what all men of ordinary pene- tration now know, that the conflicting theories and modes of treat- ment adopted in the profession have nearly similar results; that nature cures : and that the triumphant paeans of the pretender are raised for a victory not his own.—British and Foreign Medical Review. What is to be done 1 Shall we give up the attempt [to achieve a reformation in medicine] in despair ? Surely not. That course would be equally cowardly and impolitic. Impolitic, because the intelligent public is treading fast upon our heels. People already begin to say, ' When we send for a doctor, he can only tell us what we know already ;' or they slily hint to you, how they would attain to successful practice—' I would always let nature cure the disease.' ■—Dr. Lay cock, British and Foreign Medical Bevieiv. ^' Is it not presumable that they [diseases in general] have a