Letters to a young physician just entering upon practice / by James Jackson.

  • James Jackson
Date:
1855
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Letters to a young physician just entering upon practice / by James Jackson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

    45/354
    cal lecture were stating to his pupils his views in such a case, he might, perhaps, occupy an hour in so doing; and this to pupils so far advanced as to understand the scientific terms he would employ. How, then, can he make a brief, and at the same time an intelligible reply to a common patient ? But there is another difficulty which I will not disguise. This is, that in many cases we do not know the causes. Thus, in diseases of the skin, it is often impossible to assign the true cause; that is, the true efficient cause. From these considerations I have thought it better to avoid the discussion of causes as much as possible, never hesitating to avow that physicians are much more ignorant on these points than they are supposed to be; or, at least, that this was true in my own case. I have known one physician who could hardly be made to answer any question, during his visits, on points not relating to his patient. He was, perhaps, too dry, too stiff. But his course was admirable com- pared with that of the gossiping doctors, who talk over all the affairs of the village, almost forgetting the patient immediately before them. I need not point out the numerous evils of this course. Of many cases, and even of all, it may be desirable to keep notes; but there are some evils attending this. If the notes are taken during the visit, they must be