Reply to Dr. McGilchrist's "Remarks" on Professor Bennett's introductory lecture, "The present state of the theory and practice of medicine" / by John Glen.
- Glen, John, M.A.
- Date:
- 1856
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Reply to Dr. McGilchrist's "Remarks" on Professor Bennett's introductory lecture, "The present state of the theory and practice of medicine" / by John Glen. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.
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![sophy [pregnant with use, though once thought barren], and truths in meclical science [also pregnant with use, though once, and even now by some, thought barren], he ventures on a criti- cism, to the intent that it is wrong in Dr Bennett to rank the use of this medical truth as equal in importance to the use of new physical truths. The reply is ready. Dr Bennett makes no such direct comparison between uses and results: Ist, Because it is beside his purpose, which was to point out that practical inventions in our days may trace their origin to very unlikely truths; and 2d, Because he is too wise to estimate what is ever shifting in value. Thus, the electric telegraph is most import- ant at this moment, for Government desires prompt informa- tion touching the state of the array. That information gained, the telegraph becomes of less importance and steam-engines rise in value, for troops require to be transported and telegraphs cannot do that. But neither telegraphs nor steam-engines will console a man who has tape-worm in his bowels. The im- portant thing for him is to get rid of the worm, and, further, to be warned how to avoid getting any more of their breed. The criticism is, therefore, a misrepresentation; and yet it is to hear this misrepresentation against an Edinburgh medical professor, that John Locke, of immortal memory, is raised from the dead. We are warned by common sense not to awaken a man abruptly from a sound sleep—he is apt to be out of temper. If the same rule prevails in Pluto's realms, the reason of John M'Gilchrist Locke's snappishness of manner is explained :--otherwise, his temper must have altered its type [like pneumonia], but for the worse, since he practised in Oxford 200 years ago. Further, his intellect also must have changed its type for a weaker form, if, like Pr M'Gilchrist, he misapprehended a comparison of ratios for a comparison of the things themselves. If Dr M'Gilchrist be honest, as none can doubt, in his confession of incompetence to see the truth of the analogy, the reason lies in his o-eneral ifrnorancc of the true nature of analogy. Thus he](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21478168_0018.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
