the poet at the breakfast table-第26章

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told　him　my　story　about　my　visit　to　the　young　doctor；　and　asked　him
what　he　thought　of　youthful　practitioners　in　general　and　of　Dr。
Benjamin　in　particular。

I　'll　tell　you　what；the　Master　said；I　know　something　about　these
young　fellows　that　come　home　with　their　heads　full　of　〃science；〃　as
they　call　it；　and　stick　up　their　signs　to　tell　people　they　know　how
to　cure　their　headaches　and　stomach…aches。　　Science　is　a　first…rate
piece　of　furniture　for　a　man's　upper　chamber；　if　he　has　common　sense
on　the　ground…floor。　　But　if　a　man　has　n't　got　plenty　of　good　common
sense；　the　more　science　he　has　the　worse　for　his　patient。

I　don't　know　that　I　see　exactly　how　it　is　worse　for　the　patient；I
said。

Well；　I'll　tell　you；　and　you'll　find　it's　a　mighty　simple　matter。
When　a　person　is　sick；　there　is　always　something　to　be　done　for　him；
and　done　at　once。　　If　it　is　only　to　open　or　shut　a　window；　if　it　is
only　to　tell　him　to　keep　on　doing　just　what　he　is　doing　already；　it
wants　a　man　to　bring　his　mind　right　down　to　the　fact　of　the　present
case　and　its　immediate　needs。　　Now　the　present　case；　as　the　doctor
sees　it；　is　just　exactly　such　a　collection　of　paltry　individual　facts
as　never　was　before；a　snarl　and　tangle　of　special　conditions　which
it　is　his　business　to　wind　as　much　thread　out　of　as　he　can。　　It　is　a
good　deal　as　when　a　painter　goes　to　take　the　portrait　of　any　sitter
who　happens　to　send　for　him。　　He　has　seen　just　such　noses　and　just
such　eyes　and　just　such　mouths；　but　he　never　saw　exactly　such　a　face
before；　and　his　business　is　with　that　and　no　other　person's；with
the　features　of　the　worthy　father　of　a　family　before　him；　and　not
with　the　portraits　he　has　seen　in　galleries　or　books；　or　Mr。
Copley's　grand　pictures　of　the　fine　old　Tories；　or　the　Apollos　and
Jupiters　of　Greek　sculpture。　　It　is　the　same　thing　with　the　patient。
His　disease　has　features　of　its　own；　there　never　was　and　never　will
be　another　case　in　all　respects　exactly　like　it。　　If　a　doctor　has
science　without　common　sense；　he　treats　a　fever；　but　not　this　man's
fever。　　If　he　has　common　sense　without　science；　he　treats　this　man's
fever　without　knowing　the　general　laws　that　govern　all　fevers　and　all
vital　movements。　　I　'll　tell　you　what　saves　these　last　fellows。　　They
go　for　weakness　whenever　they　see　it；　with　stimulants　and
strengtheners；　and　they　go　for　overaction；　heat；　and　high　pulse；　and
the　rest；　with　cooling　and　reducing　remedies。　　That　is　three　quarters
of　medical　practice。　　The　other　quarter　wants　science　and　common
sense　too。　　But　the　men　that　have　science　only；　begin　too　far　back；
and；　before　they　get　as　far　as　the　case　in　hand；　the　patient　has　very
likely　gone　to　visit　his　deceased　relatives。　　You　remember　Thomas
Prince's　〃Chronological　History　of　New　England；〃　I　suppose？　　He
begins；　you　recollect；　with　Adam；　and　has　to　work　down　five　thousand
six　hundred　and　twenty…four　years　before　he　gets　to　the　Pilgrim
fathers　and　the　Mayflower。　　It　was　all　very　well；　only　it　did　n't
belong　there；　but　got　in　the　way　of　something　else。　　So　it　is　with
〃science〃　out　of　place。　　By　far　the　larger　part　of　the　facts　of
structure　and　function　you　find　in　the　books　of　anatomy　and
physiology　have　no　immediate　application　to　the　daily　duties　of　the
practitioner。　　You　must　learn　systematically；　for　all　that；　it　is　the
easiest　way　and　the　only　way　that　takes　hold　of　the　memory；　except
mere　empirical　repetition；　like　that　of　the　handicraftsman。　　Did　you
ever　see　one　of　those　Japanese　figures　with　the　points　for
acupuncture　marked　upon　it？

I　had　to　own　that　my　schooling　had　left　out　that　piece　of
information。

Well；　I　'll　tell　you　about　it。　　You　see　they　have　a　way　of　pushing
long；　slender　needles　into　you　for　the　cure　of　rheumatism　and　other
complaints；　and　it　seems　there　is　a　choice　of　spots　for　the
operation；　though　it　is　very　strange　how　little　mischief　it　does　in　a
good　many　places　one　would　think　unsafe　to　meddle　with。　　So　they　had
a　doll　made；　and　marked　the　spots　where　they　had　put　in　needles
without　doing　any　harm。　　They　must　have　had　accidents　from　sticking
the　needles　into　the　wrong　places　now　and　then；　but　I　suppose　they
did　n't　say　a　great　deal　about　those。　　After　a　time；　say　a　few
centuries　of　experience；　they　had　their　doll　all　spotted　over　with
safe　places　for　sticking　in　the　needles。　　That　is　their　way　of
registering　practical　knowledge：　We；　on　the　other　hand；　study　the
structure　of　the　body　as　a　whole；　systematically；　and　have　no
difficulty　at　all　in　remembering　the　track　of　the　great　vessels　and
nerves；　and　knowing　just　what　tracks　will　be　safe　and　what　unsafe。
It　is　just　the　same　thing　with　the　geologists。　　Here　is　a　man　close
by　us　boring　for　water　through　one　of　our　ledges；　because　somebody
else　got　water　somewhere　else　in　that　way；　and　a　person　who　knows
geology　or　ought　to　know　it；　because　he　has　given　his　life　to　it；
tells　me　he　might　as　well　bore　there　for　lager…beer　as　for　water。

I　thought　we　had　had　enough　of　this　particular　matter；　and　that　I
should　like　to　hear　what　the　Master　had　to　say　about　the　three
professions　he　knew　something　about；　each　compared　with　the　others。

What　is　your　general　estimate　of　doctors；　lawyers；　and　ministers？
said　I。

Wait　a　minute；　till　I　have　got　through　with　your　first　question；
said　the　Master。…One　thing　at　a　time。　　You　asked　me　about　the　young
doctors；　and　about　our　young　doctor。　　They　come　home　tres　biens
chausses；　as　a　Frenchman　would　say；　mighty　well　shod　with
professional　knowledge。　　But　when　they　begin　walking　round　among
their　poor　patients；　they　don't　commonly　start　with　millionnaires；
they　find　that　their　new　shoes　of　scientific　acquirements　have　got　to
be　broken　in　just　like　a　pair　of　boots　or　brogans。　　I　don't　know　that
I　have　put　it　quite　strong　enough。　　Let　me　try　again。　　You've　seen
those　fellows　at　the　circus　that　get　up　on　horseback　so　big　that　you
wonder　how　they　could　climb　into　the　saddle。　　But　pretty　soon　they
throw　off　their　outside　coat；　and　the　next　minute　another　one；　and
then　the　one　under　that；　and　so　they　keep　peeling　off　one　garment
after　another　till　people　begin　to　look　queer　and　think　they　are
going　too　far　for　strict　propriety。　　Well；　that　is　the　way　a　fellow
with　a　real　practical　turn　serves　a　good　many　of　his　scientific
wrappers；　flings　'em　off　for　other　people　to　pick　up；　and　goes　right
at　the　work　of　curing　stomach…aches　and　all　the　other　little　mean
unscientific　complaints　that　make　up　the　larger　part　of　every
doctor's　business。　　I　think　our　Dr。　Benjamin　is　a　worthy　young　man；
and　if　you　are　in　need　of　a　doctor　at　any　time　I　hope　you　will　go　to
him；　and　if　you　come　off　without　harm；　I　will　recommend　some　other
friend　to　try　him。

I　thought　he　was　going　to　say　he　would　try　him　in　his　own　person；
but　the　Master　is　not　fond　of　committing　himself。

Now；　I　will　answer　your　other　question；　he　said。　　The　lawyers　are　the
cleverest　men；　the　ministers　are　the　most　learned；　and　the　doctors
are　the　most　sensible。

The　lawyers　are　a　picked　lot；　〃first　scholars〃　and　the　like；　but
their　business　is　as　unsympathetic　as　Jack　Ketch's。　　There　is　nothing
humanizing　in　their　relations　with　their　fellow…creatures。　　They　go
for　the　side　that　retains　them。　　They　defend　the　man　they　know　to　be
a　rogue；　and　not　very　rarely　throw　suspicion　on　the　man　they　know　to
be　innocent。　　Mind　you；　I　am　not　finding　fault　with　them；　every　side
of　a　case　has　a　right　to　the　best　statement　it　admits　of；　but　I　say
it　does　not　tend　to　make　them　sympathetic。　　Suppose　in　a　case　of
Fever　vs。　Patient；　the　doctor　should　side　with　either　party　according
to　whether　the　old　miser　or　his　expectant　heir　was　his　employer。
Suppose　the　minister　should　side　with　the　Lord　or　the　Devil；
according　to　the　salary　offered　and　other　incidental　advantages；
where　the　soul　of　a　sinner　was　in　question。　　You　can　see　what　a　piece
of　work　it　would　make　of　their　sympathies。　　But　the　lawyers　are
quicker　witted　than　either　of　the　other　professions；　and　abler　men
generally。　　They　are　good…natured；　or；　if　they　quarrel；　their
quarrels　are　above…board。　　I　don't　think　they　are　as　accomplished　as
the　ministers；　but　they　have　a　way　of　cramming　with　specia