登陆注册
5228800000131

第131章 VIII(8)

The public will catch the rays reflected from the same source of light, and it needs instruction on the great subjects of health and disease,--needs it sadly. It is preyed upon by every kind of imposition almost without hindrance. Its ignorance and prejudices react upon the profession to the great injury of both. The jealous feeling, for instance, with regard to such provisions for the study of anatomy as are sanctioned by the laws in this State and carried out with strict regard to those laws, threatens the welfare, if not the existence of institutions for medical instruction wherever it is not held in check by enlightened intelligence. And on the other hand the profession has just been startled by a verdict against a physician, ruinous in its amount,--enough to drive many a hard- working young practitioner out of house and home,--a verdict which leads to the fear that suits for malpractice may take the place of the panel game and child-stealing as a means of extorting money. If the profession in this State, which claims a high standard of civilization, is to be crushed and ground beneath the upper millstone of the dearth of educational advantages and the lower millstone of ruinous penalties for what the ignorant ignorantly shall decide to be ignorance, all I can say is God save the Commonhealth of Massachusetts!

Once more, we cannot fail to see that just as astrology has given place to astronomy, so theology, the science of Him whom by searching no man can find out, is fast being replaced by what we may not improperly call theonomy, or the science of the laws according to which the Creator acts. And since these laws find their fullest manifestations for us, at least, in rational human natures, the study of anthropology is largely replacing that of scholastic divinity. We must contemplate our Maker indirectly in human attributes as we talk of Him in human parts of speech. And this gives a sacredness to the study of man in his physical, mental, moral, social, and religious nature which elevates the faithful students of anthropology to the dignity of a priesthood, and sheds a holy light on the recorded results of their labors, brought together as they are in such a collection as this which is now spread out before us.

Thus, then, our library is a temple as truly as the dome-crowned cathedral hallowed by the breath of prayer and praise, where the dead repose and the living worship. May it, with all its treasures, be consecrated like that to the glory of God, through the contributions it shall make to the advancement of sound knowledge, to the relief of human suffering, to the promotion of harmonious relations between the members of the two noble professions which deal with the diseases of the soul and with those of the body, and to the common cause in which all good men are working, the furtherance of the well-being of their fellow-creatures!

NOTE.--As an illustration of the statement in the last paragraph but one, I take the following notice from the "Boston Daily Advertiser," of December 4th, the day after the delivery of the address:

"Prince Lucien Bonaparte is now living in London, and is devoting himself to the work of collecting the creeds of all religions and sects, with a view to their classification,--his object being simply scientific or anthropological."

Since delivering the address, also, I find a leading article in the "Cincinnati Lancet and Clinic" of November 30th, headed "The Decadence of Homoeopathy," abundantly illustrated by extracts from the "Homoeopathic Times," the leading American organ of that sect.

In the New York "Medical Record" of the same date, which I had not seen before the delivery of my address, is an account of the action of the Homoeopathic Medical Society of Northern New York, in which Hahnemann's theory of "dynamization" is characterized in a formal resolve as "unworthy the confidence of the Homoeopathic profession."

It will be a disappointment to the German Homoeopathists to read in the "Homoeopathic Times" such a statement as the following:

"Whatever the influences have been which have checked the outward development of Homoeopathy, it is plainly evident that the Homoeopathic school, as regards the number of its openly avowed representatives, has attained its majority, and has begun to decline both in this country and in England."

All which is an additional reason for making a collection of the incredibly curious literature of Homoeopathy before that pseudological inanity has faded out like so many other delusions.

同类推荐
  • 机警

    机警

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Jeremy Bentham

    Jeremy Bentham

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 难经古义

    难经古义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 书旨述

    书旨述

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说十一想思念如来经

    佛说十一想思念如来经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 天命赊刀人

    天命赊刀人

    他们是游历四方的预言者,也通风水,走阴阳,行于世间的时候永远都身背一包菜刀和剪刀,所过之处所见之事通常都会留下个邪门至极的预言。他们是来自遥远道门的传承,铁口定生死,神算定乾坤,预知身后事,请问赊刀人!
  • 尸穸

    尸穸

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 霸道女王:男神爱我

    霸道女王:男神爱我

    北玥,世家北家的小公主,端的却是扮猪吃虎。苏辰,黄金单身汉,丈母娘眼中妥妥的金龟婿,年纪轻轻,事业有为。“北玥,我喜欢你”“哦,关我什么事”“小玥玥,你是我的心,你是我的肝,你是我的宝贝甜蜜饯”“滚”“我可以暖床,可以打架,可以挣钱,你就收了我吧”“考虑考虑”“……”
  • 枕上妻

    枕上妻

    秦悦歆被人骂的时候,是陆晨安牵着她的手帮她一字一句地反唇相讥;秦悦歆被人打的时候,是陆晨安按着轮椅出来将她护在身后;秦悦歆说疼的时候,陆晨安二话不说拿着一把牙签就往自己的手上扎说:“我陪你一起疼!”人人都说陆晨安爱秦悦歆爱到走火入魔,就连秦悦歆也觉得陆晨安爱她爱得没有底线。她只是没想到,没有底线,只是因为从来不在他的心上停过,所以才会纵容一切。秦悦歆以为自己爱上的是一头披着狼皮的羊,却没想到陆晨安是一头披着狼皮的豹。男欢女爱是套路,可是为什么,陆晨安你不把路修到最后。
  • 陶冶青少年高尚情操的美德故事

    陶冶青少年高尚情操的美德故事

    世界充满了色彩,充满了诱惑,名誉、金钱、权势……当我们在各种色彩面前目光缭乱的时候,什么才是最珍贵和最需要的呢?是品格,拥有一份高尚的品格,就如同有了一种参照物,不会被迷惑,不会再挑选的时候,浪费时间;有了美德的牵引,我们才会在沧桑与风雨的日子里不偏离前进的航向;正因为有了美德的积淀,生命才变得如山一样不屈,如海一样博大。
  • 女扮男装复仇公主

    女扮男装复仇公主

    一场车祸害得她与父母分阴阳两地,为了调查死因女扮男装进入校园,顺便还去娱乐圈玩玩,收获一批脑残粉。
  • 2010年中国故事精选

    2010年中国故事精选

    本书是“2010年选系列丛书”的微型小说作品选,精选了2010年度最优秀的微型小说作品,尽显年度微型小说写作之精髓。全书分为滴水藏海(袖珍)、拍案惊奇(中篇)、世态万象、真情大爱这四个部分,收录了末位化考勤、公鸡下蛋、玉貔貅、一条短信十个字、冬至食鲜、锁匠遇上烦心事、父亲的心思你别猜等作品。
  • 全能宗师

    全能宗师

    全能宗师异界行,想不牛叉都不行。新书《天才警察》已发,请大家去看看!
  • 海鸥

    海鸥

    成为新晋微博红人,郭炜凭的是一部叫《失语者》的微电影。而当粉丝数到达七位数时,他也开始意识到,制作微电影完全可以成为一种职业。于是,在拿到桥梁工程的硕士学位后,郭炜放弃了导师推荐的好工作,并用《失语者》赚的钱买了专业的摄像器材,开始独立制作城市题材的小纪录片,当然,也拍摄一些软广告性质的视频在网络发布。郭炜很满意这种工作状态,时间自由,兴趣所致,还能赚得盆满钵丰。
  • 三爷宠妻,无下限

    三爷宠妻,无下限

    一天,陆府的下人看到敷着面膜在书房办公的三爷,均是虎躯一震!这是号称在世阎王的陆三爷吗!画风不对啊!这时从卧房蹭蹭蹭跑出一个妖精样的少女,进去一把揭下面膜,手挑男人下巴。男人一把将人搂进怀里,委屈万分:“谁叫你嫌弃你老公老。”下人把嘴巴合上,既然是夫人说的瞎话,三爷无脑盲从就很合理了。自从国民女神结婚起,国民就万分八卦这婚后生活,担心他们的女神受欺负,陆府下人第一个急眼儿。说什么鬼话!在三爷家,又要负责赚钱养家还要保持貌美如花的可都是他们三爷!在外一匹狼,回家哈士奇,说得就是我们三爷!