medical essays-第86章
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a brief list of matters of interest which I could not find by their titles； and this I did； at no small expense of time and trouble。
Nothing； therefore； could be more pleasing to me than to see the attention which has been given of late years to the great work of indexing。 It is a quarter of a century since Mr。 Poole published his 〃Index to Periodical Literature；〃 which it is much to be hoped is soon to appear in a new edition； grown as it must be to formidable dimensions by the additions of so long a period。 The 〃British and Foreign Medical Review；〃 edited by the late Sir John Forties； contributed to by Huxley； Carpenter； Laycock； and others of the most distinguished scientific men of Great Britain； has an index to its twenty…four volumes； and by its aid I find this valuable series as manageable as a lexicon。 The last edition of the 〃Encyclopaedia Britannica〃 had a complete index in a separate volume； and the publishers of Appletons' 〃American Cyclopaedia〃 have recently issued an index to their useful work； which must greatly add to its value。 I have already referred to the index to the 〃North American Review；〃 which to an American； and especially to a New Englander； is the most interesting and most valuable addition of its kind to our literary apparatus since the publication of Mr。 Allibone's 〃Dictionary of Authors。〃 I might almost dare to parody Mr。 Webster's words in speaking of Hamilton； to describe what Mr。 Gushing did for the solemn rows of back volumes of our honored old Review which had been long fossilizing on our shelves： 〃He touched the dead corpse of the 'North American；'〃 and it sprang to its feet。〃 A library of the best thought of the best American scholars during the greater portion of the century was brought to light by the work of the indexmaker as truly as were the Assyrian tablets by the labors of Layard。
A great portion of the best writing and reading literary； scientific； professional； miscellaneouscomes to us now； at stated intervals； in paper covers。 The writer appears； as it were； in his shirt…sleeves。 As soon as he has delivered his message the book…binder puts a coat on his back； and he joins the forlorn brotherhood of 〃back volumes；〃 than which； so long as they are unindexed； nothing can be more exasperating。 Who wants a lock without a key； a ship without a rudder； a binnacle without a compass； a check without a signature； a greenback without a goldback behind it？
I have referred chiefly to the medical journals； but I would include with these the reports of medical associations； and those separate publications which； coming in the form of pamphlets； heap themselves into chaotic piles and bundles which are worse than useless； taking up a great deal of room； and frightening everything away but mice and mousing antiquarians； or possibly at long intervals some terebrating specialist。
Arranged； bound； indexed； all these at once become accessible and valuable。 I will take the first instance which happens to suggest itself。 How many who know all about osteoblasts and the experiments of Ollier； and all that has grown out of them； know where to go for a paper by the late Dr。 A。 L。 Peirson of Salem； published in the year 1840； under the modest title； Remarks on Fractures？ And if any practitioner who has to deal with broken bones does not know that most excellent and practical essay； it is a great pity； for it answers very numerous questions which will be sure to suggest themselves to the surgeon and the patient as no one of the recent treatises； on my own shelves； at least； can do。
But if indexing is the special need of our time in medical literature； as in every department of knowledge； it must be remembered that it is not only an immense labor； but one that never ends。 It requires； therefore； the cooperation of a large number of individuals to do the work； and a large amount of money to pay for making its results public through the press。 When it is remembered that the catalogue of the library of the British Museum is contained in nearly three thousand large folios of manuscript； and not all its books are yet included； the task of indexing any considerable branch of science or literature looks as if it were well nigh impossible。 But many hands make light work。 An 〃Index Society〃 has been formed in England； already numbering about one hundred and seventy members。 It aims at 〃supplying thorough indexes to valuable works and collections which have hitherto lacked them； at issuing indexes to the literature of special subjects； and at gathering materials for a general reference index。〃 This society has published a little treatise setting forth the history and the art of indexing； which I trust is in the hands of some of our members； if not upon our shelves。
Something has been done in the same direction by individuals in our own country； as we have already seen。 The need of it in the department of medicine is beginning to be clearly felt。 Our library has already an admirable catalogue with cross references； the work of a number of its younger members cooperating in the task。 A very intelligent medical student； Mr。 William D。 Chapin； whose excellent project is indorsed by well…known New York physicians and professors； proposes to publish a yearly index to original communications in the medical journals of the United States； classified by authors and subjects。 But it is from the National Medical Library at Washington that we have the best promise and the largest expectations。 That great and growing collection of fifty thousand volumes is under the eye and hand of a librarian who knows books and how to manage them。 For libraries are the standing armies of civilization； and an army is but a mob without a general who can organize and marshal it so as to make it effective。 The 〃Specimen Fasciculus of a Catalogue of the National Medical Library；〃 prepared under the direction of Dr。 Billings； the librarian； would have excited the admiration of Haller； the master scholar in medical science of the last century； or rather of the profession in all centuries； and if carried out as it is begun will be to the nineteenth all and more than all that the three BibliothecaeAnatomica； Chirurgica； and Medicinae…Practicaewere to the eighteenth century。 I cannot forget the story that Agassiz was so fond of telling of the king of Prussia and Fichte。 It was after the humiliation and spoliation of the kingdom by Napoleon that the monarch asked the philosopher what could be done to regain the lost position of the nation。 〃Found a great university； Sire；〃 was the answer； and so it was that in the year 1810 the world…renowned University of Berlin came into being。 I believe that we in this country can do better than found a national university； whose professors shall be nominated in caucuses； go in and out； perhaps； like postmasters； with every change of administration； and deal with science in the face of their constituency as the courtier did with time when his sovereign asked him what o'clock it was： 〃Whatever hour your majesty pleases。〃 But when we have a noble library like that at Washington； and a librarian of exceptional qualifications like the gentleman who now holds that office； I believe that a liberal appropriation by Congress to carry out a conscientious work for the advancement of sound knowledge and the bettering of human conditions； like this which Dr。 Billings has so well begun； would redound greatly to the honor of the nation。 It ought to be willing to be at some charge to make its treasures useful to its citizens； and； for its own sake； especially to that class which has charge of health； public and private。 This country abounds in what are called 〃self…made men；〃 and is justly proud of many whom it thus designates。 In one sense no man is self…made who breathes the air of a civilized community。 In another sense every man who is anything other than a phonograph on legs is self…made。 But if we award his just praise to the man who has attained any kind of excellence without having had the same advantages as others whom； nevertheless； he has equalled or surpassed； let us not be betrayed into undervaluing the mechanic's careful training to his business； the thorough and laborious education o
