over the teacups-第27章

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done　nothing　but　attend　to　eyes　long　enough　to　know　all　that　is　known

about　their　diseases　and　their　treatment；skilful　enough　to　be

trusted　with　the　manipulation　of　that　delicate　and　most　precious

organ。　　I　want　an　aurist　who　knows　all　about　the　ear　and　what　can　be

done　for　its　disorders。　　The　maladies　of　the　larynx　are　very　ticklish

things　to　handle；　and　nobody　should　be　trusted　to　go　behind　the

epiglottis　who　has　not　the　tactus　eruditus。　　And　so　of　certain　other

particular　classes　of　complaints。　　A　great　city　must　have　a　limited

number　of　experts；　each　a　final　authority；　to　be　appealed　to　in　cases

where　the　family　physician　finds　himself　in　doubt。　　There　are

operations　which　no　surgeon　should　be　willing　to　undertake　unless　he

has　paid　a　particular；　if　not　an　exclusive；　attention　to　the　cases

demanding　such　operations。　　All　this　I　willingly　grant。



〃But　it　must　not　be　supposed　that　we　can　return　to　the　methods　of　the

old　Egyptianswho；　if　my　memory　serves　me　correctly；　had　a　special

physician　for　every　part　of　the　bodywithout　falling　into　certain

errors　and　incurring　certain　liabilities。



〃The　specialist　is　much　like　other　people　engaged　in　lucrative

business。　　He　is　apt　to　magnify　his　calling；　to　make　much　of　any

symptom　which　will　bring　a　patient　within　range　of　his　battery　of

remedies。　　I　found　a　case　in　one　of　our　medical　journals；　a　couple　of

years　ago；　which　illustrates　what　I　mean。　　Dr。　___________　　of

Philadelphia；　had　a　female　patient　with　a　crooked　nose；deviated

septum；　if　our　young　scholars　like　that　better。　　She　was　suffering

from　what　the　doctor　called　reflex　headache。　　She　had　been　to　an

oculist；　who　found　that　the　trouble　was　in　her　eyes。　　She　went　from

him　to　a　gynecologist；　who　considered　her　headache　as　owing　to　causes

for　which　his　specialty　had　the　remedies。　　How　many　more　specialists

would　have　appropriated　her；　if　she　had　gone　the　rounds　of　them　all；

I　dare　not　guess；　but　you　remember　the　old　story　of　the　siege；　in

which　each　artisan　proposed　means　of　defence　which　be　himself　was

ready　to　furnish。　　Then　a　shoemaker　said；　'Hang　your　walls　with　new

boots。'



〃Human　nature　is　the　same　with　medical　specialists　as　it　was　with

ancient　cordwainers；　and　it　is　too　possible　that　a　hungry

practitioner　may　be　warped　by　his　interest　in　fastening　on　a　patient

who；　as　he　persuades　himself；　comes　under　his　medical　jurisdiction。

The　specialist　has　but　one　fang　with　which　to　seize　and　bold　his

prey；　but　that　fang　is　a　fearfully　long　and　sharp　canine。　　Being

confined　to　a　narrow　field　of　observation　and　practice；　he　is　apt　to

give　much　of　his　time　to　curious　study；　which　may　be　magnifique；　but

is　not　exactly　la　guerre　against　the　patient's　malady。　　He　divides

and　subdivides；　and　gets　many　varieties　of　diseases；　in　most　respects

similar。　　These　he　equips　with　new　names；　and　thus　we　have　those

terrific　nomenclatures　which　are　enough　to　frighten　the　medical

student；　to　say　nothing　of　the　sufferers　staggering　under　this　long

catalogue　of　local　infirmities。　　The　'old…fogy'　doctor；　who　knows　the

family　tendencies　of　his　patient；　who　'understands　his　constitution；'

will　often　treat　him　better　than　the　famous　specialist；　who　sees　him

for　the　first　time；　and　has　to　guess　at　many　things　'the　old　doctor'

knows　from　his　previous　experience　with　the　same　patient　and　the

family　to　which　he　belongs。



〃It　is　a　great　luxury　to　practise　as　a　specialist　in　almost　any　class

of　diseases。　　The　special　practitioner　has　his　own　hours；　hardly

needs　a　night…bell；　can　have　his　residence　out　of　the　town　in　which

he　exercises　his　calling；　in　short；　lives　like　a　gentleman；　while　the

hard…worked　general　practitioner　submits　to　a　servitude　more　exacting

than　that　of　the　man　who　is　employed　in　his　stable　or　in　his　kitchen。

That　is　the　kind　of　life　I　have　made　up　my　mind　to。〃



The　teaspoons　tinkled　all　round　the　table。　　This　was　the　usual　sign

of　approbation；　instead　of　the　clapping　of　hands。



The　young　Doctor　paused；　and　looked　round　among　The　Teacups。　　〃I　beg

your　pardon；〃　he　said；　〃for　taking　up　so　much　of　your　time　with

medicine。　　It　is　a　subject　that　a　good　many　persons；　especially

ladies；　take　an　interest　in　and　have　a　curiosity　about；　but　I　have　no

right　to　turn　this　tea…table　into　a　lecture　platform。〃



〃We　should　like　to　hear　you　talk　longer　about　it；〃　said　the　English

Annex。　　〃One　of　us　has　thought　of　devoting　herself　to　the　practice　of

medicine。　　Would　you　lecture　to　us；　if　you　were　a　professor　in　one　of

the　great　medical　schools？〃



〃Lecture　to　students　of　your　sex？　　Why　not；　I　should　like　to　know？　　I

don't　think　it　is　the　calling　for　which　the　average　woman　is

especially　adapted；　but　my　teacher　got　a　part　of　his　medical

education　from　a　lady；　Madame　Lachapelle；　and　I　don't　see　why；　if　one

can　learn　from　a　woman；　he　may　not　teach　a　woman；　if　he　knows

enough。〃



〃We　all　like　a　little　medical　talk　now　and　then；〃　said　Number　Five；

〃and　we　are　much　obliged　to　you　for　your　discourse。　　You　are

specialist　enough　to　take　care　of　a　sprained　ankle；　I　suppose；　are

you　not？〃



〃I　hope　I　should　be　equal　to　that　emergency；〃　answered　the　young

Doctor；　〃but　I　trust　you　are　not　suffering　from　any　such　accident？〃



〃No；〃　said　Number　Five；　〃but　there　is　no　telling　what　may　happen。　　I

might　slip；　and　get　a　sprain　or　break　a　sinew；　or　something；　and　I

should　like　to　know　that　there　is　a　practitioner　at　hand　to　take　care

of　my　injury。　　I　think　I　would　risk　myself　in　your　bands；　although

you　are　not　a　specialist。　　Would　you　venture　to　take　charge　of　the

case？〃



〃Ah；　my　dear　lady；〃　he　answered　gallantly；　〃the　risk　would　be　in　the

other　direction。　　I　am　afraid　it　would　be　safer　for　your　doctor　if　he

were　an　older　man　than　I　am。〃



This　is　the　first　clearly；　indisputably　sentimental　outbreak　which

has　happened　in　conversation　at　our　table。　　I　tremble　to　think　what

will　come　of　it；　for　we　have　several　inflammable　elements　in　our

circle；　and　a　spark　like　this　is　liable　to　light　on　any　one　or　two　of

them。



I　was　not　sorry　that　this　medical　episode　came　in　to　vary　the　usual

course　of　talk　at　our　table。　　I　like　to　have　oneof　an　intelligent

company；　who　knows　anything　thoroughly；　hold　the　floor　for　a　time；

and　discourse　upon　the　subject　which　chiefly　engages　his　daily

thoughts　and　furnishes　his　habitual　occupation。　　It　is　a　privilege　to

meet　such　a　person　now　and　then；　and　let　him　have　his　full　swing。

But　because　there　are　〃professionals〃　to　whom　we　are　willing　to

listen　as　oracles；　I　do　not　want　to　see　everybody　who　is　not　a

〃professional〃　silenced　or　snubbed；　if　he　ventures　into　any　field　of

knowledge　which　he　has　not　made　especially　his　own。　　I　like　to　read

Montaigne's　remarks　about　doctors；　though　he　never　took　a　medical

degree。　　I　can　even　enjoy　the　truth　in　the　sharp　satire　of　Voltaire

on　the　medical　profession。　　I　frequently　prefer　the　remarks　I　hear

from　the　pew　after　the　sermon　to　those　I　have　just　been　hearing　from

the　pulpit。　　There　are　a　great　many　things　which　I　never　expect　to

comprehend；　but　which　I　desire　very　much　to　apprehend。　　Suppose　that

our　circle　of　Teacups　were　made　up　of　specialists；experts　in

various　departments。　　I　should　be　very　willing　that　each　one　should

have　his　innings　at　the　proper　time；　when　the　company　were　ready　for

him。　　But　the　time　is　coming　when　everybody　will　know　something　about

every　thing。　　How　can　one　have　the　illustrated　magazines；　the

〃Popular　Science　Monthly；〃　the　Psychological　journals；　the

theological　periodicals；　books　on　all　subjects；　forced　on　his

attention；　in　their　own　persons；　so　to　speak；　or　in　the　reviews　which

analyze　and　pass　judgment　upon　them；　without　getting　some　ideas　which

belong　to　many　provinces　of　human　intelligence？　　The　air　we　breathe

is　made　up　of　four　elements；　at　　least：　oxygen；　nitrogen；　carbonic

acid　gas；　and　knowledge。　　There　is　something　quite　delightful　to

witness　in　the　absorption　and　devotion　of　a　genuin