An introduction to the history of medicine with medical chronology, suggestions for study and bibliographic data

Gerstein - University Of Toronto, Fielding Hudson Garrison

Informations

• Publié par: thiob
• Nombre de lectures: 37
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 67 Mo

Extrait

iTo WALTER D. U.S.ARMYCOLONEL McCAW, SURGEON GENERAl's OFFICELIBRARIAN OF THE (1903-1913) IN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF HIS KIND ENCOURAGEMENT . .; AND HIS MANY COURTESIES OF THIS BOOKIN AID OF THE COMPLETIONPREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION ofThe of the first edition this l)ook the medicalbyreception has been most kind. The revised andedition,profession present has be(ni in with the author'scomplianceenlarged, prepared agree- ment with the ])ul)lishers. of the athe firstappearance edition, necessarilyFollowing felt much cheered the kind andhazardous the authorventure, by Sir the late Dr. S.letters of William WeirOsier,encouraging A. the late Dr. G. Dr.Dr. James Mumford,Mitchell, Jacol)i, and other friends. Professor Max Neu-Harvey Gushing, many of in a review all the more as writtenIjurger, Vienna, generous the turmoil of that the author breaksamid war, opines deliberately with standardized in the or current on themany viewpoints past which he as associated with the fact that thecontinent, regards writer "sees This alas!is,things through English spectacles." (jne of the delusions createtl in the human mind the con-many by emotions of wartime. To view with "theflicting everything of Nature" cannot be claimed for the contents ofequal eye any human calvarium. Professor Karl of inSudhoff,single Leipzig, his has defined the author's asprocedure "clear-sighted,reviews, "in modernand concedes that theopen-hearted, impartial," A reader un-he stands his ownquite upon ground."period, ininfluenced emotion will thisby perhaps recognize that, book, an at been made to behonest has leastattempt fair-minded, to the merits of medicine as ofpresent English English medicine, German medicine (lerman of Frenchmen as French-qua medicine, as Americans. WhateverRussians as Americansmen, Russians, and the writer are ofintelligence perspicacity present possesses French Even it would be difficult to affirm thatcomplexion. so, these contain unfair to German or tomedicine,pages anything the modern German of science. The author's mainorganization as a has been to arrivehistorian,endeavor, formal, impersonal at the "mean condensation to save his reader'sratio,"engineer's time as and asby presenting things briefly concisely possible. the I value most that ofOf different criticisms offered, highly Professor William H. who said "You have notWelch, fi-ankly, written a of medicine an inductive science." When theashistory 7TIIK SKC(»NI> KDITIONPUKFACK TO8 ( !<• if lie wouldI'hoinas "arl\askedUv\. KdwanI Irviiiii phiytully thesiiinm(>rs and uncertain cliainis.of certaina virginmarry lor and"Not aof Kcclefechan pure iH>rfeetreplied:sa^t'testy 'Pli(>se aicthistlie size of ti;lol>e!" pr(>eis(>lyt(>rra(iueousrhrysolite ol for theto thesi'Utinients in accounting;-r(>jj;ard jirohleinmy inihictive science. Medicine(»f ine(Hcin(> as an;e])eriods beyondcontinuity in medicalare wholeof There history]K'ri()dscom])reluMision. enormous solutionof La Fontaine, "anwhicli si'em. in the phrase too confrontedwe areof or. at frequently byleast,contimiity." never be able to traceof We shalliiard -surfaces discontinuity." the sourcesthreads in the until allthe manuscripteonnectinfj; i)a.st have ])een exhumed and inter-and nu'dieval medicineof ancient "trial and error" in the laternor can we sunnnarize peri-preted, offor theods until source-books, accounting developmentproper haveandin the fundamental disciplines specialties,knowletlge to trace thehands. I have endeavoredl)eon made comi^etentby l)ut I defer to thelinks of toaccoidins my lights,missinfi jirogress of Professor Welch and that of Dr. Charles Singer (Ox-ojnnion of medicinewho a "Theford), letter): historysays (in private of value in so far as itis a of ideas and is])iography onlyhistory of medicine is not concerned withbears on ideas. The history ofnor with the absurditiestattle about the lives of the great, Iwith the ofancient nor expression.error, cjuaintness antique tothat we owe Sudhoff a debt in that he hasfeel really soughtgi'cat areelicit and demon.strate and that thesecontinuity,pi-inciples make."much more than he mayimportant any discovery first this volume wasAs stated in the of the edition,preface that of thewritten with a definite intention,literary stimulating in-his own and researchand student to do byphysician thinking neverhim in the at the start. The author hasteresting subject to ahis work as but a or guide-bookregarded anything primer noof vast he has made claims,dimensions; extravagantterritory andhe at least claim that his arrangement interpretationyet may are his own.of the and his mode ofmaterial, presenting it, very The in the footnotes and bib-insurance of accuracy facts, dates, has taken more time and trouble than theliographical appendices been muchtask of In this the author hassimple writing. regard, andthat have cited his factspleased English findingsphysicians be if ac-rather than his opinions. Opinions may wrong: facts, can never be. Those who are withcurately stated, acquainted what De calls "the masonic of learning"Augustus Morgan signs will discover how far the writer has been "original."easily present