The National Register.
London, England, 1816-06-02 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL RECrIgTER.

And we now seethe first men of the age, who iron, practica-
knowledge are capable of maintaining a lone and luminous
disputation on Pathology, Morbid Anatomy, and Animal Eco-
nomy, svillinily I✓eove to men afflicted with more temerity
and endowed with !este sonnd sense, to cavil at what they can
neither understand nor appreitiate ; and happily for the cause
of humanity that it is so; for without the suicieal opeiab.r
hating the most acetira:c knowledge of Anatomy, such an one
as is only to he obtained by minute dissections and intense
study over the dead body, o hat hope of relict:could those poor
untortnnate beings have who are labouring tender Strangulated
Hernia, Stone in the Bladder, Tic Dotilorcux, Cataract of the
Eye, Compression on the Dram, Aneurismos °united Artery, or
tern down to ordinary accidents requiring amputation, or other
operation : have they no claims on our a)mpathies ? Again,
look on those brave defenders of our bottles and liberties who
may be wounded while lighting our battles,' in the field, or ou
the oecon ! is the eye of coinparjon to be forevesaverted from
them ?and they :eft a prey to unnecessary anguish and untimely
death, Iseentise the surgeon does not know how to extract a
ball, remove a limb, or even apply the tourniquitte? It is a sim-
ple que.tion of feeling, whether one dead body in ten thowund
shall be appropriated to the surgeon, or the dark 'V ei I of igno-
rance shall be drawn over the whole art of medicine, levying
the world a prey to disease and wretchedness. -
- -

" Then whence these fears—whence springs this innate dread,
" Which starts repulsive from the harmless dead."
Has ingimilulged himself in some dightsof fancy,J.W.P. gravely
asserts, that the burying the dead is an "expiatory ceremony.
and that it' we disturb their ashi s' we break in upon the repose
of the departed sold. Ido not know where he got this notiort,
but it is too ridiculous to be answered.
He then rambles on till he loses himself, and talks about dis-
secting beasts " of analogous organisation to the human frame."
There is comparative anatomy, but no such thing as analogous
anatomy.. lie then indulges himself with a treat of si ;u-
-tility towards the profession in these term-: " the ruthless
knite of the unfeeling sucgical operator," " merciless ope-
rators in surgery," " barbarian hands of surgical operators,"
and a great dual more in the same relined strati!. M bat an ex-
cellent Billingsgate inarketnian is here spoiled! Arc these tit
epithets to be applied to the man who in the hey-day of youth,
when his powers of enjoyment are at their height, veluntarily
gives up every pleasure of society, and recreation, and a guLat
portion of that sleep which nature tine' asingly calls 1..., mid
shots himself up with a loathsome fetid body, in e edit to f't hint
for becoming an useful member of society, and to enable him
to yield health and ease to his fellow creature? This, in-
deed, is
" Zeal roc God, and active love for man."

Has J. W. P. never mixed in the society of medical men,
and witnessed the goodness of their hearts, the refinement of
their sentiments, and their engaging affability? It he has, and
ever left them vt ithont being pleased, they either treated him
coutemptitously, or he has made a very illiberal return. 'lbis
is nil his letter acieunts to.
I was much pleased to find, after all the nnaceountable
things he has said, that he VIII close It so humorously as he
has done, by his quotation from the Taunton Coorier it is an
excellent joke, and has age to recommend it; for it has stood
the test of more than twenty nipping winters; and by this soli-
tary stroke of wit he Mei convinced me that the drift of his
whole letter is only to raise se langh at its close ; in which you,
lam sure, w ill grant me he has succeeded. Yours, Etc. Lc.
Loudon-road, May 20, Istn. J. W.