The Sun.
London, England, 1825-10-14 00:00:00

THE LATE DR. BAILLIE.

One of the great causes of Dr. BAILLI E's distin-
guished success in his profusion was his profound
knowledge of the science of Anatomy, which he
deemed fully as necessary for the physician as
for the surgeon. The following is his own lan-
guage in adverting to this subject :

" A disease must always have a relation to a healthy action,
or healthy structure of parts, for it is only a deviation from them;
so that a knowledge of disease would appear to rest on a know-
ledge of the body in its healthy state. It is in this point of view
that anatomy and physiology become so very important, as being
most likely to afford the means of relieving the body when suf-
fering under disease. If anatomy, then, be of so much use in
physic and surgery, it ought to be earnestly cultivated by those
who really wish to know their profession, and to become respect-
able in it. This is not a trifling matter. Justice and humanity
require every exertion where the lives of our fellow-creatures are
concerned. There are many professions where negligence or in-
attention may be reckoned a folly ; but in medicine it is a crime.
There is nothing that renders a person more fit for the discovery
of new diseases than a knowledge of Anatomy."
His estimation of himself was remarkable for
its modesty. Ile would say to his own family—
" I kno sv better, perhaps, that another man, from
my knowledge of anatomy, how to discover a dis-
ease ; but when I have done so, I don't know
better how to cure it. • This well-grounded con-
fidence in his sagacity is detecting diseases, often
afforded hint cause for self-congratulation ; for
instance, when he was enabled to convince any
person, who came under the impression of having
some fatal malady, that there was nothing mate-
rial the matter with him. Years of peace and
comfort, that would otherwise have been years
of apprehension and misery, he was conscious of
having thus bestowed on many.—lle was remark-
able for his punctuality in every thing connected
with his intercourse with society, particularly in
answering letters, paying visits, and in keeping
professional appointments. Ile used to say,—

" I consider it not only a professional, but a moral, duty to
meet punctually my professional brethren of all ranks. Illy
equals have a right to such a mark of my respect, and I would
shudder at the apprehension of lessening a junior practi-
tioner in the eyes of his patient, by not keeping an appoint-
ment with him."

Dr. BAILLIE'S disposition was of the most
chairtable and generous kind. He was not only
in the constant habit of refusing fees, when he
-thought they could ill be, afforded, but he often
.gave money, and sometimes in considerable sums,'
where he thought it was well bestowed. A
young lady, who was suffering severely from a
pulmonary complaint, asked his advice, and he
recommended her to spend the winter months in
a milder part of the country ; but finding that
her circumstances would not admit of her trying
this last resource to regain her health, he in-
stantly gave her an adequate sum of money. The
following is another instance of his generosity,
and of his great delicacy in bestowing it. A
lady, whose rank in life was far above her pecu-
niary resources, had an illness which made his
attendance of the highest importance. The doc-
tor took his fee regularly, .every visit until his
services were no longer necessary ; he then left
in a bag the whole amount of what he had receiv-
ed, offering to the ledy ns an apology, that he
knew, that had he once refused to take his fee
during his attendance, she would not have per-
mitted him to continue it.

" Numerous indeed," says Mr. Wardrop, "are the in-
stances which might be mentioned, where he seemed to be glad
to have an opportunity of thus chewing that there was a value
in his professional visits beyond a fee. The meanness, however,
of some of his patients might have chilled any liberal feeling
less ardent than his ; for he has been heard to mention, that, in
more instances than one, a shilling, carefully packed .up, had
:been given to him in pkce of a guinea !"