The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-02-14
New-YOrk Lancet, No. vii.-Progress OF tho
Medical Revolution


We live in an age Of excitement. Even the grave
and long visaged sons of Galen have caught the in
lection, and the whole medical body burns with an
excitement almost equal TO the Boz fever. All over
the country the medical schools seem ms PRED with
new life and energy, and in this metropolis in par
ticular, the faculty" are agated in an extraord-
nary degree. The old College in Crosby Street. and
the school at the Stuyvesant Institute are en-
gagged in regular battle-royal, and the Lancet oil
last Saturday presents the fancy men" of both es-
Establishments at full length, and puris natTalitas
Ds. Morn is the :" great gun" of the new school.
"The kings name is a tower of strength" saio the
wise man of old, and in the name OF Morn, the sa.
pient "faculty," who attempted to control the pub
lie press and make monopoly of science, repose all
their confidence. Like other pets, TO be sure, the
good doctor sometimes gets little unruly, but the
respectable dry-nurses CT the new school to;er
ably knowing, and generally manage TO administer
a sugar. plum that acts as an efficient qaietus. DR..
STEVENS, on the other hand, is the Achilles OF the
college,"
The present number Of the Lancet contains
batin, port of lecture by Dr. STEVENS, delivered
at the college in Crosby Street, and never since the
days of Abernethy have the profession and The pub
lie been presented with more amusing, interesting,
eccentric, and valuaby scientific discourse. 1t Is
an admirable specimen of the Pickwickian style OF
literature. Wisdom and wit, surgery and pathSs,
science and humor, are marvellously blended in one
unique and extraordinary whole. The reader ls
amused and instructed, edited and affected in one
breath In fact, this lecture will not suffer in
comparison with some of the most finished produc-
tons of Boz DR.. Morr attempts the same vein,
but he fails. Dr. STEVENS beats him hollow. Both
are imitators of the lustrious Abernethy, who was
the great originator of the Samive Weller style Of
scientific instruction the first to smooth the aspe-
rites Of surgery with the magic touch of wit and
humor. But the imitators don't follow pari passu
You laugh at DR.. Morr-;ciM Dr. STEVENS DR.. Mort
abors hard for minutes to excite your visibility
and unless you're very ill.natured you must reward
the good old man with a smile. With single
phrase DR.. STEVENS SETS your sides aching for half
hour afterwards you can't, for the life Of you,
smother your laughter.
Yet the rival heroes of the scalpel are not badly
matched. DR.. Morr, to be sure, is most egoiistical
DR. STEVENS most eccentric; Dr.. Mort most POM
pous-Dr. STEVENS mos, playful but both are equally
scientific, equally dexterous, have been equally sue
cessfu DR.. STEVENS has not, we believe, made the
grand tour, and is not on intimate terms with the
cided advantage but, after careful reflection, we
think we are right in placing them on the same le-
vel. To the Lancet we refer the public for the full
details of their scientific gladiatorship.
And do we err in saying that great revolution
now shakes the body medical! Is it not new and
interesting spectacle to witness the great surgeons of
the day descending from their stills, and gracousy
walking in the midst of their fellow men, Speaking
ILL IL off he, hat
in the venacuar, mingling poetry with physic, and
the salles of wit with the sayings Of wisdom1 Thus
every man will soon be his own physician. Let any
non professional man read Dr. STEVENS lecture in
the Lancet, and he will see the whole subject Is
plain pike-staf. Let this system of popular
lecturng. aided by an independent press like the
Lancet, continue, and quackery will soon follow its
victims, and rest quietly in the grave.