Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-06-08

show how weit each Of the travellers could plav the
100 smens mo leading men OF Europe. Proiss>os
Mol greatly excited Professor Gibson at grouad
and LOFTY tumbling. and. while the eeotism Of the
| latter 70 somewhat innocent aud eomparatively
harmless that OF Dr. Mott 10 Infinitely distressing
DR.. pekays Travels IN Turkey night have fer
nished each OF the gentlemen useful model. HE
book s filled with matter Of utility add Of absor
interest. The source ofheah tho causes Of isease
the notifications made by climate, habits OF life.
&c, are portrayed, in his entertaining pages, with
The hand OF master.
Ia alt these things Professor Motifs work is sad
~ deheieni. His readers are continually asonized
with the spectre OF his greatness fitting about IN
them quincy through his pages His sole object in
calling upon the distinguished nnatomists and
geons oi Europe, appears to have been entire v
connected with his all engulfug vanity as he
rarely called unless their great deeds were connects
ed Poslet'otly with his own. We earnestly hope
that he talked better to them than no ,srfss for
his countrymen, else they must have q contemptu.
Gus opinion OF medical literature In America. A
lady OF our acquaintance, hearing q gentleman
boast OF his intimate Knowledge Of the French Ian
suage. begged him, fho could talk IL with any
ptopre,y or elegance, to cut tho aequaintance of
his vernacular at once. We think Dr.. Mott might
be benefited by taking the same course, on the
sim, conditions.
We have but little space for illustrating these
remarks. and must content ourselves with lew
references. Our first quotation will show the Doc
tors clearness OF style in quite strong light In
alIusion to the decay OF medical schools in Europe
ne nuetS these Fearful lore bUdings."
"The schools of Ednl ugh and Of Paris have
risen upon their ruins. And may We not anticipate
with fearful orebod'ngs, that these are desined
like all mortal things to decay, and that auother
Leyden may nrise in this Western world that shall
unite the fame Of them all; and that IN their turn the
pupils OF the Old World shall come TO seek inslruc
ton in the Newt"
Now wha, Is there in this prospect to ill the mind
OF an Amrrcsn medical teacher with fearful fore
bodinesl Certainly nothing in the rise OF "ano,her
II n.fann Ill
the lame OF all European mediral schools, and one
too, whose reputation may I've such as cause mcdi
cal pupils TO aock from Europe to this county.
We can see no hing in this TO excite fearful forebo
dnss IN the breast Of an American professor, unless
II Is the ioreboding that none Of II may ever hap
pen.
Our next quotation gives another specimen of DIR.
Mou's English, and also quite amusing instance of
his ridiculous vanity.
The Doctor vsi' ed Halle, important in medical
port Of view, as the residence OF the lustrious
Meekcls The labos OF these great men accumula-
ted n spend d ara'omical museum; and, of course,
the Doctor conirived 10 let the cu'a,ors know that
hey were honored with he presence of the great
DIR. Mot Of New York. He saws; "When about to
leave, vas offered {, select soivenr, twh, pity
he was not presented with grammar Of The English
ianguage) and contented my, eli with single eiari
Gle. which pi e highly Rs having belonged to such
distinguished anatomists as those who founded this
museum.n
Now, why was DR.. Mott contented with such
souvenir this from The museum OF the Meckels 2
dc says, because he had gwen the cavicle more
consideration than IL ever possessed before, by ex
sectins one for osteosarcomaln He also dien fed
the affair by calling IL his Waterloo operation las
il was performed on the l7Ih OF June" and thus
the names Of Wellington, Napoleon, and Mott will
float together to pos,erty each having performs
ed Waterloo operation with various results.
The famous Doctor then goes through numerous
places, until he reaches Berlin. finding nothing
worth recording in these places and only OF the
slightest interest Mt Berlin-the celebrated Baron
Graetie. The only earthly interest about the Ba
ron. IN DR.. Motifs estimation, was in the fact that
he first followed Me in the original operation of
:ying the ARrERIA INNoMIsATA within about three
inches of the heart"
Here is some more of the Doctors luminous En-
glsh; "Within q year after my operation, lust re-
ferred TO. was published, ard translated into the
German journals, Baron Grneffc had case in which
he deemed 1T proper TO perform 1T, after reading
my account: and, rs he mentions in the statement
OF his own patient, he followed, therefore, in the
steps OF my operation" This is all Sclavonic to
At Dublin, the Doctor alludes to Sir p Cramp-
ton; "He it was, permit me to add, who also fol-
lowed me in the steps Of Mt first operation upon
the COMMON lilac artery.
We cannot stop to point out the innumerable
specimens of the Doctors vanity, ignorance. and
self eoncet with which his pages are loaded. Here
IS an amusing instance Of his historical accuracy. In
speaking Of the construction OF the Simpon road
10y Napoleon, DR.. Mott says: This consummat
ed for him the dreams Of his irrepressibe ambition,
opened 10 him the gates of Milan, and led to the
conquest OF Lombardy and the glorious victories
of Marenso and OF Lodi %
Now, the facts are, that the battle Of Lodi was
gained many years before the Smplon was proba
bly, conceived OF, and the victory Of Marengo was
certainly obtained tong before the first blow was
struck towards making the Simplon. The Doctor
never would have made such blunder in recording
one Of his own operations.
A. m
distinguished Italian surgeon, and, though The Sig
nor treats him withe market attentions, he gets into
quite q stew, because the Signor spoke Of certain
operations on the lower jaw being the first and
only ones Of the kind sver attempted in Tiy Dr..
Mott takes upon himself terrible fl of the fdgets
during the conversation az the Sgnor RegnoIi, and
says: al fet II due myself and to historic truth re
specially TO inform the Professor that had myself
been The FIRST IN any country 10 perform these nPs'a
lions" This does not however, in the slightest
degree nvaldate the truth OF the made by
Signor Regnolia; ard il IS Illuminating to see such
ridiculous vanity and spoilt chiIdshness in a man
who occupies, DR. Motifs station in this country
We hope that, II he should again visit Europe, lie
will have record Of his surgical claims painted on
a large board, and sent it before him. in order TO
prepare his medical brethren with something Of an
idea Of his superletive el4ims.
With one more specimen OF the Doctors over
weenine vanity, we close our review Of that portion
OF his work.
The docior having reached Epdaurus the birth
place of Escula Plus, determined TO make Escuia
Plus tributary to himself He says; al felt il to be
my duty to make propitiatory sacrifice TO his re-
vered memory and nsme, and to his wide spread
reputation the ruling deity Of our inva uabie er
Having directed my servant, before leaving Napoli.
to provide for me one Of The tutelnry emSlems of
Escuapius, the barnyard cock, Of glossy black
plumage, now assembled my comprnions in The
arena Of The theatre 10 listen TO Greeian einiqus
bv an American surgeon, and to witness The per
Torrance OF n surgical operation which, NAV VEN
TO say, before had been performed in this
ancient lind, even by Escuiapius himself, or either
of his gifted The victina designated for this
honorable sacrifice having been TRANSPORTED from
NapolI on of the baegnge-horses, requested
my servant to introduce him into the After
Suitable exotd,um, setting forth the nature and
gravy Of the case, the solemniiy and sacredness ~
the place. nrd The d ficul,y and importance Of the
operation about to be performed. ! commenced.
sc'ipel in hand, previously and properly denudiue
the neck Of the feathers, TO lay bare the common
carotid artery Of side, the patient being firmly
held upon Of The OF the theatre, again.
aer tho lapse OF three thousand years. to 10 devot.
ed to anatomical and surgical uses. With the
able assistance of my excellent friend and compi-
n on, D.. Jackson, of New York, afier having iaid
haze he a