Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1867-06-17
THE ooNso1ENr1ous PHYSICIAN.

IN SIatuhTv Nuu sOuebiihos P"'e6,
is really but the artists expression Of
the counsels of Hippocrates: "Be not
too eager merely to get wealth by your
profession. Give medical aid at times
gratuitously, satisfied with the graft
tude and esteem Of others. Give assist
met as occasion presents itself to the
poor and the stranger, for if you love
mankind you will love your profession.
When you are required at a consultation
do not use great words, and do not speak
in a pompous and studied manner; moth
ing more surely indicates incapacity.'
The candor and openness Of H~ippocrates
stand out in noble relief from the trick
cry current in that age among the con-
juring pretenders to medicine and the
sophistical %pretenders 20 wisdom, so
Thoroughly exposed by Socrates. The
oath which he enjoined ought to be the
guide of every man entering the profess
sion in every age, both as to the erelu-
,Senes, of his purpose, the inviolable
seeresy to be maintained as to all things
not to the advantage Of the patient made
known to him, and the strict purity Of
his professional conduct. my sole
object shall be to afford consolation and
medical relief 10 the sick, TO be true to
the confidence they have reposed in me,
and to avoid even the suspicion Of hav-
ing abused it." As DR.. Holmes tran
states it: "My life shall be pure and
holy. Into whatever house | enter
will go for the good Of the patient.
will abstain from intlicting any voluu-
tary injury, and from leading away any,
whether man or woman, bond or free"
To acquire skill, Hippocrates travelled
extensively and carefully studied both
philosophy and medicine every where,
considering them as mutual aid to each
other, and the proper union Of the two
as comforting a god-like qualification
upon man. He had a very exalted no.
ton Of the dignity of his profession,
which he said is only lowered in the
public estimation by the ignorance Of its
professors and he supported this in his
own private life by the strictest morality,
simplicity, csndor and be~uevolence in
oil his intercourse with the sick. His
philosophical views as to the science of
medicine condensed itself into IN aphor-
ism that has extended itselfinto proven
bal universally "Life is short, the
art long, opportunity transient, expe'-
iment deceptive, judgment difficult
Such was the character and such the
instructions of the father of the profess
ion that is atthis momentdoing the world
so much good, just in proportion as his
ethical principles and rules Of study are
now being revived among US. Socrates
has been claimed as a good Christian BY
anticipation on account Of the elevation
and purity of his maIims, so far beyond
his age ; and could ~Hippoerates come
back again now, in the nineteenth CEN
fury, though his practice Of medicine be
far behind the age, his principle, and
whole department would be equal TO
any age the world has yet seen. He
would be considered a noble specimen
Of the gentleman and doctor BY both
rich and poor.
Having alluded thus to one Of the
characters in one number Of the "Guar-
dian Angel number that equals
some Of the brilliant pages of Bulwer-
we cannot but express a fear that the
author is not q little inclined to e1alt
his own profession needlessly at the
expense Of others, and to exalt the doc
tor higher BY means of sneers at some
of the lawyers and ministers. No doubt
unworthy ministers and lawyers are to
be found everywhere, but we question
if it is true, as he says, that no class Of
men SO rapidly half learn things as law
yers. Let the effort Of fiction be to eI-
alt the true, the good and the beautiful
every way; to elevate all life and make
it more earnest, good and holy, but to
leave that which is low, base and vile
to the death il represents.