Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-11-13

nv DR T. b. PURCELL, FOR THE COhN1AA I1'
"Tri. he possible to perfect mankind the means
of doing SO will be found in the meolcaI sclences.
To perfect thing presupposes it con-
structed, and constructed. too, on an en-
during basis. otherwise no perfection can
be attained. To perfect medicine, as an
Art and Science, is to watch its progress
sion in utility and beauty-the miIe d"Ica
of ancient writers-and add in the light OF
reason what modern scientific research mas
deduced, rejecting the erroneous notlons
of the past, and garnerlng what aione Is
true. The aim of progressive society is
this, to seek a healthy status and to maiu
tain il when found. No society is healthy,
nor can it live, unless it rests on the eter
nal foundation of Morality, is nourished
by Virtue, and is vivifed by the warmth
and the cheering rays of Christianity.
No society demands this more than the
medical. 1t embraces the civil, religious
and the political body of mankind. It's
studies are of Psychology, Philosophy, Natu-
raj History and Physics. It ransacks Nature
and looks "thro' Nature up to Natures
God" 1t is like the busy bee in industry.
1t searches the whole domain of Botany.
It dives into the organic and inorganic
kingdoms 1t is not obscure. It hates
darkness. It loves Freedom and Science,
because Freedom and Science have had
q coeval destiny have suffered together
and grown together. Both break from pre-
scription and throw themselves upon Ma
ture, and the watchword Of both is Pro-
gress, which consists in not rejecting the
past, but in subordinating and out3row-
ing il, in assimilating and ceOrganizing
its truth, and leaving behind it obsolete
FORMS This is exactly the part which
medicine acts in the world. 1t has done
it down from the twilight OF fables, down
from creations dawn to this humanizing,
civilizing nineteenth century, and it will
ever continue so to do unto all time. From
the mythic days Of her gods-ApolIo,
Esculapius, Hygeia and Panacea-it has
ever been with her, out OF the Darkness
and into the Bright, until now she stands
IN the majesty of symmetry unrivalled. She
mas Oeon u sure ~ no Sect one mas always
labored to Danish the ills that flesh is Aei,
10, and rejuvinate the mortal frame of man
by laws of sound Physiology. This, then,
is its basis, as it is the basis of every or
gaDiZed society of good men-ReligiOn
and Morality. The young man who selects
medicine as his study and profession should
be grounded well in these two, and, with
these, in intelligence. Christian worship
will be a shining light to his feet. He
will not be tripped up. 1t will be music
to his ear, gladness tC his heart, food to
his soul. It will succor him in danger, re-
dress his wrongs, make public his good.
Its lustre will smile on his face and fore
tell the moral doctrine treasured within.
ST. Paul says that Faith without good
works is dead, and rice rerSa. Religion
and Virtue will make good man, but, with
out intelligence, will not make physician.
Nor can 1t be logically stated that the
knowledge without the other two can make
good one Unassisted by these, the prac
titioner will see as through an obscure glass.
4 moral cloud will hang over him and OBJ
scure his way. The image of piety will be
shrouded from his sight. This purest
pleasure will find no tender flow. It will
be harmony without the flush of bloom Of
moral health and beauty. He will be a
doctor, but not the doctor, the assistant of
Nature, for she is greedy of life and light,
natural and divine. Professor Edward
Forbes says " II is the nature Of the human
mind 10 desire and seek laU." The law
which we seek is a rule by which in all our
concerns, private and public, we SO deport
ourselves that the forum of conscience will
never accuse US of having wilfully trans
crossed the code of medical ethics. This
we can all feel individually in our own
bOsOms. The moral or natural law has been
diVinely impressed upon the feshy tablets
Of cur hearts. Ethics, then, is nothing less
than that part of philosophy, morally
speaking, a practical science, directing the
human acts to all good :-SCIENCIA PRACTICA
ACrUs HUMANS AID BoNUM DIRIGRNs. In
these words is contained the scope of this
article, relatively to the profession, and to
make, SO far as il us lies, q thorough scru-
tiny into the demeanor of the physician.
In this age of scepticism, levity and eff
froutery but too frequently govern at the
expense Of reason and decorum. The mind
is led from grave and stern truth to Qdy and
festiU9 scenes, and feeting shades. Human
life is therefore often shackeled, for such
is sometimes human fate, and such, indeed,
is the propensity of human nature. We
are nov invideous, now religious, now
sceptical. We are
ssThe eternal Pan
Who layeth the worlds incessant.plan
Haiteth never in one shape,
But for ever doth escape
Into new forms"
Oar versatility has no parallel. Jealousy
will perhaps steal in on our senses, and
blunt them in the very act of begetting
noble feelings and performing generous
deeds. This self-consuming passion will
change every joy to crownless grief; every
manly impulse to groundless fear. It is a
flame that laps tho fountain Of our honor
up, and feeds On the candor, the courtesy,
and the fraternity which ought ever char
acterise our bearing towards each other.
1t saps every affection chills the warm de-
sire of friendship; destroys decency of in
tention. It's handmade is misrepresenta-
ton. Mischief is written swift. The
thoughts of men desperate. Intermeddling
women q nuisance that d1stils the poison
1.-THE fair not always view with favoring eyes
Brotherly probity is wounded by the I'm.
kind attention, the meaning look, the sig
piticant nod, the artful innuendo. Honor
Is no longer honor. The noblest work OF
God-man-and the noblest man-physi
CiaD-beoop,oc O GDovo