The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1871-06-29
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reply of Mr.. Yancey to my article
on the maidstone, published ia the
CITIES Of the 18th. The rroduc
ton clesrly establishes his claims
to scholarship, and adds another
proof to the fact that however wei
learned IN the arts and sciences,
men and communities may be, as. a
general thing. they are ignorant Of
the one science which most init =
mately concerns their temporal
welfare, :. e., the Science of Afedi-
cine. Ignorance OF this science as
of all others. Is the mother Of sh-
perstition. Hence It is not sprpTis-
ing that the world is full Of egregi
Gus eros concerning the theory
and practice Of medicine. Among
the many popular errors the blind
adherence to the reputed efficacy
of the maidstone in poisoned
wounds is perhaps the most fatal.
Instead of .'elogging the wheels Of
science" by exposing It, I only de-
sign TO remove one OF the many
scales which FOR centuries have ex-
| cluded the rays Of scientific light,
and compelled mankind 70 grol5e
| their way IN hesthenish darkness.
Mr.. Yancey asks if / @know any
thing Of the properties Of the mad
stone or whether It has any pro-
perties"7 To which I reply that I
have no personal experience Of its
merits or dement's; 1 have read of
| is having been used to srrest hem
orrhage, and to cure the bite OF rab-
id animals as long Ago As the days
! Of the Crusades. During an this
time, period OF six hundred years,
not one medical man Of ability has
thought it even worthy of 3 passing
notice. The modern writer's on
| surgery, tO-wis; Gross, Gibson,
Erichsen, Druitt, &c, do not men,
ton It in their "Treatises on Poison
ed wounds The "concGrren;
testimony Of these great men
combines to ignore its worth. DIr.
Yancey was wrong in asserting that
my argun emit was based upon this
| fact. He assumes such to be true
and upon this assumption his prin.
cipal argument IS founded. Twen-
| ty years practice has taught me tc
| rely somewhat upon my individual
| experience and observation.
cannot endorse everything found
in medical works, but taken as 8
whole, they are the media through
which great truths have, been trans.
mitted to succeeding. generations
hence affirm that the silence o.
scientific men upon this subject is
is prinsa facias evidence that they
have heretofore and still regard i
it as worthless ! presume thai
their opportunities for testing it.
properties have been as good a
those of the intelligent gentlemen
+ (outside Of the profession) Of whom
Mr., Yancey speaks, I can not &C
eept as evidence upon this subjec
the statement Of any one, howeyei
intelligent he may be, unless he i
a physician, skilled in and devoted
to the advancement Of medica
science, any more than 1 would
3 credit the opinion Of him who, is.
norant of Botany, Astronomy
Geology and Chemistry, zealously
contends for the orthodoxy, of |
dogma which the learned in thesr
sciences discard. -
/ am reminded By Mr.. Yaneel
that 'there is some intelligence il
the world besides that which is en-
bodied in the brains of some Thy
sicians," grant it, but it is mex
ertheless true that the learned a
well as the unlearned are often fas
!. cinated BY the mysterious and IN
intelhgiBie jargon Of the bigote,
enpiric, while they underestimate
the scientific man who is ever mod
est and unpretentious. This ha
been true Of some men in af age
Of which we have any historf
4 knowledge. During the Crusades
when the allied armies OF RichAri
: Ceur de Lion, Phillip of France and
Leopold Of Austria, were marching
to rescue the Holy Sepulehre from
the hands Of the Infidel, King Rich
ard was Frustrated by fatal feve
common to that region. Saladir
the commander Of the Infdel al
mics, although 8 political and reli
gfous foe Of Richard, upon hearin.
of his illness profered the service
OF his private physician who wa
said to be skilled in the treatmen
Of this malady. Richard aecePte
the Kindness and admitted Ador
bee Ell HakiIn, the physician, 70 hi
presence, The infdel, after care
!. fully examining the symptoms, too
/. from casket parse curiOhsl
! wrought in filigree work Of silk an
!. and silver, which contained q PR
eioEs ss0ae remarkable for its hidgle
!. virtues as q 7eaFative aagent. s. fIhi
!, he Immersed IN. g golden zyessel G
: sparkling water, and then require
!. His AIaiesty % quafEa is. contents