The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-04-19

study of symptoms, and Hoffman, the
first to attack the Immoral theory,
both lived in that time. In that cen
fury of tops and periwig-pated fellows,
Linneus was considering the parasitic
origin of disease.
Those men were struggling in the
dark. "Tis not in mortals to COM
mand success, but wen do more, Sem
prOneus, we'll deserve it," and If ever
mortals deserved success, they did,
yet for generations, men were born
and died, and Harvey, and Sydenham,
and Hoffman, and Linneus, did little
for them. To US, their work means
much. To them, "'T1s true, it's pity,
and pity tbs, tbs true" their discov-
cries meant but little. Nor can 1
leave of, until have said a word of
Lady Mary Wortley Montague, who
about 1921 came to England, and
brought with her, the story Of inocula-
ton for smallpox, the greatest thing
ever yet done by a woman for medi-
cine. OF course, she had her spon-
sOrs, and together they brought her
new discovery to the front. Not, how
ever, without opposition. The unedu-
Gated became frightened, and the
learned, who were skeptical, took lit
tie stock in it. Even the clergy took
up arms ami preached against sub
verting the DEGREES of Providence. and
resisting the punishment of God"
know, even in our day, that in some
localities there is opposition to vaccl-
nation, based on nothing stronger
than ignorance and can well imagine
how in that day of superstition they
could believe the whole art to be the
work OF the devil.
For us in America, no earlier date
than June q, 1921, can be as impor-
tant, for on this day Dr. BoylstOn in
oculated his thirteen year old son.
This was just six weeks after Lady
Mary Wortley Montague was inoculat-
ed in England. From what has al
ready been said, you can see that not
until the eighteenth century did medi-
cine as a science really amount toI
anything in America 1t is true that
before this time there had lived men
who had laid good, solid foundations
but It remained for others to erect the
edifice, and those others were of a
true American type. Many were With
out foreign training; men who began
to see things for themselves.
In those days, the physician was a !
man of affairs. Specialism was all
most unknown, and it was not I'M
usual to find the village doctor follow
ing several vocations at one and the
same time.
Previous to and just after the Rev.
there were established hos
pitfalls and medical schools, and prob- |
ably the most important of these. was
the school and hospital in Pnlladel-l
phia, and the greatest figure of the
times was Benjamin, Rush, statesman.
moraltst, educator, and physician.
This man of many fields stands as a
shining example of the Cosmopolitan
learning Of the day. His most impor.
tant work was upon yellow fever He
gained his knowledge of the disea re
during the epidemic in Philadelphia
In 1898. Thirty-one years had clans
ed since yellow fever had shown IT.
self in Philadelphia, and although
Rush could recall 1t, he was far from
being familiar with it. He knew
enough about it. however, to report
The first case, for which he was Sc
Eerely criticised. C'"Twas ever TINS
from childhOOd's hour.") The health
however, investigated.
and in about four weeks confirmed
his diagnosis by making public the
.act that there had already been forty
deaths. Rush tells us, that the num-
Der at this time was nearer one hun
ired and fifty.
We are told by his biographers, that
If Rush stood for any one thing. Il
vas a return to normal conditions.
pure air, water, exercise and a firm
belief that nature was capable of cur.
ng her durable diseases" But he
edded to this, the overuse OF certain
rugs. He championed bleeding. and
lie constantly confused cause with ef.
eet, and symptoms with disease. He
asserted that Inflammation was the
'esult Of fever That he was an en-
and an optimist, may be
gathered from some of his writings