JOHN ABERNETHY-HIS WIT AND ECCENTRICITY. OLD AGE OF BOERHAAVE. 103 manity! The original letter is written in Latin, and it has been found difficult to catch the spirit of the original. ANCIENT STATE OF SURGERY IN The name of Boerhaave is justly regarded as one of the most illustrious in the calendar of modern medicine. After having vigorously struggled with poverty in his youth, his talents and his fame When the surgeons of Edinburgh at length created a fortune for him; were, in 1505, incorporated, under and, it is said, that he left two mil- the denominations of surgeons and lions of florins to his only son. barbers, it was required of them to Did this wealth alter the man? be able to read and write! "to Let us learn from his own mouth know anatomie, nature, and comwhat he was in his sixty-seventh plexion of everie member of humayear; when, in a letter to his old his bodie, and lykwayes to know all scholar, J. B. Bassaud, then phy-vaynes of the samyn, that he may sician to the Emperor of Germany, he writes thus: ZIMMERMAN. make flewbothemie in dew time;" together with a perfect knowledge "My health is very good. I of shaving beards. These were all sleep at my country-house. I go the qualifications that seemed neto town every morning by five cessary to the art of surgery, at the o'clock; and I occupy myself there, beginning of the sixteenth century. from that time until six in the The practice of physic was, if posevening, in relieving the sick. Isible, in a still more deplorable understand chemistry; I amuse state. (Campbell's Journey from myself in reading it; I revere, I Edinburgh to the Highlands.) love, I adore, the only God! When I return to the country, I visit my plants: I acknowledge and admire the presents with which the liberality of my friend Bassaud has enriched me. My garden seems to be proud of the variety and strength of its trees. I pass my life in contemplating my plants; I grow old in the desire of possessing new ones. Amiable and sweet folly! Thus riches only serve to irritate the thirst of possession, and the miser is miserable from the liberality of his benefactor. Forgive the madness of an old friend, who wishes to plant trees, the beauty and shade of which will be destined to give delight only to his nephews. It is thus that my life passes, without any other chagrin than my distance from you, and happy in every thing else." This eminent physician went from Hanover to attend Frederick the Great in his last illness. One day the king said to him, "You have, I presume, sir, helped many a man into another world?" This was rather a bitter pill for the doctor; but the dose he gave the king in return, was a judicious mixture of truth and flattery:"Not so many as your majesty, nor with so much honour to myself." JOHN ABERNETHY-HIS WIT AND ECCENTRICITY. A lady consulted him on a nervous disorder, and gave him a long, frivolous, and fantastic detail of her symptoms. He referred her, as was his wont, to his "book," but she persisted in endeavouring to extract further information from him. "May I eat oysters, Doctor? may I take supper?" "I'll tell you what, Madam," replied Mr. Abernethy im patiently, "you may eat anything dents at the Hospital that to which but the poker and the bellows; for they were entitled-the best prothe one is too hard of digestion, and duce of my mind. If I could have the other is full of wind." Mr. made my lectures to them better, Abernethy was once prodigiously I would instantly have made them pleased with the course pursued by so. I will give the College of Sura lady who was aware of his aver-geons precisely the same lectures, sion to idle loquacity and silly af- down to the smallest details-nay, fectation. Entering his consulting- I will tell the old fellows how to room, without uttering a word, she make a poultice." Soon after, when thrust towards him her finger which he was lecturing to the students at had sustained a severe injury. Mr. St. Bartholomew's, and adverting to Abernethy looked first at her face, the College of Surgeons, he exclaimand then at her finger, which he ed, gleefully, "I told the big wigs dressed. The fair patient then si- how to make a poultice!" The lently withdrew. In a few days great surgeon's description of poulshe called again, and presented the tice-making is said to have been exaffected digit. "Better?" inquired tremely diverting. the surgeon. "Better," replied the patient. The finger was again dressed, and the lady tacitly retired. After several similar calls, the lady at length held out her finger free from bandages, and healed. "Well?" asked Mr. Abernethy. "Well," responded the laconic lady. "Upon my word, Madam," exclaimed the delighted surgeon, "you are the most rational woman I ever met with !" JOHN ABERNETHY-HIS GENEROSITY. In the year 1818, Lieutenant D- fell from his horse in London, and sustained a fracture of the skull and arm. Mr. Abernethy was the nearest surgeon, and being sent for, continued his attendance daily, for months. When the patient became convalescent, he was enjoined by Abernethy to proceed to Margate and adopt shell-fish diet. The "Pray, Mr. Abernethy, what is a patient requested to know the excure for gout?" inquired a luxuri- tent of his pecuniary liability. ous and indolent citizen. "Live"Who is that young woman?" inupon sixpence a-day-and earn it!" was the pithy answer. JOHN ABERNETHY-HIS INTEGRITY quired Abernethy, smilingly. "She is my wife." "What is your rank in the army?" "I am a half-pay Lieutenant." "Oh! very well, wait till you are a General; then come and see me, and we'll talk about it." On his receiving the appointment of Professor of Anatomy and Sur- One of the students at the Hosgery to the Royal College of Sur-pital indicated to Mr. Abernethy geons, a professional friend observed his desire to be appointed his "dressto him that they should now have er," the usual fee for which was sixty something new. "What do you guineas for the year. Abernethy mean?" asked Mr. Abernethy. invited the youth to breakfast with "Why," said the other, "of course him next morning, to make arrangeyou will finish up the lectures which ments; and, in the meantime, on inyou have been so long delivering at quiry, found that the young man St. Bartholomew's Hospital, and let was attentive and clever, but in us have them in an improved form." straitened circumstances. At the "Do you take me for a fool or a breakfast table, the student proknave?" rejoined Mr. Abernethy; duced a small bag, containing the "I have always given the stu- sixty guineas, and presented it to DR. JAMES HOPE AND THE STETHOSCOPE. 105 Mr. Abernethy, who, in the kindest gratitude and with thankfulness, as and most considerate manner, de- a great boon which it has pleased clined it, insisting upon his apply- the Giver of all good to bestow, in ing the money to the purchase of his compassion for the sufferings of books and other means of improve- mankind." (Proceedings of Philoment. That student is now a prac-sophical Society of Glasgow, 1847.) titioner of considerable eminence in the metropolis. ETHER AND CHLOROFORM, AS ANESTHETIC AGENTS. 66 In the same year, Dr. Simpson of Edinburgh found that chloroform, when inhaled into the lungs, produced the same effect as ether, and could be more readily and easily administered. This body (which was only discovered in 1831) has now entirely superseded ether in surgical and midwifery practice. The same property has been observed (1853) to be possessed by a lycoperdon (or puff-ball), which has been employed to render bees insensible without destroying them. DR. PARR AND DR. S. JOHNSON. The practice of the inhalation of sulphuric ether as an anesthetic agent dates no further back than the year 1846. In describing its effects to the Philosophical Society of Glasgow, Dr. Andrew Buchanan, who had at first distrusted the astounding properties attributed to it, said, "I have carefully examined the subject by actual observation and experiment, and I have now to state, as the result, that I am fully satisfied that the statements Dr. Robert Gooch published in originally made to me were in no Blackwood's Magazine a lively acway exaggerated; that the inhal- count of a visit to the venerable ation of ether really has the power Dr. Parr at Warwick, in 1822. of suspending, for a time, the sensi- Speaking of the advantages and disbility of the nerves; and that, advantages of different professions, during the period of suspended Parr naturally gave the preference sensibility, the most formidable sur-to that of physic, as being equally gical operations may be performed-favourable to a man's moral sentiamputation of the limbs-the dis- ments and intellectual faculties.secting out of tumors, and cutting One of the party reminded him of for the stone-without any per- his first interview with Dr. Johnception of pain by the person oper- son. I remember it well," said ated upon, and without reason to Parr, "I gave him no quarter,-the apprehend any bad consequences, subject of our dispute was the either immediate or subsequent. I liberty of the press. Dr. Johnson can honestly declare that I have was very great; whilst he was seen all these, and many other ope- arguing, I observed that he stamped; rations performed; and that the upon this I stamped. Dr. Johnson patients, when put fully under the said, 'Why do you stamp, Dr. Parr? influence of the ether, gave no in- I replied, Sir, because you stamped, dications of feeling pain during and I was resolved not to give you these operations, and declared after- the advantage even of a stamp iu wards that they had felt none, the argument." which is the whole evidence that the case admits of. So great a triumph of the medical art I never expected to witness; but it should not excite feelings of exultation merely, but should be received with 66 DR. JAMES HOPE AND THE STETHO- The late Dr. James Hope had long assigned to himself the execu tion of two works-A Treatise on Diseases of the Heart, and on Mor- | book for taking notes of cases, and bid Anatomy, illustrated by plates; a small ink-bottle attached to his and, for the completion of them, he button. At that time there was allotted seven years. The materials much prejudice in England, and for the latter work were nearly especially at St. George's, against prepared, and the only difficulty" auscultation," (the use of the he had to encounter in its publica- stethoscope,) in the examination of tion was the enormous expense of diseases of the chest. This Dr. the engravings. But the subject Hope determined to remove, and of "Diseases of the Heart" was he adopted the most judicious then not very well understood. course, that, namely, of leaving He had bestowed much thought facts to speak for themselves. He upon it, from the period of his took the most minute notes of medical studies at Edinburgh. It them all, wrote down the concluappeared essential that he should sions to which he was led in as continue his studies at some large great detail as possible, and, before hospital, and he selected St. George's, proceeding to a post mortem exLondon, as the one to which his amination, publicly placed his book ambition prompted him to hope he on the table that it might be read should one day be physician, which by every one. He was invariably he afterwards became. Here he correct. Attention was soon drawn soon became conspicuous for his to him. His accuracy silenced regular attendance and unvarying every objection, and all intelligent application. Never was he to be and candid men became convinced seen without his stethoscope, his of the utility of the stethoscope. MISCELLANEOUS. DR. JOHNSON, AND OSBORNE THE Tom Osborne, the bookseller, was one of "that mercantile, rugged race, to which the delicacy of the poet is sometimes exposed;" as the following anecdote will more fully evince: Johnson being engaged by him to translate a work of some consequence, he thought it a respect which he owed his own talents, as well as the credit of his employer, to be as circumspect in the performance of it as possible; in consequence of which, the work went on, according to Osborne's ideas, rather slowly; consequence, he frequently spoke to Johnson of this circumstance, and, being a man of a coarse mind, sometimes, by his expressions, made him feel the situation of dependence. Johnson, however, seemed to take no notice of him, but went on ac in cording to the plan which he had prescribed for himself. Osborne, irritated by what he thought an unnecessary delay, went one day into the room where Johnson was sitting, and abused him in the most illiberal manner: amongst other things, he told Johnson he had been much mistaken in his man; that he was recommended to him as a good scholar, and a ready hand; but he doubted both; for "Tom Such-aone would have turned out the work much sooner; and that being the case, the probability was, that by this here time the first edition would have moved off." Johnson heard him for some time unmoved; but, at last, losing all patience, he seized a huge folio, which he was at that time consulting, and, aiming it at the bookseller's head, succeeded so forcibly as to send him sprawling on the floor. Osborne alarmed the HAYDON PAINTING CLARKSON THE PHILANTHROPIST. 107 family with his cries; but Johnson, him at ten, and at ten I was ready clapping his foot on his breast, would When all was ready, the not let him stir till he had exposed windows fitted, he said, "Call in him in that situation; and then left the maids." In came six servant him, with this triumphant expres- girls, and washerwomen (it being sion: "Lie there, thou son of dul-washing-day). "I am determined ness, ignorance, and obscurity !" they shall see the first stroke." In they all crowded, timidly wonderMANUSCRIPT OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. ing. Clarkson said, "There now, Robinson Crusoe, in manuscript, that is the first stroke; come again ran through the whole trade; nor in an hour, and you shall see the would any one print it, though the last!" We now began to talk. He writer, Defoe, was in good repute said, "When Christophe's wife and as an author. One bookseller, at daughters, all accomplished women, last, not remarkable for his discern- were brought or introduced by him ment, but for his speculative turn, to Wilberforce, and others in high engaged in this publication. This life, there was a sort of shrink at bookseller got above a thousand guineas by it; and the booksellers are accumulating money every hour by editions of this work in all shapes. The second volume of this work, however, met with a small sale. The bookseller would have given two hundred pounds that it never had been printed, the first would have been so much more saleable without it. I admitting them into society." HAYDON PAINTING CLARKSON THE ance, equal skill, equal courage, and PHILANTHROPIST. Found the dear old man at tea with his niece and wife, looking much better than when in town. Playford is a fine old building: 1593 the last date, but must be much older, they say. It is surrounded by a moat with running water. Clarkson has a head like a patriarch, and in his prime must have been a noble figure. He was very happy to see me, but there is a nervous irritability which is peculiar. He lives too much with adorers, especially women. As he seemed impatient at my staying beyond a certain time, I went to bed, and wished him good night. I slept well, and the next morning walked in the garden and fields. He breakfasted on milk and bread (alone), and I breakfasted with Mrs. T. Clarkson, up stairs. I promised to sketch yet I was not so affected. Clarkson has more weaknesses than the Duke. He is not so high bred. He makes a pride of his debilities. He boasts of his swollen legs and his pills as if they were so many claims to distinction. The Duke did not let you see him in his infirmities. He was deaf, but he would not let you see it if possible. He dined like others, ate like others, and did everything like others; and what he did not do like others, he did not do before others. Lord Grey and Clarkson have both that infirmity of asking questions about themselves, as if they had forgot the answers, that they may elicit again the answers for the pleasure of hearing the repetition. The Duke never. He is too much a man. Himself seems the last thing he remembers, except when others |