New theory and old practice in relation to medicine and certain industries : being an analysis of current literature of these subjects / by C.A. Gordon.

  • Gordon, Charles Alexander, 1821-1899.
Date:
1886
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: New theory and old practice in relation to medicine and certain industries : being an analysis of current literature of these subjects / by C.A. Gordon. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    Governments who appointed them had assisted to excite the contempt of Europe for the so-called medical science of the last quarter of the nineteenth century. (Cholera Curable, pp. 69 and 86). ^Vhile engaged in preparing these notes I carefully examined the contents of a recently published text-book on physiology. According to my view, the greater part of that work is occupied with details of experiments on anunals which have no relation whatever to the healing art; the references to those subjects which do bear such a relation include particulars which were long ago ascertained, and could have been so perfectly well in the absence of experiments on living animals. Modern Physiology being thus separated from practical medicme, the question presents itself for consideration by the responsible authori- ties, how far is it expedient that time and attention of medical students should be taken up mth studies and investigations which give no help in regard to the actual purposes of their intended profession, to the necessary omission and neglect of such as are essential to that end ? (b) Surgery. With reference to the claims in favour of practical physiology in relation to surgery the following statements, out of many similar in purport are here given, namely :—The knowledge of surgery possessed by Sir W. Fergusson waa derived according to his own evidence, from clinical and pathological observation. He was not aware that experi- ments had led to the mitigation of pain or improvement as regards surgical details; neither did he see of what value to surgery such experiments could be,—the abnormal conditions produced by such experi- ments must render their results no great value. In surgery, vivi- section has been more used to confirm results than to make discoveries ; few gi-eat surgeons have been vivisectors. (Qns. 1024 to 1034). The most striking experiments on animals referring to surgery were previously performed on the human subject, and were therefore unnecessary. John Hunter's most brilliant performance was done on the human subject by him, and years afterwards was copied on animals; no great vivisector has made himself a great surgeon by vivisection. As his own practical knowledge of surgery increased, his opinion of experiments became less than it was before he had attained a ' grasp ' of his subject. (Evidence of Sir W. Fergusson before the Royal Commission, 1876). Modern surgery has not boon uniform in its progress ;—its advance materially affected by the prevailing bias of the day. Anatomical at one time,