over the teacups-第20章

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old　Egyptianswho；　if　my　memory　serves　me　correctly；　had　a　special

physician　for　every　part　of　the　bodywithout　falling　into　certain

errors　and　incurring　certain　liabilities。



〃The　specialist　is　much　like　other　people　engaged　in　lucrative

business。　　He　is　apt　to　magnify　his　calling；　to　make　much　of　any

symptom　which　will　bring　a　patient　within　range　of　his　battery　of

remedies。　　I　found　a　case　in　one　of　our　medical　journals；　a　couple　of

years　ago；　which　illustrates　what　I　mean。　　Dr。　___________　　of

Philadelphia；　had　a　female　patient　with　a　crooked　nose；deviated

septum；　if　our　young　scholars　like　that　better。　　She　was　suffering

from　what　the　doctor　called　reflex　headache。　　She　had　been　to　an

oculist；　who　found　that　the　trouble　was　in　her　eyes。　　She　went　from

him　to　a　gynecologist；　who　considered　her　headache　as　owing　to　causes

for　which　his　specialty　had　the　remedies。　　How　many　more　specialists

would　have　appropriated　her；　if　she　had　gone　the　rounds　of　them　all；

I　dare　not　guess；　but　you　remember　the　old　story　of　the　siege；　in

which　each　artisan　proposed　means　of　defence　which　be　himself　was

ready　to　furnish。　　Then　a　shoemaker　said；　'Hang　your　walls　with　new

boots。'



〃Human　nature　is　the　same　with　medical　specialists　as　it　was　with

ancient　cordwainers；　and　it　is　too　possible　that　a　hungry

practitioner　may　be　warped　by　his　interest　in　fastening　on　a　patient

who；　as　he　persuades　himself；　comes　under　his　medical　jurisdiction。

The　specialist　has　but　one　fang　with　which　to　seize　and　bold　his

prey；　but　that　fang　is　a　fearfully　long　and　sharp　canine。　　Being

confined　to　a　narrow　field　of　observation　and　practice；　he　is　apt　to

give　much　of　his　time　to　curious　study；　which　may　be　magnifique；　but

is　not　exactly　la　guerre　against　the　patient's　malady。　　He　divides

and　subdivides；　and　gets　many　varieties　of　diseases；　in　most　respects

similar。　　These　he　equips　with　new　names；　and　thus　we　have　those

terrific　nomenclatures　which　are　enough　to　frighten　the　medical

student；　to　say　nothing　of　the　sufferers　staggering　under　this　long

catalogue　of　local　infirmities。　　The　'old…fogy'　doctor；　who　knows　the

family　tendencies　of　his　patient；　who　'understands　his　constitution；'

will　often　treat　him　better　than　the　famous　specialist；　who　sees　him

for　the　first　time；　and　has　to　guess　at　many　things　'the　old　doctor'

knows　from　his　previous　experience　with　the　same　patient　and　the

family　to　which　he　belongs。



〃It　is　a　great　luxury　to　practise　as　a　specialist　in　almost　any　class

of　diseases。　　The　special　practitioner　has　his　own　hours；　hardly

needs　a　night…bell；　can　have　his　residence　out　of　the　town　in　which

he　exercises　his　calling；　in　short；　lives　like　a　gentleman；　while　the

hard…worked　general　practitioner　submits　to　a　servitude　more　exacting

than　that　of　the　man　who　is　employed　in　his　stable　or　in　his　kitchen。

That　is　the　kind　of　life　I　have　made　up　my　mind　to。〃



The　teaspoons　tinkled　all　round　the　table。　　This　was　the　usual　sign

of　approbation；　instead　of　the　clapping　of　hands。



The　young　Doctor　paused；　and　looked　round　among　The　Teacups。　　〃I　beg

your　pardon；〃　he　said；　〃for　taking　up　so　much　of　your　time　with

medicine。　　It　is　a　subject　that　a　good　many　persons；　especially

ladies；　take　an　interest　in　and　have　a　curiosity　about；　but　I　have　no

right　to　turn　this　tea…table　into　a　lecture　platform。〃



〃We　should　like　to　hear　you　talk　longer　about　it；〃　said　the　English

Annex。　　〃One　of　us　has　thought　of　devoting　herself　to　the　practice　of

medicine。　　Would　you　lecture　to　us；　if　you　were　a　professor　in　one　of

the　great　medical　schools？〃



〃Lecture　to　students　of　your　sex？　　Why　not；　I　should　like　to　know？　　I

don't　think　it　is　the　calling　for　which　the　average　woman　is

especially　adapted；　but　my　teacher　got　a　part　of　his　medical

education　from　a　lady；　Madame　Lachapelle；　and　I　don't　see　why；　if　one

can　learn　from　a　woman；　he　may　not　teach　a　woman；　if　he　knows

enough。〃



〃We　all　like　a　little　medical　talk　now　and　then；〃　said　Number　Five；

〃and　we　are　much　obliged　to　you　for　your　discourse。　　You　are

specialist　enough　to　take　care　of　a　sprained　ankle；　I　suppose；　are

you　not？〃



〃I　hope　I　should　be　equal　to　that　emergency；〃　answered　the　young

Doctor；　〃but　I　trust　you　are　not　suffering　from　any　such　accident？〃



〃No；〃　said　Number　Five；　〃but　there　is　no　telling　what　may　happen。　　I

might　slip；　and　get　a　sprain　or　break　a　sinew；　or　something；　and　I

should　like　to　know　that　there　is　a　practitioner　at　hand　to　take　care

of　my　injury。　　I　think　I　would　risk　myself　in　your　bands；　although

you　are　not　a　specialist。　　Would　you　venture　to　take　charge　of　the

case？〃



〃Ah；　my　dear　lady；〃　he　answered　gallantly；　〃the　risk　would　be　in　the

other　direction。　　I　am　afraid　it　would　be　safer　for　your　doctor　if　he

were　an　older　man　than　I　am。〃



This　is　the　first　clearly；　indisputably　sentimental　outbreak　which

has　happened　in　conversation　at　our　table。　　I　tremble　to　think　what

will　come　of　it；　for　we　have　several　inflammable　elements　in　our

circle；　and　a　spark　like　this　is　liable　to　light　on　any　one　or　two　of

them。



I　was　not　sorry　that　this　medical　episode　came　in　to　vary　the　usual

course　of　talk　at　our　table。　　I　like　to　have　oneof　an　intelligent

company；　who　knows　anything　thoroughly；　hold　the　floor　for　a　time；

and　discourse　upon　the　subject　which　chiefly　engages　his　daily

thoughts　and　furnishes　his　habitual　occupation。　　It　is　a　privilege　to

meet　such　a　person　now　and　then；　and　let　him　have　his　full　swing。

But　because　there　are　〃professionals〃　to　whom　we　are　willing　to

listen　as　oracles；　I　do　not　want　to　see　everybody　who　is　not　a

〃professional〃　silenced　or　snubbed；　if　he　ventures　into　any　field　of

knowledge　which　he　has　not　made　especially　his　own。　　I　like　to　read

Montaigne's　remarks　about　doctors；　though　he　never　took　a　medical

degree。　　I　can　even　enjoy　the　truth　in　the　sharp　satire　of　Voltaire

on　the　medical　profession。　　I　frequently　prefer　the　remarks　I　hear

from　the　pew　after　the　sermon　to　those　I　have　just　been　hearing　from

the　pulpit。　　There　are　a　great　many　things　which　I　never　expect　to

comprehend；　but　which　I　desire　very　much　to　apprehend。　　Suppose　that

our　circle　of　Teacups　were　made　up　of　specialists；experts　in

various　departments。　　I　should　be　very　willing　that　each　one　should

have　his　innings　at　the　proper　time；　when　the　company　were　ready　for

him。　　But　the　time　is　coming　when　everybody　will　know　something　about

every　thing。　　How　can　one　have　the　illustrated　magazines；　the

〃Popular　Science　Monthly；〃　the　Psychological　journals；　the

theological　periodicals；　books　on　all　subjects；　forced　on　his

attention；　in　their　own　persons；　so　to　speak；　or　in　the　reviews　which

analyze　and　pass　judgment　upon　them；　without　getting　some　ideas　which

belong　to　many　provinces　of　human　intelligence？　　The　air　we　breathe

is　made　up　of　four　elements；　at　　least：　oxygen；　nitrogen；　carbonic

acid　gas；　and　knowledge。　　There　is　something　quite　delightful　to

witness　in　the　absorption　and　devotion　of　a　genuine　specialist。

There　is　a　certain　sublimity　in　that　picture　of　the　dying　scholar　in

Browning's　〃A　Grammarian's　Funeral：〃



　　　　〃So　with　the　throttling　hands　of　death　at　strife；

　　　　　　　　　　Ground　he　at　grammar；

　　　　　Still；　through　the　rattle；　parts　of　speech　were　rife；

　　　　　　　　　　While　he　could　stammer

　　　　　He　settled　Hoti's　businesslet　it　be

　　　　　　　　　　Properly　based　Oun

　　　　　Gave　us　the　doctrine　of　the　enclitic　De；

　　　　　　　　　　Dead　from　the　waist　down。〃



A　genuine　enthusiasm；　which　will　never　be　satisfied　until　it　has

pumped　the　well　dry　at　the　bottom　of　which　truth　is　lying；　always

excites　our　interest；　if　not　our　admiration。



One　of　the　pleasantest　of　our　American　writers；　whom　we　all　remember

as　Ik　Marvel；　and　greet　in　his　more　recent　appearance　as　Donald　Grant

Mitchell；　speaks　of　the　awkwardness　which　he　feels　in　offering　to　the

public　a　〃panoramic　view　of　British　writers　in　these　days　of

specialists；when　students　devote　half　a　lifetime　to　the　analysis　of

the　works　of　a　single　author；　and　to　the　proper　study　of　a　single

period。〃



He　need　not　have　feared　that　his　connected　sketches　of　〃English

Lands；　Letters　and　Kings〃　would　be　any　less　welcome　because　they　do

not　pretend　to　fill　up　all　the　details　or　cover　all　the　incidents

they　hint　in　vivid　outline。　　How　many　of　us　ever　read　or　ever　will

read　Drayton's　〃Poly…Olbion？〃　　Twenty　thousand　long　Alexandrines　are

filled　with　admirable　descriptions　of　scenery；　natural　productions；

and　historical　events；　but　how　many　of　us　in　these　days　have　time　to

read　and　inwardly　digest　twenty　thousand　Alexandrine　verses？　　I　fear

that　the　specialist　is　apt　to　hold　his　intelligent　reader　or　hearer

too　cheap。　　So　far　as　I　have　observed　in　medical　specialties；　what　he

knows　in　addition　to　the　knowledge　of　the　well…taught　general

practitioner　is　very　largely　curious　rather　than　important。　　Having

exhausted　all　that　is　practical；　the　specialist　is　naturally　tempted

to　amuse　himself　with　the　natural　history　of　the　organ　or　function　he

deals　with；　to　feel　as　a　writing…master　does　when　he　sets　a　copy；

not　content　to　shape　the　letters　properly；　but　he　must　add　flourishes

and　fancy　figures；　to　let　off　his　spare　energy。



I　am　beginning　to　be　frightened。　　When　I　began　these　papers；　my　idea

was　a　very　simple　and　innocent　one。　　Here　was　a　mixed　company；　of

various　conditions；　as　I　have　already　told　my　readers；　who　came

together　regularly；　and　before　they　were　aware　of　it　formed　something

like　a　club　or　association。　　As　I　was　the　patriarch　among　them；　they

gave　me　the　name　some　of　you　may　need　to　be　reminded　of；　for　as　these

reports　are　published　at　intervals；　you　may　not　remember　the　fact

that　I　am　what　The　Teacups　have　seen　fit　to　call　The　Dictator。



Now；　what　did　I　expect　when　I　began　these　papers；　and　what　is　it　that

has　begun　to　frighten　me？



I　expected　to　report　grave　conversations　and　light　colloquial

passages　of　arms　among　the　members　of　the　circle。　　I　expected　to

hear；　perhaps　to　read；　a　paper　now　and　then。　　I　expected　to　have；

from　time　to　time；　a　poem　from　some　one　of　The　Teacups；　for　I　felt

sure　there　must　be　among　them　one　or　more　poets；Teacups　of　the

finer　and　rarer　translucent　kind　of　porcelain；　to　speak

metaphorically。



Out　of　these　conversations　and　written　contributions　I　thought　I

might　make　up　a　readable　series　of　papers；　a　not　wholly　unwelcome

string　of　recollections；　anticipations；　suggestions；　too　often

perhaps　repetitions；　that　would　be　to　the　twilight　what　my　earlier

series　had　been　to　the　morning。



I　hoped　also　that　I　should　come　into　personal　relations　with　my　old

constituency；　if　I　may　call　my　nearer　friends；　and　those　more　distant

ones　who　belong　to　my　reading　parish；　by　that　name。　　It　is　time　that

I　should。　　I　received　this　blessed　morningI　am　telling　the　literal

trutha　highly　flattering　obituary　of　myself　in　the　shap