the magic skin(驴皮记)-第42章

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School；　a　doctor　popular　with　believers　in　material　and　positive
science；　who　see　in　man　a　complete　individual；　subject　solely　to　the
laws　of　his　own　particular　organization；　and　who　consider　that　his
normal　condition　and　abnormal　states　of　disease　can　both　be　traced　to
obvious　causes。

After　this　reply；　Brisset　looked；　without　speaking；　at　a　middle…sized
person；　whose　darkly　flushed　countenance　and　glowing　eyes　seemed　to
belong　to　some　antique　satyr；　and　who；　leaning　his　back　against　the
corner　of　the　embrasure；　was　studying　Raphael；　without　saying　a　word。
Doctor　Cameristus；　a　man　of　creeds　and　enthusiasms；　the　head　of　the
〃Vitalists；〃　a　romantic　champion　of　the　esoteric　doctrines　of　Van
Helmont；　discerned　a　lofty　informing　principle　in　human　life；　a
mysterious　and　inexplicable　phenomenon　which　mocks　at　the　scalpel；
deceives　the　surgeon；　eludes　the　drugs　of　the　pharmacopoeia；　the
formulae　of　algebra；　the　demonstrations　of　anatomy；　and　derides　all
our　efforts；　a　sort　of　invisible；　intangible　flame；　which；　obeying
some　divinely　appointed　law；　will　often　linger　on　in　a　body　in　our
opinion　devoted　to　death；　while　it　takes　flight　from　an　organization
well　fitted　for　prolonged　existence。

A　bitter　smile　hovered　upon　the　lips　of　the　third　doctor；　Maugredie；　a
man　of　acknowledged　ability；　but　a　Pyrrhonist　and　a　scoffer；　with　the
scalpel　for　his　one　article　of　faith。　He　would　consider；　as　a
concession　to　Brisset；　that　a　man　who；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　was
perfectly　well　was　dead；　and　recognize　with　Cameristus　that　a　man
might　be　living　on　after　his　apparent　demise。　He　found　something
sensible　in　every　theory；　and　embraced　none　of　them；　claiming　that　the
best　of　all　systems　of　medicine　was　to　have　none　at　all；　and　to　stick
to　facts。　This　Panurge　of　the　Clinical　Schools；　the　king　of　observers；
the　great　investigator；　a　great　sceptic；　the　man　of　desperate
expedients；　was　scrutinizing　the　Magic　Skin。

〃I　should　very　much　like　to　be　a　witness　of　the　coincidence　of　its
retrenchment　with　your　wish；〃　he　said　to　the　Marquis。

〃Where　is　the　use？〃　cried　Brisset。

〃Where　is　the　use？〃　echoed　Cameristus。

〃Ah；　you　are　both　of　the　same　mind；〃　replied　Maugredie。

〃The　contraction　is　perfectly　simple；〃　Brisset　went　on。

〃It　is　supernatural；〃　remarked　Cameristus。

〃In　short；〃　Maugredie　made　answer；　with　affected　solemnity；　and
handing　the　piece　of　skin　to　Raphael　as　he　spoke；　〃the　shriveling
faculty　of　the　skin　is　a　fact　inexplicable；　and　yet　quite　natural；
which；　ever　since　the　world　began；　has　been　the　despair　of　medicine
and　of　pretty　women。〃

All　Valentin's　observation　could　discover　no　trace　of　a　feeling　for
his　troubles　in　any　of　the　three　doctors。　The　three　received　every
answer　in　silence；　scanned　him　unconcernedly；　and　interrogated　him
unsympathetically。　Politeness　did　not　conceal　their　indifference；
whether　deliberation　or　certainty　was　the　cause；　their　words　at　any
rate　came　so　seldom　and　so　languidly；　that　at　times　Raphael　thought
that　their　attention　was　wandering。　From　time　to　time　Brisset；　the
sole　speaker；　remarked；　〃Good！　just　so！〃　as　Bianchon　pointed　out　the
existence　of　each　desperate　symptom。　Cameristus　seemed　to　be　deep　in
meditation；　Maugredie　looked　like　a　comic　author；　studying　two　queer
characters　with　a　view　to　reproducing　them　faithfully　upon　the　stage。
There　was　deep；　unconcealed　distress；　and　grave　compassion　in　Horace
Bianchon's　face。　He　had　been　a　doctor　for　too　short　a　time　to　be
untouched　by　suffering　and　unmoved　by　a　deathbed；　he　had　not　learned
to　keep　back　the　sympathetic　tears　that　obscure　a　man's　clear　vision
and　prevent　him　from　seizing　like　the　general　of　an　army；　upon　the
auspicious　moment　for　victory；　in　utter　disregard　of　the　groans　of
dying　men。

After　spending　about　half　an　hour　over　taking　in　some　sort　the　measure
of　the　patient　and　the　complaint；　much　as　a　tailor　measures　a　young
man　for　a　coat　when　he　orders　his　wedding　outfit；　the　authorities
uttered　several　commonplaces；　and　even　talked　of　politics。　Then　they
decided　to　go　into　Raphael's　study　to　exchange　their　ideas　and　frame
their　verdict。

〃May　I　not　be　present　during　the　discussion；　gentlemen？〃　Valentin　had
asked　them；　but　Brisset　and　Maugredie　protested　against　this；　and；　in
spite　of　their　patient's　entreaties；　declined　altogether　to　deliberate
in　his　presence。

Raphael　gave　way　before　their　custom；　thinking　that　he　could　slip　into
a　passage　adjoining；　whence　he　could　easily　overhear　the　medical
conference　in　which　the　three　professors　were　about　to　engage。

〃Permit　me；　gentlemen；〃　said　Brisset；　as　they　entered；　〃to　give　you　my
own　opinion　at　once。　I　neither　wish　to　force　it　upon　you　nor　to　have
it　discussed。　In　the　first　place；　it　is　unbiased；　concise；　and　based
on　an　exact　similarity　that　exists　between　one　of　my　own　patients　and
the　subject　that　we　have　been　called　in　to　examine；　and；　moreover；　I
am　expected　at　my　hospital。　The　importance　of　the　case　that　demands　my
presence　there　will　excuse　me　for　speaking　the　first　word。　The　subject
with　which　we　are　concerned　has　been　exhausted　in　an　equal　degree　by
intellectual　laborswhat　did　he　set　about；　Horace？〃　he　asked　of　the
young　doctor。

〃A　'Theory　of　the　Will；'　〃

〃The　devil！　but　that's　a　big　subject。　He　is　exhausted；　I　say；　by　too
much　brain…work；　by　irregular　courses；　and　by　the　repeated　use　of　too
powerful　stimulants。　Violent　exertion　of　body　and　mind　has　demoralized
the　whole　system。　It　is　easy；　gentlemen；　to　recognize　in　the　symptoms
of　the　face　and　body　generally　intense　irritation　of　the　stomach；　an
affection　of　the　great　sympathetic　nerve；　acute　sensibility　of　the
epigastric　region；　and　contraction　of　the　right　and　left
hypochondriac。　You　have　noticed；　too；　the　large　size　and　prominence　of
the　liver。　M。　Bianchon　has；　besides；　constantly　watched　the　patient；
and　he　tells　us　that　digestion　is　troublesome　and　difficult。　Strictly
speaking；　there　is　no　stomach　left；　and　so　the　man　has　disappeared。
The　brain　is　atrophied　because　the　man　digests　no　longer。　The
progressive　deterioration　wrought　in　the　epigastric　region；　the　seat
of　vitality；　has　vitiated　the　whole　system。　Thence；　by　continuous
fevered　vibrations；　the　disorder　has　reached　the　brain　by　means　of　the
nervous　plexus；　hence　the　excessive　irritation　in　that　organ。　There　is
monomania。　The　patient　is　burdened　with　a　fixed　idea。　That　piece　of
skin　really　contracts；　to　his　way　of　thinking；　very　likely　it　always
has　been　as　we　have　seen　it；　but　whether　it　contracts　or　no；　that
thing　is　for　him　just　like　the　fly　that　some　Grand　Vizier　or　other　had
on　his　nose。　If　you　put　leeches　at　once　on　the　epigastrium；　and　reduce
the　irritation　in　that　part；　which　is　the　very　seat　of　man's　life；　and
if　you　diet　the　patient；　the　monomania　will　leave　him。　I　will　say　no
more　to　Dr。　Bianchon；　he　should　be　able　to　grasp　the　whole　treatment
as　well　as　the　details。　There　may　be；　perhaps；　some　complication　of
the　diseasethe　bronchial　tubes；　possibly；　may　be　also　inflamed；　but
I　believe　that　treatment　for　the　intestinal　organs　is　very　much　more
important　and　necessary；　and　more　urgently　required　than　for　the
lungs。　Persistent　study　of　abstract　matters；　and　certain　violent
passions；　have　induced　serious　disorders　in　that　vital　mechanism。
However；　we　are　in　time　to　set　these　conditions　right。　Nothing　is　too
seriously　affected。　You　will　easily　get　your　friend　round　again；〃　he
remarked　to　Bianchon。

〃Our　learned　colleague　is　taking　the　effect　for　the　cause；〃　Cameristus
replied。　〃Yes；　the　changes　that　he　has　observed　so　keenly　certainly
exist　in　the　patient；　but　it　is　not　the　stomach　that；　by　degrees；　has
set　up　nervous　action　in　the　system；　and　so　affected　the　brain；　like　a
hole　in　a　window　pane　spreading　cracks　round　about　it。　It　took　a　blow
of　some　kind　to　make　a　hole　in　the　window；　who　gave　the　blow？　Do　we
know　that？　Have　we　investigated　the　patient's　case　sufficiently？　Are
we　acquainted　with　all　the　events　of　his　life？

〃The　vital　principle；　gentlemen；〃　he　continued；　〃the　Archeus　of　Van
Helmont；　is　affected　in　his　casethe　very　essence　and　centre　of　life
is　attacked。　The　divine　spark；　the　transitory　intelligence　which　holds
the　organism　together；　which　is　the　source　of　the　will；　the
inspiration　of　life；　has　ceased　to　regulate　the　daily　phenomena　of　the
mechanism　and　the　functions　of　every　organ；　thence　arise　all　the
complications　which　my　learned　colleague　has　so　thoroughly
appreciated。　The　epigastric　region　does　not　affect　the　brain　but　the
brain　affects　the　epigastric　region。　No；〃　he　went　on；　vigorously
slapping　his　chest；　〃no；　I　am　not　a　stomach　in　the　form　of　a　man。　No；
everything　does　not　lie　there。　I　do　not　feel　that　I　have　the　courage
to　say　that　if　the　epigastric　region　is　in　good　order；　everything　else
is　in　a　like　condition

〃We　cannot　trace；〃　he　went　on　more　mildly；　〃to　one　physical　cause　the
serious　disturbances　that　supervene　in　this　or　that　subject　which　has
been　dangerously　attacked；　nor　submit　them　to　a　uniform　treatment。　No
one　man　is　like　another。　We　have　each　peculiar　organs；　differently
affected；　diversely　nourished；　adapted　to　perform　different　functions；
and　to　induce　a　condition　necessary　to　the　accomplishment　of　an　order
of　things　which　is　unknown　to　us。　The　sublime　will　has　so　wrought　that
a　little　portion　of　the　great　All　is　set　within　us　to　sustain　the
phenomena　of　living；　in　every　man　it　formulates　itself　distinctly；
making　each；　to　all　appearance；　a　separate　individual；　yet　in　one
point　co…existent　with　the　infinite　cause。　So　we　ought　to　make　a
separate　study　of　each　subject；　discover　all　about　it；　find　out　in
what　its　life　consists；　and　wherein　its　power　lies。　From　the　softness
of　a　wet　sponge　to　the　hardness　of　pumice…stone　there　are　infinite
fine　degrees　of　difference。　Man　is　just　like　that。　Between　the　sponge…
like　organizations　of　the　lymphatic　and　the　vigorous　iron　muscles　of
such　men　as　are　destined　for　a　long　life；　what　a　margin　for　errors　for
the　single　inflexible　system　of　a　lowering　treatment　to　commit；　a
system　that　reduces　the　capacities　of　the　human　frame；　which　you
always　conclude　have　been　over…excited。　Let　us　look　for　the　origin　of
the　disease　in　the　mental　and　not　in　the　physical　viscera。　A　doctor　is
an　inspired　being；　endowed　by　God　with　a　special　giftthe　power　to
read　the　secrets　of　vitality；　just　as　the　prophet　has　received　the
eyes　that　foresee　the　future；　the　poet　his　faculty　of　evoking　nature；
and　the　musician　the　power　of　arranging　sounds　in　an　harmonious　order
that　is　possibly　a　copy　of　an　ideal　harmony　on　high。〃

〃There　is　his　everlasting　system　of　medicine；　arbitrary；　monarchical；
and　pious；〃　muttered　Brisset。

〃Gentlemen；〃　Maugredie　broke　in　hastily；　to　distract　attention　from
Brisset's　comment；　〃don't　let　us　lose　sight　of　the　patient。〃

〃What　is　the　good　of　science？〃　Raphael　moaned。　〃Here　is　my　recovery
halting　between　a　string　of　beads　and　a　rosary　of　leeches；　between
Dupuytren's　bistoury　and　Prince　Hohenlohe's　prayer。　There　is　Maugredie
suspending　his　judgment　on　the　line　that　divides　facts　from　words；
mind　from　matter。　Man's　'it　is；'　and　'it　is　not；'　is　always　on　my
track；　it　is　the　Carymary　Carymara　of　Rabelais　for　evermore：　my
disord