and Servant.
[1] Ch. Of the knowledg of diseases.
[2] Ch. Called the Position.
[3] Ch. Of the knowledg of diseases.
[XXVIII.]
MADAM,
I am very much troubled to see your Authors Works fill'd with so many spiteful reproaches and bitter taunts against the Schools of Physicians, condemning both their Theory and Practice; nay, that not onely the Modern Schools of Physicians, but also the two ancient and famous Physicians, Galen, and Paracelsus, must sufficiently suffer by him; especially Galen; for there is hardly a Chapter in all his Works, which has not some accusations of blind errors, sloth, and sluggishness, Ignorance, Covetousness, Cruelty, and the like: Which I am very sorry for; not onely for the sake of your Author himself, who herein doth betray both his rashness, and weakness, in not bridling his passions, and his too great presumption, reliance and confidence in his own abilities, and extraordinary Gifts; but also for the sake of the Fame and Repute of our Modern Physicians; for without making now any difference betwixt the Galenists and Paracelsians, and examining which are the best, (for I think them both excellent in their kinds, especially when joyned together) I will onely say this in general, that the Art of Physick has never flourish'd better then now, neither has any age had more skilful, learned, and experienced Physicians, then this present; because they have not onely the knowledg and practise of those in ages Past, but also their own experience joyned with it, which cannot but add perfection to their Art; and I, for my part, am so much for the old way of Practice, that if I should be sick, I would desire rather such Physicians which follow the same way, then those, that by their new Inventions, perchance, cure one, and kill a hundred. But your Author[1] will have a Physician to be like a Handycrafts man, who being call'd to a work, promises that work, and stands to his promise; and therefore, It is a shame, says he, in a Physician, being call'd to a sick man in the beginning of the disease, and when his strength is yet remaining, to suffer the same man to die. This, in my opinion, is a very unreasonable comparison, to liken a Handicrafts man to a Physician, and the art of Curing to the art of Building, or any the like, without regard of so many great differences that are between them, which I am loth to rehearse, for brevities sake, and are apparant enough to every one that will consider them: but this I may say, that it is not always for want of skill and industry in a Physician, that the cure is not effected, but it lies either in the Incureableness of the disease, or any other external accidents that do hinder the success: Not but that the best Physicians may err in a disease, or mistake the Patients inward distemper by his outward temper, or the interior temper by his outward distemper, or any other ways; for they may easily err through the variation of the disease, which may vary so suddenly and oft, as it is impossible to apply so fast, and so many Medicines, as the alteration requires, without certain death; for the body is not able, oftentimes, to dispose and digest several Medicines so fast, as the disease may vary, and therefore what was good in this temper, may, perhaps, be bad in the variation; insomuch, that one medicine may in a minute prove a Cordial, and Poyson. Nay, it may be that some Physicians do err through their own ignorance and mistake, must we therefore condemn all the skill, and accuse all the Schools of Negligence, Cruelty, and Ignorance? God forbid: for it would be a great Injustice. Let us rather praise them for the good they do, and not rashly condemn them for the evil they could not help: For we may as well condemn those holy and industrious Divines, that cannot reform wicked and perverse Sinners, as Physicians, because they cannot restore every Patient to his former health, the Profession of a Physician being very difficult; for they can have but outward signs of inward distempers. Besides, all men are not dissected after they are dead, to inform Physicians of the true cause of their death; nay, if they were, perchance they would not give always a true information to the Physician, as is evident by many examples; but oftentimes the blame is laid upon the Physician, when as the fault is either in Nature, or any other cause, which Art could not mend. And if your Author had had such an extraordinary Gift from God as to know more then all the rest of Physicians, why did he not accordingly, and as the Scripture speaks of Faith, shew his skill by his Works and Cures? certainly, could he have restored those that were born blind, lame, deaf and dumb, or cured the spotted Plague, or Apoplexy after the third fit, or the Consumption of Vital parts, or a Fever in the Arteries, or dissolved a Stone too big to go through the passage, and many the like; he would not onely have been cried up for a rare Physician, but for a miracle of the World, and worshipped as a Saint: But if he could not effect more then the Schools can do, why doth he inveigh so bitterly against them? Wherefore I cannot commend him in so doing; but as I respect the Art of Physick, as a singular Gift from God to Mankind, so I respect and esteem also learned and skilful Physicians, for their various Knowledg, industrious Studies, careful Practice, and great Experiences, and think every one is bound to do the like, they being the onely supporters and restorers of humane life and health: For though I must confess, with your Author, that God is the onely giver of Good, yet God is not pleased to work Miracles ordinarily, but has ordained means for the restoring of health, which the Art of Physick doth apply; and therefore those Persons that are sick, do wisely to send for a Physician; for Art, although it is but a particular Creature, and the handmaid of Nature, yet she doth Nature oftentimes very good service; and so do Physicians often prolong their Patients lives. The like do Chirurgeons; for if those Persons that have been wounded, had been left to be cured onely by the Magnetick Medicine, I believe, numbers that are alive would have been dead, and numbers would die that are alive; insomuch, as none would escape, but by miracle, especially if dangerously hurt. Concerning the Coveteousness of Physicians, although sickness is chargeable, yet I think it is not Charitable to say or to think, that Physitians regard more their Profit, then their Patients health; for we might as well condemn Divines for taking their Tithes and Stipends, as Physicians for taking their Fees: but the holy Writ tells us, that a Labourer is Worthy of his hire or reward; and, for my part, I think those commit a great sin, which repine at giving Rewards in any kind; for those that deserve well by their endeavours, ought to have their rewards; and such Meritorious Persons, I wish with all my Soul, may prosper and thrive. Nevertheless, as for those persons, which for want of means are not able to reward their Physicians, I think Physicians will not deal so unconscionably, as to neglect their health and lives for want of their Fees, but expect the reward from God, and be recompenced the better by those that have Wealth enough to spare. And this good opinion I have of them. So leaving them, I rest,
Madam,
Your constant Friend