Had other medical writers been as honest as this gentleman, the art had been upon a very different footing at this day. Most of them extol the merit of those men who brought Philosophy out of the schools, and subjected it to the rules of common sense. But they never consider that Medicine, at present, is in nearly the same situation as Philosophy was at that time, and that it might be as much improved by being treated in the same manner. Indeed, no science can either be rendered rational or useful, without being submitted to the common sense and reason of mankind. These alone stamp a value upon science; and what will not bear the test of these ought to be rejected.
I know it will be said, that diffusing medical knowledge among the people might induce them to tamper with Medicine, and to trust to their own skill instead of calling a physician. The reverse of this however is true. Persons who have most knowledge in these matters, are commonly most ready both to ask and to follow advice, when it is necessary. The ignorant are always most apt to tamper with Medicine, and have the least confidence in physicians. Instances of this are daily to be met with among the ignorant peasants, who, while they absolutely refuse to take a medicine which has been prescribed by a physician, will swallow with greediness any thing that is recommended to them by their credulous neighbours. Where men will act even without knowledge, it is certainly more rational to afford them all the light we can, than to leave them entirely in the dark.
It may also be alleged, that laying Medicine more open to mankind would lessen their faith in it. This would indeed be the case with regard to some; but it would have a quite contrary effect upon others. I know many people who have the utmost dread and horror of every thing prescribed by a physician, but who will nevertheless very readily take a medicine which they know, and whose qualities they are in some measure acquainted with. Hence it is evident, that the dread arises from the doctor, not from the drug. Nothing ever can or will inspire mankind with an absolute confidence in physicians, but an open, frank, and undisguised behaviour. While the least shadow of mystery remains in the conduct of the Faculty, doubts, jealousies, and suspicions, will arise in the minds of men.
No doubt cases will sometimes occur, where a prudent physician may find it expedient to disguise a medicine. The whims and humours of men must be regarded by those who mean to do them service; but this can never affect the general argument in favour of candour and openness. A man might as well allege, because there are knaves and fools in the world, that he ought to take every one he meets for such, and to treat him accordingly. A sensible physician will always know where disguise is necessary; but it ought never to appear on the face of his general conduct.
The appearance of mystery in the conduct of physicians not only renders their art suspicious, but lays the foundations of Quackery, which is the disgrace of Medicine. No two characters can be more different than that of the honest physician and the quack; yet they have generally been very much confounded. The line between them is not sufficiently apparent; at least it is too fine for the general eye. Few persons are able to distinguish sufficiently between the conduct of that man who administers a secret medicine, and him who writes a prescription in mystical characters and an unknown tongue. Thus the conduct of the honest physician, which needs no disguise, gives a sanction to that of the villain, whose sole consequence depends upon secrecy.
No laws will ever be able to prevent quackery, while people believe that the quack is as honest a man, and as well qualified, as the physician. A very small degree of medical knowledge, however, would be sufficient to break this spell; and nothing else can effectually undeceive them. It is the ignorance and credulity of the multitude, with regard to medicine, which renders them such an easy prey to every one who has the hardiness to attack them on this quarter. Nor can the evil be remedied by any other means but by making them wiser.
The most effectual way to destroy quackery in any art or science, is to diffuse the knowledge of it among mankind. Did physicians write their prescriptions in the common language of the country, and explain their intentions to the patient, as far as he could understand them, it would enable him to know when the medicine had the desired effect; would inspire him with absolute confidence in the physician; and would make him dread and detest every man who pretended to cram a secret medicine down his throat.
Men in the different states of society, have very different views of the same object. Some time ago it was the practice of this country for every person to say his prayers in Latin, whether he knew any thing of that language or not. This conduct, though sacred in the eyes of our ancestors, appears ridiculous enough to us; and doubtless some parts of ours will seem as strange to posterity. Among these we may reckon the present mode of medical prescription, which, we venture to affirm, will sometime hence appear to have been completely ridiculous, and a very high burlesque upon the common sense of mankind.
But this practice is not only ridiculous, it is likewise dangerous. However capable physicians may be of writing Latin, I am certain apothecaries are not always in a condition to read it, and that dangerous mistakes, in consequence of this, often happen. But suppose the apothecary ever so able to read the physician’s prescription, he is generally otherwise employed, and the business of making up prescriptions is left entirely to the apprentice. By this means the greatest man in the kingdom, even when he employs a first-rate physician, in reality trusts his life in the hands of an idle boy, who has not only the chance of being very ignorant, but likewise giddy and careless. Mistakes will sometimes happen in spite of the greatest care; but, where human lives are concerned, all possible methods ought certainly to be taken to prevent them. For this reason, the prescriptions of physicians, instead of being couched in mystical characters and a foreign language, ought, in my humble opinion, to be conceived in the most plain and obvious terms imaginable.
Diffusing medical knowledge among the people would not only tend to improve the art, and to banish quackery, but likewise to render Medicine more universally useful, by extending its benefits to society. However long Medicine may have been known as a science, we will venture to say, that many of its most important purposes to society have either been overlooked, or very little attended to. The cure of diseases is doubtless a matter of great importance; but the preservation of health is of still greater. This is the concern of every man, and surely what relates to it ought to be rendered as plain and obvious to all as possible. It is not to be supposed, that men can be sufficiently upon their guard against diseases, who are totally ignorant of their causes. Neither can the legislature, in whose power it is to do much more for preserving the public health than can ever be done by the Faculty, exert that power with propriety, and to the greatest advantage, without some degree of medical knowledge.