THE LAW

第1章

byHippocratestranslatedbyFrancisAdamsMedicineisofalltheArtsthemostnoble;but,notwithstanding,owingtotheignoranceofthosewhopracticeit,andofthosewho,inconsiderately,formajudgmentofthem,itisatpresentfarbehindalltheotherarts。Theirmistakeappearstometoariseprincipallyfromthis,thatinthecitiesthereisnopunishmentconnectedwiththepracticeofmedicine(andwithitalone)exceptdisgrace,andthatdoesnothurtthosewhoarefamiliarwithit。

Suchpersonsarelikethefigureswhichareintroducedintragedies,forastheyhavetheshape,anddress,andpersonalappearanceofanactor,butarenotactors,soalsophysiciansaremanyintitlebutveryfewinreality。

2。Whoeveristoacquireacompetentknowledgeofmedicine,oughttobepossessedofthefollowingadvantages:anaturaldisposition;

instruction;afavorablepositionforthestudy;earlytuition;loveoflabor;leisure。Firstofall,anaturaltalentisrequired;for,whenNatureopposes,everythingelseisinvain;butwhenNatureleadsthewaytowhatismostexcellent,instructioninthearttakesplace,whichthestudentmusttrytoappropriatetohimselfbyreflection,becominganearlypupilinaplacewelladaptedforinstruction。Hemustalsobringtothetaskaloveoflaborandperseverance,sothattheinstructiontakingrootmaybringforthproperandabundantfruits。

3。Instructioninmedicineislikethecultureoftheproductionsoftheearth。Forournaturaldispositionis,asitwere,thesoil;thetenetsofourteacherare,asitwere,theseed;instructioninyouthisliketheplantingoftheseedinthegroundattheproperseason;theplacewheretheinstructioniscommunicatedislikethefoodimpartedtovegetablesbytheatmosphere;diligentstudyislikethecultivationofthefields;anditistimewhichimpartsstrengthtoallthingsandbringsthemtomaturity。

4。Havingbroughtalltheserequisitestothestudyofmedicine,andhavingacquiredatrueknowledgeofit,weshallthus,intravelingthroughthecities,beesteemedphysiciansnotonlyinnamebutinreality。Butinexperienceisabadtreasure,andabadfundtothosewhopossessit,whetherinopinionorreality,beingdevoidofself—relianceandcontentedness,andthenursebothoftimidityandaudacity。Fortimiditybetraysawantofpowers,andaudacityawantofskill。Thereare,indeed,twothings,knowledgeandopinion,ofwhichtheonemakesitspossessorreallytoknow,theothertobeignorant。

5。Thosethingswhicharesacred,aretobeimpartedonlytosacredpersons;anditisnotlawfultoimportthemtotheprofaneuntiltheyhavebeeninitiatedinthemysteriesofthescience。

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