78o THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY, 



And as practical men were, in this instance, incomj^etent judges of 

 the value of scientific facts, so were men of science at fault when they 

 missed the discovery of anaesthetics. Year after year the influences of 

 laughing-gas and of ether were shown : the one fell to the level of the 

 wonders displayed by itinerant lecturers, students made fun with the 

 other ; they were the merest practical men, men looking for nothing 

 but what might be straightway useful, who made the great discovery 

 which has borne fruit not only in the mitigation of suffering, but in a 

 wide range of physiological science. 



The history of science has many similar facts, and they may teach 

 that any man will be both wise and dutiful if he will patiently and 

 thoughtfully do the best he can in the field of work in which, whether 

 by choice or chance, his lot is cast. There let him, at least, search for 

 truth, reflect on it, and record it accurately ; let him imitate that 

 accuracy and completeness of which I think we may boast that we 

 have, in the descriptions of the human body, the highest instance yet 

 attained in any branch of knowledge. Truth so recorded can not 

 remain barren. 



In thus speaking of the value of careful observation and records of 

 facts, I seem to be in agreement with the officers of all the sections ; 

 for, without any intended consent, they have all proposed such subjects 

 for discussion as can be decided only by well-directed facts and fair 

 direct inductions from them. There are no questions on theories or 

 mere doctrines. This, I am sure, may be ascribed, not to any dis- 

 regard of the value of good reasoning or of reasonable hypotheses, 

 but partly to the just belief that such things are ill-suited for discus- 

 sion in large meetings, and partly to the fact that we have no great 

 opponent schools, no great parties named after leaders or leading doc- 

 trines about which we are in the habit of disputing. In every section 

 the discussions are to be on definite questions, which, even if they be 

 associated with theory or general doctrines, may yet be soon brought 

 to the test of fact ; there is to be no use of doctrinal touchstones. 



I am speaking of no science but our own. I do not doubt that in 

 others there is advantage in dogma, or in the guidance of a central 

 organizing power, or in divisions and conflicting parties. But in the 

 medical sciences I believe that the existence of parties founded on 

 dominant theories has always been injurious ; a sign of satisfaction 

 with plausible errors, or with knowledge which was even for the time 

 imperfect. Such parties used to exist, and the personal histories of 

 their leaders are some of the most attractive parts of the history of 

 medicine : but, although in some instances an enthusiasm for the mas- 

 ter-mind may have stirred a few men to unusual industry, yet very 

 soon the disciples seem to have been fascinated by the distinctive doc- 

 trine, content to bear its name, and to cease from active scientific work. 

 The dominance of doctrine has promoted the habit of inference, and 

 repressed that of careful observation and induction. It has encouraged 



