THE PHYSICIAN OF THE FUTURE. 639 



the etiology of disease, the elucidation of the action of medicaments 

 by the methods of experimental physiology, appear to me to be the 

 greatest steps which have ever been made toward the establishment of 

 medicine on a scientific basis. I need hardly say, they could not have 

 been made except for the advance of normal biology. There can be 

 no question, then, as to the connection between medicine and biological 

 science. There can be no doubt that the future of pathology, of thera- 

 peutics, and therefore of practical medicine, depends upon the extent to 

 which those who occupy themselves with these subjects are trained in 

 the methods and impregnated with the fundamental truths of biology. 

 And I venture to suggest that the collective sagacity of this congress 

 could occupy itself with no more important question than with this : 

 How is medical education to be arranged, so that, without entangling 

 the student in those details of the systematist which are valueless to 

 him, he may be enabled to obtain a firm grasp of the great truths re- 

 specting animal and vegetable life without which, notwithstanding 

 all the progress of scientific medicine, he will still find himself an em- 

 piric ? " 



The modern theories of evolution have done great things for medi- 

 cine, and will do far more in the future. They have put in action 

 forces that may revolutionize medical science. Evolution has shown, 

 as nothing else could, how profoundly animals are affected by their 

 environment, their food, habits, climate, etc., and, by showing how 

 inevitable is the modification of structure in other animals, has called 

 attention to the same facts in man's existence. 



Men knew long ago that animals were greatly affected by their 

 surroundings, but this truth was far from being fully recognized until 

 evolution re-affirmed it, and emphasized its affirmation by facts which 

 could not be passed by. Thus man was led to ask, What application 

 have these principles to my own habits of life, to my well-being ? To 

 what extent are my diseases induced and fostered by external condi- 

 tions ? The reply to these inquiries is found in sanitary science, in 

 health officers and boards of health, and we have as yet only the be- 

 ginning of the answer. Sanitary science, though in its infancy, has 

 already profoundly affected medical science in many directions. Per- 

 haps the most important effect that as yet appears is the leading med- 

 icine away from its old, blind, absolute faith in remedial agents, in 

 therapeutics, toward greater faith in right living, proper diet, dress, 

 and drainage. Not that remedies are to be wholly laid aside, but 

 they will be more sparingly used, and more intelligently, and often 

 not at all. Where formerly drugs, powerful in quantity and qual- 

 ity, were invariably given, many of our best physicians now pre- 

 scribe few or none, depending, and with better results, upon pure air, 

 simple food, and other hygienic means. I believe that more would 

 thus treat disease were they not prevented by the patients themselves. 



So long as it is less trouble to take quinine than to clear out drain 



