THE SCHOOLS OF MEDICINE. 535 



that not a thread can be broken, not an individual can suffer, without 

 the general mechanism being informed of the accident, affected by it, 

 and forced to repair the damage as much as possible. This is the ideal 

 which philanthropy is pursuing, and which it will approach more close- 

 ly as it becomes more scientific in its method, without ceasing to be 

 also generous in its inspirations. Translated from the Revue des Deux 

 Mondes. 



[Concluded.] 



-- 



THE SCHOOLS OF MEDICINE. 



Br E. 0. BEAED, M. D. 



"^VTOTIIING is so popular as prejudice, and no prejudice so popular 

 -LN as that resting upon a supposed scientific basis, or backed by 

 reputed scientific authority. Always obstructive to the spirit of prog- 

 ress, it is peculiarly so when related to a subject so closely concerning 

 the interest of the people as the study and treatment of disease. In 

 these physically degenerate days the avoidance or remedy of the 

 thousand " ills which flesh is heir to " is a question of well-nigh uni- 

 versal import. The urgency of this common need offers a partial rea- 

 son for the adoption and perpetuation, by the public mind, of the 

 differences which are supposed to exist between the two great schools 

 of medicine ; while, at the same time, it measures the greatness of the 

 misfortune of the fact. 



Rooted in the professional ignorance and bigotry of almost a cent- 

 ury ago, fostered by the bitter rivalries and exclusivism of opposing 

 theorists, these differences have been taken up and fed by popular 

 opinion, until they seriously embarrass the progress of medical knowl- 

 edge, and tend to destroy all faith in the science and art of healing. 



The medical fraternity at large, and of both schools alike, is re- 

 sponsible for this unfortunate condition of affairs. When professional 

 men, who, supposably, represent the best phases of liberal thought 

 and scientific culture, lend their names to the partisanship of mere 

 theory, and array themselves under sectarian titles which signify their 

 adherence to an exclusive dogma, it is small wonder that the laity 

 should follow in their footsteps, and cast their views into the yet nar- 

 rower mold of unreasoning prejudice. 



And, as professional hands have sown this seed of error, it is they 

 who must gather its barren harvest, and uproot the tares of false opin- 

 ion from the popular mind. 



The recent agitation within the ranks of the one school of medi- 

 cine, of the question of establishing consulting relations with duly 

 qualified members of the other, presents a good opportunity of offer- 



