is understood, it constitutes, as 1 hope to 
shew in the sequel, a doctrine rich in lessons 
for common life.” 
Personal prudence is only to be ac- 
quired by an acquaintance with the struc- 
ture and functions of the human body. 
For this purpose, Dr. Beddoes proposes, 
that lectures on select subjects of ana- 
tomy, adapted for a mixed audience, should 
be established in all our large towns; 
that one of the medical profession in each 
place should undertake the office of lec- 
turer, or that travelling professors should 
engage in such an employment.- The 
deep interest excited by a teacher of che- 
~mistry, when he treats of respiration, is 
adduced as an example to enforce the 
importance of this proposal. And pre- 
cedents are produced from the success 
of a popular course of anatomical lec- 
tures at Bristol, and the lectures on az- 
thropology, which are given in some fo- 
reiga countries. To supply the want of 
lectures, books and engravings are re- 
commended, and clinical lectures, to 
teach the method of applying physiolo- 
gical knowledge to domestic use. 
Many objéctions present themselves to 
this general diffusion of medical know- 
ledge. The arguments adduced in its 
fayour by our ingenious author are not 
Very consistent or convincing. ‘There 
can be little doubt, that the ascertain- 
ment of causes has scarcely been more 
beneficial in preventing real danger, than 
in banishing false alarms ; but it is the 
difficulty of ascertaining the causes of 
diseases, which renders a superficial 
-knowledge of medicine or physiology 
more likely to induce, than to banish 
false fears. Medicine at present is im- 
perfect, whether considered as an art or 
a science ; it requires to be deeply stu- 
died, to be well practised and understood. 
Since it ought to be our first concern in 
_ the art of living, to ensure a continued 
succession of agreeable feelings, this ge- 
neral acquaintance with the human body 
and its complicated disorders, may be 
productive of more harm than good. It 
will render persons alive to sensations, 
trifling in themselves, that would other- 
wise escape attention, and imaginary 
_ and exaggerated complaints will torm a 
more conspicuous part of the evils of life. 
‘We shall see people constantly swallow- 
ing pills to clear the prima vie, supposed 
to be deranged ; and nobedy will travel 
- without a tourniquet to stop hemorr- 
_hage, or caustic and a’scalpel to prevent 
‘the mischief from the bite of a mad dog! 
BEDDOES’S HYGEIA. 
739 
This consideration will be better illus- 
trated by an example than by any gene- 
ral assertion. Let us then refer to our 
universities ; let us enquire, whether hy- 
pochondriasis be not very commonamong 
medical students ? According to Dr. Bed- 
does it ought not, but we will venture to 
assert, that among no class of men is it 
more frequent. Every student almost 
in the beginning of his studies is harass- 
ed by groundless apprehensions ; through 
his want of more extensive knowledge 
and experience, he often ‘has every dis- 
ease in succession as he reads Cullen’s 
First Lines, and where a constitutional 
tendency to low spirits has existed, some 
young men have appeared to die, not 
from any one particular disease, but from 
Cullen’s Nosology! If such be the, case 
with those who must be supposed to have 
acquired more information than can be 
derived from a few popular lectures, 
what must be the condition of a large 
portion of the-community, when every 
person shall be taught in his youth a 
smattering of anatomy, and physiology, 
and diseases? 
The aim and object of this popular in- 
struction is highly laudable, if it could 
be attained within certain limits. It 
would lead men to avoid those things 
which gradually undermine the constt- 
tution, and might enable them to check 
diseases in the first stages ; it would teach 
them when to call in medical assistance, 
and enable them to select rational and 
judicious practitioners. These good ef- 
fects seem more likely to be counterba- 
lanced by the bad, which have been al- 
ready stated, and of which Dr. Beddoes 
seems fully aware. For he deprecates 
the custom of living by rule, and con- 
demns very justly the methodists in meat 
and drink. His plan, however, seems 
calculated to increase the number ot fa- 
natics in physic, though in his second essay 
on the prevention of mischief he very 
properly sets forth the folly and absur- 
dity of making private practitioners. The 
lady and gentlemen doctors, the hoarders of 
single infallible cures, the pedlars and 
hucksters in medicine are very ably and 
judiciously exposed. ae to the 
absurdity and evil tendency of books on 
domestic medicine, he expresses himself 
thus: 
«« Here let me beg the reader to consider 
the power and province of mere tules in prace - 
tical affairs of the easiest kind. No one has, 
I suppose, yet come forward with pretensions 
to teach the coarsest handicraft by a hook. 
gB2° ‘ 
