Importance of Nursing, 1 9 



the effect produced by their so-called reme- 

 dies, but are also incapable of determining, 

 from the symptoms shown by the patient, 

 the proper remedy to prescribe. As a 

 rule, the published description of the 

 symptoms shown by the victim of almost 

 any ill that flesh is heir to is most mislead- 

 ing to anyone not qualified by thoughtful 

 study and large experience to understand 

 the often very nice distinctions which are 

 almost invariably necessary to determine, 

 in diagnosing, even the simplest case. 



When we take into consideration the fact 

 that eminent specialists, who have many 

 advantages that laymen cannot secure and 

 who are peculiarly fitted for their calling, 

 are often at fault in diagnosing a case, we 

 should be absolutely sure that the case is 

 perfectly understood before attempting to 

 prescribe for it. 



How often does the man who is ailing 

 take down the family doctor's book, and 

 after reading the description of some oc- 



