THE PHYSICIAN. 403 



should cure ultimately by impressing imaginations upon his flock. 

 We only use these as signs pointing to a truth. What the physi- 

 cian should be, I dare not attempt to sketch. But I see that already 

 he is called out of the ranks as the most humane man of his time. 

 I see that he wants the largest faith, in addition to the largest science ; 

 gentleness and sternness also moulded together, as the lamb with the 

 lion. Nor can heroism using all the rest as a resource, be dispensed 

 with, to the very brink of death ; for while there is life there is 

 hope. Perhaps without attempting more, we may sum him up in 

 saying that he should be the model of the health of the age. 



We use the pronoun " he," leaving it to progress to say, whether 

 our own sex has exclusive rights in the healing art. We cannot settle 

 that question ; but at all events we know, that the better half of the 

 health of the world depends upon the partners of our toil. It is clear 

 to us, that in no long time, the various organic systems of medicine, 

 (many of which have still to appear, being due to the organs of the 

 frame,) will necessitate the constitution of a tribunal for distributing 

 cases under their proper treatments. Perhaps it may then be found 

 that there is a female side to this as well as to the other arts. Cer- 

 tainly many of the qualities of the physician seem to belong pre- 

 eminently to woman. Instant presence of mind, fine tact, obser- 

 vation quick and subtle, instinctive promptings often surpassing 

 science, might, it seems, sit at the bedside in a female form. Or is 

 it that the nurse-function is to be so far educated and elevated, as 

 at length, without trenching upon professional titles, to touch the 

 heights of the physician's skill ? The urn of events must speak 

 for us, for here we are at fault.* 



But after all our systems of health, public and private, many in 

 number as they are, though not enough, there is one means remain- 

 ing, which we should be guilty of much base terror, as well as histori- 

 cal neglect, if we did not dare to bring forth. In all the branches of 

 the New Medicine, we have seen the united principle of faith and 

 works assuming an additional importance, as we have risen from the 



=* In the meantime our brave friend, Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, has run the 

 gauntlet of the world's prejudices, and taken perhaps the first medical degree 

 bestowed upon a woman. May success go with her in her attempt to open up 

 a fresh avenue of occupations to- her sex ! 



