IN MEDICAL SCIENCE. 77 



Another fact parallels the story of the old cam- 

 paigner, and may teach some of you caution in se- 

 lecting your assistants. A chaplain told it to two of 

 our officers personally known to myself. He over- 

 heard the examination of a man who wished to drive 

 one of the " avalanche " wagons, as they call them. 

 The man was asked if he knew how to deal with 

 wounded men. " O yes," he answered ; " if they 're 

 hit Aere," pointing to the abdomen, " knock 'em on the 

 head, — they can't get well." 



In art and outside of it you will meet the same bar- 

 barisms that Ambroise Pare met with, — for men differ 

 less from century to century than we are apt to sup- 

 pose ; you will encounter the same opposition, if you 

 attack any prevailing opinion, that Sydenham com- 

 plained of. So far as possible, let not such experien- 

 ces breed in you a contempt for those who are the 

 subjects of folly or prejudice, or foster any love of dis- 

 pute for its own sake. Should you become authors, 

 express your opinions freely ; defend them rarely. It 

 is not often that an opinion is worth expressing, which 

 cannot take care of itself Opposition is the best 

 mordant to fix the color of your thought in the gen- 

 eral belief. 



in the open field might be attacked, but behind works it would be throw- 

 ing away lives." He calls it " an inglorious warfare," — says one of the 

 leaders is " a little deficient in gumption,^'' — but " still my opinion is, that 

 if we tuck up our sleeves and lay our ears back we might thrash them ; 

 that is, if we caught them out of their trees, so as to slap at them with 

 the bayonet." — Life, etc., Vol. I. p. 218, ei seq. 



