MEDICINE 233 



knowledge as to how and when and why they must be 

 applied. The glass-maker is taught by Nature, the 

 carpenter follows his own fancy; the former is taught 

 by the fire, and the true physician receives from the fire 

 of Nature his wisdom and his art — i.e., his experience. 

 This is his true approbation." ^ 



"The ignorant refuse to follow Nature, and they fol- 

 low their own fancies. Understanding is twofold. One 

 understanding comes from experience, the other from 

 aptitude; the former, again, is twofold, and is based 

 either upon the understanding of the law or merely 

 upon haphazard experiment. The former is the one 

 upon which true medicine rests, and implies the know- 

 ledge of the three substances ; the other is merely suppo- 

 sition and error, for a haphazard experiment may succeed 

 once and fail at another time." 



" We should not follow in the footsteps of persons, but 

 in the footsteps of Nature ; we should not act on account 

 of hearsay, but on account of our own understanding. 

 The first man who learned anything useful was taught 

 by Nature ; let Nature teach us as she taught him. If 

 my art is to be based upon a firm foundation, it must 

 be based upon my own understanding, not upon that of 

 another man. A physician should have God before his 

 eyes, visibly and tangible ; lie should see the truth, not 

 shadowy or as in a dream, but tangible and without any 

 doubt. Our science should be based upon our own 

 perception of truth, not upon mere belief or opinion. 

 Information received from men can only assist us in 

 forming opinions, but it constitutes no knowledge. True 

 knowledge consists in a direct recognition of the real, 

 and is taught by Nature herself." 



* The true physician acts in harmony with natural laws ; the quack 

 tries to oppose Nature by means of his own inventions. The true physi- 

 cian will aid Nature to throw oflf the germs of disease ; the quack will try 

 to force Nature to retain the poison and to prevent its outward manifes- 

 tation. (Compare William Tebb, " Leprosy and Vaocination." London. 

 1893.) 



