MEDICAL STUDIES 37 



legs that nothing could be done with safety to remove 

 it. The other leg was cleaned as well as might be 

 and carefully dressed, and in that state, with one 

 leg cased in pitch, the other bandaged, he was 

 sent to bed. After many days, the leg that was 

 enclosed in pitch ceased to hurt, and the covering 

 became so loose that it was desirable and easy to 

 remove it, when lo and behold ! instead of a vast 

 suppurating surface, the leg was found to be entirely 

 healed. The other leg, which had been less hurt and 

 carefully dressed, remained much longer unhealed. 

 It seemed clear that the art of dressing was far 

 behind what was possible, and that an application 

 of the dressing before "the air got into the wound" 

 was the thing to be aimed at. The subsequent 

 discovery by Pasteur of the germ theory, and the 

 practical application of it by Sir Joseph, now Lord 

 Lister, has overcome the difficulty. 



I was so keen at my medical work, that, being 

 desirous of appreciating the effects of different 

 medicines, I began by taking small doses of all that 

 were included in the pharmacopoeia, commencing with 

 the letter A. It was an interesting experience, but 

 had obvious drawbacks. However, I got nearly to 

 the end of the letter C, when I was stopped by the 

 effects of Croton oil. I had foolishly believed that 

 two drops of it could have no notable effects as a 

 purgative and emetic ; but indeed they had, and I 

 can recall them now. 



There were histories of occasional outbursts of 

 hysteria in the female wards ; one took place whilst 

 I was there. It was a most curious and afflicting 

 spectacle of pure panic. One woman had begun to 



