PREFACE. 



IRISH ETHNO-BOTANY AND THE EVOLUTION 

 OF MEDICINE IN IRELAND. 



This book aims to give in outline the evolution of Medicine 

 in Ireland and to indicate the comprehensive character of 

 Irish Ethno-Botany. Our country's share in the development 

 of medical science is unknown, and, therefore, unrecognised. 

 The names of Graves, Stokes, and Corrigan are undoubtedly 

 impressed on the annals of Medicine. Yet these men do not 

 represent the Irish so much as the Anglo-Celtic school. 



The medical profession in this country suffers like the rest 

 of the race from England's pedagogy. Somebody has criticised 

 the educational system because it ignores the life history of 

 the subject with which it deals. Not only does it ignore the 

 life history, but it hides the race history. The exotic educa- 

 tional tree which the Irish child must climb bears but one 

 fruit worth having. That fruit grows on a graft so carefully 

 placed that it hides the poisonous nature of the tree itself. 

 Education without Nationality is, however, no less absurd 

 than Education without Religion. 



In this book I have endeavoured to indicate the wealth 

 now lying hidden in the Gaelic nature creeds, and look forward 

 with hope to the day when " Nature, the sombre and veiled 

 companion of the children of unfaith," will become " the 

 revealed and laughing nurse of the children of belief." 



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