what　he　knew　to　a　few　disciples　whom　he　gathered　about　him。　　Of　the　making　of　that　〃Anatomy〃　on　which　my　first　predecessor　in　the　branch　I　teach〃　did　read　very　well〃　we　can　know　nothing。　　The　body　of　some　poor　wretch　who　had　swung　upon　the　gallows；　was　probably　conveyed　by　night　to　some　lonely　dwelling　at　the　outskirts　of　the　village；　and　there　by　the　light　of　flaring　torches　hastily　dissected　by　hands　that　trembled　over　the　unwonted　task。　　And　ever　and　anon　the　master　turned　to　his　book；　as　he　laid　bare　the　mysteries　of　the　hidden　organs；　to　his　precious　Vesalius；　it　might　be；　or　his　figures　repeated　in　the　multifarious　volume　of　Ambroise　Pare；　to　the　Aldine　octavo　in　which　Fallopius　recorded　his　fresh　observations；　or　that　giant　folio　of　Spigelius　just　issued　from　the　press　of　Amsterdam；　in　which　lovely　ladies　display　their　viscera　with　a　coquettish　grace　implying　that　it　is　rather　a　pleasure　than　otherwise　to　show　the　lace…like　omentum；　and　hold　up　their　appendices　epiploicae　as　if　they　were　saying　〃these　are　our　jewels。〃
  His　teaching　of　medicine　was　no　doubt　chiefly　clinical；　and　received　with　the　same　kind　of　faith　as　that　which　accepted　his　words　from　the　pulpit。　　His　notions　of　disease　were　based　on　what　he　had　observed；　seen　always　in　the　light　of　the　traditional　doctrines　in　which　he　was　bred。　　His　discourse　savored　of　the　weighty　doctrines　of　Hippocrates；　diluted　by　the　subtle　speculations　of　Galen；　reinforced　by　the　curious　comments　of　the　Arabian　schoolmen　as　they　were　conveyed　in　the　mellifluous　language　of　Fernelius；　blended；　it　may　be；　with　something　of　the　lofty　mysticism　of　Van　Helmont；　and　perhaps　stealing　a　flavor　of　that　earlier　form　of　Homoeopathy　which　had　lately　come　to　light　in　Sir　Kenelm　Digby's　〃Discourse　concerning　the　Cure　of　Wounds　by　the　Sympathetic　Powder。〃
  His　Pathology　was　mythology。　　A　malformed　foetus；　as　the　readers　of　Winthrop's　Journal　may　remember；　was　enough　to　scare　the　colonists　from　their　propriety；　and　suggest　the　gravest　fears　of　portended　disaster。　　The　student　of　the　seventeenth　century　opened　his　Licetus　and　saw　figures　of　a　lion　with　the　head　of　a　woman；　and　a　man　with　the　head　of　an　elephant。　　He　had　offered　to　his　gaze；　as　born　of　a　human　mother；　the　effigy　of　a　winged　cherub；　a　pterocephalous　specimen；　which　our　Professor　of　Pathological　Anatomy　would　hardly　know　whether　to　treat　with　the　reverence　due　to　its　celestial　aspect；　or　to　imprison　in　one　of　his　immortalizing　jars　of　alcohol。
  His　pharmacopoeia　consisted　mainly　of　simples；　such　as　the　venerable　〃Herball〃　of　Gerard　describes　and　figures　in　abounding　affluence。　St。　John's　wort　and　Clown's　All…heal；　with　Spurge　and　Fennel；　Saffron　and　Parsley；　Elder　and　Snake…root；　with　opium　in　some　form；　and　roasted　rhubarb　and　the　Four　Great　Cold　Seeds；　and　the　two　Resins；　of　which　it　used　to　be　said　that　whatever　the　Tacamahaca　has　not　cured；　the　Caranna　will；　with　the　more　familiar　Scammony　and　Jalap　and　Black　Hellebore；　made　up　a　good　part　of　his　probable　list　of　remedies。　　He　would　have　ordered　Iron　now　and　then；　and　possibly　an　occasional　dose　of　Antimony。　　He　would　perhaps　have　had　a　rheumatic　patient　wrapped　in　the　skin　of　a　wolf　or　a　wild　cat；　and　in　case　of　a　malignant　fever　with　〃purples〃　or　petechiae；　or　of　an　obstinate　king's　evil；　he　might　have　prescribed　a　certain　black　powder；　which　had　been　made　by　calcining　toads　in　an　earthen　pot；　a　choice　remedy；　taken　internally；　or　applied　to　any　outward　grief。
  Except　for　the　toad…powder　and　the　peremptory　drastics；　one　might　have　borne　up　against　this　herb　doctoring　as　well　as　against　some　more　modern　styles　of　medication。　　Barbeyrac　and　his　scholar　Sydenham　had　not　yet　cleansed　the　Pharmacopoeia　of　its　perilous　stuff；　but　there　is　no　doubt　that　the　more　sensible　physicians　of　that　day　knew　well　enough　that　a　good　honest　herb…tea　which　amused　the　patient　and　his　nurses　was　all　that　was　required　to　carry　him　through　all　common　disorders。
  The　student　soon　learned　the　physiognomy　of　disease　by　going　about　with　his　master；　fevers；　pleurisies；　asthmas；　dropsies；　fluxes；　small…pox；　sore…throats；　measles；　consumptions。　　He　saw　what　was　done　for　them。　　He　put　up　the　medicines；　gathered　the　herbs；　and　so　learned　something　of　materia　medico　and　botany。　　He　learned　these　few　things　easily　and　well；　for　he　could　give　his　whole　attention　to　them。　　Chirurgery　was　a　separate　specialty。　　Women　in　child…birth　were　cared　for　by　midwives。　　There　was　no　chemistry　deserving　the　name　to　require　his　study。　　He　did　not　learn　a　great　deal；　perhaps；　but　what　he　did　learn　was　his　business；　namely；　how　to　take　care　of　sick　people。
  Let　me　give　you　a　picture　of　the　old=fashioned　way　of　instruction；　by　carrying　you　with　me　in　imagination　in　the　company　of　worthy　Master　Giles　Firmin　as　he　makes　his　round　of　visits　among　the　good　folk　of　Ipswich；　followed　by　his　one　student；　who　shall　answer　to　the　scriptural　name　of　Luke。　　It　will　not　be　for　entertainment　chiefly；　but　to　illustrate　the　one　mode　of　teaching　which　can　never　be　superseded；　and　which；　I　venture　to　say；　is　more　important　than　all　the　rest　put　together。　　The　student　is　a　green　hand；　as　you　will　perceive。
  In　the　first　dwelling　they　come　to；　a　stout　fellow　is　bellowing　with　colic。
  〃He　will　die；　Master；　of　a　surety；　methinks；〃　says　the　timid　youth　in　a　whisper。
  〃Nay；　Luke；〃　the　Master　answers；　〃't　is　but　a　dry　belly…ache。　　Didst　thou　not　mark　that　he　stayed　his　roaring　when　I　did　press　hard　over　the　lesser　bowels？　　Note　that　he　hath　not　the　pulse　of　them　with　fevers；　and　by　what　Dorcas　telleth　me　there　hath　been　no　long　shutting　up　of　the　vice　naturales。　　We　will　steep　certain　comforting　herbs　which　I　will　shew　thee；　and　put　them　in　a　bag　and　lay　them　on　his　belly。　　Likewise　he　shall　have　my　cordial　julep　with　a　portion　of　this　confection　which　we　do　call　Theriaca　Andromachi；　which　hath　juice　of　poppy　in　it；　and　is　a　great　stayer　of　anguish。　　This　fellow　is　at　his　prayers　to…day；　but　I　warrant　thee　he　shall　be　swearing　with　the　best　of　them　to…morrow。〃
  They　jog　along　the　bridle…path　on　their　horses　until　they　come　to　another　lowly　dwelling。　　They　sit　a　while　with　a　delicate　looking　girl　in　whom　the　ingenuous　youth　naturally　takes　a　special　interest。　The　good　physician　talks　cheerfully　with　her；　asks　her　a　few　questions。　　Then　to　her　mother：　〃Good…wife；　Margaret　hath　somewhat　profited；　as　she　telleth；　by　the　goat's　milk　she　hath　taken　night　and　morning。　　Do　thou　pluck　a　maniplethat　is　an　handfulof　the　plant　called　Maidenhair；　and　make　a　syrup　therewith　as　I　have　shewed　thee。　Let　her　take　a　cup　full　of　the　same；　fasting；　before　she　sleepeth；　also　before　she　riseth　from　her　bed。〃　　And　so　they　leave　the　house。
  〃What　thinkest　thou；　Luke；　of　the　maid　we　have　been　visiting？〃　　〃She　seemeth　not　much　ailing；　Master；　according　to　my　poor　judgment。　　For　she　did　say　she　was　better。　　And　she　had　a　red　cheek　and　a　bright　eye；　and　she　spake　of　being　soon　able　to　walk　unto　the　meeting；　and　did　seem　greatly　hopeful；　but　spare　of　flesh；　methought；　and　her　voice　something　hoarse；　as　of　one　that　hath　a　defluxion；　with　some　small　coughing　from　a　cold；　as　she　did　say。　　Speak　I　not　truly；　Master；　that　she　will　be　well　speedily？〃
  〃Yea；　Luke；　I　do　think　she　shall　be　well；　and　mayhap　speedily。　　But　it　is　not　here　with　us　she　shall　be　well。　　For　that　redness　of　the　cheek　is　but　the　sign　of　the　fever　which；　after　the　Grecians；　we　do　call　the　hectical；　and　that　shining　of　the　eyes　is　but　a　sickly　glazing；　and　they　which　do　every　day　get　better　and　likewise　thinner　and　weaker　shall　find　that　way　leadeth　to　the　church…yard　gate。　　This　is　the　malady　which　the　ancients　did　call　tubes；　or　the　wasting　disease；　and　some　do　name　the　consumption。　　A　disease　whereof　most　that　fall　ailing　do　perish。　　This　Margaret　is　not　long　for　earthbut　she　knoweth　it　not；　and　still　hopeth。〃
  〃Why；　then；　Master；　didst　thou　give　her　of　thy　medicine；　seeing　that　her　ail　is　unto　death？〃
  〃Thou　shalt　learn；　boy；　that　they　which　are　sick　must　have　somewhat　wherewith　to　busy　their　thoughts。　　There　be　some　who　do　give　these　tabid　or　consumptives　a　certain　posset　made　with　lime…water　and　anise　and　liquorice　and　raisins　of　the　sun；　and　there　be　other　some　who　do　give　the　juice　of　craw…fishes　boiled　in　barley…water　with　chicken…　broth；　but　these　be　toys；　as　I　do　think；　and　ye　shall　find　as　good　virtue；　nay　better；　in　this　syrup　of　the　simple　called　Maidenhair。〃
  Something　after　this　manner　might　Master　Giles　Firmin　have　delivered　his　clinical　instructions。　　Somewhat　in　this　way；　a　century　and　a　half　later；　another　New　England　physician；　Dr。　Edward　Augustus　Holyoke；　taught　a　young　man　who　came　to　study　with　him；　a　very　diligent　and　intelligent　youth；　James　Jackson　by　name；　the　same　whose　portrait　in　his　advanced　years　hangs　upon　this　wall；　long　the　honored　Professor　of　Theory　and　Practice　in　this　Institution；　of　whom　I　shall　say　something　in　this　Lecture。　　Our　venerated　Teacher　studied　assiduously　afterwards　in　the　great　London　Hospitals；　but　I　think　he　used　to　quote　his　〃old　Master〃　ten　times　where　he　quoted　Mr。　Cline　or　Dr。　Woodville　once。
  When　I　compare　this　direct　transfer　of　the　practical　experience　of　a　wise　man　into　the　mind　of　a　student；every　fact　one　that　he　can　use　in　the　bat