Professional reminiscences of foreign travel / by W. Channing, M.D.

  • Channing, Walter, 1786-1876.
Date:
[1852?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Professional reminiscences of foreign travel / by W. Channing, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    21/40 (page 17)
    Continent, and on every hand is the same evidence of power in its re¬ sults. Art and science, literature in all its kinds, declare themselves in magnificent works, for admiration and for culture. The mind, one’s own mind, feels itself at home, in its true home, in the society of living men— of immortal works, or in present works destined for immortality ; and it acknowledges, and gratefully too, that it has been helped and delighted with every new revelation of human power, in the observation of every¬ day and permanent discoveries. I was with Prof. Simpson in his practice abroad, and saw it at home. I have spoken of his professional engagements. These do not satisfy the demands of his mind for labor. He is deeply interested in archaeologi¬ cal studies, and pursuits. The curious in literature, especially in medi¬ cine, but in other departments also, are matters of constant interest. He writes on these subjects. The Roman remains in his native country are familiar to him, and it gives him real pleasure to point them out to you, and to find you interested in them. In the midst and pressure of work, night and day, he has leisure for everything, and is never weary, or says that he is. I never heard an approach to an acknowledgment of fa¬ tigue from him. He is always cheerful, ready, and has time for social pleasures, which he much enjoys. I saw him start early one morning in the Highlands to climb a mountain which cost him a whole day’s hard work. He only spoke of the pleasure of his excursion on his re¬ turn—-not a word of fatigue. So it was with his companions, Professors Sharpey, Syme and Christison ; all were delighted, no one seemed fa¬ tigued. Dr. S. has the countenance and manner of a young man. I was told he was 39. His origin was obscure, but at the University he attracted the attention and interest of Prof. Thompson, the writer on Inflammation, and he always was his friend. At 28 he was a candi¬ date for the professorship of Midwifery in the University, and succeeded against some of the foremost men in his branch, of his age. Prof. S. has done, and daily does, everything in his power to make his lectures and whole instructions attractive and useful. His museum, instruments, drawings, are perfect in their kinds, and I examined them with the plea¬ sure which true efforts to diffuse important knowledge always produce. Prof. Simpson has made many instruments used in his practice. In the case of labor above referred to, and which I saw with him, he meant to have applied his tractor, had not the labor rapidly gone on under very simple manipulations, and which he gave me an opportunity to practise in the same case. His tractor is half or less of an Indian rub¬ ber hollow ball, large enough to embrace a considerable portion of the foetal cranium. It has connected with it an exhausting pump about 3