The funny side of physic, or, The mysteries of medicine, presenting the humorous and serious sides of medical practice. An exposé of medical humbugs, quacks, and charlatans in all ages and all countries / by A. D. Crabtre, M. D.

  • Crabtre, Addison Darre.
Date:
1874
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The funny side of physic, or, The mysteries of medicine, presenting the humorous and serious sides of medical practice. An exposé of medical humbugs, quacks, and charlatans in all ages and all countries / by A. D. Crabtre, M. D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    thought, and the palace of the soul, knew little of anat- omy, and nothing of the circulation of the blood. The physicians of later periods held court positions by flat- tery, not by merit. This was particularly true up to and inclusive of the reign of Louis le Grand. Those who attended as physicians upon the court of this remarkable monarch of France for seventy-two years, received no sti- pend whatever, except the honor of holding so exalted a position as court physician to such a mighty ruler; and, not- withstanding the outside practice that this elevated station necessarily brought them, but few physicians could long bear the enormous expense attending that position. Louis resided at a distance from his capital. His changes of residence were continual, and not without a design, and chiefly made for the purpose of creating and maintaining a number of artificial distinctions. By these he kept the court in a state of constant anxiety, expense, and expectation. When the next proposed change was announced, he had made it the fashion for courtiers to accompany him, — to Versailles, to St. Germain, or Marly, — and to occupy apart- ments near him, and the extravagance and magnificence in which he made it incumbent upon his followers to appear, with the frequent prescribed changes, rendered it too expen- sive a position for a man to sustain, unless possessed of a previous ample fortune. The surgeons of the armies were paid for their services. Both Drs. O'Meara and Antommarchi have testified to Napoleon's scepticism in medicine and distrust of physi- cians. But surgeons are godlike, he is represented as saying, and upon all worthy he bestowed the Legion of Honor. At St. Helena, Dr. Antommarchi was endeavoring to per- suade the emperor to take a simple remedy which he had prepared for him. Bah! exclaimed Napoleon, I cannot; it is beyond my power to take medicine.