The introduction of mesmerism, as an anaesthetic and curative agent, into the hospitals of India / by James Esdaile.

Date:
1852
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The introduction of mesmerism, as an anaesthetic and curative agent, into the hospitals of India / by James Esdaile. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    persecuted the new, and persons calling themselves philoso- phers, and who cry out against intolerance and fanaticism in others, have no tolerance themselves, except for opinions which do not clash with their pre-conceived notions. Those who live bj the wisdom of their ancestors, and \>j chiseling and polishing all systems, howl against and persecute the dis- coverer of any new truth which disturbs their successftd rou- tine, wounds their self-love, and endangers their easy gains. In matters of taste and opinion, anonymous writing can do little harm. But it is a gross abuse of it Avhen anonymous writers deny, point blank, scientific facts, for the truth of which honest and competent observers have made themselves responsible to the public. This is equally absm-d and unfair, and it is amazing how it is tolerated by professional men in Scientific Journals. Not only is anonymous contradiction worthless in scientific enquiries, when opposed to the positive statements of qualified and responsible witnesses, but the au- thority of men of the highest professional eminence is equally inadmissible, when a subject is quite new to them, and can- not be illustrated by their former studies and experience. It is a very obvious principle, says Dr. Chalmers, although often forgotten in the pride of prejudice and controversy, that what has been seen by one pair of eyes, is of force to counter- vail all that has been reasoned or guessed at by a thousand human understandings. Your Editors are heartily welcome to strike, if they will only permit you to hear, Gentlemen. How long, may it be permitted me to ask, will the inde- pendent members of a liberal profession permit themselves to be kept in the dark, by persons whose object is to stave ofi all knowledge of an important subject which they had ignorantly and rashly prejudged, and who hope to escape to oblivion be- fore the profession and the public they have misled can be enlightened ? I have much more to say to you, Gentlemen, as soon as there shall be a Free Trade in medical knowledge; for I cannot afford to seek your approbation at the expense of a pamphlet whenever I have any information to communicate to you.