An address delivered at the fourth anniversary meeting of the Birmingham Medical Debating Society, and published at the request of its members / by Peyton Blakiston.

  • Blakiston, Peyton, 1801-1878.
Date:
1837
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An address delivered at the fourth anniversary meeting of the Birmingham Medical Debating Society, and published at the request of its members / by Peyton Blakiston. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    Such is one great advantage derived by the writer of the paper; but there is another, which is equally divided between himself and those of his auditors who take a part in the discussion which arises out of it. It is the duty of the former to look at the subject in all its bearings, and to anticipate the objections which may be urged against his propositions or deductions ; while the latter are called upon to sift the matter thoroughly, and to endeavour to elucidate truth by a free discussion. Hsec est enim, ut scis, vetus et Socratica ratio contra alterius opinionem disserendi; nam ita facillime quid veri- simillimum esset, invenire posse Socrates arbitrabatur. The energies and reasoning powers of both parties are thus kept upon the stretch, and brought suddenly into action ; from which a readiness of appre- hension, and celerity in the arrangement of facts and arguments, must result. This exercise of the mind leads in practice to quickness in the discovery of disease, and decision in its treatment; qualities which tend in the highest degree to inspire the sick with confidence in the skill of their medical attendant, and thus to increase the eflfect of his remedies. The knowledge of medicine is not intuitive; men are not bom surgeons or physicians : but the superiority of the ta- lented and well-educated practitioner is shown in the celerity and ac- curacy with which he collects and passes in review all the necessary data for the formation of a diagnosis, and then, relying with just confidence on the soundness of his conclusions, adopts a course of treatment at once rational and decided. Many are apt to consider such a talent as the result of natural un- cultivated genius and quickness of perception; but nothing is, per- haps, farther from the truth. In listening to the performance of one who by constant exercise has obtained a complete command over his instrument, the ease and facility with which he executes the most brilliant passages conveys to us no idea of the difficulties which were overcome, and the course of training which was required for