A letter addressed to Sir Benjamin C. Brodie, bart. : containing observations and strictures upon certain parts of his lecture on spinal complaints, delivered to the young gentlemen of St. George's Hospital / by Edward Harrison.

  • Harrison, Edward, 1759-1838.
Date:
1836
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A letter addressed to Sir Benjamin C. Brodie, bart. : containing observations and strictures upon certain parts of his lecture on spinal complaints, delivered to the young gentlemen of St. George's Hospital / by Edward Harrison. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    17/66
    which appeared to have been taken from the notes of some^one of my pupils, and which, at any rate, was very imperfeet. This half-lecture was intended to be merely introduetory to my subsequent lectures, in which my principal observations were eonlained ; and of these I eould not diseover that any notice had been taken, nor have I any reason to believe that any account of them has been published since. Taking all these things into consideration, you will, I am sure, per- ceive, that as yet you have had no opportunity of learning what my doctrines respecting lateral curvature of the spine really are, and that it would be ridiculous in me to enter into any controversy with you on the subject. I have the honour to be, dear Sir, Your obedient Servant, B. 0. BRODIE. To Dr. Harrison. THE THIRD LETTER. September 30, 1835. 7, Holies Street. Dear Sir, I last night received my printed Letter, sent to you on the first instant, either for perusal or purchase ; and with it a letter, in whieh you say, that the lecture, published by one of your pupils in Dr. Ryan’s Journal, is “very imperfect” and defective. It may be so: but, unless he has also misrepresented your expressed opinions, I am not solicitous about the omissions. Until you think fit to expose the errors, if any, which you have suffered to remain unnoticed for the last nine months, it is natural to believe, that the lecture contains the true and genuine sentiments of your mind on the subject of spinal curvature, so far as recorded in them. You observe, that “ it would be ridiculous in you to enter into any controversy with me on the subject.” Indeed, Sir Benjamin, I can perceive nothing either laughable or out of place in our endeavouring, as I formerly recommended, “ by open, ingenuous, and amicable dis- cussion,” to promote the health, the comfort, and usefulness of millions of the human race, since we have already voluntarily devoted a large portion of our lives to the duties of the curative profession. You will excuse my observing, that, in declining the invitation to reply to my letter, you may have other reasons, which you do not think proper to explain. I am, dear Sir, Your obedient, humble Servant, E. HARRISON. To Sir B. C. Brodie, Bart. Although Sir Benjamin Brodie has positively declined to enter into any controversial discussions on the subject of his lecture, I hope he will be induced to communicate the remainder of it, in some way or other.