Thecooper’scrazywife——crazyinthebeliefthatshehascommittedtheunpardonablesin——triestodrownherchild，tosaveitfrommisery；andthepoorlunatic，whowouldbetenderlycaredforto-dayinaquietasylum，isjudgedtobeactingundertheinstigationofSatanhimself。“Yet，afterall，whatcanwesay，whoputBunyan’s“Pilgrim’sProgress，“fullofnightmaredreamsofhorror，intoallourchildren’shands；astoryinwhichtheawfulimageofthemaninthecagemightwellturnthenurserywhereitisreadintoamadhouse？
Themiserabledelusionofwitchcraftillustrates，inastillmoreimpressiveway，thefalseideaswhichgovernedthesupposedrelationofmenwiththespiritualworld。Ihavenodoubtmanyphysicianssharedinthesesuperstitions。Mr。Uphamsaysthey——thatis，someofthem——wereinthehabitofattributingtheirwantofsuccesstothefact，thatan“evilhand“wasontheirpatient。Thetemptationwasstrong，nodoubt，whenmagistratesandministersandallthatfollowedtheirleadwerecontentedwithsuchanexplanation。ButhowwasitinSalem，accordingtoMr。Upham’sownstatement？Dr。JohnSwinnertonwas，hesays，formanyyearstheprincipalphysicianofSalem。Andhesays，also，“TheSwinnertonfamilywereallalongopposedtoMr。Parris，andkeptremarkablyclearfromthewitchcraftdelusion。“Dr。JohnSwinnerton——thesame，bytheway，whosememoryisilluminatedbyarayfromthegeniusofHawthorne——diedtheveryyearbeforethegreatwitchcraftexplosiontookplace。Butwhocandoubtthatitwasfromhimthatthefamilyhadlearnedtodespiseandtoresistthebasesuperstition；orthatBridgetBishop，whosehouseherented，asMr。Uphamtellsme，thefirstpersonhangedinthetimeofthedelusion，wouldhavefoundanefficientprotectorinhertenant，hadhebeenliving，toheadtheoppositionofhisfamilytothemisguidedclergymenandmagistrates？
IcannotdoubtthatourearlyphysiciansbroughtwiththemmanyOld-
Worldmedicalsuperstitions，andIhavenoquestionthattheyweremoreorlessinvolvedintheprevailingerrorsofthecommunityinwhichtheylived。But，onthewhole，theirrecordisacleanone，sofaraswecangetatit；andwhereitisquestionablewemustrememberthattheremusthavebeenmanylittle-educatedpersonsamongthem；andthatallmusthavefelt，tosomeextent，theinfluenceofthosesincereanddevotedbutunsafemen，thephysic-practisingclergymen，whooftenusedspiritualmeansasasubstitutefortemporalones，wholookeduponahystericpatientaspossessedbythedevil，andtreatedafracturedskullbyprayersandplasters，followingtheadviceofarulingelderinoppositiontotheunanimousopinionofsevensurgeons。“
Towhatresultstheunionofthetwoprofessionswasliabletolead，maybeseenbytheexampleofalearnedandfamousperson，whohasleftonrecordtheproductofhislaborsinthedoublecapacityofclergymanandphysician。
IhavehadtheprivilegeofexaminingamanuscriptofCottonMather’srelatingtomedicine，bythekindnessofthelibrarianoftheAmericanAntiquarianSociety，towhichsocietyitbelongs。Abriefnoticeofthiscuriousdocumentmayprovenotuninteresting。
Itisentitled“TheAngelofBethesda：anEssayupontheCommonMaladiesofMankind，offering，first，thesentimentsofPiety，“etc。，etc。，and“acollectionofplainbutpotentandApprovedREMEDIESfortheMaladies。“Therearesixty-six“Capsula’s，“ashecallsthem，orchapters，inhistableofcontents；ofwhich，five——fromthefifteenthtothenineteenth，inclusive——aremissing。Thisisamostunfortunateloss，astheeighteenthcapsulatreatedofagues，andwecouldhavelearnedfromitsomethingoftheirdegreeoffrequencyinthispartofNewEngland。Thereisnodatetothemanuscript；which，however，referstoacaseobservedNov。14，1724。
Thedivinetakesprecedenceofthephysicianinthisextraordinaryproduction。Hebeginsbypreachingasermonathisunfortunatepatient。Havingthrownhimintoacoldsweatbyhisspiritualsudorific，heattackshimwithhismaterialremedies，whichareoftenquiteasunpalatable。ThesimpleandcleanlypracticeofSydenham，withwhoseworkshewasacquainted，seemstohavebeenthrownawayuponhim。Everythinghecouldfindmentionedintheseventyoreightyauthorshecites，allthattheoldwomenofbothsexeshadevertoldhimof，getsintohistext，orsqueezesitselfintohismargin。
Evolvingdiseaseoutofsin，hehatesit，onewouldsay，ashehatesitscause，andwoulddriveitoutofthebodywithallnoisomeappliances。“SicknessisinFactFlagellumDeipropeccatismundi。“
Sosaying，heencouragestheyoungmotherwhosebabeiswastingawayuponherbreastwiththesereflections：
“Think；ohthegrievousEffectsofSin！ThiswretchedInfanthasnotarriveduntoyearsofsenseenough，tosinafterthesimilitudeofthetransgressioncommittedbyAdam。NeverthelesstheTransgressionofAdam，whohadallmankindFoederally，yea，Naturally，inhim，hasinvolvedthisInfantintheguiltofit。Andthepoisonoftheoldserpent，whichinfectedAdamwhenhefellintohisTransgression，byhearkeningtotheTempter，hascorruptedallmankind，andisaseeduntosuchdiseasesasthisInfantisnowlaboringunder。Lord，whatarewe，andwhatareourchildren，butaGenerationofVipers？“
Manyofhisremediesareatleastharmless，buthispedantryandutterwantofjudgmentbetraythemselveseverywhere。Hepileshisprescriptionsoneuponanother，withouttheleastdiscrimination。Heisrunawaywithbyallsortsoffanciesandsuperstitions。Heprescribeseuphrasia，eye-bright，fordiseaseoftheeyes；appealingconfidentlytothestrangeolddoctrineofsignatures，whichinferreditsusefromtheresemblanceofitsflowertotheorganofvision。
Forthescatteringofwens，theefficacyofaDeadHandhasbeenoutofmeasurewonderful。Butwhenheoncecomestotheodiousclassofremedies，herevelsinthemlikeascarabeus。ThisallusionwillbringusquitenearenoughtotheinconceivableabominationswithwhichheproposedtooutragethesinfulstomachsoftheunhappyconfederatesandaccomplicesofAdam。
Itiswellthatthetreatisewasneverprinted，yettherearepassagesinitworthpreserving。Hespeaksofsomeremedieswhichhavesincebecomemoreuniversallyknown：
“Amongtheplantsofoursoyl，SirWilliamTemplesinglesoutFive[Six]asbeingofthegreatestvirtueandmostfriendlytohealth：
andhisfavoriteplants，Sage，Rue，Saffron，Alehoof，Garlick，andElder。“
“ButtheseFive[Six]plantsmayadmittofsomecompetitors。TheQUINQUINA——Howcelebrated：Immoderately，Hyperbolicallycelebrated！“
OfIpecacuanha，hesays，——
“Thisisnowinitsreign；themostfashionablevomit。“
“Iamnotsorrythatantimonialemeticsbegintobedisused。“
Hequotes“Mr。Lock“asrecommendingredpoppy-waterandabstinencefromfleshasoftenusefulinchildren’sdiseases。
Oneofhis“Capsula’s“isdevotedtotheanimalcularoriginofdiseases，attheendofwhichhesays，speakingofremediesforthissupposedsourceofourdistempers：
“Mercuryweknowthee：Butweareafraidthouwiltkillustoo，ifweemploytheetokillthemthatkillus。
“Andyett，forthecleansingofthesmallBloodVessels，andmakingwayforthefreecirculationoftheBloodandLymph——thereisnothinglikeMercurialDeobstruents。“
>Fromthiswelearnthatmercurywasalreadyincommonuse，andthesubjectofthesamepopularprejudiceasinourowntime。
Hispoeticalturnshowsitselfhereandthere：
“ONightingale，withaThornatthyBreast；UnderthetroubleofaCough，whatcanbemoreproperthansuchthoughtsasthese？“……
Ifthereispathosinthis，thereisbathosinhisapostrophetothemillipede，beginning“Poorsowbug！“andeulogizingthehealingvirtuesofthatodiouslittlebeast；ofwhichhetellsustotake“halfapound，putt’emaliveintoaquartortwoofwine，“withsaffronandotherdrugs，andtaketwoouncestwiceaday。
The“Capsula“entitled“NishmathChajim“wasprintedin1722，atNewLondon，andisinthepossessionofourownSociety。Hemeans，bythesewords，somethingliketheArchxusofVanHelmont，ofwhichhediscoursesinastylewonderfullyresemblingthatofMr。Jenkinsoninthe“VicarofWakefield。““ManyoftheAncientsthoughttherewasmuchofaRealHistoryintheParable，andtheirOpinionwasthatthereis，DIAPHORAKATATASMORPHAS，ADistinctionandsoaResemblanceofmenastotheirShapesafterDeath。“Andsoon，withIreaeus，Tertullian，Thespesius，and“theTATONEPSEUCONECROMATA，“
intheplaceof“Sanconiathon，Manetho，Berosus，“and“Anarchonarakaiateleutaiontopan。“
Oneotherpassagedeservesnotice，asitrelatestothesinglemedicalsuggestionwhichdoeshonortoCottonMather’smemory。Itdoesnotappearthatheavailedhimselfoftheinformationwhichhesays，heobtainedfromhisslave，forsuchIsupposehewas。
Inhisappendixto“VariolaeTriumphatae，“hesays，——
“Therehasbeenawonderfulpracticelatelyusedinseveralpartsoftheworld，whichindeedisnotyetbecomecommoninournation。
“IwasfirstinformedofitbyaGaramanteeservantofmyown，longbeforeIknewthatanyEuropeansorAsiatickshadtheleastacquaintancewithit，andsomeyearsbeforeIwasenrichedwiththecommunicationsofthelearnedForeigners，whoseaccountsIfoundagreeingwithwhatIreceivedofmyservant，whenheshewedmetheScaroftheWoundmadefortheoperation；andsaid，Thatnopersoneverdiedofthesmallpox，intheircountrey，thathadthecouragetouseit。
“IhavesincemetwithaconsiderableNumberoftheseAfricans，whoallagreeinonestory；Thatintheircountreygrandy-manydyofthesmall-pox：Butnowtheylearnthisway：peopletakejuiceofsmallpoxandcutty-skinandputinaDrop；thenby’ndbyalittlesicky，sicky：thenveryfewlittlethingslikesmall-pox；andnobodydyofit；andnobodyhavesmall-poxanymore。Thus，inAfrica，wherethepoorcreaturesdyofthesmallpoxlikeRottenSheep，amercifulGodhastaughtthemanInfalliblepreservative。’Tisacommonpractice，andisattendedwithaconstantsuccess。“
Whathascomedowntousofthefirstcenturyofmedicalpractice，inthehandsofWinthropandOliver，iscomparativelysimpleandreasonable。Isuspectthattheconditionsofrude，sternlife，inwhichthecolonistsfoundthemselvesinthewilderness，tookthenonsenseoutofthem，astheexigenciesofacampaigndidoutofourphysiciansandsurgeonsinthelatewar。Goodfoodandenoughofit，pureairandwater，cleanliness，goodattendance，ananaesthetic，anopiate，astimulant，quinine，andtwoorthreecommondrugs，provedtobethemarrowofmedicaltreatment；andthefopperiesofthepharmacopoeiawentthewayofembroideredshirtsandwhitekidglovesandmalaccajoints，intheirtimeofneed。“Goodwineisthebestcordiallforher，“saidGovernorJohnWinthrop，Junior，toSamuelSymonds，speakingofthatgentleman’swife，——justasSydenham，insteadofphysic，onceorderedaroastchickenandapintofcanaryforhispatientinmalehysterics。
Buttheprofessionofmedicinenevercouldreachitsfulldevelopmentuntilitbecameentirelyseparatedfromthatofdivinity。Thespiritualguide，theconsolerinafliction，theconfessorwhoisadmittedintothesecretsofoursouls，hashisownnoblesphereofduties；butthehealerofmenmustconfinehimselfsolelytotherevelationsofGodinnature，asheseestheirmiracleswithhisowneyes。Nodoctrineofprayerorspecialprovidenceistobehisexcusefornotlookingstraightatsecondarycauses，andacting，exactlysofarasexperiencejustifieshim，asifhewerehimselfthedivineagentwhichantiquityfabledhimtobe。Whilepiousmenwerepraying——humbly，sincerely，rightly，accordingtotheirknowledge——
overtheendlesssuccessionoflittlechildrendyingofspasmsinthegreatDublinHospital，asagaciousphysicianknockedsomeholesinthewallsoftheward，letGod’sblessedairinonthelittlecreatures，andsohadalreadysavedinthatsinglehospital，asitwassoberlycalculatedthirtyyearsago，morethansixteenthousandlivesoftheseinfantheirsofimmortality。[Collins’sMidwifery，p。
312。PublishedbyorderoftheMassachusettsMedicalSociety。
Boston，1841。]
Letitbe，ifyouwill，thatthewiseinspirationofthephysicianwasgrantedinvirtueoftheclergyman’ssupplications。Still，thehabitofdealingwiththingsseengeneratesanotherkindofknowledge，andanotherwayofthought，fromthatofdealingwiththingsunseen；whichknowledgeandwayofthoughtarespecialmeansgrantedbyProvidence，andtobethankfullyaccepted。
Themediaevalecclesiasticsexpressedagreattruthinthatsaying，sooftenquoted，ascarryingareproachwithit：“Ubitresmedici，duoathei，“——“Wheretherearethreephysicians，therearetwoatheists。“
Itwastruethen，itistrueto-day，thatthephysicianverycommonly，ifnotverygenerally，deniesandrepudiatesthedeityofecclesiasticalcommerce。TheBeingwhomAmbroiseParemeantwhenhespokethosememorablewords，whichyoumayreadovertheprofessor’schairintheFrenchSchoolofMedicine，“Telepensay，etDieuleguarit，““Idressedhiswound，andGodhealedit，“——isadifferentbeingfromtheGodthatscholastictheologianshaveprojectedfromtheirconsciousness，orshapedevenfromthesacredpageswhichhaveprovedsoplasticintheirhands。HeisaGodwhoneverleaveshimselfwithoutwitness，whorepentethhimoftheevil，whoneverallowsadiseaseoraninjury，compatiblewiththeenjoymentoflife，totakeitscoursewithoutestablishinganeffort，limitedbycertainfixedconditions，itistrue，butaneffort，always，torestorethebrokenbodyortheshatteredmind。IntheperpetualpresenceofthisgreatHealingAgent，whostaysthebleedingofwounds，whoknitsthefracturedbone，whoexpelsthesplinterbyagentlenaturalprocess，whowallsintheinflammationthatmightinvolvethevitalorgans，whodrawsacordontoseparatethedeadpartfromtheliving，whosendshisthreenaturalanaestheticstotheover-taskedframeindueorder，accordingtoitsneed，——sleep，fainting，death；inthisperpetualpresence，itisdoubtlesshardforthephysiciantorealizethetheologicalfactofavastandpermanentsphereoftheuniverse，wherenoorganfindsitselfinitsnaturalmedium，wherenowoundhealskindly，wheretheexecutivehasabrogatedthepardoningpower，andmercyforgetsitserrand；wheretheomnipotentisunfeltsaveinmalignantagencies，andtheomnipresentisunseenandunrepresented；
hardtoaccepttheGodofDante’s“Inferno，“andofBunyan’scagedlunatic。Ifthisisatheism，callthree，insteadoftwoofthetrio，atheists，anditwillprobablycomenearerthetruth。
Iamnotdisposedtodenytheoccasionalinjuriouseffectofthematerializinginfluencestowhichthephysicianissubjected。
Aspiritualguildisabsolutelynecessarytokeephim，tokeepusall，frombecomingthe“fingeringslaves“thatWordsworthtreatswithsuchshrivellingscorn。Butitiswellthatthetwocallingshavebeenseparated，anditisfittingthattheyremainapart。Insettlingtheaffairsofthelateconcern，Iamafraidourgoodfriendsremainalittleinourdebt。WelentthemourphysicianMichaelServetusinfaircondition，andtheyreturnedhimsodamagedbyfireastobequiteuselessforourpurposes。TheirReverendSamuelWillardwroteusanotover-wisereportofacaseofhysteria；
andourJeanAstrucgavethemifwemaytrustDr。Smith’sDictionaryoftheBiblethefirstdiscerningcriticismontheauthorshipofthePentateuch。OurJohnLockeenlightenedthemwithhislettersconcerningtoleration；andtheirCottonMatherobscuredourtwilightwithhis“NishmathChajim。“
YetwemustrememberthatthenameofBasilValentine，themonk，isassociatedwithwhatevergoodandharmwecanascribetoantimony；
andthatthemostremarkableofourspecificslongborethenameof“Jesuit’sBark，“fromanoldlegendconnectedwithitsintroduction。