Chapter II: Preface

This work is in the main a continuation of the volume entitled “The Growth of Medicine,” but it is also intended to serve as an amplification of the latter part of that work, which, owing to various circumstances that were in large measure beyond my control, lacked completeness. The most troublesome of these adverse circumstances was the fact that I had failed, during a recent visit to Europe, to find those sources of trustworthy information upon which alone such a narrative could properly be based; and later still, when I made my first attempts to construct the text of the present volume, I again encountered the same kind of obstacles, but in an even greater degree, and was then strongly disposed to abandon the undertaking altogether. At this juncture of affairs, however, I was much surprised and pleased to receive from Mrs. Charles F. Norton, the librarian of Transylvania College at Lexington, Ky., a letter in which she stated that the college had in its possession a large collection of medical works which had been purchased at Paris, France, in 1819, at which period of its history the institution bore the title of Transylvania University and possessed a flourishing medical department; and that the president of the institution would be happy to extend to me every possible facility for utilizing this great mass of historical material. Shortly afterwards, in reply to my request that I might be furnished with a partial list of the books contained in this collection, in order that I might determine how many of them related to the period in the history of French medicine in which I was at that time particularly interested,—the period, mainly, from about 1760 to 1830,—I received a card catalogue of the titles of over 100 French, English and Latin treatises. This information removed all doubts from my mind concerning the wisdom of my visiting Lexington, and I accordingly signified my prompt acceptance of the cordial invitations extended to me by President Crossfield.

As I write these lines I am prompted to add the further statement that during my stay at Lexington, which covered a period of seven months, I received every assistance from the Transylvania College authorities that I could possibly desire; and in particular I wish to express my deep sense of gratitude to the librarian, Mrs. Norton, for the interest which she manifested in my work and for the valuable assistance which she rendered in hastening its completion.

Cuvier, the celebrated naturalist, in a memoir which he read before the Royal Institute of France, makes the following statement: “It is not through a perusal of the insufficient extracts that are commonly made from the published works of distinguished men, nor through the incomplete indications which the recital of their discoveries may furnish, that we derive the greatest pleasure from the eulogies pronounced after the death of these men. This desirable result is more likely to be obtained when we are made intimately acquainted with their individual traits of character,—when we are, so to speak, permitted to know these men in a social way; when we are given the opportunity of contemplating, close at hand, their distinct qualities, their virtues, yes, even their faults,—provided the facts are plainly stated by one who is skilled in such portraiture. Furthermore, the reader is sure to derive the greatest pleasure, and also to be the most benefited, when every page of the eulogy furnishes evidence of the genuine happiness and wonderful serenity which characterize the lives of those who devote themselves to the culture of the sciences. Compare these men with those who have been intent on securing glory through devastating the world, and note how frequently they live to be septuagenarians or even octogenarians.” Deeply impressed by the wisdom of the advice thus briefly given by the celebrated French naturalist, I have striven, in the following chapters, to act upon it as circumstances might permit.

After making several unsuccessful attempts to classify my chapters according to the special fields in which the different men attained distinction, I came to the conclusion that the difficulties which stand in the way of adopting such a classification are well-nigh insurmountable; and chief among these difficulties may be mentioned the fact that many of the leading physicians attained distinction in two or more different fields. Botany, for example, was frequently combined with anatomy and surgery; chemistry with physiology; and so on. On the whole, therefore, it seemed better to rest satisfied, wherever this was found to be practicable, with the simple subdivision according to geographical districts—viz., Northern and Central Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Switzerland and England.

The relatively few Americans who played an important part in advancing the science and art of medicine during the latter half of the eighteenth century and the early part of the nineteenth make it preferable, as it seems to me, to omit all reference to them in the present work, leaving to the writer of a volume devoted to modern medicine, the duty of honoring their achievements.

ALBERT H. BUCK.

Cornwall, Orange County, N. Y.

October 3, 1919.

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CONTENTS

PAGE
Preface ix

BOOK I

THÉOPHRASTE RENAUDOT, PHYSICIAN, FOUNDER OF THE FIRST FRENCH NEWSPAPER

Chapter I. Théophraste Renaudot, Physician, 3
Philanthropist, and Founder of the First French
Newspaper

BOOK II

STATE OF MEDICINE IN WESTERN EUROPE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE EIGHTEENTH
CENTURY

Chapter II. Low State of Medical Affairs in 15
Germany at the Beginning of the Eighteenth
Century

Chapter III. Physicians who Attained Distinction 18
in Some of the Departments of Medicine during
the First Half of the Eighteenth Century

Chapter IV. Distinguished Swiss Physicians who 34
Played a Prominent Part in the Development of
the Science and Art of Medicine in Germany

Chapter V. The Earliest Publication in Europe of a 43
Systematic Treatise on Hygiene, Public Health
and Medico-Legal Science

Chapter VI. Two Eminent German Surgeons of the 48
Pre-Antiseptic Period

Chapter VII. A General Survey of German Medicine 52
at the End of the Eighteenth Century

BOOK III

THE VIENNA SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

Chapter VIII. Gerhard Van Swieten 59

Chapter IX. Anton Stoerck, Van Swieten’s 71
Successor, and the Progress of Medical Affairs
at Vienna under the Management of Joseph II

Chapter X. Prochaska, Hyrtl and Rokitansky, Three 79
of the Most Distinguished Teachers at the
Medical School of Vienna during the Early Part
of the Nineteenth Century

BOOK IV

MEDICINE IN ITALY

Chapter XI. Baglivi, Morgagni, Scarpa, 91
Spallanzani, Tissot and Galvani; Italy’s most
Illustrious Physicians during the Eighteenth
Century

BOOK V

SMALL-POX, ONE OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST SCOURGES

Chapter XII. Measures Adopted for the Control of 107
Small-Pox; Inoculation, Vaccination

BOOK VI

AWAKENING OF THE CHEMISTS, PHYSIOLOGISTS AND PATHOLOGISTS

Chapter XIII. The English and French Chemists 119
Contribute Their Share toward the Advance of
Medical Knowledge

BOOK VII

MEDICINE IN ENGLAND

Chapter XIV. English Leaders in Medicine and 129
Surgery during the Eighteenth and Early
Nineteenth Centuries (First Group)

Chapter XV. English Leaders in Medicine and 139
Surgery (Second Group)

Chapter XVI. English Leaders in Medicine and 150
Surgery (Second Group continued)

BOOK VIII

MEDICINE IN FRANCE

Chapter XVII. Bordeu and Bichat; The Beginning of 159
Experimental Physiology and Experimental
Pathology in France

BOOK IX

MEDICINE AT THE HEIGHT OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

Chapter XVIII. Types of French Physicians who 171
Flourished about the Time of the Reign of Terror

Chapter XIX. Laënnec and the Invention of the 195
Modern Method of Auscultation; Paul-Joseph
Barthez

Chapter XX. Early Studies of the Disease now 202
Universally called Typhoid Fever: Bretonneau

BOOK X

BROUSSAIS AND BROUSSAISM

Chapter XXI. The Harmful Effects of Broussais’ 207
Teaching

BOOK XI

THE GOLDEN AGE OF SURGERY IN FRANCE

Chapter XXII. J. L. Petit, of Paris, and his 215
Contemporaries in Surgery—Sabatier, Chopart,
Desault and Dupuytren

Chapter XXIII. Workers in Special Departments of 230
Surgery: Demours, Descemet, Delpech, Fauchard,
Jourdain, Gariot

BOOK XII

DESGENETTES AND LARREY, FRANCE’S MOST CELEBRATED MILITARY SURGEONS

Chapter XXIV. Military Surgery in France, as 241
represented by Desgenettes and Baron Larrey

BOOK XIII

A FEW OF THE IMPORTANT HOSPITALS AND THE PRINCIPAL ORGANIZATIONS IN
PARIS FOR TEACHING MEDICINE AND MIDWIFERY

Chapter XXV. Hospital of “La Maternité,” the Great 253
French Midwifery School

Chapter XXVI. Further Details Concerning the Paris 258
Faculté de Médecine and Concerning some of the
Larger Hospitals of Paris