Page:The healing art in its historic and prophetic aspects - the Harveian oration delivered before the Royal College of Physicians, Oct. 19, 1885 (IA b21908199).pdf/14

 satisfactory future for our profession, either in the extension of our knowledge and the security of the foundations on which it rests, or in the consequent appreciation of it by the public.

Why then is it that both in ancient and modern times medicine has been so often regarded with scepticism and want of confidence, and so often treated with satire, and even with contempt?

In seeking an answer to this question, we cannot be surprised that scepticism as to the powers of the healing art should be rife, both within and without the profession, when we regard the nature of the problems with which we have to deal. The want of faith may be traced to two sources: one intrinsic, and due to the inherent complexity and difficulties of the subject; the other accidental, ex- ternal, to be found amongst the people at large. In its scientific aspect, medicine possesses this peculiar difficulty and source of uncertainty that the individuals or units, with which we have to deal, not only differ from each other, but also vary constantly, each one within itself. They are subject to endless influences from within and from without, mental or physical, inherited or acquired. This ceaseless change of circumstances, and the variations con- sequent upon it, complicate and confuse the problems pre- sented to the scientific physician, increase the labour of his investigations, and render his conclusions so far uncertain that only repeated verification can bring satisfaction to his mind. This source of difficulty is, however, so fully appre- ciated by those whom I now address, and by all indeed who are interested in the pursuit of science, that I do not pro- pose to dwell upon it here, but rather to turn to what I have called the external causes, which, by affecting the feelings and judgment of the masses, have frequently thrown doubt and discredit upon our professional pro- ceedings.