What medical man " did not feel his cheek burn with shame for the profession to which he belonged, as he read day by day the so-called medical evidence brought forward for the defence of William Palmer? Go where you would, the most popular subject for declamation was the conduct of the doctors." It is, indeed, ever to be regretted that the veil of science should have been drawn aside to favour such a villain! jealousy is seen in every word and every deed of doctors, where doctors are concerned. One doctor cannot bear to hear another praised, and cannot bear to see another rise.

But

I will now ask, For what purpose do you employ a doctor? So rational is the natural answer to this query, that I can fancy that I hear you say― To cure our ailments, to be sure. But if I may be permitted to express an opinion, I should say that other elements enter into the calculation. Has not the name of the streetthe style of the house-the quality of the patient-the number of horses-the cut and colour of the carriage, and the height and tint of the flunkeys, something to do with whom we send for? I think so—and moreover, I believe that these things being all that can be desired, the quality of the doctor is of little importance. Are there not thousands of ambitious people who

would never dream of sending for a doctor who did not drive a pair-attend a lord-or live in some crack street? Are there not many pompous little men who always send to London for a doctor because it is the thing? - but such men are only the small-beer of ambition-the flunkeyism of society- the silly imitators of the better class. However, there is no accounting for taste, when people will voluntarily stake their lives at the game of fashion. It is no more than we expect of the higher classes, but there is something supremely ridiculous in the little men of life, with hearts no larger than a small Geneva watch, assuming that their precious moments are more costly than their neighbours' hours, and thus require the London wheels and springs to regulate their time.

This leads me to the query, Why are town doctors thought so much more of than country doctors, when their education is the same? And why is the country doctor, when he goes to reside in town, at once promoted to a higher grade? Perhaps it is that-

"As things seem large which we through mists descry,
Dulness is ever apt to magnify."- POPE.

up

Do we not find, that if a man of talent take his abode in the City or the West End, that he

immediately assumes prodigious dimensions? Does not the gaping world look upon him through the magnifying fog and mist with feelings of reverence and respect-or even awe, just as the traveller would gaze upon the spectral monsters of the Brocken? Perhaps it is the magnifying effect of fog and obscurity which makes the London doctors crowd the most gloomy spots which they can find. It confers at once a ready-made greatness, and gives importance. But all are not susceptible of being magnified even into spectral gods, although they seek the gloomiest spots. The men whose carriages we see parading before the country surgeon's door, for instance, would never shadow forth a spectral greatness, even though placed upon the summit of the Hartz itself, unless descried through the opaque and misty lens of ignorance.

Despite her fog-and-mist- enraptured men, London nurses in her sable bosom the greatest and the least of doctors. She can boast the largest number of the skilful and the scientific, and the largest number of uneducated bunglers. Her fame is sought by men from every capital and every clime, some retain their place, some move onward to distinction,-while others, more boasting than profound, have had to retrace

their steps, and seek a lowlier sphere. Many of our London doctors "were born to greatness," many "have achieved greatness,”—and many "have had greatness thrust upon them." Many derive their fame from long association with the larger hospitals, whose traditional renown is borrowed from such honoured names as Cline and Cooper, Bell and Baillie,-giants of the days gone by! Many derive their position and celebrity from the kindly notice of the press; and, à propos of this, how many a profound and shallow SCORE can trace a "Lancet" origin?

But there are some men who rest their merits on a firmer base, and seek imperishable fame by scientific search. These are the men to honour— these are the men who unravel all the mysteries of life but these are not the men whose carriages are seen parading before the houses of their country brethren; such great names are quite unknown to the little offshoots of ambition who love to have a London doctor's carriage at their door.

How do you select a doctor? Perhaps there is nothing of equal importance which a man does in such complete defiance of all the rules of selfinterest and common sense as the selection of his doctor-although in doing it his happiness or life may pay the penalty! There is, perhaps, nothing of which a man is so hopelessly igno

rant-of which he knows absolutely so little-as the professional qualification of a medical man. He will always select the most acute lawyer where his property is concerned, but where his life is at stake, or the lives of his wife and children, he never troubles himself to seek the most acute doctor,-in fact, he loves to follow some whim, or fancy, or crotchet of his own; and if he think Dr. Smith, or Dr. Brown, or Dr. Jones a good doctor, he will send for him, even though he be the veriest noodle on the earth. One person will delight to have a Court Physician-another a West-End Doctor-while others seek the "Popular Celebrities" of the day-or cling tenaciously to the antiquated plodders of their younger days.

If success in practice were a sure guide to a man's ability it would be invaluable—but, unfortunately, it is too frequently the case that men who have the largest practice have the smallest brains, ability and talent are by no means essential to success in practice-in fact, they often stand in the way of success. The man of talent sees dangers and difficulties which ignorance never sees- -he is therefore cautious where Ignorance is bold. An off-hand manner is the very charm of ignorance-but it is inconsistent with safety and scientific talent.