else; they seem to think that he should know the patient's thoughts by his pulse, and be able to divine the character and give a history of his disease without making any inquiries.
The foundation for these extravagant and erroneous ideas has been laid by quackery, both without and within the profession, and everything that is designed to contribute to their encouragement is reprehensible quackery. Every charlatan understands this state of public opinion, and turns it to his own advantage; he is bold, prompt and confident, and never forgets to boast of his great knowledge.
The public mind should be disabused upon this subject, and the mask of presumption and arrogance which hides ignorance and fraud should be torn off, and the world should learn more correctly to discriminate between true and false merit. But men sometimes appear determined to reject every reasonable suggestion, and to consider all such hints as arising from mercenary motives. The patient and his friends cannot be reconciled to his condition; he cannot afford to be sick, and therefore must be cured by some man or by some means forthwith.
