_MADAM,_
I am very much troubled to see your _Authors_ Works fill'd with so
many spiteful reproaches and bitter taunts against the Schools of
Physicians, condemning both their Theory and Practice; nay, that not
onely the Modern Schools of Physicians, but also the two ancient and
famous Physicians, _Galen_, and _Paracelsus_, must sufficiently suffer
by him; especially _Galen_; for there is hardly a Chapter in all his
Works, which has not some accusations of blind errors, sloth, and
sluggishness, Ignorance, Covetousness, Cruelty, and the like: Which I
am very sorry for; not onely for the sake of your _Author_ himself, who
herein doth betray both his rashness, and weakness, in not bridling
his passions, and his too great presumption, reliance and confidence
in his own abilities, and extraordinary Gifts; but also for the sake
of the Fame and Repute of our Modern Physicians; for without making
now any difference betwixt the _Galenists_ and _Paracelsians_, and
examining which are the best, (for I think them both excellent in
their kinds, especially when joyned together) I will onely say this
in general, that the Art of Physick has never flourish'd better then
now, neither has any age had more skilful, learned, and experienced
Physicians, then this present; because they have not onely the knowledg
and practise of those in ages Past, but also their own experience
joyned with it, which cannot but add perfection to their Art; and I,
for my part, am so much for the old way of Practice, that if I should
be sick, I would desire rather such Physicians which follow the same
way, then those, that by their new Inventions, perchance, cure one,
and kill a hundred. But your _Author_[1] will have a Physician to be
like a Handycrafts man, who being call'd to a work, promises that work,
and stands to his promise; and therefore, _It is a shame_, says he,
_in a Physician, being call'd to a sick man in the beginning of the
disease, and when his strength is yet remaining, to suffer the same
man to die._ This, in my opinion, is a very unreasonable comparison,
to liken a Handicrafts man to a Physician, and the art of Curing to
the art of Building, or any the like, without regard of so many great
differences that are between them, which I am loth to rehearse, for
brevities sake, and are apparant enough to every one that will consider
them: but this I may say, that it is not always for want of skill and
industry in a Physician, that the cure is not effected, but it lies
either in the Incureableness of the disease, or any other external
accidents that do hinder the success: Not but that the best Physicians
may err in a disease, or mistake the Patients inward distemper by
his outward temper, or the interior temper by his outward distemper,
or any other ways; for they may easily err through the variation of
the disease, which may vary so suddenly and oft, as it is impossible
to apply so fast, and so many Medicines, as the alteration requires,
without certain death; for the body is not able, oftentimes, to dispose
and digest several Medicines so fast, as the disease may vary, and
therefore what was good in this temper, may, perhaps, be bad in the
variation; insomuch, that one medicine may in a minute prove a Cordial,
and Poyson. Nay, it may be that some Physicians do err through their
own ignorance and mistake, must we therefore condemn all the skill,
and accuse all the Schools of Negligence, Cruelty, and Ignorance? God
forbid: for it would be a great Injustice. Let us rather praise them
for the good they do, and not rashly condemn them for the evil they
could not help: For we may as well condemn those holy and industrious
Divines, that cannot reform wicked and perverse Sinners, as Physicians,
because they cannot restore every Patient to his former health, the
Profession of a Physician being very difficult; for they can have but
outward signs of inward distempers. Besides, all men are not dissected
after they are dead, to inform Physicians of the true cause of their
death; nay, if they were, perchance they would not give always a true
information to the Physician, as is evident by many examples; but
oftentimes the blame is laid upon the Physician, when as the fault is
either in Nature, or any other cause, which Art could not mend. And
if your _Author_ had had such an extraordinary Gift from God as to
know more then all the rest of Physicians, why did he not accordingly,
and as the Scripture speaks of Faith, shew his skill by his Works and
Cures? certainly, could he have restored those that were born blind,
lame, deaf and dumb, or cured the spotted Plague, or Apoplexy after
the third fit, or the Consumption of Vital parts, or a Fever in the
Arteries, or dissolved a Stone too big to go through the passage,
and many the like; he would not onely have been cried up for a rare
Physician, but for a miracle of the World, and worshipped as a Saint:
But if he could not effect more then the Schools can do, why doth he
inveigh so bitterly against them? Wherefore I cannot commend him in
so doing; but as I respect the Art of Physick, as a singular Gift
from God to Mankind, so I respect and esteem also learned and skilful
Physicians, for their various Knowledg, industrious Studies, careful
Practice, and great Experiences, and think every one is bound to do
the like, they being the onely supporters and restorers of humane life
and health: For though I must confess, with your _Author_, that God
is the onely giver of Good, yet God is not pleased to work Miracles
ordinarily, but has ordained means for the restoring of health,
which the Art of Physick doth apply; and therefore those Persons
that are sick, do wisely to send for a Physician; for Art, although
it is but a particular Creature, and the handmaid of Nature, yet she
doth Nature oftentimes very good service; and so do Physicians often
prolong their Patients lives. The like do Chirurgeons; for if those
Persons that have been wounded, had been left to be cured onely by the
Magnetick Medicine, I believe, numbers that are alive would have been
dead, and numbers would die that are alive; insomuch, as none would
escape, but by miracle, especially if dangerously hurt. Concerning the
Coveteousness of Physicians, although sickness is chargeable, yet I
think it is not Charitable to say or to think, that Physitians regard
more their Profit, then their Patients health; for we might as well
condemn Divines for taking their Tithes and Stipends, as Physicians
for taking their Fees: but the holy Writ tells us, that a Labourer is
Worthy of his hire or reward; and, for my part, I think those commit a
great sin, which repine at giving Rewards in any kind; for those that
deserve well by their endeavours, ought to have their rewards; and such
Meritorious Persons, I wish with all my Soul, may prosper and thrive.
Nevertheless, as for those persons, which for want of means are not
able to reward their Physicians, I think Physicians will not deal so
unconscionably, as to neglect their health and lives for want of their
Fees, but expect the reward from God, and be recompenced the better by
those that have Wealth enough to spare. And this good opinion I have of
them. So leaving them, I rest,
Madam,
_Your constant Friend_
_and faithful Servant._
[1] In his Promises, _Column._ 3.