THOMAS SYDENHAM
But while the Continent was struggling with these
illusive "systems,'' and dabbling in mystic theories
that were to scarcely outlive the men who conceived
them, there appeared in England—the "land of common-sense,''
as a German scientist has called it—"a cool, clear, and
unprejudiced spirit,'' who in the golden age of systems
declined "to be like the man who builds the chambers of
the upper story of his house before he had laid securely
the foundation walls.''
[25]
This man was Thomas Sydenham (1624-1689), who,
while the great Harvey was serving the king as surgeon,
was fighting as a captain in the parliamentary
army. Sydenham took for his guide the teachings of
Hippocrates, modified to suit the advances that had
been made in scientific knowledge since the days of the
great Greek, and established, as a standard, observation
and experience. He cared little for theory unless
confirmed by practice, but took the Hippocratic view
that nature cured diseases, assisted by the physician.
He gave due credit, however, to the importance of the
part played by the assistant. As he saw it, medicine
could be advanced in three ways: (1) "By accurate
descriptions or natural histories of diseases; (2) by
establishing a fixed principle or method of treatment,
founded upon experience; (3) by searching for specific
remedies, which he believes must exist in considerable
numbers, though he admits that the only one yet discovered
is Peruvian bark.''
[26] As
it happened, another equally specific remedy, mercury,
when used in certain diseases, was already known to him,
but he evidently did not recognize it as such.
The influence on future medicine of Sydenham's
teachings was most pronounced, due mostly to his
teaching of careful observation. To most physicians,
however, he is now remembered chiefly for his
introduction of the use of
laudanum, still considered one of the
most valuable remedies of modern pharmacopœias. The
German gives the honor of introducing this preparation
to Paracelsus, but the English-speaking world
will always believe that the credit should be given to
Sydenham.
