another
there, and another elsewhere. In one, owing to peculiar predisposition
or habit, it takes the shape of fever; in another, of palsy; in another,
of eruptions or boils; in another, of bowel complaint. And as all these
and many other diseases have been known before, and have been induced by
other causes equally unobserved or obscure, we have fallen into the
habit of supposing that these things must needs be, do what we will. In
other words, God the Creator, is supposed to have made the world and
appointed to us, for trial or otherwise, these various forms of disease;
and they are for the most part dealt out to us arbitrarily; or, if not
arbitrarily, by chance or hap-hazard.

But to return to the young man. There was such a hostility of the public
mind to the idea that his disease was induced or even aggravated by
lead, that I receded in part from my suspicions. At least, I proceeded,
with fresh energy and enthusiasm, to search for other and more probable
or popular causes. Cause there must have been, of some sort, I was
confident; while to all my efforts of this kind the friends of the boy
stood opposed. They did not, it is true, say much against it; but then
it was perfectly evident from all their conversation and conduct that
they regarded it as not only idle, but presumptuous, perhaps wicked. How
can it be, they seemed to say, by those looks and actions which so often
speak louder than words, that this young doctor is always trying to
ferret out the causes of disease, while Dr ---- (my predecessor) never
attempted any such thing, but rather dissuaded us from it?

Yet thus it was precisely. For three long months I was endeavoring to
meet and obviate the symptoms of a disease which I secretly believed was
induced by lead, but of which I had no such strong evidence as would
have justified the positive affirmation that it was so, or prevented me
from searching for other causes. This state of mind was by no means
favorable to my success as a medical practitioner; for it somehow
greatly impaired or weakened their general confidence in my wisdom and
skill. Had I, on the other hand, "looked very wise," declared the
disease to be so and so, with great pertinacity, and adhered, through
good report and through evil, to my opinion, whenever it was assailed,
and withal manifested no desire to receive medical counsel, I should
have had a larger measure of their esteem, and a very much larger
measure, as a professional man, o