Stephen Mackenzie, who operated on the Emperor Frederick, was
another excellent teacher under whom we had the good fortune to study.
Indeed, whatever could be said against the teaching of our college,
in this much more important field of learning, the London Hospital was
most signally fortunate, and, moreover, was famed not only in London,
but all the world over. Our "walking class" used to number men from
the United States to Australia, insomuch that the crowds became so
large that the teachers could not get room to pass along. It was this
fact which led to the practice, now almost universal, of carrying the
patient in his bed with a nurse in attendance into the theatre for
observation as more comfortable and profitable for all concerned.

On changing over to the surgical side in the hospital, we were
employed in a very similar manner, only we were called "dressers," and
under the house surgeon had all the care of a number of surgical
patients. My good fortune now brought me under the chieftaincy of Sir
Frederick Treves, the doyen of teachers. His great message was
self-reliance. He taught dogmatically as one having authority, and
always insisted that we should make up our minds, have a clear idea of
what we were doing, and then do it. His ritual was always thought out,
no detail being omitted, and each person had exactly his share of work
and his share of responsibility. It used greatly to impress patients,
and he never underestimated the psychical value of having their
complete confidence. Thus, on one occasion asking a dresser for his
diagnosis, the student replied:

"It might be a fracture, sir, or it might be only sprained."

"The patient is not interested to know that it might be measles, or it
might be toothache. The patient wants to know what is the matter, and
it is your business to tell it to him or he will go to a quack who
will inform him at once."

All his teachings were, like Mark Twain's, enhanced by such
over-emphasis or exaggeration. He could make an article in the
"British Medical Journal" on Cholecystenterostomy amusing to a general
reader, and make an ordinary remark as cutting as an amputation knife.
He never permitted laxity of any kind in personal appearance or dress,
or any imposing on the patients. His habit of saying openly exactly
what he meant made many people fear, as much as they respected, him.
However, he was always, in spite of it, the most popular of all the
chiefs because he was