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Editorial
June 2, 1829
The New Hampshire Gazette
Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
What is this article about?
Editorial cautions against reading popular medical books, warning that it fosters hypochondria and self-medication, quoting Goethe on over-studying the body leading to madness and Pope on the dangers of partial knowledge.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
Caution against reading Medical Books.
It has been already shrewdly remarked by Goethe, that "he who studies his body too much, becomes diseased--his mind becomes mad;" and we are well convinced, that many of the men and women of the present day might with great justice have another clause to the well known Italian epitaph--"stavo bene ma per star meglio, sto qui ;" which being thus amended, would run, " I was well--wished to be better-read medical books-took medicine--and died." In no other science, indeed, does Pope's maxim, that "a little learning is a dangerous thing." hold so strongly as in medicine, for those who dabble in the medical lore, dealt out in works professing to be popular, are almost certain to suppose themselves afflicted with every disease about which they read. They forthwith took alarm at the probable consequences, and having some lurking suspicion that they may have mistaken the symptoms, they follow the prescription laid down in their book in secret, lest they should bring themselves into open ridicule.
It has been already shrewdly remarked by Goethe, that "he who studies his body too much, becomes diseased--his mind becomes mad;" and we are well convinced, that many of the men and women of the present day might with great justice have another clause to the well known Italian epitaph--"stavo bene ma per star meglio, sto qui ;" which being thus amended, would run, " I was well--wished to be better-read medical books-took medicine--and died." In no other science, indeed, does Pope's maxim, that "a little learning is a dangerous thing." hold so strongly as in medicine, for those who dabble in the medical lore, dealt out in works professing to be popular, are almost certain to suppose themselves afflicted with every disease about which they read. They forthwith took alarm at the probable consequences, and having some lurking suspicion that they may have mistaken the symptoms, they follow the prescription laid down in their book in secret, lest they should bring themselves into open ridicule.
What sub-type of article is it?
Science Or Medicine
What keywords are associated?
Medical Books
Self Diagnosis
Hypochondria
Popular Medicine
Self Medication
What entities or persons were involved?
Goethe
Pope
Editorial Details
Primary Topic
Caution Against Reading Medical Books And Self Diagnosis
Stance / Tone
Cautionary And Critical
Key Figures
Goethe
Pope
Key Arguments
Over Studying The Body Leads To Physical Disease And Mental Madness.
Reading Popular Medical Books Causes People To Imagine They Have Every Described Disease.
Partial Knowledge In Medicine Is Particularly Dangerous.
People Self Medicate Secretly Based On Books To Avoid Ridicule.