Diseases > Domestic medicine

182 Buchan’s
We readily admit, that there are cases where the
physician ought to give intimation of the patient’s
danger to some of his near connections ; though even
this ought always to be done with the greatest cau¬
tion : but it never can be necessary in any case that
the whole town and country should know, immedi¬
ately after the doctor has made his first visit, that he
has no hopes of his patient's recovery. Persons
whose impertinent curiosity leads them to question
the physician, with regard to the fate of his patient,
certainly deserve no other than an evasive answer.
The vanity of foretelling the fate of the sick is not
peculiar to the faculty. Others follow their example,
and those who think themselves wiser than their
neighbours often do much hurt in this way. Hu¬
manity surely calls upon every one to comfort the
sick, and not to add to their affliction by alarming
their fears. A friend or even a physician, may often
do more good by a mild and sympathizing behaviour
than by medicine, and should never neglect to ad¬
minister that greatest of all cordials, Hope,
grief.
Grief is the most destructive of all the passions.
Its effects are permanent, and when it sinks deep into
the mind, it generally proves fatal. Anger and fear,
being of a more violent nature, seldom last long; but
grief often changes into a fixed melancholy, which
preys upon the spirits, and wastes the constitution.
This passion ought not to be indulged. It may gene¬
rally be conquered at the beginning ; but when it has
gained strength, all attempts to remove it are vain.
No person can prevent misfortunes in life: but it
shews true greatness of mind to bear them with
serenity. Many persons make a merit of indulgin