Ossian Collection > Journal of a tour in Scotland in

ABERDEEN 71
prest much of the sebaceous substance out of
the tumour, talked of enlarging the orifice,
of the danger of inflammation communicating
to the dura mater and so on ; of lying by for
three days and he affirmed that the contents
could not be carried off" by suppuration
because there could be no suppuration where
there was no vitality. I have very often
wished myself wholly ignorant of anatomy
and nosology, having repeatedly felt that a
smattering in these things serves only to
disquiet us, both for ourselves and others,
with apprehensions generally ill-founded, but
specious. In this case however I knew
enough to perceive that this man was pre-
suming upon my ignorance, and endeavouring
to deceive me by a mixture of nonsense and
falsehood, for the tumour was actually in a
state of suppuration, and Dr Wood had told
me it was in a fair way of being thus dis-
charged. When Mr Gibb called upon me,
therefore, I requested that he would take me
to the best surgeon in the town. This was
a Mr Kerr, who had formerly been attached
to the army, and whom we found reading-
Aristotle in Greek. He assured me there
was no cause for uneasiness, and no reason
why I should return home ; and he advised