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(131)
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

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