singleperson，combininginmanycases，asinthatofMr。GilesFirmin，theofficesofphysicianandpreacher，taughtwhatheknewtoafewdiscipleswhomhegatheredabouthim。Ofthemakingofthat“Anatomy“onwhichmyfirstpredecessorinthebranchIteach“didreadverywell“wecanknownothing。Thebodyofsomepoorwretchwhohadswunguponthegallows，wasprobablyconveyedbynighttosomelonelydwellingattheoutskirtsofthevillage，andtherebythelightofflaringtorcheshastilydissectedbyhandsthattrembledovertheunwontedtask。Andeverandanonthemasterturnedtohisbook，ashelaidbarethemysteriesofthehiddenorgans；tohispreciousVesalius，itmightbe，orhisfiguresrepeatedinthemultifariousvolumeofAmbroisePare；totheAldineoctavoinwhichFallopiusrecordedhisfreshobservations；orthatgiantfolioofSpigeliusjustissuedfromthepressofAmsterdam，inwhichlovelyladiesdisplaytheirviscerawithacoquettishgraceimplyingthatitisratherapleasurethanotherwisetoshowthelace-likeomentum，andholduptheirappendicesepiploicaeasiftheyweresaying“theseareourjewels。“
Histeachingofmedicinewasnodoubtchieflyclinical，andreceivedwiththesamekindoffaithasthatwhichacceptedhiswordsfromthepulpit。Hisnotionsofdiseasewerebasedonwhathehadobserved，seenalwaysinthelightofthetraditionaldoctrinesinwhichhewasbred。HisdiscoursesavoredoftheweightydoctrinesofHippocrates，dilutedbythesubtlespeculationsofGalen，reinforcedbythecuriouscommentsoftheArabianschoolmenastheywereconveyedinthemellifluouslanguageofFernelius，blended，itmaybe，withsomethingoftheloftymysticismofVanHelmont，andperhapsstealingaflavorofthatearlierformofHomoeopathywhichhadlatelycometolightinSirKenelmDigby’s“DiscourseconcerningtheCureofWoundsbytheSympatheticPowder。“
HisPathologywasmythology。Amalformedfoetus，asthereadersofWinthrop’sJournalmayremember，wasenoughtoscarethecolonistsfromtheirpropriety，andsuggestthegravestfearsofportendeddisaster。ThestudentoftheseventeenthcenturyopenedhisLicetusandsawfiguresofalionwiththeheadofawoman，andamanwiththeheadofanelephant。Hehadofferedtohisgaze，asbornofahumanmother，theeffigyofawingedcherub，apterocephalousspecimen，whichourProfessorofPathologicalAnatomywouldhardlyknowwhethertotreatwiththereverenceduetoitscelestialaspect，ortoimprisoninoneofhisimmortalizingjarsofalcohol。
Hispharmacopoeiaconsistedmainlyofsimples，suchasthevenerable“Herball“ofGerarddescribesandfiguresinaboundingaffluence。
St。John’swortandClown’sAll-heal，withSpurgeandFennel，SaffronandParsley，ElderandSnake-root，withopiuminsomeform，androastedrhubarbandtheFourGreatColdSeeds，andthetwoResins，ofwhichitusedtobesaidthatwhatevertheTacamahacahasnotcured，theCarannawill，withthemorefamiliarScammonyandJalapandBlackHellebore，madeupagoodpartofhisprobablelistofremedies。HewouldhaveorderedIronnowandthen，andpossiblyanoccasionaldoseofAntimony。Hewouldperhapshavehadarheumaticpatientwrappedintheskinofawolforawildcat，andincaseofamalignantfeverwith“purples“orpetechiae，orofanobstinateking’sevil，hemighthaveprescribedacertainblackpowder，whichhadbeenmadebycalciningtoadsinanearthenpot；achoiceremedy，takeninternally，orappliedtoanyoutwardgrief。