WhatshallIsayofthepersonalhabitsyoumustformifyouwishforsuccess？Temperanceisfirstuponthelist。Intemperanceinaphysicianpartakesoftheguiltofhomicide，forthemuddledbrainmayeasilymakeafatalblunderinaprescriptionandtheunsteadyhandtransfixanarteryinanoperation。Tipplingdoctorshavebeentoocommoninthehistoryofmedicine。Paracelsuswasasot，Radcliffewasmuchtoofondofhisglass，andDr。JamesHurlbutofWethersfield，Connecticut，afamousmaninhistime，usedtodrinkasquarebottleofrumaday，withacorrespondingallowanceofopiumtohelpsteadyhisnerves。Wecommonlyspeakofamanasbeingtheworseforliquor，butIwasaskinganIrishlaboreronedayabouthisdoctor，who，ashesaid，wassomewhatgiventodrink。“Ilikehimbestwhenhe’salittlethatway，“hesaid；“thenIcanspaketohim。“Ipitiedthepoorpatientwhocouldnotventuretoalludetohiscolicorhispleurisyuntilhisphysicianwastipsy。
TherearepersonalhabitsoflessgravitythantheoneIhavementionedwhichitiswelltoguardagainst，or，iftheyareformed，torelinquish。Amanwhomaybecalledatamoment’swarningintothefragrantboudoirofsufferinglovelinessshouldnotunsweetenitsatmospherewithreminiscencesofextinguishedmeerschaums。Heshouldrememberthatthesickaresensitiveandfastidious，thattheylovethesweetodorsandthepuretintsofflowers，andifhispresenceisnotlikethebreathoftherose，ifhishandsarenotliketheleafofthelily，hisvisitmaybeunwelcome，andifhelooksbehindhimhemayseeawindowthrownopenafterhehasleftthesick-chamber。
Iremembertoowelltheolddoctorwhosometimescametohelpmethroughthoseinwardgriefstowhichchildhoodisliable。“Faroffhiscoming“——shallIsay“shone，“andfinishtheMiltonicphrase，orleavetheverbtothehappyconjecturesofmyaudience？Beforehimcameasoul-subduingwhiffofipecacuanha，andafterhimlingeredashudderingconsciousnessofrhubarb。Hehadlivedsomuchamonghismedicamentsthathehadatlastbecomehimselfadrug，andtohavehimpassthroughasick-chamberwasastrongerdosethanaconscientiousdiscipleofHahnemannwouldthinkitsafetoadminister。
NeedIremindyonoftheimportanceofpunctualityinyourengagements，andoftheworryanddistresstopatientsandtheirfriendswhichthewantofitoccasions？Oneofmyoldteachersalwayscarriedtwowatches，tomakequitesureofbeingexact，andnotonlykepthisappointmentswiththeregularityofachronometer，buttookgreatpainstobeathispatient’shouseatthetimewhenhehadreasontobelievehewasexpected，evenifnoexpressappointmentwasmade。Itisagoodrule；ifyoucalltooearly，mylady’shairmaynotbesosmoothascouldbewished，and，ifyoukeepherwaitingtoolong，herhairmaybesmooth，buthertemperotherwise。
Youwillremember，ofcourse，alwaystogettheweather-gageofyourpatient。Imean，toplacehimsothatthelightfallsonhisfaceandnotonyours。Itisakindof，ocularduelthatisabouttotakeplacebetweenyou；youaregoingtolookthroughhisfeaturesintohispulmonaryandhepaticandotherinternalmachinery，andheisgoingtolookintoyoursquiteassharplytoseewhatyouthinkabouthisprobabilitiesfortimeoreternity。