14. If, after a blow upon the head, stupefaction or delirium
manifests itself, the outlook is bad.
[The total number of the aphorisms is 422.]
The Book of Prognoses.—1. I believe that it is best for a
physician to acquire a certain degree of practice in the power to
predict how the disease is likely to terminate; for if, when he is in
the presence of his patient, he is able to state, not only what is
going to take place in the future course of the malady, but also
certain other facts which relate to the past behavior of the attack,
but which were omitted from the account given to him of the
previous history of the case, he will impress the patient with the
belief that he is thoroughly familiar with the disease from which
the latter is suffering, and that consequently he is a physician
in whose knowledge and skill he can place entire confidence. Then,
besides, he will be the gainer in another respect: his knowledge
of what is likely to be the subsequent course of any given disease
will enable him to treat it in the most effective manner. The
ability to restore all his patients to health would of course be a
greater power than that of correctly predicting the future behavior
of a malady in any particular case. This ability, however, is clearly
unattainable. One patient dies by reason of the severity of the
disease itself, even before the physician is called in; a second one,
shortly after the latter's visit; and a third lingers on for a day
or two after the doctor's arrival, dying before the latter's art has
had time to produce a beneficial effect in hindering the advance
of the malady. The observation of these different events should
enable the physician to become acquainted with the nature of the
diseases observed, and—more particularly—to learn to what extent,
in individual instances, they manifest a strength greater than the
patient's power of resistance. At the same time, he must not
forget that in many cases divine interference plays a part in
directing the course of the disease. And thus, if he pays heed to
all these things, the physician will merit the confidence of his
patients and will gain the reputation of being a clever and skilful
practitioner.
IV.—It is better when the physician, upon the occasion of his first visit, finds the patient lying upon one side, with his hands, neck and thighs slightly flexed, and the entire body placed in a perfectly natural position, like that which a man assumes in bed when he is in a state of health. It is not so well when the physician finds the patient lying upon his back, with his hands, neck and
