Excerpt from Fifty Years Ago: An Address to the Graduating Class of the Medical College of the Pacific for 1878

The loss of blood, by accident or otherwise, inflicts no lasting injury on a man whose blood-making machinery is in good order. What would be the effect if every individual in the present audience who is in the enjoyment of ordinary health, should be bled to-night, to the extent of eight or ten ounces? The probability is that no one would sleep the worse for it, and that no one would feel the weaker on rising for the duties of to morrow. On the contrary many would feel lighter and better. There would be an immediate demand on the organs of diges tion and assimilation to repair the loss. This would improve the appetite and invigorate all the physiological processes. Persons bleed almost to death from injuries, but recovery is complete and no permanent evils ensue. We may say of blood letting what an old writer said of an occasional debauch - that it is a good fillip to the constitution. I trust however that I shall not be considered as recommending either expedient for this purpose.

There is nothing peculiar in the views I have expressed re garding the disuse of venesection in modern practice. For some years past such views have been gathering force in various quar ters, and the medical journals in different parts of the world indicate very clearly a disposition to resume the former practice under rational restrictions.

Topical blood-letting, by cupping and leeches, has never been so nearly discarded as general. But the fact that a very large number of practitioners have repudiated both alike, shows to what an extent medical practice has been influenced by an nu professional and irrational prejudice.

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