LAWSON TAIT.* " LAWSON TAIT was undoubtedly a good surgeon
and dis- tinguished in his early life. But the reliability of his statistics was seriously questioned. He was much of an Ishmaelite in his profession, and the last years of his life closed in pitiable obscurity." These words of the American surgeon, Keen, are quoted on page 417 of this biography of the great pro- vincial surgeon by his pupil and friend Stewart McKay, who thereupon proceeds vigorously to refute them. Having read almost every word of the 547 pages of this most interesting book—interesting, but almost too technical for anyone outside the medical profession—we are convinced that the author is right in maintaining that : " Tait had made a name in the history of surgery that could never be lost." He had in the twenty years from 1871 to 1891 simply revolutionized abdominal surgery, revolutionized it in spite of the opposition of prominent members of his own profession, who in turn carried the majority of medical men with them. The field of surgery covered by Tait was a wide one, but the work he did in devising means of relieving surgically the many com- plaints peculiar to women would by itself entitle him to a niche in the temple of fame, and should ensure his being gratefully remembered by all women, many of whom, but for the work of this daring surgeon, would now be living lives of prolonged misery.
And yet we feel that in writing thus Keen did express the prevailing opinion in the medical profession concerning Tait at the time of his death, and for many years before he certainly was regarded as " an Ishmaelite in his profession." Was it only jealousy of a very successful provincial surgeon that accounted for the intense dislike ? Jealousy no doubt played a part, but successful innovators by no means always bring upon themselves widespread hate, rather do many of them become centres of bodies of hero-worshippers extravagant in praise of their idols. Perhaps these words of the author will best explain the animosity he had aroused :—" He (Tait) wanted, of course, to arrive at the truth, but he preferred that the attainment of his object should be consummated over the dead bodies of his adversaries." Dr. Johnson once said, after publishing a pamphlet, that he did not think it had been a success, because his adversaries did not abuse him enough ; we can quite believe that the same feeling came to Tait at times.
A great controversialist, Tait gave and received hard knocks. In later years his bile noire was the famous Sir Spencer Wells, and disputes between them were often carried to unedifying lengths, such as have, alas ! marred the discussions of many men of science. Surgeons seem more prone than physicians to this kind of controversy. But besides being a hard hitter Tait was also, as the author admits, a man prone to prejudice, and it was prejudice that made him in theory an opponent of the germ theory and antiseptic system of Lister, although actually his successful technique depended on a rigid asepsis.
• Lawson Tait : His Life and Work. By W. J. Stewart McKay. Loudon : Baler; Findall and Cox. [2& net] The author has carried out an important work in writing this life of a provincial surgeon with an international reputa- tion. tion. It would have been a sad reflection on our patriotism had such a biography been left unwritten.
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