An Essay on the General Principles of the Treatment of Spinal Curvatures (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 edition. Excerpt: ... Mr. Roth's results.--A record of results in science is invariably given to show the fulfilment either of speculative experiment, of theoretical anticipation, or of definite promises. The scientist who seeks information purely and solely from experiment, starts simply on a course of inquiry without any certainty as to the results he may attain. Again, the scientist who seeks the practical corroboration of some preconceived theory, anticipates with hope that the results may turn out to be confirmatory of his views, although he has no positive assurance, at the outset, that such will be the case. In both these instances not the slightest reflection of blame can attach to the experimentalist if his net results come to nothing; they were only sought in speculation, and no distinct affirmation was made that they would be forthcoming. But, in contradistinction, the man who positively promises certain distinct results as corroborative proof of the truth of his previous statements, and as evidence of the soundness of his assertions is in quite a different position. His promises and his results are correlative one to another. And if his results prove failures, then and immediately one can affirm that not only must his promises be unreliable, but also that the theories and principles on which they were based are unreliable also. Now this, I take it, is precisely Mr. Roth's position as shown by the final column of his analysis. The whole of his previous works, whether articles, or pamphlets, or books, reiterate the promises of cure. Let me for the last time repeat, although this repetition is getting a little stale, the very expressions of promise that Mr. Roth uses. "All ordinary cases of lateral curvature of the spine, where the patient is fairly...