a Hering anecdote

A Little Anecdote of Constantine Hering

Constantine Hering, in his young years, practiced in Germany, where he often traveled through the country on foot. On one of these journeys the Lord of the village invited him to stop with him. The Lord inquired his profession, and when Hering told him he was a physician he made a wry face and turned from him.

Hering remarked, “I see you do not like us.”“No,” was the reply. “If I had a son, he should learn the lowest trade before he should be a doctor.”“You must have reasons for that,” was Hering’s reply.“I have,” he said, “and I will tell you.”

He brought a large book and placed it before Hering, and said: “Here you see I have consulted four hundred and seventy-seven physicians, and no three agree as to the nature of my disease.”

When he was first taken sick, he employed a skillful doctor, without benefit, then he used a second one. After long treatment without relief, he invited them to his house. He then required an examination from each of them, and their diagnoses were different. As these learned men could not agree, he dismissed them and quit doctoring; but still, as his disease was troublesome, he concluded to find three doctors who should decide, and then he would employ them.

He then traveled two years through Europe, visiting the great cities and consulting every distinguished doctor.—When he had consulted four hundred and seventy-seven, he had not found two who exactly agreed.

“How can I avoid contempt for the profession?” said the Lord.

Dr. Hering agreed to bring him three, provided he would spend two hundred dollars. The Lord decided to do it, more out of curiosity than anything else. Then Hering diagnosed his disease and took down his symptoms. He requested the Lord to make a copy of the symptoms, and to enclose in each copy a five-dollar gold piece and to send one to each one of thirty-three homeopathic physicians, that number including all in the practice of homeopathy at that time. As they were scattered, Hering gave the name of each and left.

A year and a half afterwards Hering received a large quantity of wine and a letter from the Lord, who expressed his thankfulness for his good advice, and told him that he had received an answer from every one of his letters, and that twenty-two of the doctors agreed exactly, not only as to the disease, but regarding the remedy, which was more than he ever expected. He took the remedy prescribed and was cured. Fearing he might again fall into temptation and bring back his trouble he wished to present Hering with all the wine in his cellar.

—Dr. Pepigras.