74 PRINCE FILDERKIN

declared that they were all a set of humbugs
together. 2

It so happened that the medical men inthat
country were divided into two great classes :
one, which ordered hot remedies for every-
body, whilst the other would only use cold
applications. The hot-water system was the
old-established one of that kingdom, and
consequently the doctors who were of that
school held their heads very high, accused
the cold-water people of introducing new
principles in a manner which was not regular,
and refused to meet them in consultation or
to have anything to do with any case in
which they had advised. Some little good
arose from the fact of one of these quarrels
taking place with regard to Prince Filderkin,
for when the King heard of it, he sent for the
two chief hot-water doctors, told them that
their profession was one of the noblest in the
world, its object being to lessen the pain and
relieve the sufferings of their fellow-creatures,
and that they disgraced it by refusing to take
counsel with others of the same profession
and who had the same objects, - merely
because they held different theories as to the
manner in which these objects could best be