He was an example of honesty and conscience as can be seen from the fact that he resigned the post of the parish doctor, when he was convinced that to practice medicine according to the then popular method was to be a murderer of his brethren. He found it impossible to deceive his conscience by continuing in the post for the earthly gain of money. He was a lover of justice and mercy which is proved by his behaviour with the extensive circle of his patients. No matter whether the patients were poor or rich, he examined and treated them with the same care and application. Moreover, he never charged any fees to his patients when he felt convinced of their poverty.
On the contrary he always held that the rich must pay adequately for the doctors services and the trouble he was to take to free them from their sickness. He was a man of patient industry as is evident from the tenacity with which he struggled with all his nerves and brain to discover a method of healing the sick surely, quickly, permanently and pleasantly. His love for knowledge can be easily judged by his voluminous literary pursuits and writings in the domain of languages, science (chemistry) and medicine.
He was an embodiment of Genius and therefore could discover such an immortal law as Similia Similibus. His heart was full of sympathy for he held that inhuman and cruel treatment could never cure the insane of their insanity. He also vehemently denounced the cruel procedures of venesection, leeching etc. practised under the name of medical science. Such were the brilliant qualities of the great man whose memory we will celebrate this month.
We should feel it a proud privilege to be his humble but honest followers. Let us therefore resolve that we shall have fully justified our existence only when we become his true disciples and follow the path laid down by him truly and faithfully for the relief of the suffering humanity.
Lastly we may remember:–
“Oh, Samuel, they mortal flesh is dead,
But not thy qualities of heart and dead,
Thy spirit ever serves as beacon light,
To those who search for a real insight,
Into they glorious and sublime art of healing,
Quickly and permanently our human suffering”.
