I do not mean to be understood, by stating these results in numbers, that the community generally estimate them in this definite manner. I only present the subject in this way in order to show, that, while the real results tell strongly in favor of the skillful physician, even a numerical estimate might tell against him; that is, as it would be made out by the community, if they should attempt it. If then an erroneous conclusion would be so apt to result from any attempt at a numerical estimate on the part of the community, much greater is the liability to error in the vague general impressions which prevail on this subject. Many an unsuccessful practitioner has obtained a greater reputation for success than his really successful neighbor, from the noise which is made about his _numerous_ bad cases. I come now to speak of some other points of difference in the results of good and bad treatment, in regard to which the community are commonly even more deceived, than on those of which I have already treated. In managing a case, in which disease has become so seated, that it cannot be broken up, but must be removed gradually, it is evident that the more judicious are the means which are applied from day to day to the varying states of the case, the shorter will be the sickness. It is in the accurate adjustment of remedial means to the ends to be accomplished, that unskillfulness makes a great failure; and yet it is a failure, which is for the most part concealed from the public, because it can be satisfactorily detected only by a nice comparison of cases. And this comparison cannot be made by the public, for reasons which will soon be stated. But the adjustment of remedies to the varying states of disease has an influence beyond the mere circumstance of the length of the sickness. The judicious physician saves his patients from unnecessary complications in their diseases; while the injudicious physician and the quack are apt, not only to neglect to prevent or remove such complications, but to excite and foster them. For example, if there arise in the course of a case of fever some local inflammation, the judicious physician notices the symptoms of it, as soon as they appear, and immediately applies remedies to remove it, and commonly succeeds in so doing. On the other hand, unskilfulness would be blind to the fact that such an inflammation exists, and would therefore make no efforts to destroy it, but would perhaps unwittingly increase it. The same difference between skilful and unskilful practice could be pointed out in regard to other kinds of complications—congestions, irritations, and functional derangements of different organs.