SIMPSON

 ONE OF THE CRUELEST TABOOS THAT THE CIVILIZATIONS IN ANCIENT TIMES WAS THE ONE THAT FORBADE THE USE OF ANESTHESIA FOR WOMEN AT CHILDBIRTH.

THE FIRST MAN TO REBEL PUBLICLY AGAINST SUCH CRUELTY WAS AN ENGLISH DOCTOR, NAMED SIMPSON, AGE 24. HIS STRUGGLE HOWEVER WAS NOT AN EASY ONE. IT WAS PEHAPS ONE OF THE HARDEST THAT A REFORMER EVER FACED. AT HIS FIRST ATTEMPT TO ELIMINATE THE TABOO, THE LEADERS OF THE CHURCH WHO WERE THOSE WHO ENACTED THE LAWS AT THAT TIME SAID THAT NOTHING COULD BE CHANGED BECAUSE THE BIBLE WAS VERY EXPLICIT WHEN IT SAYS: “IN PAIN SHALL YOU BEAR CHILDREN.”

SIMPSON REPLIED THAT THE BIBLE HAD BEEN WRITTEN IN ARAMAIC AND THAT IN THIS LANGUAGE THE EXPRESSION “PAIN” DIDN´T MEAN SUFFERING BUT EFFORT AS THAT OTHER PASSAGE OF THE BIBLE PROVE: “YOU SHALL  EARN THE BREAD WITH THE SWEAT ON YOUR BROW AND IN PAIN YOU SHALL EAT THE RESULT OF YOUR EFFORT.”

SIMPSON´S OPPOSERS SAID THAT EVE HAD BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR ADAM´S SIN, SO SHE HAD TO PAY FOR IT BY SUFFERING. SIMPSON REPLIED THAT GOD WAS GOOD AND DIDN´T WANT THAT HIS CREATURES SUFFERED AND BESIDES, HE ADDED, GOD WAS THE FIRST BEING TO USE ANESTHESIA WHEN HE MADE ADAM SLEEP TO REMOVE A RIB FROM HIM TO MAKE EVE OF IT. “WHY, HE CONCLUDED, DID GOD MAKE ADAM SLEEP IF NOT TO KEEP HIM FROM SUFFERING?”

THINGS WERE AT THIS POINT WHEN VICTORIA OF ENGLAND SAW TO APPROACH THE MOMENT OF HER FOURTH CHILDBIRTH. SHE HAD SUFFERED TOO MUCH ON HER PRECEDING ONE AND DECIDED TO PUT HERSELF UNDER SIMPSON´S CARE. THAT CHILDBIRTH WAS SUCCESSFUL AND SIMPSON WAS APPOINTED SURGEON FOR THE ROYAL HOUSE OF ENGLAND.

THIS SHOULD BE THE HAPPY END FOR A REFORMER´S LIFE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT WASN´T. IT IS A PITY THAT SUCH A MAN WHO CONTRIBUTED SO DECISITELY TO HUMANIZE CRUEL HABITS OF OLD CIVILIZATIONS HAD BECOME LATER ONE OF PASTEUR´S FIERCEST ENEMIES. HE DIDN´T BELIEVE IN MICROBES AT ALL. HE SAID THAT PASTEUR WAS A LUNATIC AND SHOULD BE CONFINED IN A MENTAL HOSPITAL FOR THE CONVENIENT TREATMENT. AND THEY SAY THAT MANY TIMES BEFORE STARTING OPERATIONS HE USED TO MOCK AT PASTEUR TELLING HIS ASSISTANTS: “DON´T YOU THINK, GENTLEMAN, THAT WE´D BETTER CLOSE DOORS AND WINDOWS TO KEEP THE SMALL BEINGS OF MR. PASTEUR FROM BOTHERING US?”

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