20 Chapter 1
Anothercriticof Spencer’s, HarvardUniversitysociologistPaulStarr(b. 1949),has
muchin commonwiththe others.Starr’s PulitzerPrize-winningtome,The SocialTransfor-
mationof AmericanMedicine, wouldhaveus believethatSpencerthoughtthatcon men
shouldbe free to marketsnakeoil and poisonsas medicines.We are encouragedto think
that this is Spencer’s view:any haplessrubefoolishenoughto be takenin by the hucksters’ sales
pitcheswouldsimplyget whatwas comingto him.Thatappliesevenif that rubeis foolishenough
to purchasesuchtoxinsand die fromconsumingthem.Starrwrites,“SocialDarwinists,follow-
ing the EnglishsocialtheoristHerbertSpencer,” arguedthatregulationoverthe quality
and safetyof medicinescouldbe nothingbut “unwise.‘Verymanyof the poorerclasses
areinjuredby druggists’ prescriptionsand quackmedicines,’ Spencerwillinglyconceded.
But therewasnothingwrongin that;it wasthe penaltynatureattachedto ignorance.If
the poordiedof theirownfoolishness,the specieswouldimprove” (italicsare Spencer’s).
As withthe otherterrible-soundingSpencerquotations,the onethatStarrrepeats
comesfromSocialStatics.^86 And,like the others,it is quotedout of context.Notethat Starr
statesthatSpencerwantedmentodieas a resultof theirignorance.Whenyou gazeupon
the actualsourcematerial,you findthatSpencerdid not takeit for grantedthatsomeone
wouldperishfromimbibingbad medicine.In fact,Spencerdisputedthe accusationthat
therewassomeepidemicof poormendyingfromdrinkingquackmedications;he ob-
servedthatthe vastmajorityof menwhohadtakensuchmedicationhadsurvivedthe
process.He thensaidthatthe quackmedicationsdid causepeopleenoughphysicaldis-
comfortto promptthemto becomemorediscerningof the variouspharmaceuticalsbeing
sold.Thislearningexperiencefurtherencouragedthesevictimsto educatethemselves
lateraboutthe qualityandeffectivenessandsafetyof the variousothersubstancesthey
consideredconsuming.Belowis moreof the passagefromwhichStarrquotes.The exact
parthe quotesis in boldface.I haveunderlinedanotherpartfor emphasis.
The mostspeciousexcusefor not extendingto medicaladvicethe principlesof free-trade,
is... thatthe judgmentof the consumeris not a sufficientguaranteefor the goodnessof
the commodity.... Ignorantpeoplesay theycannotdistinguishgoodtreatmentfrom
bad... HearMr. Wakley.Speakingof a recently-revivedlaw relatingto chemistsand
druggists,he says,“It musthavethe effectof checking... thatfrightfulevilcalled
counterpractice,exercisedby unqualifiedpersons,whichhas so longbeena disgraceto
the operationof the lawsrelatingto medicine... , andwhich,doubtless,has been
attendedwitha dreadfulsacrificeof humanlife.” (Lancet, Sept.11, 1841)
Anyone maydiscernthroughtheseludicrousexaggerationsmuchmoreof the [governist
political]partizanthanof the philanthropist.... [But]let it be concededthatverymany
of the poorerclassesareinjuredbydruggistsprescriptionsandquackmedicines. The
allegationhavingbeenthus,for argument’s sake, admittedin full,let us nowconsider
whetherit constitutesa sufficientpleafor legalinterference.... It is impossiblein any
degreeto suspendthis disciplineby steppingin betweenignoranceand its consequences,
without,to a correspondingdegree,suspendingthe progress.If to be ignorantwereas
safeas to be wise,no onewouldbecomewise.Andall measureswhichtendto put
ignoranceupona par withwisdom,inevitablycheckthe growthof wisdom.Actsof
parliamentto savesillypeoplefromthe evilswhichputtingfaithin empiricsmayentail
uponthem,do this,andare thereforebad.... it is bestto let the foolishmansufferthe
appointedpenaltyof his foolishness.For the pain—he mustbearit as wellas he can:for
the experience—he musttreasureit up, and act morerationallyin the future.Obviously,a mancannotlearnfroma painfulexperienceif he diesfromit. Spenceris
statingthata mancan learnfromconsumingunhealthymedicinesbecausehe willlive
throughthe ordeal.AndSpencercontinuesthatwhena manfallsill fromquackmedica-
tions,the adverseeffectsshallserveas “a warning” to others“as wellas to himself....
Andby multiplicationof suchwarnings,therecannotfail to be generatedin all mena