Domestic medicine : or, a treatise on the prevention and cure of diseases, by regimen and simple medicines: With an appendix, containing a dispensatory for the use of private practitioners / by William Buchan.

  • Buchan William, 1729-1805.
Date:
1820
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Domestic medicine : or, a treatise on the prevention and cure of diseases, by regimen and simple medicines: With an appendix, containing a dispensatory for the use of private practitioners / by William Buchan. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

    18/552
    Xll i'JIKJ.'ACE. physcian to the Count d1 Artois, I lie under particular obliga- tions ; as this gentleman has not only considerably enlarged my treatise, but, by his very ingenious and useful notes, has ren- dered it so popular on the Continent, as to occasion its being translated into all the languages of modern Europe. I have only to add, that the book has not more exceeded my expectations in its success, than in the effects it has produced. Some of the most pernicious practices, with regard to the treat- ment of the sick, have already given place to a more rational conduct; and many of the most hurtful prejudices which seem- ed to be quite insurmountable, have in a great measure yielded to better information. Of this a stronger instance cannot be given than the inoculation of the small-pox. Few mothers, some years ago, would submit to have their children inoculated even by the hand of a physician ; yet nothing is more certain, than that of late many of them have performed this opera- tion with their own hands; and as their success has been equal to that of the most dignified inoculators, there is little reason to doubt that the practice will become general. Whenever this shall be the case, more lives will be saved by inoculation alone, than are at present by all the endeavours of the Faculty.