Proposals for printing by subscription an original work, intitled, The family physician. Highly necessary for all persons who wish to preserve their own health, or are desirous to assist their neighbours in distress / [William Buchan].

  • Buchan, William, 1729-1805
Date:
1768?]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Proposals for printing by subscription an original work, intitled, The family physician. Highly necessary for all persons who wish to preserve their own health, or are desirous to assist their neighbours in distress / [William Buchan]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    This I take to be a thing very much needed; as many, for want of inch a directory, trifle with the molt dange¬ rous diforders, till they become incurable; while others, frighted at the very fhadow of a difeafe, fly to the ufe of drugs on the flighteft ailment, which might eafxly have been carried*off with a little care, and poffibly better with* out medicine than with it. Tho’ it is certain, that many difeafes are hard to be found out; it is equally certain, that many others may be known almoft at firft fight. And tho? feme medicines re¬ quire the greateft care and {kill in the application; yet there are many others, and valuable ones too, which re¬ quire only common prudence and a few plain directions, in order to their being adminiftered with fafety and fuc- cefs. For example, An ague or intermittent fever may be known by any perfon almoft as foon as it makes its at¬ tack; and tho? any one may prepare the medicine which I have prefcribed for that diforder, yet I never knew it fail of iucceis when properly taken ; nor did I ever ob- ferve the leaft danger arife from the application of it. I might fay the fame with regard to many other difeafes and their remedies ; but muft refer the reader to the work it- felf. But it is by no means the foie defign of this performance to recommend medicines. Warning people againft the ufe of fuch things as would be fare to do hurt, is of no lefs importance than recommending what will do good. Men are naturally forward enough to feek relief in dif- trefs, and this prompts them often to make ufe of fuch things as greatly aggravate, inftead of leffening their com¬ plaints, Their impatience difpofes them to liken to every idle tale which their ignorant, credulous, or officious neighbours may fuggeft. This conduff I well know to be productive of numberlefs evils; and, for this reafon, have fpared no pains to point out the miitakes which are daily committed in this way. When people will act right or wrong, it is certainly a wifer part to endeavour to rectify their conduct than ft rive to root out a principle which feems fo deeply rooted in human nature ; tho? this has been too much the aim of the Faculty in all ages. Had one half the pains that has been taken by phyficians, in framing and {upporting fine theories.