Domestic medicine, or, A treatise on the prevention and cure of diseases by regimen and simple medicines : with observations on sea-bathing, and the use of mineral waters, to which is annexed a dispensary for the use of private practitioners / by William Buchan ... From the 22nd Engl. ed., with additions and notes.

  • Buchan, William, 1729-1805
Date:
1832
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 observations on sea-bathing, and the use of mineral waters, to which is annexed a dispensary for the use of private practitioners / by William Buchan ... From the 22nd Engl. ed., with additions and notes. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    I eae : “f : _ PREFACE. i aa ae i trifle a long time with medicines before they learn their proper use. Many peasants at present know better how to use some of the most century ago; and doubtless the same observation will hold with regard to others for some time hence. Wherever I was convinced that medicine might be used with safety, or where the cure de- pended chiefly upon it, I have taken care to recommend it; but omitted. ‘I have not troubled the reader with a useless parade of quota- tions from different authors, but have generally adopted their ob- servations where my own were either defective or totally wanting. Those to whom I am most obliged are, Ramazina, Arbuthnot, and Tissot ; the last of which, in his Avis au Peuple, comes the near- est to my views of any author which I have seen. Had the Doc- tor’s plan been as complete as the execution is masterly, we should have had no occasion for any new treatise of this kind soon; but by confining himself to the acute diseases, he has in my opinion omitted the most useful part of the subject. People in acute diseases may sometimes be their own physicians; but in chronic deavours. The Doctor has also passed over the Prophylaxis, or pre- ventive part of medicine, very slightly, though it is certainly of the for so doing, and I am so far from finding fault with him, that I think his performance does great honour both to his head and to his heart. _ thy | nearly the same plan with Tissot, as the Baron Van Swieten, physi- never come to my hand. I cannot help wishing, however, that some of our distinguished countrymen would follow their example. There still remains much to be done on this subject, and it does not appear to me how any man could better employ his time or tal- ents, than in eradicating hurtful prejudices, and diffusing useful knowledge among the people. ; I know some of the Faculty disapprove of every attempt of this nature, imagining that it must totally destroy their influence. But this notion appears to me to be as absurd as it is, illiberal. People in distress will always apply for relief to men of ‘Superior abilities, when they have it in their power ; and they will do this icine is a rational science, than when they take it to be only a mat- ter of mere conjecture. _ Though I have endeavoured to render this Treatise-plain and use- ful, yet I found it in apossible to avoid some terms of art ; but those are in general either explained, or are-such as most people: un- derstand. In short, I have endeavoured to.conform my style: to. flatter either themselves or me, with some degree of-success. On, a medical. subject, this is not so easy a matter as some. may ima-. gine. To make a show-of learning, is easier than.to write: plain: