An inaugural dissertation on mercury : embracing its medical history, curative action, and abuse in certain diseases / by John W. Francis, A.B. Vice-President of the Medical and Surgical Society of the University of New-York.

  • Francis, John W. (John Wakefield), 1789-1861.
Date:
1811
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An inaugural dissertation on mercury : embracing its medical history, curative action, and abuse in certain diseases / by John W. Francis, A.B. Vice-President of the Medical and Surgical Society of the University of New-York. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    and Van Helmont made known a practice far more successful than that of their predecessors, and effected cures altogether beyond the power of the Galenical schools. Passing over the contentions relative to mercury which existed among the chemists and Galenists, it may be sufficient to observe, that with the prevalence of that class of diseases vaguely denominated leprous, and the extension of the lues venerea, the use of this remedy became gradually more extensive, and was considered among the most valuable as well as active articles of the materia medica. The variety of opinion relative to it, which agitated the writers of the seven- teenth and eighteenth centuries, have a more immedi- ate connection with the advantages of certain prepa- rations, and the theory of their operation. Of these authors, the most conspicuous were Hoffman, Syden- ham, Boerhaave, and Van Swieten; besides several other writers of lesser note.* It ought not to be left unnoticed in the history of this medicine, that the face- tious Dr. Dover, believing it to be a valuable remedy in affections of the stomach and in other diseases, warm- ly recommended its use in a crude state. To take an ounce of quicksilver every morning he declared to be the most beneficial thing in the world; and in 1731 and 32, it became fashionable in London and in * See the ActaEruditor. Acta Oiiriosor. and the Fphrmer. Natv.r. Cu riosorum