The great sulphur cure brought to the test : and workings of the new curative machine proposed for human lungs and windpipes / by Robert Pairman ; preface by J. Christison.

Date:
1867
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The great sulphur cure brought to the test : and workings of the new curative machine proposed for human lungs and windpipes / by Robert Pairman ; preface by J. Christison. 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.

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    PREFACE TO THE FIFTH EDITION. An Apology to the Medical Profession. The following pages present some data in solution of the problem, ‘Is the system of sulphurous acid medication true or false?’ The answer has a momentous bearing on the interests of our country, and our future modes of dealing both with cattle epidemics and human diseases not a few. Though professing himself as yet no advocate of the system out and out, but only its honest and impartial judge, it is needless to conceal that the more the writer sees of it, the more is he convinced of its general utility; and that very soon, to think of prac- tising medicine without a Spray-producer, will be as absurd as to practise midwifery without forceps, or surgery without chloroform. To get the problem thoroughly sifted and solved, yea, to stir to its depths the whole profession if need be, a humble member, toiling in its ranks, ventured to risk his professional character by a quackish title-page, and adopted a style of writing perhaps unduly merry, partly to make people stare and induce them to read. For why should empiricism monopolize such a mode of inviting attention ? and why should ‘valuable solid reading,’ the great horror of popular jour- nalists, be allowed to fall stiU-born from the Press, to draw fine com- pliments merely from competent judges, and as many pounds sterling from the author’s pocket ? The writer of this pamphlet, however, is no buffoon, but bears the character among his neighbours of being an earnest man, whose peculiarly jocular and merry style can scarcely conceal a vein of seriousness. No newspaper critic or private friend has yet urged an objection that was not anticipated. One kind reve- rend gentleman, an earnest and zealous preacher of the gospel, said, ‘Your title-page, sir, is a downright “puff,” that reminds me strongly