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. ... To which are now added, some important observations concerning sea-bathing, and the use of the mineral waters; with many other additions / by William Buchan.

  • Buchan William, 1729-1805.
Date:
1803
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. ... To which are now added, some important observations concerning sea-bathing, and the use of the mineral waters; with many other additions / 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.

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    or iifeful, without being fubmitted to the common fenfc and reafon of mankind. Thcfe alone Ramp a value upon fcience ; and what will not bear the teft of thefe ought to be rejedted. I know it will be faid, that diffufing medical know- ledge among the people might induce them to tamper with Medicine, and to truft to their own (kill, inftead of calling a phyfician. The reverfe of this, however, is true. Perfons who have moft knowledge in thefe mat- ters, are commonly mofl: ready both to afk and follow advice, when it is neceflary. The ignorant are always moft apt to tamper with Medicine, and have the lead confidence in phyficians. Inftances of this are daily to be met with among the ignorant peafants, who, while they abfolutely refufe to take a medicine which has been prefcribed by a phyfician, will fwallow with greedi- nfefs any thing that is recommended to them by their credulous neighbours. Where men will adl even with- out knowledge, it is certainly more rational to afford them all the light we can, than to leave them entirely in the dark, ^ It may alfo be alleged, that laying Medicine more open to mankind, would leflen their faith in it. This would indeed be the cafe with regard to fome; but it would have a quite contrary efFccft upon others. I know many people who have the utmoft dread and horror of every thing prefcribed by a phyfician, but who will ne. verthelefs very readily take a medicine which they know, arid whofe qualities they are in fome meafure acquainted with. Hence it is evident, that the dread arifes from the dodor, not from the drug. Nothing ever can or will abfoJute confidence in phyfi- duat of the Farnlru ^ ^/^yifery remains in the con- will arifc in the minds of r“‘P'cions, occur where a pru- cine. xL whi,ns Ind ImmouPs of m by Chore who mean to do them iotv^: rSm thi:?an ne'! ver 3