A treatise on Swaim's panacea : being a recent discovery for the cure of scrofula, or king's evil, mercurial disease, deep-seated syphilis, rheumatism and all disorders arising from a contaminated or impure state of the blood : with cases illustrating its success.

  • Swaim, Wm. (William)
Date:
1825
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise on Swaim's panacea : being a recent discovery for the cure of scrofula, or king's evil, mercurial disease, deep-seated syphilis, rheumatism and all disorders arising from a contaminated or impure state of the blood : with cases illustrating its success. 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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    M Observations on Gout and Rheumatism, by Charles Wilson, M. 1). 3d edit. London, 1823, p. 50. From the first, I was of course aware, that by keep- ing the composition of the Tincture secret, I exposed myself to some degree of censure, even from the more liberal of the profession. At the same time, I may say, that to the coarse and low abuse of the illiberal part of it, I am perfectly invulnerable. To such, no apology, no extenuation, no explanation is due. My appeal lies from the tyranny of custom, to the common reason and com- mon equity of mankind. It may be remarked, that if in the course of medical practice, any discovery is incidentally made, which pro- mises to become of high advantage to society—liberality appears to demand that it should be immediately and unreservedly communicated to the faculty. Such dis- coveries are a common stock, open for the benefit of all. The circumstances of the present case are, however, of a very different kind. To the thinking and liberal part of the medical pro- fession, 1 might urge the sacrifices which I have made, both of property and time, in conducting a course of experiments wholly unconnected with the usual routine of medical practice, and that some remuneration should be expected for my labours; that only two sources of compensation are open to me, the government of the country and the people at large; and that the former, before it can be obtained, requires a vast pecuniary sacrifice, which 1 am unable to make, besides a parlia- mentary interest, which I do not possess. Taking all this into consideration, therefore, I conceive, that I have a justifiable right to appeal with confidence to the public, as whatever discoveries any man is able to make, are