An inquiry into the origin and antiquity of the lues venerea : with observations on its introduction and progress in the islands of the South-seas : to which is added, a short view of the various remedies recommended in that distemper, from its first appearance in Europe to these times, with general remarks on the present received modes of treatment / by William Turnbull.

  • Turnbull, William, Jr., 1935-1997.
Date:
[1805]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An inquiry into the origin and antiquity of the lues venerea : with observations on its introduction and progress in the islands of the South-seas : to which is added, a short view of the various remedies recommended in that distemper, from its first appearance in Europe to these times, with general remarks on the present received modes of treatment / by William Turnbull. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    29/128 (page 17)
    by the Scythians evxpiug or execrable *.— The above quotation from this Greek au- thor, has been produced as favouring the antiquity of the Venereal Difeafe; and as a further proof of this, it has been alledged by many, but particularly John de Laet, (who wrote a large folio De Origine Gentium Americanarum) that the fame cuftoms were obferved to prevail among the native Ame- ricans, when difcovered, as were pra6lifed by the Scythians i which makes it a mat- ter of doubt, (fays this writer) but that thefe people had communication with America and its iflands, long previous to its difcoveiy by Columbus. But thefe are matters of fiition, the offspring of fpe- culative and luxuriant imagination, and by no means deferve our attention. Innumerable are the texts of fcripture brought forward in order to afcertain its antiquity. The facred, as well as profane writings, have been ranfacked and mifcon- ftrued in favor of thefe hypothetical doc- trines. The boils of Job, and the pains in * Aftruc, ch. i. b, i. C David's