Temperance prize essays / By Drs. Mussey and Lindsly.

Date:
1835
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Temperance prize essays / By Drs. Mussey and Lindsly. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    100/210 (page 94)
    sake of creating an interest in their narrations at home. And it is very certain that the extravagant notions formerly propagated respecting the great antiquity, the wonderful mechanical skill, and the profound scientific acquirements of ‘the Chinese are not at all confirmed, by modern, and more authentic observations. The medical skill, in particular of the Chinese, which has been so much celebrated by the Jesuits, makes a very contempti- travelers; and indeed seems to be elevated but a shade above the empirical practice of the Abori- ginese of ourown country. Abel* says that they are entirely ignorant of anatomy, and that one of their most intelligent surgeons remarked to Mr Manning that anatomical plates would be the most valuable present which could be made to his coun- trymen. They had heard of the heart, lungs, &c., but placed them all on the wrong side of the body. Dobel remarks that they had no correct idea of the circulation of the blood: they think it flows differently on different sides of the body ; ‘hence,’ said one of their most learned doctors, ‘a Chinese physician feels the pulse in both arms.’t On the whole then it would appear that vague and uncer- tain, and unsatisfactory as are the fragments which have been collected respecting the progress of the * Embassy to China. | | The following is a specimen of the Chinese skill in medicine. ‘The cheval de mer,’ a creature like a sea- horse, and about six inches long, is very useful, as it will enable a woman whose life is threatened ‘accoucher sans effort.’ ‘Il suffit de le mettre dans la main de la femme, et elle se de livrera de son fruit, avec la meme facilite qu’une brebis, dont le terme est arrivee.’ 2