Principles of pathological anatomy : adapted to the Cyclopedia of practical medicine and Andral's elements / by J. Hope.

  • Hope, James, 1801-1841.
Date:
1845
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Principles of pathological anatomy : adapted to the Cyclopedia of practical medicine and Andral's elements / by J. Hope. 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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    The Editor has been induced, from several considerations, to prepare an American edition of Dr. Hope's splendid work on Morbid Anatomy. In the first place, a complete system of Morbid Anatomy, with full and accurate illustrations by colored plates, and which can be obtained at a low price, is evidently a desideratum. The high price, which has necessarily been placed upon works of this character, has pre- vented their general circulation; and this circumstance alone has, doubtless, done much to prevent Morbid Anatomy from being cultivated with the same assiduity that it would have been under more favorable circumstances. It is lamentably true, that this department has been more neglected in this country than any other fundamental branch of medical science; and it is not going too far to say, that practical medicine has suffered very materially by such neglect. It is hoped that these difficulties have, in some measure, been obviated by the present publication. The value of the original work is undoubted, and, the labor of the Editor being saved to the purchaser, it is placed at a price far below any similar work ever offered to the American profession. The great value of Dr. Hope's work consists especially in the fidelity of his draw- ings. He assures us the drawings were always completed within a few hours after the specimen was taken from the body, so that any changes in color, from decompo- sition or exposure to the atmosphere, were avoided, and a faithful representation secured. In copying these drawings, the Editor has been able to obtain a fac similie of the original. The lithography and coloring have been executed under his immediate supervision, and the utmost precaution has been used to avoid errors. The additions made by the Editor are distinguished from the text by being inclu- ded in brackets [ ]. The following extracts are from the preface to the original work: The difficulties which beset the study of Morbid Anatomy are great. Prejudice circumscribes the sphere of the private practitioner; while the brief time in general spared by the student for Hospital attendance, and the full occupatiou of that time by more immediately necessary studies, prevent him from making much progress during the period of his education. Should he attempt to improve his opportunities by read- ing, he finds that elaborate descriptions of morbid appearances present but indistinct images to his mind; those images, if not speedily embodied, by a reference to nature, are evanescent; and, when compared with nature, they often place him in perplexing doubt respecting their identity. Colored delineations are better calculated than any other means to obviate these difficulties. They both render descriptions intelligible, and convey to the mind images so distinct as to be retained with facility until they can be impressed by comparison with nature. Once recognized as types of what has been seen, by occasional re-in- spection, they stamp the image in faithful and indelible colors.