Medicine an art, and its truth to be attained. Being an address ... at the opening meeting of the "Library of the Exeter Dispensary", and the "Devon and Exeter Pathological Society" / [Thomas Shapter].

  • Thomas Shapter
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medicine an art, and its truth to be attained. Being an address ... at the opening meeting of the "Library of the Exeter Dispensary", and the "Devon and Exeter Pathological Society" / [Thomas Shapter]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    itself for consideration is the means whereby disease is counter¬ acted, and this comprises what is commonly understood by the term 44 remedy,”—remedies being the causes of certain effects in the human body, whereby disease is obviated or diverted. Thus far we have to deal with science, strictly so called,— the study of health being Physiology, the study of disease Pa¬ thology, the study of remedies Therapeutics, we now come to the province of medicine,—to medicine as an] 44 Art,”—to the application of means to counteract certain effects, which are the departure from health,—in other words, the Art of Medicine is the application of Therapeutics to Pathology. For this, it is not only necessary, on the one hand, that the precise state of the disease should be appreciated, but likewise the course such dis¬ ease will take; that is, to predicate what will happen as a con¬ sequence of the present condition, and the successive action of its morbid causes. This also assumes a very wide extent of pre¬ vious observation, arranged, theorised, and established : it is that knowledge of symptoms and the consequences which they pre¬ cede, which is technically called 44 Prognosis.” On the other hand, it is necessary to estimate what will be the effect under existing circumstances of the means used to counteract the present and probable consequences of the diseased state. This important portion of the art of medicine is com¬ prised under the terms 44 indication of cure,” and 44 treatment of disease.” If the above requirements for the art of medicine be con¬ sidered, we see that a very vast amount of knowledge is implied : —that we know the cause, and the nature of the effect it has produced; that we have accurately determined, from the signs, its seat, its degree, and in a great measure its nature also ; that we have, from all the circumstances considered, separately and in a comparative view, determined the issue; and are now quali¬ fied, by means of proper remedies, either to promote that issue, if there be a prospect of its being favourable, or to prevent it, if we perceive that it will be otherwise. Here, then, we have a regular chain of connexion betwixt cause, sign, effect, prognostic, and indication of cure; for a dis-
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