Foundation for a new theory and practice of medicine / by Thomas Inman.

  • Thomas Inman
Date:
1860
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Foundation for a new theory and practice of medicine / by Thomas Inman. 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.

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    to go to the first principles of human life ; to inquire into man’s normal condition under varying circumstances, the in- fluence that external agents have upon it in health and disease, and the extent to which those agents may he bene- ficially employed. In this investigation, it is soon seen that disease is simply a departure from health, and that recovery is simply a restoration to health; and the broad principle which must underlie all theory and practice presents itself as a truism thus—To cure disease, we must bring back the patient to health. Absurdly simple as this truism appears, it involves an abstruse question which ought to be constantly present to the mind of every practitioner, viz. :— On what principle do I endeavour to restore an individual to health when I use medicines in doses which would make a sound man ill 1 At first sight, the answer to this question seems easy enough. Nothing is more simple than to say, “bleeding lessens the force and frequency of the circulation, which is excessive in inflammation. Mercury bridles adhesive inflam- mation, which is a dangerous accident. Antimony produces faintness, and that empties the blood-vessels ; a purgative unloads the bowels, and they are always too full ; low diet makes a person weak, and prevents the continuance of in- flammation ; opium relieves pain,” and the like. But when these answers are rigidly examined, they com- plicate the subject greatly ; instead of one question we have a host, e. g., Does bleeding lessen the force and fre- quency of the heart’s action 1 and, if so, is the patient better in consequence 1 will not the force and frequency diminish without venesection being practised ? Again, if mercury bridles the adhesive inflammation, does it not promote sup- purative or destructive 1 is the latter preferable to the
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