Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Medical intelligence. 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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![IS MEDICAL INTELLIGENCE. The cure of diseases is our final object, and to this practical end all our learning and science should be ultimately directed. In order to become perfect masters of our profession, the history of the diseases, practice, and opinions, which have at different periods prevailed, should be well understood. For this purpose, a frequent reference to the past is necessary.—MINER. Every intelligent physician will un- questionably admit that it is of the utmost importance to be conversant with the writings of the most eminent medical au- thors, both ancient and modern; but ow- ing to the extreme difficulty of procuring some of these works, whilst others are as a sealed volume, being written in lan- guages which the limited time and oppor- tunities of many members of the profes- sion, have prevented them from acquiring; it is proposed to abridge and analyse the works of the most distinguished ancient and modern writers, both in Medicine and Surgery, so as to constitute a Medical Li- brary; thus presenting to the profession, in a clear and condensed view, the labours of several hundred writers of acknowledg- ed eminence, [which are now scattered through an immense number of voluminous publications,] with notes and observations illustrating the progress of improvement, up to the present time. A number of distinguished medical gen- tlemen have engaged to prepare the works for the press, whose names will be given with their respective labours. The subscriber has been induced to en- gage in the above mentioned publication, from his personal knowledge of the diffi- culties which the profession, especially in the country, labours under, to obtain well selected Medical Libraries. They are generally composed of a few works re- commended by some favourite Teacher, and afford no very correct views of the state of Medical science, either in past or present times. The large number of me- dical works now in the market, or daily issuing from the press, most of which are mere compilations from those which have preceded them, moulded to suit the views of their respective compilers, authors, or annotators, &c. &c. render it both difficult and irksome to the profession generally, to procure, much less to wade through even a small moiety of the publications offered for sale. tended publication, is to remove this diffi- culty, by placing within the reach of eve- ry piactitioner, at a reasonable price, the writings of the most distinguished ancient and modern medical authors, whose re- spective titles to certain theories and modes of practice, will be freely canvassed. Many eminent medical gentlemen in this country, have offered it as their opinion, that a Medical Library, on the plan pro- posed, to cost about sixty dollars, will be of more intrinsic value to the profession, than one which would cost five hundred dollars, if selected from the present medi- cal publications; but of this the profession at large, must be left to decide for them- selves. Should the undertaking be patronized by a liberal subscription, ample arrange- ments have been made, both in the litera- ry and publishing departments, to render the undertaking efficient, the agency of which is placed in the hands of the sub- scriber, who holds himself pledged to use every possible exertion to render the work an honour to the country and the profes- sion. A prospectus for the proposed work, was issued in the early part of last summer, with a view to ascertain the pre- vailing sentiment respecting its utility; and although but little exertion has been made to obtain subscribers, near five hundred have been received from a small section of the Union:— Recommendations, approving of the proposed plan, could have been obtained from high authority; but as we entirely disapprove of that system of puffing, and are desirous that the work shall stand upon its own merits, they have been dispensed with. It will be seen by the prospectus, that subscribers will not be bound for more than two volumes at a time, which condi- tion is introduced to show that there is no intention to palm upon the profession, a work that is not worthy of its patronage. JAMES WEBSTER, Jgtnt for the proposed Medical Library.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21163170_0001.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
