An answer to Mr. Kirkland's Essay, towards an improvement in the cure of those diseases which are the cause of fevers. Wherein is shewn, the error of his arguments for the use of cold water in extinguishing fevers / [Archibald Maxwell].

  • Maxwell, Archibald, -1769
Date:
1768
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An answer to Mr. Kirkland's Essay, towards an improvement in the cure of those diseases which are the cause of fevers. Wherein is shewn, the error of his arguments for the use of cold water in extinguishing fevers / [Archibald Maxwell]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [ 44 ] and the pradtice been eftablifhed for ages paft. In like manner that noble febrifuge, the cortex, it is faid was accidentally brought to light; an Indian afflidted with a fever, drank to flake his thirft, of water, in which the trees had fallen. This, and many other noble medicines, were unknown to the an¬ cients 5 their materia medica being confined ; nor are we to look into Hippocrates, fo much for the curative part of phyfic, as a faithful narrative of fymptoms, and happy rules for prognoftics. We fhould be atten¬ tive to nature, and receive every informa¬ tion as an adt of grace : the priori argument, moft commonly leading reafon aftray -y while thzpofleriori, is as a certain clue, by which we may return from an erroneous purfuit back to the central truth. Clofe, and dili¬ gent obfervation as at firft, fo it will at laft, be the bafis, on which every rational fyf- tem of either natural philofophy, or of Medicine itfelf is built. From fuch a me¬ thod of condudt Hippocrates was deemed the father of phyfic; and Sydenham on this eftablifhed a reputation, over thofe, whofe mental abilities, and extenfive learn¬ ing, were very fuperior : while if fuccefs in the cure of fevers, will prove the excellency