Domestic medicine. Or, a treatise on the prevention and cure of diseases : by regimen and simple medicines: with observations on sea-bathing, and the use of the mineral waters. To which is annexed, a dispensatory for the use of private practitioners / By William Buchan, M.D. From the 22d English ed., with considerable additions, and notes.

  • Buchan, William, 1729-1805.
Date:
1836
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Domestic medicine. Or, a treatise on the prevention and cure of diseases : by regimen and simple medicines: with observations on sea-bathing, and the use of the mineral waters. To which is annexed, a dispensatory for the use of private practitioners / By William Buchan, M.D. From the 22d English ed., with considerable additions, and notes. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    * ~ xii INTRODUCTION. omy, Botany, Chemistry, and the Materia Medica, are all branches ‘of Natural History, and are fraught with such amusement and utility, that the man who entirely neglects them has but a sorry claim either to taste or learning. If a gentleman has a turn for observation, says an excellent and sensible writer,* surely the nat- ural history of his own species is a more interesting subject, and presents a more ample field for the exertion of genius, than the natural history of spicers and cockle-shells. We do not mean that every man should become a physician. This would be an attempt as ridiculous as it is impossible. All we plead for is, that men of sense and learning should be so far ac- quainted with the general principles of medicine as to be in a con- dition to derive from it some of those advantages with which it is fraught ; and at the same time to guard themselves against the de- structive influence of Ignorance, Superstition, and Quackery. As matters stand at present, it is easier to cheat a man out of his life than of a shilling, and almost impossible either to detect or punish the offender. Notwithstanding this, people still shut thei eyes, and take everything upon trust that is administered by any _ pretender to medicine, without daring to ask him a reason for any part of his conduct. Implicit faith, everywhere else the object of ridicule, is still sacred here. Many of the Faculty are no doubt worthy of all the confidence that can be reposed in them; but as this can never be the character of every individual in any profes- sion, it would certainly be for the safety, as well as the honour of mankind, to have some check upon the conduct of those to whom they entrust so valuable a treasure as health. The veil of mystery, which still hangs over Medicine, renders it not only a conjectural, but even a suspicious art. This has been long ago removed from the other sciences, which induces many to believe that Medicine is a mere trick, and that it will not bear a fair and candid examination. Medicine, however, needs only to be better known, in order to secure the genera] esteem of mankind. Its precepts are such as every wise man would choose to observe, and it forbids nothing but what is incompatible with true happiness. Disguising Medicine not only retards its improvement as a sci- _ ence, but exposes the profession to ridicule, and is injurious to the true interests of society. An art, founded on observation, can never aveive at any high degree of improvement, while it is confined to a fey who make a trade of it. The united observations of all the ingenious and sensible part of mankind, would do more in a few years towards the improvement of Medicine, than those of the Faculty alone in a great many. Any man can tell when a medi- cine gives him ease as well as a physician; and if he only knows the name and dose of the medicine, and the name of the disease, it is sufficient to perpetuate the fact. Yet the man who adds one gingie fact to the stock of Medical observations, does more real service to the art than he who writes a. volume in support of some _fayourite hypothesis. 5 Very few of the valuable discoveries in Medicine have heen made hy physicians. They have in general either been the effect of wy: = eQbeervations on the Duties and Offices of a Physician. = !