A letter to William Smellie, M.D., containing critical and practical remarks upon his Treatise on the theory and practice of midwifery / By John Burton, M.D. Wherein the various gross mistakes and dangerous methods of practice mentioned and recommended by that writer, are fully demonstrated. And generally corrected.

  • Burton, John, 1710-1771.
Date:
MDCCLIII. [1753]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A letter to William Smellie, M.D., containing critical and practical remarks upon his Treatise on the theory and practice of midwifery / By John Burton, M.D. Wherein the various gross mistakes and dangerous methods of practice mentioned and recommended by that writer, are fully demonstrated. And generally corrected. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    you tell us, “ you have exhibited for the Information “ of thofe who have not had Ttmi or Opportunity to perufe the Books from which it is coUettedy that by “ feeing nonce the zvhole Extent of the Art, they may “ be more able to judge for themfelves, and regulate their ‘‘ Pra^ice by thofe AuthorSy who have written moft judici^ oufly u^on the Subjecl.” To what Ufe or Purpqfe have you only given us thefe Authors Names ? What Information have we from them in regard to the Prac¬ tice of Midwifery? Or how can we regulate that Prahiice from the Hiftory you have given us of them? And as to the reff, I lhall fhew, that the whole Suhflance of your Extrads, v/hich you afBrm to be taken from the Originals, may be found in one fingle Volume in Fo¬ lio, colleded by SpachiuSy except a few Pages from LeClerc^s and Friend?^ Hiftory of Phyfic, in which your Readers may find a much better and fuller Account than you have given us. And left the Reader or you fhould imagine I boaft of more than I can perform, Ifliall point out where, in general, each Part of your Account iViVy be found. Part of thefecond and third Page of your Introduc¬ tion is taken from he Clerc (h)y but with what Pro¬ priety you (or the Perfon you take it from) can tranf- late, divers Fragm'ens des LivreSy into fome Chapters, I am at a Loft to know. Akho’ your great Modefty would not let you give us your Authority, yet I fuppofe Part of the 4th, 5rh, and 6th Pages, were firft borrowed from the lame Author, becaufe they happen to be an exahl Franftation of his very Words (c)y with this Difference only, that you have omitted a very prudent Caution mentioned by Le Clercy as taken from Hippocrates (J). In Page 6 you tell us, that HippocrateSy amongft other Diagnoftics of iht Fluor AlbuSy fays, “ The Urine “ is like that of an AfsP but he fays (.^)y P0O15' ?i.£tXO' aevkov, fc/s o>y o3§oy, ‘‘ in fluote albo effluit quid album, velut {h) Hiftoiredela Medecine, part, 2, livre iii. chap, 13, P..136, (r) Part i, p, 216, 217. {d) Spachii Gyntccior, p. 609. 610, 611, dife'. and 755. [t] De Morb, mulier/ lib. ii. p, 641, line S. B 4 “ afmi