Popular medical errors / [James Bower Harrison].

  • Harrison, James Bower
Date:
1851
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Popular medical errors / [James Bower Harrison]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    DRAWING SALVES AND STRENGTHENING PLASTERS. People entertain some curious notions as to the properties of salves. We continually hear them talk of drawing salves. It might be pos- sible, no doubt, to trace some of the old doc- trines of medical men in these sayings, when what was called the humoral pathology was in vogue. I seldom pass many days without hearing that a particular ointment draws too much, or not sufficiently. Tlie least that can be said of it is, that the phraseology is not good, and altogether Indefinite, for the greater part of those w’ho employ it scarcely know precisely what they wish to express. As to strengthening plasters, I must confess my com- plete want of faith. To communicate strength by a pitch plaster is more easily said than done. I remember there w’as formerly a great cry for strengthening plasters at the Manchester In- firmary. Many old men and women would beg for them, as if a plaster w^as the greatest favour that could be conferred ; and afterw’ards, when their plasters were worn out, they would endeavour, in the most ingenious way imagin-
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