A treatise on the practice of medicine / by John Eberle ; with notes and additions by George M'Clellan.

  • Eberle, John, 1787-1838.
Date:
1849
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise on the practice of medicine / by John Eberle ; with notes and additions by George M'Clellan. 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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    usually pursued in works of this kind. It is now generally, and very justly believed, that the artificial, classific, ordinal and specific distinctions of nosology have an unfavorable influence on the progress of comprehensive and philosophical views in pathology. The primary elements of disease, like those of matter, are probably but few in number. A few elementary modes of morbid action (if the expression may be used), modified in their general results or phenomena, by different grades of intensity, modes of combination and the structures implicated, constitute the fundamental morbid conditions of which the phe- nomena by which diseases are described are merely the external manifestations. It is here that the unfavorable tendency of nosological distinctions mainly exists. Instead of leading the student to contemplate the morbid symptoms as the mere external expressions or signs of disease, modified by various accidental circumstances, and especially by the structures chiefly affected, the artificial divisions of nosology are apt to lead him to regard the groups of symptoms, usually associated, as so many distinct essences, possessing fixed and specific peculiarities of character. To these objections, the arrangements founded on the particular structure primarily implicated in the disease, are not liable. It must be admitted, however, that correct and philosophical as such a classification may appear to be in theory, the attempt to reduce it to practice is attended with many very serious difficul- ties. Nevertheless, should another edition of this treatise be called for, it is the intention of the author to arrange its materials upon this plan of classification. It is not improbable that various errors may have escaped the author's attention in the course of the work; but he has no apo- logies to offer for any defects it may be found to possess; and he sends it into the world in the hope that, with whatever ble- mishes and deficiencies it may be chargeable, it will be found a useful compilation of facts and principles in pathology and practice.