Volume 2

A discourse on the preparation of the body for the small-pox: and the manner of receiving the infection. As it was deliver'd in the Publick Hall of the Academy, before the Trustees, and others, on Wednesday, the 21st of November, 1750 ... / [Adam Thomson].

Adam Thomson

Date:: 1750

Credit: A discourse on the preparation of the body for the small-pox: and the manner of receiving the infection. As it was deliver'd in the Publick Hall of the Academy, before the Trustees, and others, on Wednesday, the 21st of November, 1750 ... / [Adam Thomson]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$' . I *4 ] what human Science is ? Many Things are certainly known concerning it, and he who knows thefe Things beft, muft be beft qualified to judge of Obfervations in. Practice ; and he who is ignorant of them, underftands nothing that he fees, and is not qualified for Practice at all. Yet the Mi£ chiefs committed by the ignorant Profeflfors of Medicine are feldom pub- lickly known, becaufe the noxious Things they.adminifter work all their Effects in the dark, within the hidden. Recedes of the Body, which the greateft Part of Mankind are not qualified to judge of •> and therefore are eafily made believe proceeded not from the injudicious Adminiftration, but the Malignity of the Difeafe, or fome other Caufe, which either the Em¬ piric himfelf through Ignorance thinks the true One, or artfully invents to fave his Character. This however is an Unhappinefs much eafier lament¬ ed than remedied, unlefs the Legiflature was to interpofe in Behalf of the Safety of the People, and appoint proper Perfons to judge of the Qualifica¬ tions of thofe who were permitted to Practice. This, I believe, has been done by all the well regulated Governments of 'Europe $ and there is cer¬ tainly a better Reafon why it fhould be done in a young Country, where the Arts and Sciences are but in their Infancy, becaufe there the Bulk of the People being more illiterate, are more liable to be impos’d on, as they will be lefs capable of detecting Impoftors. You, Gentlemen, have made a laudable Attempt to erect an Academy in this Place for the Advancement of Literature, and the Improvement of the liberal Arts \ I heartily wifh your generous Endeavours, may be crown’d with Succefs, to the utter Mortification and Difcouragement of Impoftors of all Kinds, and the Increafe of true -Knowledge, which is the Source of all individual, as well as focial Happinefs. The END. s * A$