Nature the best physician: a matter of fact, evinced from a most remarkable variolous case, communicated by the learned Dr. Wilmot to the Late Dr. Mead. And now set forth in a poetical narrative / [David Maxwell].

  • Maxwell, David
Date:
[1756]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Nature the best physician: a matter of fact, evinced from a most remarkable variolous case, communicated by the learned Dr. Wilmot to the Late Dr. Mead. And now set forth in a poetical narrative / [David Maxwell]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    f Splen fors cum, irritanfve agitat] This Verfe has an uneafy Flow with it, on purpofe, as I conceive, to render it expreflive in fome meafure of the Complaints hinted at. § That Pistoles only us’d t’ infpire.] This Rap¬ turous Flight, forfooth, of our Poetical Dodfor was the main Proof of the alledged Imputation of Avarice agamft him,: which he was fo far from being in the lead: degree tainted with, that one might as well have ftigmatized him for a Sorcerer. Had This been the Cafe, he might, from the Glorious Opportunities he was furnifhed with during a long Series of Years, have heaped up Wealth enough to have purchafed Half a Dozen of the largeft Squares in Madrid. On the contrary, fuch was his Tafte for Painting, Sculpture, Books, together with their Princely Binding and all manner of Magnifi¬ cent Corial Decorations, (to fay nothing of his Domeftic Difburfements, more iuitable to the Rank and Revenues pf a Grandee of the Firft Clafs, than even an Archi- atrian Phyfician) it is a queftion, whether he died, /or dead he is) worth fo much, inconfiderable as the Sum may feem to be, as Half a Couple of Hundred Thoufand Pi Holes. I Thought to have taken leave of De Yega here; but I cannot acquit myfelf cleverly without Producing ah jlnftance of his great Zeal for the Welfare of Mankind, Defcanting on Vensefe&ion, that very Material Point in regard of Phyfical Practice, how ftrongly does he guard againft an Attempt of Taking away Blood from Young Children in the following few but pathetic Words! viz. Aft rofeum prorfus tenera ex ZEtate Cruorem Exhaurire Nefas.- Now, from the Mafs to draw the Blood, E’er infant Nature’s in the Bud ; To make the Vital Fluid bound From a meer Bantling’s tender Wound, Is as prepoft’rous, Sirs, d’y’ fee, As to Prefcribe without a Fee,
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