The whole works of that excellent practical physician Dr. Thomas Sydenham wherein not only the history and cures of acute diseases are treated of, after a new and accurate method; but also the shortest and safest way of curing most chronical diseases / [Thomas Sydenham].

  • Sydenham, Thomas, 1624-1689.
Date:
M.DCC.XVII
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The whole works of that excellent practical physician Dr. Thomas Sydenham wherein not only the history and cures of acute diseases are treated of, after a new and accurate method; but also the shortest and safest way of curing most chronical diseases / [Thomas Sydenham]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    . and a diligent and faithful Obfervation of many Years, at length I refolv'd to propofe my Opinion, by what means tbe Art of Healing may be further promoted, and then to pub- lifh a Specimen of my Endeavours inthis bufinefs. ed think our Art-may be bet improv dy firft by a Hiftory or Defcription of Difeafes, as graphically aud naturally as poffi- bly may be, and, fecondly, by a perfect: and ftable Prattice or Method refpetting them. It is indeed very eafy to defcribe | Difeafes grofly ; js: fo to write the Hiftory of them, that the Cenfure of my Lord Bacon may be avoided, whereby he chaf- ee fome fuch Propofers, is more difficult. . We know, fays the Noble Author, we may have a Natural Hiftory large of Bulk, and pleafant for Variety, and neatly contrivd: | But if any one fhould weed out the Fables, Quotations, - needlefs Controverfies and Flourifhes, which are more proper for Table-Talk, and Stories in a Chimney-corner, than for an Inftitution in Philofophy, the Matter would fallto nothing. This is far from the Hiftory we propofe. Ja like manner the Hiftory of Difeafes, according to Cuftom; is eaflly propofed. But to. do this fo, as that Words may pafs into Actions, and that the Event maybe agrecable to the Promifes, they will judge is a Task more difficult, who fee there are many Difeafes in practical Writers, which neither they nor any body elfe are able tücure. = - But as to the Hiftory of Difeafes, if any one weighs the mat- ter carefully, he will foon percetve, that the Writer ought to apply bis Mind to many more things than is commonly thought. Jt will be fufficient to touch upon a few of them at prefent. ~ Firft, is zeceffary that all Difeafes fhould be reduced to certain and definite Species, with the fame diligence we fee it 15 done by Botaaick Writers in their Herbals. For there are found Difeafes. that are reduc’d under the fame Genus and ‘Name, and as tofome Symptoms are like one anothers yet they are different in their Natures, and require a different may of Cure. Every ane knows that the word Carduus is ex- tended to a gréat- many Sen Herbs 5 but he would be thought a very ignorant Herbalift, that foould content himfelf to propofe only the general Defcription of the Plant, whereby dt differs from the reft, and inthe mean while should neglect the prüper and peculiar Signs of every Species, whereby they are diftinguifo'd one from another's fo it is not Sufficient for a Writer to mark only the common “Appearances of any Dif- €dfe: For tho the fame Variety does not happen to all Difeafes, BENS, 4 | V Y» M yet