Homoeopathic domestic medicine / by J. Laurie ; arranged as a pratical work for students ; containing a glossary of medical terms.

  • Laurie, Joseph, -1865.
Date:
1853
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Homoeopathic domestic medicine / by J. Laurie ; arranged as a pratical work for students ; containing a glossary of medical terms. 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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    2 PREFACE. of the Investigations of the Patient and of the Disease, and into the modifications of scrofulous appearances. And in these inspects, far from exceeding the limits which should properly circumscribe the compass of a domestic work, I only regret that I have not yet more space for enlarge- ment on the subject; because I am convinced, especially from circumstances which have actually transpired, that the greatest faidt of domestic works, in general, is, that they do not give enough information, and, consequently, that they often mislead instead of enlightening the reader. It is obvious, that the presence of inherent constitutional defects may occasion external appearances of disease, which are especially susceptible of erroneous inferences, and, there- fore, without this very important clue, the special directions for the treatment of any particular disease may become a mere Will-o'-the-Wisp to lead the unprofessional reader into entanglement, and there to leave him in utter darkness. I should wish the reader invariably to consider the important references alluded to, and, in fact, the whole of the introductory part, which I would fain have extended yet more, notwithstanding the plausible but untenable objections raised by the few. It is also for these reasons, as well as for those already set forth, that I object to the extreme condensation of a domestic work, or to the limitation of it* sphere to a particular class of diseases, and that I consider works founded upon this affected idea particularly useless; to which, however, I might appropriately add, that the advocates of limitation usually issue a programme, comprising the most fatal diseases with which we are acquainted; and, further, that as we do not deal with powerful deleterious drugs in large quantities, or in any quantity capable of occasioning poisonous, or in fact, any dangerous medicinal effects (as some adversaries pretend),—and, what is still more important, as our remedies are so minute that they can only operate at all when they are actually homceopathic, and, consequently, curative in the case in question,—just as a gentle blow will not be felt in a sound part, when it would occasion severe suffering if applied to a sore place,—the most timid lay administrator may rest assured that his Homceopathic Medicines are not the agents which produce serious or fatal results. Hoinceopathic treatment is always safe, rapid and effectual, when correctly applied ;—or it is void,—that is nature unaffected—when it depends upon mistaken hypotheses. I nowhere enjoin the layman who has means and immediate access to efficient Homoeopathic professional advice, to undertake the treatment of dangerous diseases witlwut it; I only endeavor, in a measure, to provide for those who do not possess such advantages. Upon such grounds as these I beg to intrust this work, enlarged as it is, to the verdict of all liberal and discerning people, and to state that I anticipate no untoward acceptation of my evident endeavor, even if the product of my labor should have fallen far short of its earnest purpose. The appeal is untroubled by apprehension—and unshaken by conscious misdoing. J. L. 12, Lower Berkeley Street, Poetman Square, August 18, 1852.