Synopsis of the universal practice of medicine : Exhibiting a concise view of all diseases, both internal and external: illustrated with complete commentaries / ... Translated from the Latin, by Edwin A. Atlee.

  • Lieutaud, Joseph, 1703-1780.
Date:
1816
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Synopsis of the universal practice of medicine : Exhibiting a concise view of all diseases, both internal and external: illustrated with complete commentaries / ... Translated from the Latin, by Edwin A. Atlee. 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.)

    26/664
    mestic or officinal, Chemical or pharmaceutical, deserve their respective praise. It is evident from the ancient monuments of our Science, that the first practitioners gave simple and domestic Medicines, which they either prepared, or committed to the care of some of their pupils, until, perhaps, by the unlucky vanity of both, this most excellent Art was entrusted to certain unskilful persons, who were gaping after gain, more than the welfare of the sick, and took advantage of the credulity of the unwary, by their im- postures and wonder-working pageantry : so that shrewd men discovering the fraud under their atrocious buffoonery, and ri- diculous jestings, have lampooned both the genuine and spu- rious Arts together. Pharmacy as derived from the Greeks and Latins, was confined within narrow limits. The Arabians restored and enlarged it perhaps beyond the proper bounds, for truly there was none, even among the meanest, who withheld his part toward its amplification. Chemistry was rejected, and although very ancient, was rarely claimed, for medical use; so that it scarcely raised its head, till the beginning of the last Century. But the ancient Medico-chemists were of little use, because they purposely obscured their writings, or used strange and barbarous words, that they might gain the admiration of the ignorant. Their successors, however, or rather a part of them, have without deceit, illustrated this noble Art; which would have been of greater benefit, had they not, with too eager desire, been ever in pursuit of novelties, and striving to add to the shops already overstocked, various trifling and superfluous articles: mere baubles for the multitude. Hence, in process of time this prodigious furniture of the Shops so encreased, that scarce any one, even the most experi- enced, could without great difficulty select from the superabun- dant store, the most suitable or beneficial. Such is this Synopsis of the Universal Practice of Medicine, which I thought would not be unsuitable to make a matter of public benefit, that practitioners might be at no loss in discov- ering the nature of any disorder, and properly administering aid. Nor ought the genuine science of Medicine, to aim at any thing else, according to the judgment of Hippocrates, but to direct the spontaneous efforts of nature, and to study lest any thing be at- tempted against her will, lest it might in any degree render her efforts abortive. On the other hand, from the preposterous use of even the best of Medicines, in despite of the powers of nature proceeds a spurious art, adulterated by the deceptions of a num- ber of Scoundrels, and condemned by the judicious as hurtful and destructive. Whence it happens, that what the Supremf