Medical arguments, approving Clare's mode of absorption.

  • Clare, Peter, 1738-1786.
Date:
[1780?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical arguments, approving Clare's mode of absorption. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    2/4
    cc A very obttinate Siphylitic cafe occurred to me, (at the time I was Surgeon of his Majefty’s Ship Heart of Oak) which had refitted a tho¬ rough Mercurial courfe, as recommended by Sir Wm. Fordyce, and other men of eminence; and yielded at laft, to the elegant and agree* able mode difcovered and recommended by you.—I have known on fhip-board, and on fhore likewife, but more particularly the former, dangerous fevers, and fatal Diarrhoeas, fupervene from mercurial friction on the extremities. The unavoidable expofure to the external air, for the fpace of half an hour, while the procefs of rubbing in the ointment is performing in the Cockpit, occalions an obttrudted perforation, which too frequently terminates in a dangerous febrile affedtion, and that of the putrid kind ; and we are all fenfible how fatally that dif- eafe ends on fhip-board, by, perhaps, being communicated to half the crew.” JVm. ‘Turnbull, jun. cc I fhall not trouble you with a narrative of particular Cafes, of which you have had many, from different Corrcfpondents.; I can, however, from feveral Inftances, affure you, that I have feen more- Ipeedy and falutary effedis from your method, than from any other yet held forth to the public. With regard to the dodtrine of Abforp- tion, I do not fuppofe any perfon acquainted with the animal Syttem, and the hiftory of Phyfic, will refufe their aflent to it. This being taken for granted, wherever the Fridtion can be moderately ufed to the thin cuticu- lay inner furfaces of the body, every perfon, conyerfant with the fub- jedt, mutt rationally conclude, that, there it will prove mott effectual. Much might be faid in fupport of your Hypothefis, but after what thofe ingenious Gentlemen, Dr. Hunter and Mr. Cruikfhank have advanced, in fupport of the dodtrine of Abforption, and in commenda¬ tion of your difeovery, it would be fuperiiuous to urge any thing more upon the fubjedt.” • f Wm. Turnbull, M. D. y. -.C’i Cl C'liJVJ 1 . %*•••» . I > * » *» • J 3 - .»»- - *. « » * cc I fincerely with you fuccefs in decrying the ufe of large quantities of Mercury in the cure of Siphylis. It is perfedtly unneceflary, always injurious, and, I do believe, it has killed .multitudes, and deftroyed the health of millions. I hope to fee the horrid pradtice of daubing with loads of extinguifibed Quickfiivqr laid; afide ; and I mean to afllft in expunging a method founded in erroneous Principles.” Dr. KirklandV