Synopsis of a course of lectures on medical science : delivered to the students of the Botanico-Medical College of Ohio / by A. Curtis.

  • Curtis, Alva, 1797-1881.
Date:
1846
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Synopsis of a course of lectures on medical science : delivered to the students of the Botanico-Medical College of Ohio / by A. Curtis. 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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    C17S 5 PREFACE. The following work was commenced seven years ago, and published within a short time after, to the extent of 128 pages, when, from the pressure of the times it was suspended till last year. It was then resumed, and the part first proposed as a synopsis of a course of lectures on medical science, is now completed. This course of progress having been long enough, according to the common esti- mate of medical historians, 'to produce an entire revolution in the doctrines of the science and the practices of the art, it affords me no small gratification, on reviewing its pages, to perceive, that, however numerous the deficiencies in the minutiae of prac- tice, or hurried and imperfect the diction, or deranged the systematic order of some parts, in consequence of its having been composed and printed by piecemeal; I can perceive, in the whole work, no fundamental error taught, nor important, governing truth omitted. To the mind of the truly philosophical physician, its faults will appear those of redundancy rather than deficiency, particularly in the directions for the treat- ment of the genera of disease. This, however, being demanded by the erroneous notions instilled into the minds of the people by the false teachings of medical profes- sors and practitioners, must be tolerated for the present. From thirteen years expe- rience in a very extensive application of these principles in practice, I am fully per- suaded that they constitute the demonstrative science, whose processes should proceed from established principles, and be based on positive deductions, [Prof. Jackson,] and that the system developed in this volume, is the one which will stand, a tower of strength, unharmed by the rude shock of opposition's bursting wave, through all suc- ceeding time. (Whiting.) Nor am I alone in this opinion. The mar.y talented, learned and conscientious young men, to whom they have been exhibited, in the B. M. College, for the last ten years, unite with me in the declaration that these principles enable them, in the lan- guage of Professor Chapman, to bring into practice something of exactness; to defend themselves against all the opposition of medical ignorance and prejudice, and to teach their fellow men the folly and wickedness of violating nature's laws in order to restore the equilibrium of her actions; and the wisdom and necessity of aiding her in her intentions in the removal of the causes of disease. And I may add, though I have not attempted to give, under each genus, all the trains of systems that may or may not occur, in the course of the run or the maltreatment of the derangements that are usually included under the name of that genus; yet 1 feel safe in declaring that in the course of the work, 1 have given the most important symptoms that ever occur in disease, and ample directions for their treatment. So that the person who makes him- self complete master of these principles, will be able successfully to guard against a gnat proportion of the maladies of man, and to remove their causes on the first attack. Though the principles and facts here set forth, will aid persons of all classes in society, in preserving their health, their time and money, to a <?reat and valuable ex- tent; yet the variety, connexion and beauty of those principles and the vast amount of practical conclusions, conduct and consequences they involve, will soon convince all