Observations on the surgery of the ancients, vindicating their claims to many of the reputed discoveries and improvements of modern times. Delivered as an introductory discourse to a course of lectures on surgery and midwifery / [David Hosack].

  • Hosack, David, 1769-1835
Date:
1813
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the surgery of the ancients, vindicating their claims to many of the reputed discoveries and improvements of modern times. Delivered as an introductory discourse to a course of lectures on surgery and midwifery / [David Hosack]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    press us with an exalted opinion of the talents and experi¬ ence of Hippocrates. The actual cautery was also one of his favourite remedies, in the treatment of chronic diseases. In a case of ascites, he cauterized the belly eight times, during the forming state of this complaint. The physicians and surgeons of this day have yet to learn many valuable lessons from Hippocrates, and other ancient physicians, relative to the use of this re¬ medy. The succe^ful practice of Pouteau, of Lyons, (see his surgical essays; who has revived the use of this external application ; and the advantages which have resulted from the use of caustics, as prescribed by Mr. Pott, in diseases of the spine, tend to establish the importance of the prin¬ ciple upon which the actual cautery was prescribed, and has been found useful. Many other local applications were made use of in the practice of Hippocrates, that are still employed by the phy^ sicians and surgeons of this day. In an inflammation of the throat, he caused his patients to inhale the steam arising from the infusion of stimulant and aromatic herbs : upon other occasions, he directed fomen¬ tations to be applied to the parts affected. The warm bath, fomentations, gargles, ointments, cataplasms, and col- lyria, were also among the local remedies prescribed by this celebrated physician. The important operation of lithotomy appears, also, to have been performed in the time of Hippocrates ; for, in the oath administered to his pupils, he exacts from them the obligation, that they would not cut for the stone* ' Although the operation, as performed by the surgeons of that day, was apparently simple, compared with the present lateral operation ; still, from their imperfect knowledge of the structure of the human frame, it must necessarily have been attended with considerable danger. Even, m impr<^v^'