Observations preparatory to the use of Dr. Myrersbach's medicines / [John Coakley Lettsom].

  • Lettsom, John Coakley, 1744-1815.
Date:
1776
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations preparatory to the use of Dr. Myrersbach's medicines / [John Coakley Lettsom]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    eyes of the public, another ftarts up, and for a cer¬ tain fpace of time equally detains its votaries in bon¬ dage, Strong indeed muft be that bias, which leads a man to apply to a ftranger, and repofe, in his hands, the deareft of bleffings ; and callous muft be the heart of him, who, ignorant of medicine, trifles with the pains, the miferies, and the lives of his fellow-creatures, for the lake of gratifying a merce¬ nary difpolition. I am fenlible it may be faid, that many a mounte¬ bank and water-conjurer, driven to feek a livelihood by poverty and diftrefs, have aflumed a profeflion, for the fake of prefent bread, which they at firft lit¬ tle imagined could have gained fo many votaries, and confequently victims to their ignorance. I have feen the rife and progrefs of feveral fuch pretenders; and could relate many incidents and ingenious methods of deception, were not health and life too ferious for diverfion, and mankind too ready to improve in de¬ ceit, by adding to their own, that of others. It is no crime to have been poor ; but whether poifon be re¬ tailed, or fold by wholefale, the heart of the vender is equally criminal. One would be apt to imagine, after fo many de¬ ceptions which men have been led into, that in fo important a concern as health, they would ferioufly confider, that though a quack-medicine may fome- times cure, it more frequently injures the conftitution through life, and impairs, not unfrequently, the vi¬ gor