An essay on the venereal disease and its treatment : illustrated by numerous cases : intended to ascertain the effect of nitrous acid and other analogous remedies, lately proposed as substitutes for mercury / by William Blair.

  • Blair, William, 1766-1822.
Date:
1808
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An essay on the venereal disease and its treatment : illustrated by numerous cases : intended to ascertain the effect of nitrous acid and other analogous remedies, lately proposed as substitutes for mercury / by William Blair. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    those few practitioners who withstood the efforts of capri- cious innovators ! So late as the years 1800 and 1801, Dr«r B. again heaped a load of abusive personalities and odious reflections upon certain individuals, for the share which they had in exposing the fallacy of the new treatment. He* reproaches them for their cc policy,” their C( subterjugesf’ their “ bigotry”—their (t wrong- headedness, —their <c chicane ”—their ii misrepresentation,”—their cc Joul practices,”—their cc prejudice and cabal,”—their (i base insinuations,”—their (i merciless principles,”—their ec ob- lique motives,”—their mercantile feelings,”—and the i( despicably malicious attempts” which they made ee to raise the hue and cry” Well might the Doctor attach to one of his pamphlets this remarkable denunciation, that he was i( conscious of being about to add to the number of publications which must fix disgrace somewhere.” His conscience, I trust, will plainly tell him where the disgrace should now be fixed. I shall here entertain the reader with a short specimen of the reasoning and modesty of the above-named gentleman, in his last work upon this subject; wherein lie boasts of having “ arrived, if inquirers ever did arrive, AT INCONTESTABLE CERTAINTY ee The disposition consequent upon taking the lead in ve- on the preceding Evidence, will, if attentively perused, satisfy every reader of the justice of our approbation/’—Commercial and Agri- cultural Magazine, for January 1800. “ The author remarks, that a sufficient number of cases have at length been collected for the final decision of the leading points con- nected with this investigation ; and, we must allow him the merit of having calmly and deliberately weighed the materials communicated to him by his friends and correspondents, without being biassed by their. favourable opinion, or irritated by the obloquy of intemperate opponents. “ The third chapter contains a full and impartial analysis of New Reports, &c. published by Thomas Beddoes, M. D. . . . Mr. Blair justly reprobates the intemperate language of his adversaries as well as their premature conclusions. ... In the fifth and last chapter, Mr. Blair displays much ability. “ In justice to the author, we do not hesitate to recommend his work to the perusal of every medical practitioner, especially the Surgeon.”— The New London Review, for April 1800. I need not multiply examples of disinterested and “ indifferent judges,” who have expressed an opinion the very reverse of that which Dr. Beddoes endeavours to propagate respecting my Essay. But, I purposely avoid quoting tfie commendations of private individuals. * nereal