The home physician, or, A treatise upon the cure of diseases by the botanical system of medicine : improved by modern practice and the author's experience : designed as a guide to young practitioners and private families / by Samuel Willcox.

  • Willcox, Samuel, 1783-
Date:
1832
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The home physician, or, A treatise upon the cure of diseases by the botanical system of medicine : improved by modern practice and the author's experience : designed as a guide to young practitioners and private families / by Samuel Willcox. 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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    Now if it be so, which it .undoubtedly is, that these materials were not discovered by the faculty, as they style themselves, they say that many of those men that use botanical remedies, are dangerous men; but experience and truth will not bear them out in this; for their medicine is not compounded with poison- ous materials and tormenting instruments as those of the faculty. Health being the most precious of all gifts, and the only thing (religion only excepted) on which our happiness and en- joyment depends; therefore the medical art would be the most useful and beneficial institution. But the generality of men are prejudiced against any thing simple in Itself—against truths drawn from nature. Pride, in some, in others ill-timed respect for custom and ad- mitted prejudices, will prevent them from paying any attention to the most proper means of prolonging human life. It is cer- tainly a great misfortune. Medicine is therefore a study, not only of curious inquiry, but of deep interest to families and individuals, who, after all that has been done by its professors, ought in fact to be their o^vn physicians. And the fact is, there is a class of men, who to become their own doctors, only want to be made acquainted with the princi- ple on which this method is founded. That class is the most numerous and most useful in society. How many in that class have already received the benefit of its application! Supported by sound reasoning, they have acknowledged the cause of dis- ease, such as exists in nature, ^nd they will never forget it. Strongly attached to this principle, they Jiave conceived that there is but oneway and one means of preventing long diseases, and of curing them when they already exist. But there is another class of society who will probably ne- ver know this work. Disregarding any thing simple, they v/'i\\ not find it scientific enough for their high conceptions, which it has been the particular object of the author to avoid. That class is composed of people of fashion or of fortune, who would take it as a derogation of fine manners and bon ton, if they have not a titled doctor to save them even the trouble of think- ing and reflecting upon the situation of their health, or the pre-