Medicine and surgery one inductive science : being an attempt to improve its study and practice, on a plan in closer alliance with inductive philosophy, and offering, as first fruits, the law of inflammation : addressed particularly to the medical student and the profession, but easy and intelligible to the public also, the whole being the introduction and first part of a system of surgery / by George Macilwain.

  • Macilwain, George, 1797-1882.
Date:
1838
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medicine and surgery one inductive science : being an attempt to improve its study and practice, on a plan in closer alliance with inductive philosophy, and offering, as first fruits, the law of inflammation : addressed particularly to the medical student and the profession, but easy and intelligible to the public also, the whole being the introduction and first part of a system of surgery / by George Macilwain. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    pjkefach;. whole into the form of Discourses, because, whilst this mode allows of a more familiar style, it enables me to employ that in which I have been accustomed to express myself. To many of the profession I look with hope and confidence that the suggestions herein contained will not be disregarded ; for, with respect to the position of medical science generally, 1 know that 1 am not singular, either in my views or anticipations. I am desirous, for reasons before mentioned, that the public should be informed^ and I should be vexed to feel that the book contained a single sentence which was not intelligible to every person of moderate education. I profess not, indeed, to instruct the whole mass; this, I think, cannot be done yet;—we must teach down stream, as it were ; and, in time, that general intelligence will be diffused wliich can alone raise a glorious profession to that station which the high nature of its objects and its unquestioned utility alike deserve. I have sensibly felt, however, the difficulty of addressing such different classes of readers ; that which seemed necessary to one class will sometimes appear tedious, or even puerile to others: but in teaching, I know not how this is to be avoided ; even in the li- mited audience of a medical school, the teacher, to instruct the whole, must often deliver that which is trite and wearisome to ' the better-informed. For the same reasons, 1 bave not been able wholly to avoid repetitions ; but these, 1 hope, wall be fouud unim- portant and excusable. The size of the volume (as in manuscript) has been consider- ably reduced,—Jst, by the omission of authorities, which would have increased its size and expense,and have made a parade of learn- ing without adding to its utility ; 2udly, by reducing the description of the body, originally intended to have been given, to a very few general remarks, for which the object must be the apology; 3dly, I have not scrupled to omit, in aid of the reduction in size, many arguments and illustrations in support of the law of inflammation. Nothing would have induced me to do this but (he following con- siderations:—! aiu much more desirous of exciting reliection, than of at once carrying conviction; and the i'acts and arguments omitted will, irom time to time, appear in connection with different diseases. I am not in the least degree anxious that my views should be hastily adopted: nothing is more injurious than the reception oi' propositions without examination. Tf they be iahc, it perpetuates error; if true, it abridges their uliHty in leaving