A synopsis of methodical nosology : in which the genera of disorders are particularly defined, and the species added with the synonimous of those from Sauvages ... From the 4th ed., corr. and much enl / Translated by Henry Wilkins, M. D.

  • Cullen, William, 1710-1790.
Date:
1793 [i. e. Philadelphia, Elizabeth Hall, 1795]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A synopsis of methodical nosology : in which the genera of disorders are particularly defined, and the species added with the synonimous of those from Sauvages ... From the 4th ed., corr. and much enl / Translated by Henry Wilkins, M. D. 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.)

    12/196
    be found, now and then, which delineate the characters of dif- orders properly ; but thofe that occur there of this kind, howfo- ever they may be eftimated by the Moderns, have taught us but little; and perhaps they would altogether have efcaped our attention, unlefs the fame thing had firft been known to us from our own obfervation. The Moderns feldom turn over the books of the Ancients to procure the firft knowledge of things ; but thefe are moft often fearched only that they may fupport their own difcoveries and obfervations by fuch authority. I am perfuaded, that either moft of the hiftories of diforders which are now found in the writings of the Ancients, belong to a country very different from ours, and therefore of little ufe to us ; or that their writings have come to us fo injured and chang- ed, that they can be of little advantage. At leaft it muft be comfeffed, that the knowledge to be derived from them, is much lefs than the labour of clearing them from ambiguity. Neither have the Moderns proceeded until very lately, ami but flowly, to advance this branch. For in the fixteenth century the followers of Galen were engaged, with fuch great praife in re- eftablifhing the docteine of the Ancients, (being almoft wholly employed in explaining and illuftrating their writings) that they gave little afliftance in amending and enlarging the hiftory of diforders. Nor did the Chemical Phyficians of the fame age, the violent enemies of the Galenifts, do any more. For being altogether intent on difcovering medicines, and adminiftering them promif- cuoufly, they diverted the minds of the people entirely from the ftudy of diforders. Hence it happened, that fcarce any full or accurate hiftories were written from the reftoration of letters in the fifteenth cen- tury to the times of Sydenham. But Sydenham, by that faga- city and judgment in which he chiefly excelled, conceived that more diligence was neceflary in marking and defcribing the phae- nomena of diforders, and to this end applied himfelf to cartful obfervation; by which means he at length publifhed a greater number, and better defcriptions, than any who preceded him. From that period many Phyficians joined their labours in in- creafing