The introductory lecture of a course upon state-medicine / [John Elliotson].

  • Elliotson, John, 1791-1868
Date:
1821
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The introductory lecture of a course upon state-medicine / [John Elliotson]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    INTRODUCTORY LECTURE. Gentlemen, If any branch of Medicine is interesting, if any branch is important, this is unquestionably the character of State-Medicine. State-Medicine is the department of Medical science that contains all subjects upon which a medical man may be consulted by the executive or the legislative part of government. The designation is of German origin, and appears to have been first employed by Daniel, in 1784, when he published a work at Halle, to which he gave the title of Bibliothek der StaatsarzneiJcunde — Bibliotheca of State-Medicine. It is so appropriate a generic appel¬ lation, that I have felt no hesitation in its adoption. The constituent parts of State-Medicine are two; Forensic, Legal, Juridical, or Judiciary Medicine, and Medical Police. The most common epithet of the former is Forensic, and that I shall employ. The title. Forensic Medicine, sufficiently explains itself. The Romans tried their causes in the Forum, and whatever related to the trial of causes was styled Forensic. We attach the same meaning to the word, and Forensic Medicine embraces all medical points upon which we may be consulted in a court of justice; questions of rape, for example, of soundness of intellect, and of B