The London medical dictionary: including, under distinct heads, every branch of medicine, viz. anatomy, physiology, and pathology, the practice of physic and surgery, therapeutics, and materia medica ; with whatever relates to medicine in natural philosophy, chemistry, and natural history (Volume 1).

  • Parr, Bartholomew, 1750-1810.
Date:
1819
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The London medical dictionary: including, under distinct heads, every branch of medicine, viz. anatomy, physiology, and pathology, the practice of physic and surgery, therapeutics, and materia medica ; with whatever relates to medicine in natural philosophy, chemistry, and natural history (Volume 1). 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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    language contributes, however, to lessen the advantages which such a work ought to possess, as a ready resource in cases of difficulty; nor, in the mass of contending opinions, is it always easy to collect those comprehensive views, which will at once lead to a decisive and discrimi- nated practice. Some later dictionaries in our language are, in general, slight glossaries, with slender claims, which may be fairly allowed. One other work, of a more respectable bulk, and more plausible pretensions, we maybe, perhaps, expected to notice; but any observations which we might offer would appear to be dictated rather by the spirit of rivalship than of sound criticism. We wish not to disturb the opinions of those who approve it. There are numerous collections from authors, sometimes of reference only, but more often copies of detached passages, arranged, in many instances, alphabetically, which, though not properly dictionaries, demand some attention. While the works which have been styled definitions and glossaries preclude disquisitions, these reject mere verbal explanations. They approach nearly to our prototypes, particularly the dictionary of Dr. James; but are differ- ent in their pretensions, as well as in their execution, and of unequal value. Moronus first published his Directonum Medico-practicwn, at Leyden, in 1650, pro- fessing to give a list of the opinions of the most eminent physicians, who had written either in the form of consultations, epistles, replies, observations, or histories on different diseases. This Directory was published in octavo, and, thirteen years afterwards, a more enlarged edition, by Sebastian Scheffer, in quarto, appeared. Without impeaching the accuracy of Moronus, we may remark, that his work is very unsatisfactory, from the general objects of his references. Under each disease we find a list of authors, without the slightest hint in whose volumes we are to seek the pathology or cure, by whom the remedies are discrimi- nated and adapted with the most scientific care, or where the greatest number of idle fancies obscure the merit of attentive observation. The Sylva Medica of J. G. Walthtr is far more valuable. His references are copious and distinct; his synonyms, including the barbarous and obsolete appellations, numerous; his chemical compositions, in which, however, he could not soar beyond the state of the science at that time, detailed with accuracy. His work was published at Bautzen, in Germany, 1679, in quarto, illustrated by an index of authors and diseases. Had Walther fulfilled the promises of his title, the Sylva would have been highly useful; but his omissions are numerous, and his references so general, that they are often of little real value. A similar work was pub- lished at Frankfort, previously to the former publication, by M. Martianus Lipenius, in folio, 1759, with a copious index, which we have been unable to procure.