An inquiry into the nature, causes, and cure of hydrothorax ; illustrated by interesting cases, and many living examples of the success of the mode of treatment recommended.

  • MacLean, L. (Lachlan), 1798-1848.
Date:
1814
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An inquiry into the nature, causes, and cure of hydrothorax ; illustrated by interesting cases, and many living examples of the success of the mode of treatment recommended. 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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    doubts not will be considered as not the least interesting- part of the work. If the lovers of novelty should look for new remedies, they will be disappointed ; but they will find old medi- cines, or those in common use, applied in different forms and combinations, with different views, and, he presumes to hope, with a degree of success unparalleled in the history of the disease :—they will find that in every instance it may be relieved, that in a considera- ble number it may be kept in check for months, and years, with long intervals of repose, or comparative ease and comfort to the patient ; and that in some it may be perfectly and permanently cured, even under the most unpromising circumstances. This, it is pre- sumed, is more than can be accomplished, in the present state of our knowledge, from any mode of treatment hitherto adopted. It is obvious that instances will occur in which the relief must necessarily be of short duration, and in which life can only be held, under a precarious tenure, in a state of feeble and perhaps comfortless existence. If any one should say, and it has been said, that in such circumstances, the advantages are so trifling as scarce- ly to justify the interference of art, since it will only perhaps be to protract the miseries of the patient, let him peruse the following interesting quotation from a celebrated foreign writer, which cannot be too much admired, and the truth of which many of the annexed cases strongly illustrate. Those acquainted with the value of life, says he, know the importance of a year, a day, and even an hour; and these when