Historical surgery, or the progress of the science of medicine: on inflamation, mortification, and gun-shot wounds / [John Hunt].

  • Hunt, John
Date:
1801
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Historical surgery, or the progress of the science of medicine: on inflamation, mortification, and gun-shot wounds / [John Hunt]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    though in the refult there may be little to approve. Implicit fubmiflTion to the di£lates of any author can never lead the way to fcientific informa- tion, and the neceffity of attentive inveftigation will increafe, in propor- tion to the extent, and intricacy of the fubje6l; it is the reader’s bufinefs to examine the whole evidence that lies before him, to try the queftion by the immutable principles of nature, and ultimately to form an opinion for himfelf. As for thofe who are not capable of critically examining what they read, they may as well fit flill, and not attempt to read at all; for he, that is not capable of forming an opinion for himfelf, mull ever re- main in a date of doubt and uncertainty, and the lad book that he reads, will probably prove the limited fource of his information, the bafis of his theory, and his guide in pra6lice. If I had not the authority of written evidence to refer to, I fhonld not hazard an opinion, or attempt to prove the imperfetl date of the fubjeft before us; and in what degree the opinion of the prefent time may coincide, ft is aqueftion offuch delicacy, that I fliall not take upon myfelf to deter- mine. It is reafonable to conclude, that the writings of the fird profedi- onal charaftcrs will have confiderable influence on the public opinion, and though we may meet with many exceptions, this mud be confidercd the mod certain dandard to which we can appeal. I fliall for this purpofe fird folicit the reader’s attention to Mr. Brom- feild’s chirurgical obfervations. This celebrated author had his fhare of reputation, and was in his time looked up to, as one at the head of his profedion; for which reafon I confider his writings more fit for my pre- fent purpofe; as I do not wdfli to notice any but fuch as the public have been accudomed to look up to wdth refpedf. If