The compleat family physician, or, universal medical repository. Containing the Causes, Symptoms, Preventions, And Cures, Of all the various Maladies to which Human Nature is subject, from the Birth to the Grave. Including The Diseases peculiar to Seamen, as well as those of particular Climates; such as the East and West Indies, Coast of Guinea, Greenland, Newfoundland, &c. with the proper Methods of treating Lunaticks, and Persons who are subject to Fits of any Kind. - And the best and most approved Preservatives against Epidemick and Contagious Diseases; such as the Plague, Putrid Fevers, Gaol Distemper, and other Infections. Together with An Account of all the celebrated Spas-Not only of this Country, but such others also, as are of great Repute in other Parts of the World, and the Waters of which are usually imported into these Kingdoms; with some Observations on the Virtues and Efficacy of Sea Water and Bathing. Likewise, Strictures on Quackery in general; and a candid Examination of the respective Merits of James's Powder, Norton's Drops, Ormskirk Powder, Ward's Drops, And Other Popular Medicines. With a full Account of the various Kinds of Poisons, both Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral; and the best Methods of counteracting their respective Effects. - Also, the Means to be made use of for restoring Drowned or Strangled Persons, as published by the Humane Society; and the Plan of Dr. Hawes, Secretary to that benevolent Institution, for preventing Persons being buried Alive. To which is added, The family surgery. Containing Directions for treating Green and Old Wounds; proper Stypticks for immediately stopping the Blood in all Cases; and infallible Applications for the Cure of the Bite of Mad Animals, as well as the Bite or Sting of venomous Animals and Insects. With some approved Receipts for the Cure of Ringworms, Warts, Corns, Bruises, Carbuncles, &c. and Directions for managing the Eyes, Ears, Teeth, Nails, &c. so as to prevent Blindness, Deasness, and Lameness in the Feet. Also, The proper Methods of making and using Salves, Ointments, Pills, Cataplasms, Poultices, Fomentations, Embrocations, &c. &c. Together with The compleat British herbal. And A List of all such Drugs, Chymicals, &c. as are directed to be used in the different Preparations, with their Prices at Apothecaries Hall, London. The Whole Forming A Compleat Body Of AtDomestick Medicine, Calculated As well to assist Gentlemen of the Faculty, as for the Use of private Families; and in which the utmost Care is taken to recommend such Remedies as are most plain and simple, and of Course the least expensive, and readiest to be procured. By Hugh Smythson, M.D. Late Student at the University of Leyden. When, on the Bed of loath'd Disease, With streaming Eyes, Affection sees A Child, a Husband, Wife, or Friend, And fears the much-lov'd Victim's End; How sighs the sympathetick Heart, For Knowledge in the Healing Art! How fears, lest Want of Skill prevent The kind Assistance fondly meant! No more, by anxious Dread possess'd, Shall Terror fill the friendly Breast; Whilst in our Labours are combin'd The healing Arts of all Mankind.

  • Smythson, Hugh.
Date:
1781
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The compleat family physician, or, universal medical repository. Containing the Causes, Symptoms, Preventions, And Cures, Of all the various Maladies to which Human Nature is subject, from the Birth to the Grave. Including The Diseases peculiar to Seamen, as well as those of particular Climates; such as the East and West Indies, Coast of Guinea, Greenland, Newfoundland, &c. with the proper Methods of treating Lunaticks, and Persons who are subject to Fits of any Kind. - And the best and most approved Preservatives against Epidemick and Contagious Diseases; such as the Plague, Putrid Fevers, Gaol Distemper, and other Infections. Together with An Account of all the celebrated Spas-Not only of this Country, but such others also, as are of great Repute in other Parts of the World, and the Waters of which are usually imported into these Kingdoms; with some Observations on the Virtues and Efficacy of Sea Water and Bathing. Likewise, Strictures on Quackery in general; and a candid Examination of the respective Merits of James's Powder, Norton's Drops, Ormskirk Powder, Ward's Drops, And Other Popular Medicines. With a full Account of the various Kinds of Poisons, both Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral; and the best Methods of counteracting their respective Effects. - Also, the Means to be made use of for restoring Drowned or Strangled Persons, as published by the Humane Society; and the Plan of Dr. Hawes, Secretary to that benevolent Institution, for preventing Persons being buried Alive. To which is added, The family surgery. Containing Directions for treating Green and Old Wounds; proper Stypticks for immediately stopping the Blood in all Cases; and infallible Applications for the Cure of the Bite of Mad Animals, as well as the Bite or Sting of venomous Animals and Insects. With some approved Receipts for the Cure of Ringworms, Warts, Corns, Bruises, Carbuncles, &c. and Directions for managing the Eyes, Ears, Teeth, Nails, &c. so as to prevent Blindness, Deasness, and Lameness in the Feet. Also, The proper Methods of making and using Salves, Ointments, Pills, Cataplasms, Poultices, Fomentations, Embrocations, &c. &c. Together with The compleat British herbal. And A List of all such Drugs, Chymicals, &c. as are directed to be used in the different Preparations, with their Prices at Apothecaries Hall, London. The Whole Forming A Compleat Body Of AtDomestick Medicine, Calculated As well to assist Gentlemen of the Faculty, as for the Use of private Families; and in which the utmost Care is taken to recommend such Remedies as are most plain and simple, and of Course the least expensive, and readiest to be procured. By Hugh Smythson, M.D. Late Student at the University of Leyden. When, on the Bed of loath'd Disease, With streaming Eyes, Affection sees A Child, a Husband, Wife, or Friend, And fears the much-lov'd Victim's End; How sighs the sympathetick Heart, For Knowledge in the Healing Art! How fears, lest Want of Skill prevent The kind Assistance fondly meant! No more, by anxious Dread possess'd, Shall Terror fill the friendly Breast; Whilst in our Labours are combin'd The healing Arts of all Mankind. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    / The bills of mortality furnifh us with melancholy proofs of the great care and at- tention neceffary in the prelervation of in- fants. In the metropolis, where air, exercife, and cleanlinefs, are in general wanting ; where the father and mother (both proba- bly employed in procuring the means of ex- iftence) are often confined, with a numerous family, in the narrow compafs of a garret, or the loathfome limits of a cellar; it is not furprifing that fo large a proportion of their offspring fhould be configned to an early and untimely grave. In the country, in- deed, this evil, of fuch moral and political danger, is lefs predominant: where the pa- rents are devoted to the labours of huf- bandry only, the children are in general healthy; but in manufacturing towns and villages, they partake for the moft part of the fame fate which attends the inhabitants of the metropolis. Nor is the want of care more deftruc- tive to the human fpecies in the infant ftate, than an immoderate and exceffive ex- ercife of it ; ignorant nurfes, and other affiftants, too frequently and officioufly in- troduce fuch a vaft number of articles, wholly unneceffary, and often injurious, in the food, cloaths, and medicines of infants, that the lofs of great numbers may be attri- buted to this ill-applied and over-bufy zeal. Another principal caufe of the deftruc- tion of infants, is the want of that conge- nial nutrition, which nature has provided for their fuftenance, and the fubftitution of foreign aliment, often unwholfome, and always unnatural. It will not be denied that the infant par- takes of the conftitution of it’s parents, and that as the mother has the largeft (hare in it’s formation, fo it will be moft apt to refemble her in habit of body; this being admitted, what can equal the abfurdity of robbing it of the food, which mull, of all others, be moft adapted to it’s fupport, and fupplying it with the milk, habits, and diforders of a ftranger! or what wretched influence can prevail on a mother to abandon the care of her child to nurfes and fervants, and de- vote it to probable deftruCtion; depriving herfelf of one of the moft delightful offices that fall within her fphere, and idly bar- tering, for unfubftantial amufements, the folid fatisfaCtion of cheriihing, protecting, and forming, the bodies and minds of a healthy, beautiful, and grateful offspring! Nor is the evil confined to the child thus torn from it’s mother’s breaft: the infant who claims the fuftenance, thus fold to the nur- fling, prefents us another fufferer; robbed of nourilhment and attendance, and gene- nerally attempted to be brought up by hand, it pines for a few months, and then dies in a ftate of emaciation, occafioned by aCtual want; or if it fhould have ftrength and conftitution enough to ftruggle through it’s infancy, attains the years without the conditions of manhood, and creeps through life, feeble, fickly, and unhappy. And thus, too often, from vanity and levity on the one hand, and a mercenary fpirit on the other, is the community deprived of two ufeful members at once, or a miferable exchange made of beauty and health, for deformity and decrepitude. It is, however, by no means juft to fug- geft, that every mother is capable of fuck- ling her own child, or that all mothers are alike capacitated for this neceflary tafk; many cafes offer in which it is impracti- cable, and others in which it would be im- prudent, and equally dangerous to the mo- ther and infant. Women who, from deli- cate habits or conftitutions, are fubjeCt to nervous or hyfteric complaints, are cer- tainly unqualified to obey the calls of na- ture in the performance of a duty fo ten- der, agreeable, and effential. But the mere aCt of giving fuck, is by no means to be confidered as the only bufi- nefs of the mother; a variety of other cir- cumftanccs demand her attention, and the future health, happinefs, and comfort of her child, depend on her care and ma- nagement