A treatise of incurable diseases: containing, I. An essay on the proper means to reduce the number of incurables. II. An attempt to settle a just notion of incurable in physick. III. A specimen of a rational method to discover the cures of reputed incurable diseases / [Peter Shaw].

  • Shaw, Peter, 1694-1763
Date:
1723
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise of incurable diseases: containing, I. An essay on the proper means to reduce the number of incurables. II. An attempt to settle a just notion of incurable in physick. III. A specimen of a rational method to discover the cures of reputed incurable diseases / [Peter Shaw]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [ « ] their Number, after fo many Ages appear to have been unfuccefsfully fpent in attempting it. f or, the Cure of Incurables does not only involve a Paradox in the Expreffion, but in an Age fo productive of new Difcovcrics, and fo fertile in Improvements as the prefent, it generally paffes for a defperate Problem 5 and is apt to be rank'd in the fame Clafs with the Quadrature of the Cir¬ cle, the Perpetual Motion, and the Philofopher's Stone. fluT the moft celebrated and judicious Author abovementioned, is clear and exprefs, that Phyficians a “ In inquifitione illorum de Morbis, inve- <c niunt Morbos complures quos Infanabiles decernunt, alios jam inde a principio Morborum, alios port talem quampiam periodum. Ita ut L. “ Scyllae & Trium-virorum Profcriptiones, res nihili fuerint prx Medico- “ rum Profcriptionibus, per quas tot homines iniquilTimis ediftis morti “ dedunt 5 quorum tamen plurimi minore cum difficultate evadunt, quam illi olim inter Profcriptiones Romanas. Neque igitur dubitabo {continues cc this great ^Author) inter Defiderata reponerc Opus aliquod de Curati- “ onibus Morborum, qui habentur pro Infanabilibus 5 ut evocentur & exciten- “ tur Medici aliique egregii & magnanimi 5 qui huic operi, quantum largitur u Natura rerum, incumbant ; quando hoc ipfum, iftos Morbos pronunci- <c are Infanabiles, negle&um & incuriam veluti lege fanciat, & ignoran- tiam ab infamia eximat. de Aug. ScientA. IV. Cap. II. p. 310. After fuch a Declaration from fo great a Man, it will not, I hopc> appear either alfuming or ridiculous to attempt a Difcovery of the Cures a Wlicn they enquire into Difeafes, find fo many which they affert to be Incur able, either from their firft Appearance, or after they have continu’d fome Time, that the Profcriptions of L.Scylla, and the Trium¬ virate were trifling in Comparison of the Profcriptions of Phyficians, by which, with the moft unjuft Sen¬ tence imaginable, they deliver Men over to Death; many of whom, notwithftanding, efcape withlefs Diffi¬ culty than did thole formerly under the Roman Profcriptions. A Treadle therefore is wanting upon the Cures of reputed incurable Difeales, to the End that both Phyficians and others of Eminence and Refolution may be encouraged and excited to purfue this Matter as far as the Nature of it will permit; iince to denounce Dil- eafes Incurable, is to eftablifh Negligence and Carelefnefs, as it were by a Law, at the fame time that it skreens Ignorance from Reproach. of