The general nature and treatment of tumours / by George Macilwain.

  • Macilwain, George, 1797-1882.
Date:
1845
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The general nature and treatment of tumours / by George Macilwain. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    VJ rHKlACE. Nature to pcifonn her own work ; in other words, iillow the wound to lieal. In organic surgery, we examine all the injiuenccs to which the various organs, whether brain or others, have been at any time suJijectcd. as well as those at present in operation, and endeavour to adjust the external relations of every organ to its absolute power, as well as its relative condition to all others. The allegation is, that diseases are the result of organic disturb- ance* ; and, whether they are represented by me- chanical or chemical injuries, — the slower but not less certain operations of improper diet, habits, modes of life, particular employments, or moral disturbance,—that the repair, resistance, cure, or by whatever term you phrase the restorative pro- cesses, depends on the removal of disturbing in- fluences, which is regarded as the only method of certainly re-establishing the healthy condition of the respective parts or organs. Lastly: That the investigation required is nothing more than com- mon sense suggests, and daily experience proves not only to be necessary in other sciences, but pro- ductive of continued improvement. I would guard the reader, however, from ex- pecting that I have, in this little book, e.vcmpli- fied all the requisitions: people will not read thick octavos ; and I can hardly think an apology neces- sary for not having accomplislicd tliat which, in a small volume, appears to me to be impossible. For the sketch, and for that only, I w^ould be held vc- sponsible ; and here I am ready to admit any im- perfections. 1 have felt the greatest difficulty in knowing what to select from bulky manuscripts, at • That is, in any organi/cd jiarl.