Suggestions to parents and others on the physical and medical treatment of children : also, diseases of females, together with a practical account of all the diseases to which the human body is liable, and more particularly of diseases of the spine, consumption of the lungs, dyspepsy, and nervous affections / Alexander H. McNair.

  • McNair, Alexander H.
Date:
1841
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Suggestions to parents and others on the physical and medical treatment of children : also, diseases of females, together with a practical account of all the diseases to which the human body is liable, and more particularly of diseases of the spine, consumption of the lungs, dyspepsy, and nervous affections / Alexander H. McNair. 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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    PREFACE. Shortly after the writer commenced the practice of medicine in this city, and had become in some degree acquainted with the deceptions and malpractice which were imposed upon the afflicted by pretended doctors and injudicious practitioners, he became im- pressed with the belief that a work of this kind might have the effect of enabling individuals at least to judge of the qualifications of the medical attendant they might be obliged to call in, if not to enable them to prescribe with as great a prospect of success as appeared to attend the practice of many who professed to be fami- liar with the medical science. He accordingly had the advice of some of his medical friends on the subject, and they were of the opinion that a great amount of suffering might be prevented by a work of the kind; but that the jealousy it would give rise to, and the abuse which would be inflicted upon the author by the vicious part of the profession, could not fail in proving fatal to him. The writer, in consequence of this, and being a stranger in the city at the time, abandoned his intention. After he became better acquainted, however, with the character of his contempo- raries, and also more familiar with the frauds and impositions which were being practised with impunity upon the afflicted, by quacks and impostors, which appeared to be increasing daily, he came to the determination of publishing this work for the use of the public, let the consequence be what it might. He accordingly, in the year 1839, commenced the publication; and he has now the satisfaction of informing his readers, that in place of exciting the jealousy and abuse of the members of the faculty, it has been recommended by them to the public; and what is a still greater proof of their approbation, they have generally subscribed for it. The writer is not acquainted with one respectable unprejudiced