A treatise on the venereal disease and its varieties ... / [William Wallace].

  • Wallace, William, 1791-1837 or 1838.
Date:
1833
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise on the venereal disease and its varieties ... / [William Wallace]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    10/408
    reconcile the writings of the best authors on the venereal disease with many of its most common phenomena; and it appeared evident, that if 1 wished to make any very satisfactory progress in its study, it would be necessary to unshackle my mind from authority, and to take nature only for my guide. In fact, there seemed to be no alternative, but either to investigate the subject de novo, or to remain content with a very imperfect knowledge of a dis¬ ease which daily obtruded itself on my observation, and with which it was therefore of the first prac¬ tical importance to be intimately acquainted. The former alternative I preferred, and with the object of carrying it into effect, I commenced, so long ago as the year 1819, when an additional field for ob¬ servation was opened to me by my election as Sur¬ geon to the Jervis Street Infirmary, to note every case of venereal disease which occurred, but with particular accuracy such as presented any interest or peculiarity, and at the same time to collect, with the assistance of qualified artists, accurate delinea¬ tions, not only of all the varieties of this disease, but of all the phases of each variety. During the earlier period of this investigation a system of treatment the least likely to interfere with the operations of nature, was as far as possible adopted, with the object of acquiring a knowledge of the natural history of the disease; — the local applications being in general, lint wet with water, and, when necessary to prevent evaporation, covered