Historical surgery; or, the progress of the science of medicine: on inflammation, mortification and gunshot wounds.

  • Hunt, John.
Date:
1801
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Historical surgery; or, the progress of the science of medicine: on inflammation, mortification and gunshot wounds. 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.

    34/442 (page 4)
    will prove equally inftru6iive to many others, as it has effeftually proteft- ed me from that blindcredulity, with which I might otherwife have peru- fed this celebrated performance. Whether we are moft indebted to the ancients or moderns is a queftion left undetermined; our learned author either feems difpofed to pleafe both parties, or perhaps was not himfelf fufficiently informed to give a decided opinion on the fubjeff. It is rather an unpleafant talk to examine a book where there is fo lit- tle to approve, but I lhall not facrifice the falutary objeff I have in view to motives of falfe delicacy; it is my willi to examine the prefent Hate of this fubjefl, and if the public opinion bears any refemblance to that before us, or if we only meet with a few inftances of coincidence, it is ftill necef- fary that thefe imperfe6lions Ihould be explained. The preceding example of our author’s ftyle, and manner of condufl- ing an argument will be fufficient for our prefent purpofe; I lhall there- fore now proceed to examine his obfervations on mortifications. He fays '*It is well known, that whenever any part has had the leaji tendency to mortification, the bark has, of late years, been indifcriminately given in very large quantities, as the only fpecific to Hop its progrefs; and fo fan- guine are many in this prejudice, that they do not believe any mifchief can polfibly enfue from the ufe of this medicine*.” The conclulion of this fentence appears to intimate fome kind of danger that is not general- ly underftood, and may be fuppofed to depend either on the impropriety of this medicine as a remedy in fuch cafes, or the want of abilities to dif- criminate in what manner, and at what period of the difeafe, it ought to be adminillered, * See Mr. Bromfeild's chirurgical cafes page lag. In