A letter from an apothecary in London, to his friend in the country, concerning the present practice of physick : in regard to empiricks, empirical methods of cure, and nostrums. With remarks on Dr. Mead's, Mr. Freke's, and Mr. Cheselden's method of cure for the itch, by externals only ... Also some observations upon manna ... with remarks on Dr. Mead's certain cure for the bite of a mad dog.

Date:
1752
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A letter from an apothecary in London, to his friend in the country, concerning the present practice of physick : in regard to empiricks, empirical methods of cure, and nostrums. With remarks on Dr. Mead's, Mr. Freke's, and Mr. Cheselden's method of cure for the itch, by externals only ... Also some observations upon manna ... with remarks on Dr. Mead's certain cure for the bite of a mad dog. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    t Botany is at a very low Ebb with us: Dr. Sydenham remarked, That it was to be lamented that the Nature of Plants was no better known to us, which feem- ed to him the chiefeft of the Materia Medicay and to be likelieft to afford fuch Remedies as are called Specificks ; for Parts of Animals may feem to agree too much with the human Body, and Minerals dif¬ fer too much; upon which Account, he confeffes ; the Minerals anfwer Indications more powerfully, than either Things taken from Plants and Animals, but not Specif- callyy in the Senfe commonly underftood. But, alas! now it is rare to meet with a Practitioner in Phylick, that knows the firft Principles of Botanyy or concerns himfelf about the Knowledge and true Nature of Plants ; but leaves all to the Apothecary, or (which is worfe)tothe fraudulentHerb-Folks that notorioufly impofe upon all that truft wholly to them. The Study and Know¬ ledge of the Materia Medica is greatly negleCted, and Pharmacy is very little un¬ derftood; in the room of which, Chemi¬ cal Preparations and Nojlrums are our chief Study; and though we defpife the Capitals in Pharmacy, which have flood the Teft of Ages, yet we are credulous to the laft Degree, and put the Whole of our Con¬ fidence in fome new-fangled Chemical Preparation,