History of medicine : a brief outline of medical history and sects of physicians, from the earliest historic period; with an extended account of the new schools of the healing art in the nineteenth century, and especially a history of American eclectic practice of medicine, never before published / by Alexander Wilder.

  • Wilder, Alexander, 1823-1908.
Date:
1901
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: History of medicine : a brief outline of medical history and sects of physicians, from the earliest historic period; with an extended account of the new schools of the healing art in the nineteenth century, and especially a history of American eclectic practice of medicine, never before published / by Alexander Wilder. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    knowledge,” says he, “the Hygienic—Eclectic— Hippocratic—Rational System of curing diseases^is the only one that can be justified or safely followed.” The new movement of which the present American Eclectic School of Medicine is the outcome, it will be seen, was called into existence by the exigency. Its aim was to realize the wants of the times and to employ intelligently the means for satisfying them. It encountered much opposition like preceding attempts at reformation in different spheres of activity. There was a conflict as is related, which lasted for years, and there were gained by it the constitutional rights to which the citizens are con- sidered to be entitled. Yet there remain further advances to be made that are of vital importance. Equal opportunity and impartial justice are uncon- ditional where real freedom exists. There has existed a purpose to smother the Eclectic School by strict silence in relation to its practitioners, and by a studied ignoring of its existence. Even the compilers of the Encyclopaedias, with one honorable exception, have pandered to this object, by excluding any full or even just account of the School, its essential doctrines and literature. These things indicate what is essen- tial to its future career. A foothold should be gained > in the open arena among the scientists and master spirits of the time. The principles upon which it was founded, should be tenaciously and strenuously maintained, while a generous hospitality should be extended to every new thought or discovery that may serve to extend our knowledge or to be of actual utility. Only great and worthy things have any permanent and absolute existence. A School of Medicine will ^xist as long as it really deserves to exist. In Medi-