Rational Physic; Or, the Art of Healing Founded and Explained on Principles of Reason and Experience. to Which Is Added, a Family Dispensatory, by W. Samson, (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAP. VIII. E N Qjj r R i E s to be made relative to the Pat i E N T. BEFORE we undertake to point out a method of cure for any diforder, it is abfo- lutely necefiary we" mould be thoroughly acquainted with the patient's cafe. In order to this, we fhould enquire in what manner, and how long ago the patient was feized; and liften attentively, without interruption, to his detail. This being at an end, let us confider how far the feafon of the year, and temperature of the weather, might conduce to the difeafe. We may then begin our enquiries, the principal of which ought to be concerning the age, way of life, and habit of body of the patient; likewife whether the difeafe be hereditary or acquired; whether primary (of it- felf) or fymptomatic (proceeding from another.) The natural fecretions muft likewife be clofely attended to, viz. the colour and quantity of the urine, the frequency and appearance of the ftools, and the degree of perfpiration. When you are clear in thefe particulars, the pulfe itfelf muft undergo a ftrift examination. Taking a review of thefe appearances, and having fummed up the cafe within ourfelves, a little thought and circum- fpeclion will eafily dired us to the choice of medicines dicines proper for the cure. And here, let me once more advife you not to proceed to prefcrip- tion, till thefe enquiries have been made, and you feem quite clear in the cafe. In order to ftrengthen your judgment, the next chapter mall acquaint you wlth a method of diftinguifhing moft difeafes (having firft queftioned your patient) by properly attending to the appearances of his tongue, urine, pulfe,