INTRODUCTION. xv

the same object. Some time ago it was the practice of this coun-try for every person to say his prayers in Latin, whether he knewany thing of that language or not. This conduct, though sacredin the eyes of our ancestors, appears ridiculous enough to us ; anddoubtless some parts of ours will seem as strange to posterity.Among these we may reckon the present mode of medical pre-scription, which, we venture to affirm, will some time hence appearto have been completely ridiculous, and a very high burlesque uponthe common sense of mankind.

But this practice is not only ridiculous, it is likewise dangerous.However capable physicians maybe of writing Latin, I am certainapothecaries.are not always in a condition to read it, and that dan-gerous mistakes, in consequence of this, often happen. But sup-pose the apothecary ever so able to read the physician's prescrip-tion, he is generally otherwise employed, and the business of mak-ing up prescriptions is left entirely to the apprentice. By this meansthe greatest man in the kingdom, even when he employs a first-ratephysician, in reality trusts his life in the hands of an idle boy, whohas not only the chance of being very ignorant, but likewise giddyand careless. Mistakes will sometimes happen in spite of thegreatest care ; but, where human lives are concerned, all possiblemethods ought certainly to be taken to prevent them. For thisreason, the prescriptions of physicians, instead of being couchedin mystical characters and a dead language, ought, in my humbleopinion, to be conceived in che most plain and obvious termsimaginable.

Diffusing medical knowledge among the people would not onlytend to improve the art, and to banish quackery, but likewise torender Medicine more universally useful, by extending its benefitsto society. However long Medicine may have been known as ascience, we will venture to say, that many of its most importantpurposes to society have either been overlooked, or very little at-tended to. The cure of diseases is doubtless a matter of great im-portance ■, but the preservation of health is of still greater. This isthe concern of every man, and surely what relates to it ought to berendered as plain and obvious to all as possible. It is not to besupposed that men can be sufficiently upon their guard against dis-eases, who are totally ignorant of their causes. Neither can theLegislature, in whose power it is to do much more for preservingthe public health than can ever be done by the Faculty, exert thatpower with propriety, and to the greatest advantage, without somedegree of medical knowledge.

Sien of every occupation and condition in life might avail them-selves of a degree of medical knowledge ; as it would teach them toavoid the dangers peculiar to their respective stations ; which isalways easier than to remove their effects. Medical knowledge, in-stead of being a check upon the enjoyments of life, only teachesmen how to make the most of them. It has indeed been said, thatto live medically, is to live miserably : but it might with equal proprietybe said, that to live rationally is to live miserably. If physicians ob-trude their own ridiculous whims upon mankind, or lay down rulesinconsistent with reason or common sense, no doubt they will bedespised. But this is not the fault of Medicine. It proposes no