Tvi INTRODUCTION.
tules that I know, but such as are perfectly consistent with the trueenjoyment of life, and every way conducive to the real happinessof mankind.
We are sorry indeed to observe, that Medicine has hithertohardly been considered as a popular science, but as a branch ofknowledge solely confined to a particular set of men, while all therest have been taught not only to neglect, but even to dread anddespise it. It will however appear, upon a more strict examina-tion, that no science better deserves their attention, or is more ca-pable of being rendered generally useful.
People are told, that if they dip the least into medical knowl-edge, it will render them fanciful, and make them believe they haveevery disease of which they read. This I am satisfied will seldombe the case with sensible people; and suppose it were, they mustsoon be undeceived. A short time will show them their error, anda little more reading will infallibly correct it. A single instancewill show the absurdity of this notion. A sensible lady, ratherthan read a medical performance, which would instruct her in themanagement of her children, generally leaves them entirely to thecare and conduct of the most ignorant, credulous, and superstitiouspart of the human species.
No part of Medicine is of more general importance than thatwhich relates to t\\e nursing and management of children. Yetfew parents pay a proper attention to it. Tbey leave the sole careof their tender offspring, at the very time when care and attentionare most necessary, to hirelings, who are cither too negligent to dotheir duty ór too ignorant to know it. We will venture to arfirm,that more human lives are lost by the carelessness and inattentionof parents and nurses, than are saved by the Faculty ; and that thejoint and well-conducted endeavours, both of private persons andthe public, for the preservation of infant lives, would be of moreadvantage to society than the whole art of Medicine, upon its pres-ent footing.
The benefits of Medicine, as a trade, will ever be confined tothose who are aUe to pay for them ; and of course, the far greaterpart of mankind will be everywhere deprived of them. Physicians,like other people, must live by their employment, and the poormust either want advice altogether, or take up with that which isworse than none. There are not, however, anywhere wantingwell-disposed people, of better sense, who are willing to supply thedefect of medical advice to the poor, did not their fear of doing illoften suppress their inclination to do good. Such people are oftendeterred from the most noble and praise-worthy actions, by thefoolish alarms sounded in their ears lay a set of men, who, to rai¡-etheir own importance, magnify the difficulties of doing good, findfault with what is truly commendable, and fleer at every attempt torelieve the sick which is not conducted by the precise rules of Med-icine. These gentlemen must, however, excuse me for saying, thatI have often known such well-disposed persons do much good; andthat their practice, which is generally the result of good sense andobservation, assisted by a little medical reading, is frequently morerational than that of the ignorant retainer to physic, who despisesboth reason and observation, that he may go wrong by rule ; and