Outlines of the theory and practice of midwifery / by Alexander Hamilton, M.D. F.R.S. Edin. professor of midwifery in the University, and member of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh.

  • Hamilton, Alexander, 1739-1802.
Date:
1784
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Outlines of the theory and practice of midwifery / by Alexander Hamilton, M.D. F.R.S. Edin. professor of midwifery in the University, and member of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by University of Bristol Library. The original may be consulted at University of Bristol Library.

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    INTRODUCTION, xlll different and even oppofite ftates of the body, muft fometimes unavoidably lead into error 5 and even the fymptoms themfelves are often fo contradi£lory, that nothing can be collefted from them, fo that the phy-. fician is obliged to proceed on fome very vague and diftant analogy. Though thefe difficulties be fur- mounted, the effedls of remedies are ftill uncertain $ the real efFefts of many are not known j and, as they operate, not on an inanimate machine, but on a fy- ftem, in which, from any change, motions are exci- ted frequently oppofite to thofe expedled, it is not fur- prifing that the expedlations of the phyfician are often baffled. Thus the pradtice of phyfic cannot be regu- lated by certain rules j it depends much on the ftate of the body in health, and the very different changes introduced by difeafe : To ftudy it properly, all thefe ought to be confidered; and it is this part which is commonly called the Theory of Medicine. In a fubjedl fo difficult and obfcure as the animal ceconomy, it is not furprifing that the pradtitioner fhould be often embarrafTed ; and that, inftead of cer- tainty, he fliould fometimes be obliged to determine his conduft by probability, or by a loofe and uncer- tain analogy. But the views of the furgeon are lefs obfcure : he is often confined to cafes where manual dexterity only is necefTary, and has, very generally, the objetls of confideration fubjeQed to his fenfes; and, where they are out of the reach of fenfe, the fymptoms are more plain, the indudlions fewer, and the conclu- fions more certain. In this part, then, theory is lefs neceflary, and only ufeful as it fcems to conne£t the fe-