Mataeotechnia medicinae praxeōs. The vanity of the craft of physick. Or, a new dispensatory. Wherein is dissected the errors, ignorance, impostures and supinities of the Schools, in their main pillars of purges, blood-letting, fontanels or issues, and diet, etc., and the particular medicines of the shops. With an humble motion for the reformation of the Universities, and the whole landscap of physick, and discovering the terra incognita of chymistrie / [Noah Biggs].

  • Biggs, Noah
Date:
1651
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Mataeotechnia medicinae praxeōs. The vanity of the craft of physick. Or, a new dispensatory. Wherein is dissected the errors, ignorance, impostures and supinities of the Schools, in their main pillars of purges, blood-letting, fontanels or issues, and diet, etc., and the particular medicines of the shops. With an humble motion for the reformation of the Universities, and the whole landscap of physick, and discovering the terra incognita of chymistrie / [Noah Biggs]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    f«,as wife and impartial men, obtaining through the good hand, of God fo threat power & dignity, are wont to accept in matters both doubtful and important .what they thtnk^ojfcr’d them well meant, and from a rational ability, I had no lefs then to perfwade me. By the fame nourishment then, by which they flrfl took hje, l feek^to preferve them,fiom which Sea this rivulet took its rife • on the fwinge and rapt of which mofl potent alliciences, / dare to expofe as freely what fraughtage I conceive to bring of no trifles. And having had an experimentate opportunity to know, that the publike Head hath alwaies an car open , anA Jlands ready to fa- lute and receive every glimpfe and dawning of knowledge, or at Icafl cherifjh thofe that do fo, and looks every ingenuous Head fhould fir ike and vail, and commands the be ft op every mans thought s • what can be expected but that I fhould dedicate , not according to the fwelling Epidemick^cuflom, though not the Pun¬ ctilio's , yet the punfta's, the full points, and marginal Unds in the folio of my burthen’d thoughts ? Dedications, Iconfefs, though of themfelves they be of little worth, and by me efleemd. light and vain, as being the adulatory prodromes foi a mendi¬ cant ajflfiance of a (boulder, or ferene brow to the enfuing mat¬ ter, yet they have that command in the refpebls of men, by reffort of that which they ufe to fgnifie, by reafon of their impreffion, that like brafs farthings , the flamp of the Royal Arms and Crown makes them go the currantei ,though the matter debafeth them • that fome whofe mindes are below the performance of no¬ bler endowments , that lookjno further then bark rind out-Jide, dofeekjeputation by the Patronage of a great Pcrfonage ; yet in things of fo high anature, and general concernment, as the re¬ ar cfs of old negletted grievances and cuflams , never enough to be lamented * yea, the Reformation of the body of a whole Art that has layn long eclips'd and deformed , fo worthily , and fo nearly concerning your knowledge , I fear to be fo unna¬ turally cruel to my own reputation , and the Minerva of my la¬ bours, as to neglctt the tenders of my endeavours to your high no¬ tice. Tis true, I have longtravel'dwith a deflrc humbly tore- monflrate to you, Worthies in Parliament, but have had all along the unhappy mdijpofltion from various ajfefted thoughts,to fear to dtfiurb and call you flomyonr emergent occaflons , the capi-