Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A89088
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The character of a compleat physician, or naturalist
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Merret, Christopher, 1614-1695.
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1680
(1680)
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Wing M1835C; ESTC R231920
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5,511
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13
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THE CHARACTER OF A Compleat Physician Or NATVRALIST DR Hackwel in his Apology very aptly calls Anatomy and the Knowledge of Simples the two Legs of Physic And that the Compleat Physician may have both his Legs I shall follow his footsteps Anatomy is of greatest fame and repute tho not of much real use to the curing Mankind The use of Simple doth the most part to the only end of this Art Man's Health which is the Difference in its Definition The former respects Contemplation the latter the Practice and therefore call'd by us Physic The former is performed at home in a House with little expence of time labor or pains taking the latter requires all these in a high measure The Compleat Physician supposing in him University Learning must begin with Anatomy the Subject of his Art He must know all Parts and their Sub-divisions whether similar or organical chiefly the Vessels and all Passages of the Body the use of Parts their Situation Connexion Figure Structure Proportions Complements Defects Communities Differences compounding Elements Faculties Actions and Uses which are performed by Artificial Dissections Measurings Ligatures Inflations Injections and other useful Operations He is to be well versed also in Comparative Anatomy in all sorts of Animals whatsoever By which means he will discover the seat of Diseases and Symptoms their Causes and Effects Sympathies and Antipathies which way the matter of Diseases passeth from part to part and also of all the fluids in our Bodies 'T is helpful also very much in the Prognosticks as well as in the Diagnosticks In the Practical it teacheth what Veins or Arteries are fittest to be opened where Fontanels to be made where Cupping-glasses Plaisters Oyntments c. are to be applyed where and how Incisions to be made This part of Nature hath bin very well cultivated by many learned Hands both abroad and at home by the Two Glories of our Nation the Immortal Harvey my honoured Friend and Patron and Dr. Glisson and some others tho now much neglected where it ought to be most cultivated One part seems to be wholly neglected from which the greatest Practical Skill is to be attained that is by feeding or suddain killing Animals with Poifons Volatil or Lixivial Salts or with any of the stronger Simples and after opening them to find out the effects upon the Blood and Humours of the Body Whosoever hath rightly considered and digested the Physical qualities which is a great defect in Medicine will attain very clearly the true Nature of things as appliable to Man's Body and discover plainly the infinite Errors in Practice and may demonstrate his Practice by reasoning from Effect to Cause and from Cause to Effect and then by comparing one to another and those to the Tribes hereafter mentioned The other Leg of Physick is The knowledge of Natural things in the Latitude after expressed 'T is not the business of this Paper to set forth the great and large extent of Physic that is of all Tangible Bodies of the Universe This hath bin frequently perform'd in many Orations and Harangues at the College of Physicians especially in that incomparable Speech of Sir Thomas Millington both for Matter and Language Anno 1679. That which is intended in this Paper is to set out a Compleat Physician and thereby to guide people in their choice when they have occasion to use one wherein men are exceedingly mistaken to the loss of Health Life and Money I begin with the Name which is in our English Tongue the most proper of any Language whatsoever The word Physician derived from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is plainly and fully rendred by the word Naturalist that is one well vers'd in the full extent of Nature and Natural things hereunto add the due and skilful preparation and application of them to Mens Bodies in order to their Health and prolongation of Life and you have a comprehensive Definition of a Physician 'T is not then a particular Knowledge or Art of one or a few things but in general of all Bodies whether Elements inanimate or living Now this Knowledge implies not only a bare visible skill of their Names and Parts only but a strict and serious examination of them by diligent experiments and tryals of them by all the Senses by all wayes and comparisons amongst themselves to investigate their Natures relating to men principally and all other uses they may be applyed to I shall speak briefly to each and first of Plants Vegetables being the largest Genus in Nature comprehendeth the greatest part by far of Materia Medica or things used for Physic These are to be known in all their Parts by Name as also as digested into Tribes and Families as they are reasonably well done by both the Baubins and better by Dr. Morison tho not so suitable to the design of teaching others as 't is to be wished they had But of his Work and a better Method something shall be shewed in due time By a right Method may be more than conjectured the properties of Simples by the bare first sight of them and fully known by the other senses as every one must confess who hath seriously reflected on this Matter Nay hereby also may well nigh be known I had almost said perfectly what they will afford what Waters Chymical Oils Spirits Salts and in what quantity This I do not say of all the Tribes but of most of them in a just Method delivered But if you apply them to the other Senses especially tast and smell and other tryals may be found out their full Nature But then there is required some exercises of the Senses and exactness in them and also the skill of words adapted to each sense As for Tasts the Vintners have added some and where defect is more are to be invented The want of words appliable to our Senses is the greatest impediment to the improvement of this most divine and useful Art The next thing is to range into a good Method what Properties are sutable to what Diseases and what parts in particular let the instance be bitter as also in what hurtful And by this way you may in a few sheets of Paper comprise all Diseases well defined and their Remedies by Simples generally the best way of Practice more fully more scientifically and better retained than in many and huge Volumes of Herbals Pharmacopaea's and Practical Writers This being done then the Physician is to find out by Tryals Sympathies and Antipathies as to Mixture of them one with another Preparation of them by Powdering c. and by Distillation whereby may be known what is fit for Distillation what for Decoctions 'T is a shame to see the Pharmacopaea's stufft with such a multitude of distill'd Water and not one in ten good for any thing nay offensive both to tast smell and stomach Nay there are few of the more generous Spirits but have Ingredients which afford nothing beneficial but rather prejudicial to those Compound
Waters Whereby the Apothecaries Shops are surcharged to their great trouble and hurt to the Patient by such nauseous and offensive Waters whereof more may be said on occasion and some may be added wholly unknown tho very common and written of by Authors and no Vertues annexed to them Then let him observe what Seasons not Astrological Configurations are best to gather Herbs for 't is certain some Plants shall at some Seasons yield well at other little or nothing good This Physician also is to have some skill in Chymistry to detect Cheats improve Philosophy and some Medicines which may be useful He may attain to the Knowledge of Emperics Medicines being generally less compounded than in the Shops and thereby shall find out some useful Medicines by a skilful Analysis of them but more especially by experimenting them with other Bodies He is acquainted with the Philosophical Trades especially the Refiners and Dyers for he that is versed in the latter chiefly of the Silk and Linnen Dyer may without much difficulty discover the compounds of Medicinal Waters which hath hitherto puzled all the World Add hereto that no Manufacture but affords some light in Physics As for Minerals dissolved in their proper Menstrua he shall have the most dry and astrictive Tast and Nature of Gold the most bitter of Silver the most nauseous rough and contracting tast of Copper the sweetish of Lead and Tyn the rough and astringent of Iron As for Animals they mostly serve for food and yield much volatil Salt some Water Spirit and Lixivial Salt little differing each from other all which the Physician ought to know which and what parts of them are best and useful and wherein Two Books I recommend for Birds Mr. Willoughby Published by the excellent Mr. Ray The other of Shells c. done by Mr. Lyster of York both which are Treated in a most singular Method And for Insects Musset and Johnson are best As for Fishes they are yet very confusedly digested These with the other Natural things are Methodized in an easie way and may come abroad Earths Their Natures are easily discovered by the Senses and ready Experiments and pretty well known Stones many have written of but their Qualities falsly delivered for gain only and are not of much use yet some our Countrey affords much surpassing Pearl and Coral in destroying Acids their principal if not sole use This Physician can discern betwixt true and Counterfeit Medicins what Remedies either Simple or Compound as for Strangers brought from foreign Parts he can discover their Uses and Qualities and whereof compunded and perhaps exalt their Vertues by imitating them and easily find the Cheats in them He can give proper Names and Definitions to all Natural things brought to him He knows what things are of great Charge but of little Use and the various degrees of their Natures He can invent more grateful plain and effectual Medicines than are commonly in use except to such Persons to whom nothing that is Physic is grateful From Ignorance of these things proceeds that great Impediment of Improvement in this Art the Doctrine of Occult Qualities The unsteddiness of Physicians in their choice of and adhering to good Medicines not knowing they are so for in this sence Hipp. Aphor. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Experience is Deceitful is most true Hence Receipts get Credit Medicines so often altered and new ones gap't after whereof as yet there is no end This Physician rightly considering finds The Herbals make some Plants as well as the Chymists make almost all their Medicines to be Universal so leading people into many and sometimes dangerous Errors He is able to advise fitting Diet and Remedies at all times and places wheresoever he comes which cannot be done without the foresaid Knowledge But the Reader will ask whether there be any such Physician in the World or ever was or may be Answer yea and that 't is not difficult where a good Method and stubborn Labour go together He is furnished with a good Library of such Authors as Treat on those Arguments 'T is a great reproach that some Physicians of great Fame and Practice gotten by ill and ungenerous wayes know very little or nothing in any thing abovesaid and have scarce a Book towards any of those ends unless of Anatomy This Physician doth truly maintain the honour of his Profession avoids the due reproaches of such as are Subordinate to him can with sensible Arguments confute the obstreperous falshoods of the Adversaries of his Faculty and his own can judge clearly of the falshoods and deceits of Physic-mongers He takes that way that one of the great Masters of his Art Galen did spares no Pains Travail or Charge to investigate new and better Materials for his Art Galen and many other have Travailed into far Countries to this very purpose Lastly He takes nothing upon trust but consults his own Senses and other strict tryals and becomes a Compleat Naturalist or Physician But tho my task here ends yet his Religion and Morality are to be considered As for the former he hath woven into his Practice the Religio Medici of that famous Person and Honor too of this Art Sir Thomas Brown of Norwich to whom I recommend the Reader His Morality is sober grave continent pitiful to and careful of his Patients Writing his Receipts solely for their good and not for the gain of others his Subordinates He is continent wise and prudent mild and modest hath veracity and clearness in all his Sayings In his Prognosticks exceeds not the boundaries of his Art and Nature his proper Sphere abominates the common way of conforming his Religion to his Interest and the usual frauds of Astrology and Uromantie He is decent in his Habit courteous in Behaviour neither morose nor talkative able and ready to satisfie any of his Patients in hearing the Sick man's Complaint and rationally to satisfie him in his Scruples Determines nothing till he hath a full and clear Idaea of the Disease Symptoms and their Causes and not till then squares his Intentions and Medicaments to each of them He smiles at the common Vogue of the World in choosing their Physicians and envies not those empty ones who gain great Estates and Glory by outward shews and by ungentile and some by sordid and debauched wayes Such as have only a modish Habit a neat and well-furnished House a Coach and Horses a Velvet Coat a fine Periwig a curiously-headed Cane a smooth and starched Behaviour flattering Language commending all enslaving his Judgment to the hearer's Opinion officious needless and frequent Visits He laughs out-right at those who spend their precious time in hearing and hunting after News and carrying it from House to House and those who read Lectures on Chairs Beds Rooms and Hangings or on Don Quixot He thinks the usual aucupium of Entertainments telling of Shews mispent time and judgeth not these any part of his Profession But in all these little Arts which serve only to gain he useth commendable Prudence And at all spare times you shall find him in his Study where I leave him But perhaps the considering inferring and knowing Reader doth expect a Character also of those who are call'd Mountebanks and Empiricks because contraries illustrate each others To whom this answer may be given The first is He that may be call'd so without any Action at Law as being not lawfully permitted to Practice by the Laws of England But this sense reacheth not the meaning of the word Empiric is a Greek word coming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Experience and signifies no more than an Experimentor that is one that pretends only Experience for his Practice which Hipp. Aph. 1. calls Deceitful without ability of giving a rational account of the Disease Cause Symptoms and Medicines he prescribes so that an unlawful Practiser if able may not be call'd in this true and genuine sense an Empiric Nor he though a Licenciate to Practice be untruly said to be an Empiric tho in the highest order of Licenciats I conclude by saying That he who hath the fewest of the abovesaid requisites of a Compleat Physician according to the degrees of his recess therefrom may deserve this ignominious Title Mountebanks are properly only such who upon Stages and in open places proclaim commonly with the addition of Antic tricks as good as those forementioned disclaimed by the Compleat Physician tho done in retail and in private and therefore less observed the great Experience of his most singular Remedies suitable to all Persons Ages and Sexes To fill up this empty Page take a part of an Elegant Fable of Phaedrus of a Cobler turn'd Physician Non artis ulla Medicum se prudentia Verum stupore vulgi factum nobilem Rex advocata concione haec addidit Quantae putatis esse vos dementiae Qui capita vestra non dubitatis credere Cui calceandos nemo commiserit pedes Hoc pertinere verè ad illos dixerim Quorum stultitiae quaestus impudentia est FINIS