THEAUTHOR'sPREFACE.

THEAUTHOR'sPREFACE.If Vanity too often disposes many to speak of themselves, there are some Occasions, on which a total Silence might be supposed to result from a still higher Degree of it: And the very general Reception of theAdvice to the Peoplehas been such, that there would be Room to suspect me of that most shocking Kind of Pride, which receives Applause with Indifference (as deeming its own Merit Superior to the greatest) if I did not appear to be strongly impressed with a just Sense of that great Favour of the Publick, which has been so very obliging, and is so highly agreable, to me.Unfeignedly affected with the unhappy Situation of the poor Sick in Country Places inSwisserland, where they are lost from a Scarcity of the best Assistance, and from a fatal Superfluity of the worst, my sole Purpose in writing this Treatise has been to serve, and to comfort them. I had intended it only for a small Extent of Country, with a moderate Number of Inhabitants; and was greatly surprized to find, that within five or six Months after its Publication, it was become one of the most extensively published Books inEurope; and one of those Treatises, on a scientific Subject, which has been perused by the greatest Number of Readers of all Ranks and Conditions. To consider such Success with Indifference, were to have been unworthy of it, which Demerit, at least on this Account, I cannot justly be charged with; since Indifference has not been my Case, who have felt, as I ought, this Gratification of Self-love; and which, under just and prudent Restrictions, may perhaps be even politically cherished; as the Delight naturally arising from having been approved, is a Source of that laudable Emulation, which has sometimes produced the most essential good Consequences to Society itself. For my own particular, I can truly aver, that my Satisfaction has been exquisitely heightened on this Occasion, as a Lover of my Species: since judging from the Success of this Work (a Success which has exceeded my utmost Expectations) of the Effects that may reasonably be expected from it, I am happily conscious of that Satisfaction, oreven Joy, which every truly honest Man must receive, from rendering essential good Offices to others. Besides which, I have enjoyed, in its utmost Extent, that Satisfaction which every grateful Man must receive from the Approbation and Beneficence of his Sovereign, when I was distinguished with the precious Medal, which the illustrious Chamber of Health of the Republick of Berne honoured me with, a few Months after the Publication of this Treatise; together with a Letter still more estimable, as it assured me of the extraordinary Satisfaction the Republick had testified on the Impression of it; a Circumstance, which I could not avoid this publick Acknowledgement of, without the greatest Vanity and Ingratitude. This has also been a very influencing Motive with me, to exert my utmost Abilities in perfecting this new Edition, in which I have made many Alterations, that render it greatly preferable to the first; and of which Amendments I shall give a brief Account, after saying somewhat of the Editions, which have appeared elsewhere.The first is that, which Messrs.Heidegger, the Booksellers published in theGermanLanguage atZurich, about a Year since. I should have been highly delighted with the meer Approbation ofM. Hirzel, first Physician of the Canton ofZurich, &c.whose superior and universal Talents; whose profound Knowledge in the Theory of Physick; and the Extent and Successof whose Practice have justly elevated him among the small Number of extraordinary Men of our own Times; he having lately obtained the Esteem and the Thanks of allEurope,for the History of one of her3Sages. But I little expected the Honour this Gentleman has done me, in translating theAdvice to the Peopleinto his own Language. Highly sensible nevertheless as I am of this Honour, I must always reflect with Regret, that he has consumed that important Time, in rendering my Directions intelligible to his Countrymen, which he might have employed much more usefully, in obliging the World with his own.He has enriched his Translation with an excellent Preface, which is chiefly employed in a just and beautiful Portrait and Contrast of the true, and of the false Physician; with which I should have done myself the Pleasure to have adorned the present4Edition; if the Size of this Volume, already too large, had not proved an Obstacle to so considerable an Addition; and if the Manner, in whichMr.Hirzelspeaks of its Author, had permitted me with Decency to publish his Preface. I have been informed by some Letters, that there have been twootherGermanTranslation of it; but I am not informed by whom. However,M. Hirzel'sPreface, his own Notes, and some Additions with which I have furnished him, renders his Edition preferable to the first inFrench, and to the otherGermanTranslations already made.The Second Edition is that, which the youngerDidot, the Bookseller, published towards the End of the Winter atParis. He had requested me to furnish him with some Additions to it, which I could not readily comply with.The Third Edition is aDutchTranslation of it, which will be very speedily published byM. Renier Aremberg, Bookseller atRotterdam. He had begun the Translation from my first Edition; but having wrote to know whether I had not some Additions to make, I desired him to wait for the Publication of this. I have the good Fortune to be very happy in my Translators; it beingM. Bikker, a celebrated Physician atRotterdam(so very advantagiously known in other Countries, by his beautifulDissertation on Human Nature, throughout which Genius and Knowledge proceed Hand in Hand) who will present his Countrymen with theAdvice to the People, in their own Language: and who will improve it with such Notes, as are necessary for a safe and proper Application of its Contents, in a Climate, different from that in which it was wrote. I have also heard, there has been anItalianTranslation of it.After this Account of the foreign Editions, I return to the present one, which is the second of the originalFrenchTreatise. I shall not affirm it is greatly corrected, with Respect to fundamental Points: for as I had advanced nothing in the first, that was not established on Truth and Demonstration, there was no Room for Correction, with Regard to any essential Matters. Nevertheless, in this I have made, 1, a great Number of small Alterations in the Diction, and added several Words, to render the Work still more simple and perspicuous. 2, The typographical Execution of this is considerably improved in the Type, the Paper and Ink, the Spelling, Pointing, and Arrangement of the Work. 3, I have made some considerable Additions, which are of three Kinds. Not a few of them are new Articles on some of the Subjects formerly treated of; such as the Articles concerning Tarts and other Pastry Ware; the Addition concerning the Regimen for Persons, in a State of Recovery from Diseases; the Preparation for the Small Pocks; a long Note on the Jesuits Bark; another on acid Spirits; one on the Extract of Hemlock: besides some new Matter which I have inserted; such as an Article with Regard to proper Drinks; one on the Convulsions of Infants; one on Chilblains; another on Punctures from Thorns; one upon the Reason of the Confidence reposed in Quacks, and the thirty-firstChapter entirely: in which I have extended the Consideration of some former Articles, that seemed to me a little too succinct and short. There are some Alterations of this last, this additional, Kind, interspersed almost throughout the whole Substance of this Edition; but especially in the two Chapters relating to Women and Children.The Objects of theXXXI Chapterare such as require immediate Assistance, viz. Swoonings, Hæmorrhages, that is, large spontaneous Bleedings; the Attacks of Convulsions, and of Suffocations; the Consequences of Fright and Terror; Disorders occasioned by unwholesome or deadly Vapours; the Effects of Poison, and the sudden Invasions of excessive Pain.The Omission of this Chapter was a very material Defect in the original Plan of this Work. The Editor of it at Paris was very sensible of this Chasm, or Blank, as it may be called, and has filled it up very properly: and if I have not made Use of his Supplement, instead of enlarging myself upon the Articles of which he has treated, it has only been from a Purpose of rendering the whole Work more uniform; and to avoid that odd Diversity, which seems scarcely to be avoided in a Treatise composed by two Persons. Besides which, that Gentleman has said nothing of the Articles, which employ the greatest Part of that Chapter,viz.the Swoonings, theConsequences of great Fear, and the noxious Vapours.Before I conclude, I ought to justify myself, as well as possible, to a great Number of very respectable Persons both here and abroad, (to whom I can refuse nothing without great Chagrine and Reluctance) for my not having made such Additions as they desired of me. This however was impossible, as the Objects, in which they concurred, were some chronical Distempers, that are entirely out of the Plan, to which I was strictly attached, for many Reasons. The first is, that it was my original Purpose to oppose the Errors incurred in Country Places, in the Treatment of acute Diseases; and to display the best Method of conducting such, as do not admit of waiting for the Arrival of distant Succour; or of removing the Patients to Cities, or large Towns. It is but too true indeed, that chronical Diseases are also liable to improper Treatment in small Country Places: but then there are both Time and Convenience to convey the Patients within the Reach of better Advice; or for procuring them the Attendance of the best Advisers, at their own Places of Residence. Besides which, such Distempers are considerably less common than those to which I had restrained my Views: and they will become still less frequent, whenever acute Diseases, of which they are frequently the Consequences, shall be more rationally and safely conducted.The second Reason, which, if alone, would have been a sufficient one, is, that it is impossible to subject the Treatment of chronical Distempers to the Capacity and Conduct of Persons, who are not Physicians. Each acute Distemper generally arises from one Cause; and the Treatment of it is simple and uniform; since those Symptoms, which manifest the Malady, point out its Cause and Treatment. But the Case is very differently circumstanced in tedious and languid Diseases; each of which may depend on so many and various Causes (and it is only the real, the true Cause, which ought to determine us in selecting its proper Remedies) that though the Distemper and its Appellation are evidently known, a meer By-stander may be very remote from penetrating into its true Cause; and consequently be incapable of chusing the best Medicines for it. It is this precise and distinguishing Discernment of the real particular Cause[or of the contingent Concurrence of more than one]that necessarily requires the Presence of Persons conversant in the Study and the Practice of all the Parts of Physick; and which Knowledge it is impossible for People, who are Strangers to such Studies, to arrive at. Moreover, their frequent Complexness; the Variety of their Symptoms; the different Stages of these tedious Diseases [not exactly attended to even by many competent Physicians] the Difficulty of ascertaining the different Doses of Medicines, whose Activity may make the smallest Error highly dangerous, &c.&c. are really such trying Circumstances, as render the fittest Treatment of these Diseases sufficiently difficult and embarrassing to the most experienced Physicians, and unattainable by those who are not Physicians.A third Reason is, that, even supposing all these Circumstances might be made so plain and easy, as to be comprehended by every Reader, they would require a Work of an excessive Length; and thence be disproportioned to the Faculties of those, for whom it was intended. One single chronical Disease might require as large a Volume as the present one.But finally, were I to acknowledge, that this Compliance was both necessary and practicable, I declare I find it exceeds my Abilities; and that I am also far from having sufficient Leisure for the Execution of it. It is my Wish that others would attempt it, and may succeed in accomplishing it; but I hope these truly worthy Persons, who have honoured me by proposing the Achievement of it to myself, will perceive the Reasons for my not complying with it, in all their Force; and not ascribe a Refusal, which arises from the very Nature of the thing, either to Obstinacy, or to any Want of an Inclination to oblige them.I have been informed my Citations, or rather References, have puzzled some Readers. It was difficult to foresee this, but is easy to prevent it for the future. The Work contains Citations only of two Sorts; one, that points to the Remediesprescribed; and the other, which refers to some Passage in the Book itself, that serves to illustrate those Passages in which I cite. Neither of these References could have been omitted. The first is marked thus,Nº.with the proper Figure to it, as 1, 2, &c. This signifies, that the Medicine I direct is described in the Table of Remedies, according to the Number annexed to that Character. Thus when we find directed, in any Page of the Book, the warmInfusionNº. 1; in some other, the PtisanNº. 2; or in a third, the Almond Milk, or EmulsionNº. 4, it signifies, that such Prescriptions will be found at theNumbers 1, 2, and 4; and this Table is printed at the End of the Book.If, instead of forming this Table, and thus referring to the Prescriptions by their Numbers, I had repeated each Prescription as often as I directed it, this Treatise must have been doubled in Bulk, and insufferably tiresome to peruse. I must repeat here, what I have already said in the former Edition, that the5Prices of the Medicines, or of a great Number of them, are those at which the Apothecaries may afford them, without any Loss, to a Peasant in humble Circumstances. But it should be remembered, they are not set down at the full Prices which they may handily demand; since that would be unjust for some to insist onthem at. Besides, there is no Kind of Tax inSwisserland, and I have no Right to impose one.The Citations of the second Kind are very plain and simple. The whole Work is divided into numbered Paragraphs distinguished by the Mark §. And not to swell it with needless Repetitions, when in one Place I might have even pertinently repeated something already observed, instead of such Repetition at Length, I have only referred to the Paragraph, where it had been observed. Thus, for Example when we read Page81,§ 50—When the Disease is so circumstanced as we have described,§ 46,— this imports that, not to repeat the Description already given, I refer the Reader to that last § for it.The Use of these Citations is not the least Innovation, and extremely commodious and easy: but were there only a single Reader likely to be puzzled by them, I ought not to omit this Explanation of them, as I can expect to be generally useful, only in Proportion as I am clear: and it must be obvious, that a Desire of being extensively useful is the sole Motive of this Work. I have long since had the Happiness of knowing, that some charitable and intelligent Persons have applied the Directions it contains, with extraordinary Success, even in violent Diseases: And I shall arrive at the Height of my Wishes, if I continue to be informed, that it contributes to alleviate the Sufferings, and to prolong the Days, of my rational Fellow Creatures.N. B.A Small Blank occurring conveniently here in the Impression, the Translator of this Work has employed it to insert the following proper Remark,viz.Whenever the Tea or Infusion of the Lime-tree is directed in the Body of the Book, which it often is, theFlowersare always meant, and not theLeaves; though by an Error of the Press, or perhaps rather by an Oversight of the Transcribers of this Version, it is printedLeavesinstead ofFlowersP.392, as noted and corrected in theErrata. These Flowers are easily procurable here, meerly for gathering, in most Country Places inJuly, as few Walks, Vistas, &c. are without these Trees, planted for the pleasant Shade they afford, and to keep off the Dust in Summer, though the Leaf drops rather too early for this Purpose. Their Flowers have an agreeable Flavour, which is communicated to Water by Infusion, and rises with it in Distillation. They were, to the best of my Recollection, an Ingredient in the antiepileptic Water ofLangius, omitted in our late Dispensatories of the College. They are an Ingredient in the antiepileptic Powder, in the List of Medicines in the present Practice of theHotel DieuatParis: and we think were in a former Prescription of ourPulvis de Gutteta, or Powder against Convulsions. Indeed they are considered, by many medical Writers, as a Specific in all Kinds of Spasms and Pains; andHoffmanaffirms, heknew a very tedious Epilepsy cured by the Use of an Infusion of these Flowers.I also take this Opportunity of adding, that as this Translation is intended for the Attention and the Benefit of the Bulk of the Inhabitants of theBritishEmpire, I have been careful not to admit any Gallicisms into it; as such might render it either less intelligible, or less agreeable to its Readers. If but a single one occurs, I either have printed it, or did intend it should be printed, distinguishably in Italics.K.****

If Vanity too often disposes many to speak of themselves, there are some Occasions, on which a total Silence might be supposed to result from a still higher Degree of it: And the very general Reception of theAdvice to the Peoplehas been such, that there would be Room to suspect me of that most shocking Kind of Pride, which receives Applause with Indifference (as deeming its own Merit Superior to the greatest) if I did not appear to be strongly impressed with a just Sense of that great Favour of the Publick, which has been so very obliging, and is so highly agreable, to me.Unfeignedly affected with the unhappy Situation of the poor Sick in Country Places inSwisserland, where they are lost from a Scarcity of the best Assistance, and from a fatal Superfluity of the worst, my sole Purpose in writing this Treatise has been to serve, and to comfort them. I had intended it only for a small Extent of Country, with a moderate Number of Inhabitants; and was greatly surprized to find, that within five or six Months after its Publication, it was become one of the most extensively published Books inEurope; and one of those Treatises, on a scientific Subject, which has been perused by the greatest Number of Readers of all Ranks and Conditions. To consider such Success with Indifference, were to have been unworthy of it, which Demerit, at least on this Account, I cannot justly be charged with; since Indifference has not been my Case, who have felt, as I ought, this Gratification of Self-love; and which, under just and prudent Restrictions, may perhaps be even politically cherished; as the Delight naturally arising from having been approved, is a Source of that laudable Emulation, which has sometimes produced the most essential good Consequences to Society itself. For my own particular, I can truly aver, that my Satisfaction has been exquisitely heightened on this Occasion, as a Lover of my Species: since judging from the Success of this Work (a Success which has exceeded my utmost Expectations) of the Effects that may reasonably be expected from it, I am happily conscious of that Satisfaction, oreven Joy, which every truly honest Man must receive, from rendering essential good Offices to others. Besides which, I have enjoyed, in its utmost Extent, that Satisfaction which every grateful Man must receive from the Approbation and Beneficence of his Sovereign, when I was distinguished with the precious Medal, which the illustrious Chamber of Health of the Republick of Berne honoured me with, a few Months after the Publication of this Treatise; together with a Letter still more estimable, as it assured me of the extraordinary Satisfaction the Republick had testified on the Impression of it; a Circumstance, which I could not avoid this publick Acknowledgement of, without the greatest Vanity and Ingratitude. This has also been a very influencing Motive with me, to exert my utmost Abilities in perfecting this new Edition, in which I have made many Alterations, that render it greatly preferable to the first; and of which Amendments I shall give a brief Account, after saying somewhat of the Editions, which have appeared elsewhere.The first is that, which Messrs.Heidegger, the Booksellers published in theGermanLanguage atZurich, about a Year since. I should have been highly delighted with the meer Approbation ofM. Hirzel, first Physician of the Canton ofZurich, &c.whose superior and universal Talents; whose profound Knowledge in the Theory of Physick; and the Extent and Successof whose Practice have justly elevated him among the small Number of extraordinary Men of our own Times; he having lately obtained the Esteem and the Thanks of allEurope,for the History of one of her3Sages. But I little expected the Honour this Gentleman has done me, in translating theAdvice to the Peopleinto his own Language. Highly sensible nevertheless as I am of this Honour, I must always reflect with Regret, that he has consumed that important Time, in rendering my Directions intelligible to his Countrymen, which he might have employed much more usefully, in obliging the World with his own.He has enriched his Translation with an excellent Preface, which is chiefly employed in a just and beautiful Portrait and Contrast of the true, and of the false Physician; with which I should have done myself the Pleasure to have adorned the present4Edition; if the Size of this Volume, already too large, had not proved an Obstacle to so considerable an Addition; and if the Manner, in whichMr.Hirzelspeaks of its Author, had permitted me with Decency to publish his Preface. I have been informed by some Letters, that there have been twootherGermanTranslation of it; but I am not informed by whom. However,M. Hirzel'sPreface, his own Notes, and some Additions with which I have furnished him, renders his Edition preferable to the first inFrench, and to the otherGermanTranslations already made.

Unfeignedly affected with the unhappy Situation of the poor Sick in Country Places inSwisserland, where they are lost from a Scarcity of the best Assistance, and from a fatal Superfluity of the worst, my sole Purpose in writing this Treatise has been to serve, and to comfort them. I had intended it only for a small Extent of Country, with a moderate Number of Inhabitants; and was greatly surprized to find, that within five or six Months after its Publication, it was become one of the most extensively published Books inEurope; and one of those Treatises, on a scientific Subject, which has been perused by the greatest Number of Readers of all Ranks and Conditions. To consider such Success with Indifference, were to have been unworthy of it, which Demerit, at least on this Account, I cannot justly be charged with; since Indifference has not been my Case, who have felt, as I ought, this Gratification of Self-love; and which, under just and prudent Restrictions, may perhaps be even politically cherished; as the Delight naturally arising from having been approved, is a Source of that laudable Emulation, which has sometimes produced the most essential good Consequences to Society itself. For my own particular, I can truly aver, that my Satisfaction has been exquisitely heightened on this Occasion, as a Lover of my Species: since judging from the Success of this Work (a Success which has exceeded my utmost Expectations) of the Effects that may reasonably be expected from it, I am happily conscious of that Satisfaction, oreven Joy, which every truly honest Man must receive, from rendering essential good Offices to others. Besides which, I have enjoyed, in its utmost Extent, that Satisfaction which every grateful Man must receive from the Approbation and Beneficence of his Sovereign, when I was distinguished with the precious Medal, which the illustrious Chamber of Health of the Republick of Berne honoured me with, a few Months after the Publication of this Treatise; together with a Letter still more estimable, as it assured me of the extraordinary Satisfaction the Republick had testified on the Impression of it; a Circumstance, which I could not avoid this publick Acknowledgement of, without the greatest Vanity and Ingratitude. This has also been a very influencing Motive with me, to exert my utmost Abilities in perfecting this new Edition, in which I have made many Alterations, that render it greatly preferable to the first; and of which Amendments I shall give a brief Account, after saying somewhat of the Editions, which have appeared elsewhere.

The first is that, which Messrs.Heidegger, the Booksellers published in theGermanLanguage atZurich, about a Year since. I should have been highly delighted with the meer Approbation ofM. Hirzel, first Physician of the Canton ofZurich, &c.whose superior and universal Talents; whose profound Knowledge in the Theory of Physick; and the Extent and Successof whose Practice have justly elevated him among the small Number of extraordinary Men of our own Times; he having lately obtained the Esteem and the Thanks of allEurope,for the History of one of her3Sages. But I little expected the Honour this Gentleman has done me, in translating theAdvice to the Peopleinto his own Language. Highly sensible nevertheless as I am of this Honour, I must always reflect with Regret, that he has consumed that important Time, in rendering my Directions intelligible to his Countrymen, which he might have employed much more usefully, in obliging the World with his own.

He has enriched his Translation with an excellent Preface, which is chiefly employed in a just and beautiful Portrait and Contrast of the true, and of the false Physician; with which I should have done myself the Pleasure to have adorned the present4Edition; if the Size of this Volume, already too large, had not proved an Obstacle to so considerable an Addition; and if the Manner, in whichMr.Hirzelspeaks of its Author, had permitted me with Decency to publish his Preface. I have been informed by some Letters, that there have been twootherGermanTranslation of it; but I am not informed by whom. However,M. Hirzel'sPreface, his own Notes, and some Additions with which I have furnished him, renders his Edition preferable to the first inFrench, and to the otherGermanTranslations already made.

The Second Edition is that, which the youngerDidot, the Bookseller, published towards the End of the Winter atParis. He had requested me to furnish him with some Additions to it, which I could not readily comply with.The Third Edition is aDutchTranslation of it, which will be very speedily published byM. Renier Aremberg, Bookseller atRotterdam. He had begun the Translation from my first Edition; but having wrote to know whether I had not some Additions to make, I desired him to wait for the Publication of this. I have the good Fortune to be very happy in my Translators; it beingM. Bikker, a celebrated Physician atRotterdam(so very advantagiously known in other Countries, by his beautifulDissertation on Human Nature, throughout which Genius and Knowledge proceed Hand in Hand) who will present his Countrymen with theAdvice to the People, in their own Language: and who will improve it with such Notes, as are necessary for a safe and proper Application of its Contents, in a Climate, different from that in which it was wrote. I have also heard, there has been anItalianTranslation of it.After this Account of the foreign Editions, I return to the present one, which is the second of the originalFrenchTreatise. I shall not affirm it is greatly corrected, with Respect to fundamental Points: for as I had advanced nothing in the first, that was not established on Truth and Demonstration, there was no Room for Correction, with Regard to any essential Matters. Nevertheless, in this I have made, 1, a great Number of small Alterations in the Diction, and added several Words, to render the Work still more simple and perspicuous. 2, The typographical Execution of this is considerably improved in the Type, the Paper and Ink, the Spelling, Pointing, and Arrangement of the Work. 3, I have made some considerable Additions, which are of three Kinds. Not a few of them are new Articles on some of the Subjects formerly treated of; such as the Articles concerning Tarts and other Pastry Ware; the Addition concerning the Regimen for Persons, in a State of Recovery from Diseases; the Preparation for the Small Pocks; a long Note on the Jesuits Bark; another on acid Spirits; one on the Extract of Hemlock: besides some new Matter which I have inserted; such as an Article with Regard to proper Drinks; one on the Convulsions of Infants; one on Chilblains; another on Punctures from Thorns; one upon the Reason of the Confidence reposed in Quacks, and the thirty-firstChapter entirely: in which I have extended the Consideration of some former Articles, that seemed to me a little too succinct and short. There are some Alterations of this last, this additional, Kind, interspersed almost throughout the whole Substance of this Edition; but especially in the two Chapters relating to Women and Children.The Objects of theXXXI Chapterare such as require immediate Assistance, viz. Swoonings, Hæmorrhages, that is, large spontaneous Bleedings; the Attacks of Convulsions, and of Suffocations; the Consequences of Fright and Terror; Disorders occasioned by unwholesome or deadly Vapours; the Effects of Poison, and the sudden Invasions of excessive Pain.The Omission of this Chapter was a very material Defect in the original Plan of this Work. The Editor of it at Paris was very sensible of this Chasm, or Blank, as it may be called, and has filled it up very properly: and if I have not made Use of his Supplement, instead of enlarging myself upon the Articles of which he has treated, it has only been from a Purpose of rendering the whole Work more uniform; and to avoid that odd Diversity, which seems scarcely to be avoided in a Treatise composed by two Persons. Besides which, that Gentleman has said nothing of the Articles, which employ the greatest Part of that Chapter,viz.the Swoonings, theConsequences of great Fear, and the noxious Vapours.Before I conclude, I ought to justify myself, as well as possible, to a great Number of very respectable Persons both here and abroad, (to whom I can refuse nothing without great Chagrine and Reluctance) for my not having made such Additions as they desired of me. This however was impossible, as the Objects, in which they concurred, were some chronical Distempers, that are entirely out of the Plan, to which I was strictly attached, for many Reasons. The first is, that it was my original Purpose to oppose the Errors incurred in Country Places, in the Treatment of acute Diseases; and to display the best Method of conducting such, as do not admit of waiting for the Arrival of distant Succour; or of removing the Patients to Cities, or large Towns. It is but too true indeed, that chronical Diseases are also liable to improper Treatment in small Country Places: but then there are both Time and Convenience to convey the Patients within the Reach of better Advice; or for procuring them the Attendance of the best Advisers, at their own Places of Residence. Besides which, such Distempers are considerably less common than those to which I had restrained my Views: and they will become still less frequent, whenever acute Diseases, of which they are frequently the Consequences, shall be more rationally and safely conducted.The second Reason, which, if alone, would have been a sufficient one, is, that it is impossible to subject the Treatment of chronical Distempers to the Capacity and Conduct of Persons, who are not Physicians. Each acute Distemper generally arises from one Cause; and the Treatment of it is simple and uniform; since those Symptoms, which manifest the Malady, point out its Cause and Treatment. But the Case is very differently circumstanced in tedious and languid Diseases; each of which may depend on so many and various Causes (and it is only the real, the true Cause, which ought to determine us in selecting its proper Remedies) that though the Distemper and its Appellation are evidently known, a meer By-stander may be very remote from penetrating into its true Cause; and consequently be incapable of chusing the best Medicines for it. It is this precise and distinguishing Discernment of the real particular Cause[or of the contingent Concurrence of more than one]that necessarily requires the Presence of Persons conversant in the Study and the Practice of all the Parts of Physick; and which Knowledge it is impossible for People, who are Strangers to such Studies, to arrive at. Moreover, their frequent Complexness; the Variety of their Symptoms; the different Stages of these tedious Diseases [not exactly attended to even by many competent Physicians] the Difficulty of ascertaining the different Doses of Medicines, whose Activity may make the smallest Error highly dangerous, &c.&c. are really such trying Circumstances, as render the fittest Treatment of these Diseases sufficiently difficult and embarrassing to the most experienced Physicians, and unattainable by those who are not Physicians.A third Reason is, that, even supposing all these Circumstances might be made so plain and easy, as to be comprehended by every Reader, they would require a Work of an excessive Length; and thence be disproportioned to the Faculties of those, for whom it was intended. One single chronical Disease might require as large a Volume as the present one.But finally, were I to acknowledge, that this Compliance was both necessary and practicable, I declare I find it exceeds my Abilities; and that I am also far from having sufficient Leisure for the Execution of it. It is my Wish that others would attempt it, and may succeed in accomplishing it; but I hope these truly worthy Persons, who have honoured me by proposing the Achievement of it to myself, will perceive the Reasons for my not complying with it, in all their Force; and not ascribe a Refusal, which arises from the very Nature of the thing, either to Obstinacy, or to any Want of an Inclination to oblige them.I have been informed my Citations, or rather References, have puzzled some Readers. It was difficult to foresee this, but is easy to prevent it for the future. The Work contains Citations only of two Sorts; one, that points to the Remediesprescribed; and the other, which refers to some Passage in the Book itself, that serves to illustrate those Passages in which I cite. Neither of these References could have been omitted. The first is marked thus,Nº.with the proper Figure to it, as 1, 2, &c. This signifies, that the Medicine I direct is described in the Table of Remedies, according to the Number annexed to that Character. Thus when we find directed, in any Page of the Book, the warmInfusionNº. 1; in some other, the PtisanNº. 2; or in a third, the Almond Milk, or EmulsionNº. 4, it signifies, that such Prescriptions will be found at theNumbers 1, 2, and 4; and this Table is printed at the End of the Book.If, instead of forming this Table, and thus referring to the Prescriptions by their Numbers, I had repeated each Prescription as often as I directed it, this Treatise must have been doubled in Bulk, and insufferably tiresome to peruse. I must repeat here, what I have already said in the former Edition, that the5Prices of the Medicines, or of a great Number of them, are those at which the Apothecaries may afford them, without any Loss, to a Peasant in humble Circumstances. But it should be remembered, they are not set down at the full Prices which they may handily demand; since that would be unjust for some to insist onthem at. Besides, there is no Kind of Tax inSwisserland, and I have no Right to impose one.

The Third Edition is aDutchTranslation of it, which will be very speedily published byM. Renier Aremberg, Bookseller atRotterdam. He had begun the Translation from my first Edition; but having wrote to know whether I had not some Additions to make, I desired him to wait for the Publication of this. I have the good Fortune to be very happy in my Translators; it beingM. Bikker, a celebrated Physician atRotterdam(so very advantagiously known in other Countries, by his beautifulDissertation on Human Nature, throughout which Genius and Knowledge proceed Hand in Hand) who will present his Countrymen with theAdvice to the People, in their own Language: and who will improve it with such Notes, as are necessary for a safe and proper Application of its Contents, in a Climate, different from that in which it was wrote. I have also heard, there has been anItalianTranslation of it.

After this Account of the foreign Editions, I return to the present one, which is the second of the originalFrenchTreatise. I shall not affirm it is greatly corrected, with Respect to fundamental Points: for as I had advanced nothing in the first, that was not established on Truth and Demonstration, there was no Room for Correction, with Regard to any essential Matters. Nevertheless, in this I have made, 1, a great Number of small Alterations in the Diction, and added several Words, to render the Work still more simple and perspicuous. 2, The typographical Execution of this is considerably improved in the Type, the Paper and Ink, the Spelling, Pointing, and Arrangement of the Work. 3, I have made some considerable Additions, which are of three Kinds. Not a few of them are new Articles on some of the Subjects formerly treated of; such as the Articles concerning Tarts and other Pastry Ware; the Addition concerning the Regimen for Persons, in a State of Recovery from Diseases; the Preparation for the Small Pocks; a long Note on the Jesuits Bark; another on acid Spirits; one on the Extract of Hemlock: besides some new Matter which I have inserted; such as an Article with Regard to proper Drinks; one on the Convulsions of Infants; one on Chilblains; another on Punctures from Thorns; one upon the Reason of the Confidence reposed in Quacks, and the thirty-firstChapter entirely: in which I have extended the Consideration of some former Articles, that seemed to me a little too succinct and short. There are some Alterations of this last, this additional, Kind, interspersed almost throughout the whole Substance of this Edition; but especially in the two Chapters relating to Women and Children.

The Objects of theXXXI Chapterare such as require immediate Assistance, viz. Swoonings, Hæmorrhages, that is, large spontaneous Bleedings; the Attacks of Convulsions, and of Suffocations; the Consequences of Fright and Terror; Disorders occasioned by unwholesome or deadly Vapours; the Effects of Poison, and the sudden Invasions of excessive Pain.

The Omission of this Chapter was a very material Defect in the original Plan of this Work. The Editor of it at Paris was very sensible of this Chasm, or Blank, as it may be called, and has filled it up very properly: and if I have not made Use of his Supplement, instead of enlarging myself upon the Articles of which he has treated, it has only been from a Purpose of rendering the whole Work more uniform; and to avoid that odd Diversity, which seems scarcely to be avoided in a Treatise composed by two Persons. Besides which, that Gentleman has said nothing of the Articles, which employ the greatest Part of that Chapter,viz.the Swoonings, theConsequences of great Fear, and the noxious Vapours.

Before I conclude, I ought to justify myself, as well as possible, to a great Number of very respectable Persons both here and abroad, (to whom I can refuse nothing without great Chagrine and Reluctance) for my not having made such Additions as they desired of me. This however was impossible, as the Objects, in which they concurred, were some chronical Distempers, that are entirely out of the Plan, to which I was strictly attached, for many Reasons. The first is, that it was my original Purpose to oppose the Errors incurred in Country Places, in the Treatment of acute Diseases; and to display the best Method of conducting such, as do not admit of waiting for the Arrival of distant Succour; or of removing the Patients to Cities, or large Towns. It is but too true indeed, that chronical Diseases are also liable to improper Treatment in small Country Places: but then there are both Time and Convenience to convey the Patients within the Reach of better Advice; or for procuring them the Attendance of the best Advisers, at their own Places of Residence. Besides which, such Distempers are considerably less common than those to which I had restrained my Views: and they will become still less frequent, whenever acute Diseases, of which they are frequently the Consequences, shall be more rationally and safely conducted.

The second Reason, which, if alone, would have been a sufficient one, is, that it is impossible to subject the Treatment of chronical Distempers to the Capacity and Conduct of Persons, who are not Physicians. Each acute Distemper generally arises from one Cause; and the Treatment of it is simple and uniform; since those Symptoms, which manifest the Malady, point out its Cause and Treatment. But the Case is very differently circumstanced in tedious and languid Diseases; each of which may depend on so many and various Causes (and it is only the real, the true Cause, which ought to determine us in selecting its proper Remedies) that though the Distemper and its Appellation are evidently known, a meer By-stander may be very remote from penetrating into its true Cause; and consequently be incapable of chusing the best Medicines for it. It is this precise and distinguishing Discernment of the real particular Cause[or of the contingent Concurrence of more than one]that necessarily requires the Presence of Persons conversant in the Study and the Practice of all the Parts of Physick; and which Knowledge it is impossible for People, who are Strangers to such Studies, to arrive at. Moreover, their frequent Complexness; the Variety of their Symptoms; the different Stages of these tedious Diseases [not exactly attended to even by many competent Physicians] the Difficulty of ascertaining the different Doses of Medicines, whose Activity may make the smallest Error highly dangerous, &c.&c. are really such trying Circumstances, as render the fittest Treatment of these Diseases sufficiently difficult and embarrassing to the most experienced Physicians, and unattainable by those who are not Physicians.

A third Reason is, that, even supposing all these Circumstances might be made so plain and easy, as to be comprehended by every Reader, they would require a Work of an excessive Length; and thence be disproportioned to the Faculties of those, for whom it was intended. One single chronical Disease might require as large a Volume as the present one.

But finally, were I to acknowledge, that this Compliance was both necessary and practicable, I declare I find it exceeds my Abilities; and that I am also far from having sufficient Leisure for the Execution of it. It is my Wish that others would attempt it, and may succeed in accomplishing it; but I hope these truly worthy Persons, who have honoured me by proposing the Achievement of it to myself, will perceive the Reasons for my not complying with it, in all their Force; and not ascribe a Refusal, which arises from the very Nature of the thing, either to Obstinacy, or to any Want of an Inclination to oblige them.

I have been informed my Citations, or rather References, have puzzled some Readers. It was difficult to foresee this, but is easy to prevent it for the future. The Work contains Citations only of two Sorts; one, that points to the Remediesprescribed; and the other, which refers to some Passage in the Book itself, that serves to illustrate those Passages in which I cite. Neither of these References could have been omitted. The first is marked thus,Nº.with the proper Figure to it, as 1, 2, &c. This signifies, that the Medicine I direct is described in the Table of Remedies, according to the Number annexed to that Character. Thus when we find directed, in any Page of the Book, the warmInfusionNº. 1; in some other, the PtisanNº. 2; or in a third, the Almond Milk, or EmulsionNº. 4, it signifies, that such Prescriptions will be found at theNumbers 1, 2, and 4; and this Table is printed at the End of the Book.

If, instead of forming this Table, and thus referring to the Prescriptions by their Numbers, I had repeated each Prescription as often as I directed it, this Treatise must have been doubled in Bulk, and insufferably tiresome to peruse. I must repeat here, what I have already said in the former Edition, that the5Prices of the Medicines, or of a great Number of them, are those at which the Apothecaries may afford them, without any Loss, to a Peasant in humble Circumstances. But it should be remembered, they are not set down at the full Prices which they may handily demand; since that would be unjust for some to insist onthem at. Besides, there is no Kind of Tax inSwisserland, and I have no Right to impose one.

The Citations of the second Kind are very plain and simple. The whole Work is divided into numbered Paragraphs distinguished by the Mark §. And not to swell it with needless Repetitions, when in one Place I might have even pertinently repeated something already observed, instead of such Repetition at Length, I have only referred to the Paragraph, where it had been observed. Thus, for Example when we read Page81,§ 50—When the Disease is so circumstanced as we have described,§ 46,— this imports that, not to repeat the Description already given, I refer the Reader to that last § for it.The Use of these Citations is not the least Innovation, and extremely commodious and easy: but were there only a single Reader likely to be puzzled by them, I ought not to omit this Explanation of them, as I can expect to be generally useful, only in Proportion as I am clear: and it must be obvious, that a Desire of being extensively useful is the sole Motive of this Work. I have long since had the Happiness of knowing, that some charitable and intelligent Persons have applied the Directions it contains, with extraordinary Success, even in violent Diseases: And I shall arrive at the Height of my Wishes, if I continue to be informed, that it contributes to alleviate the Sufferings, and to prolong the Days, of my rational Fellow Creatures.

The Use of these Citations is not the least Innovation, and extremely commodious and easy: but were there only a single Reader likely to be puzzled by them, I ought not to omit this Explanation of them, as I can expect to be generally useful, only in Proportion as I am clear: and it must be obvious, that a Desire of being extensively useful is the sole Motive of this Work. I have long since had the Happiness of knowing, that some charitable and intelligent Persons have applied the Directions it contains, with extraordinary Success, even in violent Diseases: And I shall arrive at the Height of my Wishes, if I continue to be informed, that it contributes to alleviate the Sufferings, and to prolong the Days, of my rational Fellow Creatures.

N. B.A Small Blank occurring conveniently here in the Impression, the Translator of this Work has employed it to insert the following proper Remark,viz.

Whenever the Tea or Infusion of the Lime-tree is directed in the Body of the Book, which it often is, theFlowersare always meant, and not theLeaves; though by an Error of the Press, or perhaps rather by an Oversight of the Transcribers of this Version, it is printedLeavesinstead ofFlowersP.392, as noted and corrected in theErrata. These Flowers are easily procurable here, meerly for gathering, in most Country Places inJuly, as few Walks, Vistas, &c. are without these Trees, planted for the pleasant Shade they afford, and to keep off the Dust in Summer, though the Leaf drops rather too early for this Purpose. Their Flowers have an agreeable Flavour, which is communicated to Water by Infusion, and rises with it in Distillation. They were, to the best of my Recollection, an Ingredient in the antiepileptic Water ofLangius, omitted in our late Dispensatories of the College. They are an Ingredient in the antiepileptic Powder, in the List of Medicines in the present Practice of theHotel DieuatParis: and we think were in a former Prescription of ourPulvis de Gutteta, or Powder against Convulsions. Indeed they are considered, by many medical Writers, as a Specific in all Kinds of Spasms and Pains; andHoffmanaffirms, heknew a very tedious Epilepsy cured by the Use of an Infusion of these Flowers.

I also take this Opportunity of adding, that as this Translation is intended for the Attention and the Benefit of the Bulk of the Inhabitants of theBritishEmpire, I have been careful not to admit any Gallicisms into it; as such might render it either less intelligible, or less agreeable to its Readers. If but a single one occurs, I either have printed it, or did intend it should be printed, distinguishably in Italics.K.

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