FREDERICKSBURG, March 28, 1768.
Omni [illegible scratched]
FROM whence proceeds the stort reciprocating breath,
The lobe adhesive, and the sweat of death.
By what degrees the tubercles arise,
How slow, or quick, they ripen into size;
How art prevents, or mitigates the pain;
Friends of humanity! Thy works explain.
But if a crime thy native tongue be thought,
Say, Thus Hippocrates and Celsus wrote,
Great Guides ! whose pure simplicities excel.
The puzzling pride of latinizing well.
Then may the judging few in this agree,
English and sense should of the world be free.
These are a few lines that were addressed to the learned and ingenious Sir Richard Blackmore, for writing on the diseases incident to the breast and lungs; tho' Morton and others have wrote extremely well on the many and various causes a consumption proceeds from.
I propose, if encouragement it meets with, and health permits, to write a small and concise treatise for the benefit of mankind, when no Gentleman of the profession is to be met with at times, in the following manner:-----First, to give a description of the following acute diseases. Secondly, what steps and medicines to give, till such time some Gentleman of the profession may be consulted.
The apoplexy, inflammatory quinsy, an ulcerated sore throat, pleurisy, an peripnumony, inflammations of the bowels, body in general, such as fevers, nervous and eruptive, with some particular remarks on the small-pox, to which will be added, some miscellaneous cases under the author's own care, with observations.
The bite of a mad boar, and the cure of a man's throat being cut from ear to ear; puncture in the breast, another of the same; an imposthume in the breast; another of the same; a puncture of the abdomen, and two remarkable cases in the dropsy; likewise a remarkable case of a great quantity of laudanum being taken.
Each subscriber to pay 10s. a book, current money, and what volumes they take, alphabetically to be printed. When I get a sufficient number of subscribers, the book will be printed. No money will be demanded till then.
HENRY HEATH.