The fource of this error feems to arife from people not being duly fenfible of the value of health, till they have loft it, and the evils they might certainly avoid on this occafion; for, in general, medical advice, and the fervices that might refult from it, are undervalued and difregarded, on the mere prefumption that the diseases they are faid to have prevented, would probably never have happened. But if intemperance and neglect are known to deftroy health; temperance and prudent caution will as certainly preferve it. Valetudinarians would therefore act a friendly part to themselves, in fuppofing a Phyfician as much entitled to reasonable gain, for laying down rules towards the preservation of health, as he who fhould prefcribe medicines with a view to restore it.

If fome faults, therefore, fall to the fhare of the medical profeffion, others may as justly be imputed to many who employ them.

them.

Very unreasonable advantages are fometimes taken of the most liberal and difinterested conduct. The vifits of a Phyfician, or attendance of an Apothecary, are often requifite, when the first finds it unneceffary to prescribe medicines, or the last to prepare them.

There are feasons when they ought to be difcontinued as well as adminiftered, and every one who has judgment and probity will duly regard fuch diftinctions; but this cannot poffibly be done without seeing the patient from time to time; confequently, vifits made on those occafions being equally important to their fafety, ought not to be difregarded; and it is a real hardship that thofe whom honefty forbids to direct medicines, where none are neceffary, should fuffer in their intereft on that account.

It would be affectation, as well as ingratitude in me to regard with indifference the distinguished marks of public approbation, however unmerited, which

the former editions of thefe Medical Inftructions have been received, notwithftanding the puny efforts of selfishness and prejudice. If I have had much trouble in preparing them for publication; the pleasure I have fincerely felt, in rendering them ferviceable to the community, has been a fufficient recompence.

CHAP.

CHAP. I.

SECTION I.

Of the Periodical Discharge peculiar to Women, in its natural ftate, commencing at the age of maturity.

TOWARDS a more perfect knowledge of Chronic Difeafes incident to women, and as an introduction to their treatment and cure, it will be neceffary to explain the nature of that periodical discharge which commences at the age of maturity.

A minute difcuffion of the many fpecu. lative points and contraverted opinions mentioned by authors, would rather embarrass and

D 3

and perplex, than inftruct the female reader, it will be fufficient to lay before her fuch plain and obvious circumstances as afford a general idea of the fubject, and tend to dif poffefs her mind of those prevailing errors, which might otherwise influence her conduct to the prejudice of health.

First then, it should be remarked, that a woman's conftitution is endowed with the power to prepare a larger quantity of vital fluid called blood, than is neceffary for the immediate fubfiftence of her own body; the overplus being intended for the nourishment of her child in the womb; and left it fhould over-fill the veffels and incommode her conftitution, when fhe is not pregnant, provident nature has ordered it off by the womb once a month; it is therefore properly called the Menfes or Monthly Dif charge.

'Tis evident that this fuperfluous blood was intended for the fervice of the infant, because