Five essays

Front matter

* ‘7 lJUL

FIVE ESSAYS.

BY

Preface

With one exception, the essays which constitute the present volume, have already been given to the public. The treatise upon Animal Magnetism, written some years ago, and partially prepared for the press, was intended, in the first instance, to be read to the college of physicians of this city, and still bears the traces of its destination. The late Dr. Mitchell finally contented himself with announcing, to that learned body, the conclusions at which he had arrived. His reasons for so long delaying the publication of the essay itself, will readily suggest themselves to those who remember with what distrust the more conservative part of the community looked upon any one whose name had the misfortune to be linked with a subject which most prudent men, at that time, unjustly regarded as the province of the empiric and the traveling exhibitor, rather than the rightful domain of scientific inquiry. What qualifications the author brought to this ungrateful task, are best known to the physicians of this country, to so many of whom, as students, his voice was familiar in the clinic and the lecture-room. To them these essays will need no introduction. As regards others, the editor feels glad to be able in this connection to point to Dr. Mitchell’s essays upon the Passage of Gases and Fluids through Membranes, as evidences of his skill in the exact investigations of the laboratory, as well as of the love of truth, and the cautious temper with which he approached every subject of research.

The essay upon the Fungous origin of Fevers, needs but little

VI

PREFACE.

comment. It is well known as the leader of medical thought in a new direction, and has for some time been out of print ; the first and only edition having been early disposed of.

From a number of papers by Dr. Mitchell, upon strictly practical medicine, the editor has selected that upon the treatment of Acute Articular Rheumatism, as the most important. The publication of this essay affected the treatment of rheumatism throughout the country, and is still a favorite mode of practice in this formidable malady.

The essays which are not comprised in this volume, are to be found scattered through various medical journals. They include papers upon the Treatment of Dysentery, Spinal Curvatures, the Tests for Arsenic, Smallpox, and Vaccinia, in conjunction with Dr. John Bell ; on the Solidification of Carbonic Acid Gas, and others of minor note.

With this brief preface, the editor resigns to the medical public these essays by one, of whose scientific labors and personal example, in all the relations of life, his medical brethren have at least no reason to feel ashamed.

S. WEIR MITCHELL, M.D.,

1226 Walnut Street, Philadelphia.