Medela medicinæ a plea for the free prosestion and renovation of the art of physick, out of the noblest and most authentick writers ... : tending to the rescue of mankind from the tyranny of diseases, and of physicians themselves, from the pedansism of old authors and present dictators / the author, M. N. ...

To the Right Noble Lord MY LORD Marquis of Dorchester.

My Lord,

YOUR Lordship being look'd on as a Prince among Philosophers and Physicians, there∣fore it is, that though the Author of this Treatise hath no Interest in you, he conceives himself to have Relation enough to you by his Pro∣fession, to venture a fixing of his eye upon you, and to present himself in this Book before you, as a most pro∣per Judg to determine whether he ought to be protected, or no, in this bold Attempt, to open the eyes of our little World touching

the State of Physick. It is not my Opinion only, That there is a ne∣cessity of setling it upon better Doctrines, Methods, and Medi∣cines; nor have I ventured to write any thing to that purpose, meerly upon account of my own Reason (for, should an Angel from Heaven speak to some People upon his own word, he would hardly be believed); but others have in their Writings drop'd, here and there many passages to the purpose; and the Reasons which I have offer'd, I suppose your Lordship will find here to be suffi∣ciently seconded by the most Learned men in the World, I ha∣ving said little but what is expres∣sed in their Language, which cost me a great deal of pains to collect; And I was the more willing so to manage the Discourse, because I

had a mind to get countenance to my Design, from the Opinions and Determinations of others more able than my self. Which being said, truly (my Lord) I am some∣what confident I have done the business that I aim'd at; and there wants nothing to compleat this Confidence, but the passing of your Lordships Judgment; which living Testimony if I obtain, after the many other, both dead and li∣ving ones, which I have cited in this Book, I shall take the greater pleasure in the Atchievement: However, I shall have content, in regard I have a Thousand Testi∣monies, a Conscience well dis∣charged in the Work, and a Cou∣rage for that Cause able to bear the brunt of ten Thousand Calum∣nies and Reproaches, if they come, instead of Reason, from such Phy∣sicians

as are contrary-minded. But, in recompence of such a Reward from some, I know I shall have grateful Acknowledgments from others of true Learning and Inge∣nuity, when they come hereafter to know my Name, which at pre∣sent I forbear to prefix at length; not that I am ashamed of the Trea∣tise, but to the end that when it is exposed to publick Censure, men may pass the clearer Judgment, without passion or partiality; see∣ing when Authors are known, some out of respect to the Persons, others out of envy, are apt to ap∣prove, or to condemn.

Your Lordship will therefore, I hope, excuse this Anonymous Ad∣dress; and if you meet with any acute Reflections upon the Galenick way, I presume they are no other than necessary for the awakning of

such as silently rest in an Opinion of its sufficiency; for certainly, after a subduing of it by strength of Rea∣son, and so many good Authorities, it is but just to act a little triumph over such Persons, who continually calumniate men that are not of their way, and are so confident, as to attempt an Autarchie in Physick, and long for an opportunity to op∣press and trample upon the nobler sort of Philosophers and Physicians, and, if it were in their power, ut∣terly to extinguish them; when as (to use a vulgar Anglicism) they are not worthy to be named the same day with them, for true know∣ledg in the Art.

I shall (my Lord) say little more from my self, but end with the words of a worthy Member of the Colledg of Physicians (by name D^r Bennet) not long since deceased,

in his Epistle to the Reader before his Theatri Tabidorum Vestibulum; Let none spurn at me because what I offer is of a new Production; for, I have by certitude of Observations, faithfully and succinctly laid open the fallacy of some Opinions anci∣ently received, and not taken Precepts upon trust, only from Authors, for understanding the Constitution of Na∣ture. Moreover, I have not learn'd to go according to Vulgar Institution, but have made bold to step aside out of the Common Road, being inclined to contemplate and reverence Nature, rather than her Apes. And his Book concludes, as I do this Epistle to your Lordship, thus: I would to God that Physitians would think of refining, correcting, and altering the Method of Physick, that it might be more accurately and efficaciously fitted to the scopes of Curation; in

order whereunto, a liberty of think∣ing and speaking freely being first obtained, notwithstanding the obsti∣nacy of crabbed and morose old Fel∣lows, I shall undertake, relying upon Experience, and being instructed by her, to publish and positively assert divers things, somwhat copiously and boldly, according to the nature of my Design.

But I should not have been so bold here to talk at this rate before you, had not the words been put into my mouth by one whose Writing speaks him to have been one of the freest and most ingenu∣ous of the Doctors. And as to what concerns me, seeing I am at present concealed from your Lordship, let me give you this brief account of my self; That the Treatise is presented to you by one that from his Youth hath been

conversant in the Studies of Phy∣sick, and came young to the pra∣ctise of it in this great City, above twenty years ago; and after some years of forbearance, though nev••r from the Study, returned again to Practise; and how he hath since spent his time, in end••avouring to meliorate Medicine, will best ap∣pear by what follows; which I humbly submit to your Lordship, as to one that is raised aloft by your own Noble Conceptions, Observations, and Knowledg in Experimental Philosophy, above the Pedantry of this Profession; and being an able Judg, you will (I dare say) be just in passing Sentence, without affection to the one or the other Party.

London, Novemb. 26. 1664.