Authentic memoirs, biographical, critical, and literary, of the most eminent physicians and surgeons of Great Britain; with a choice collection of their prescriptions, and account of the medical charities of the metropolis, &c. &c.

Date:
1818
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Authentic memoirs, biographical, critical, and literary, of the most eminent physicians and surgeons of Great Britain; with a choice collection of their prescriptions, and account of the medical charities of the metropolis, &c. &c. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

    165/680 (page 119)
    He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society: and in the Transactions of that learned body for 1809, he has published a dissertation on the different species of mucus, with a practical view, in order to distinguish real pul- monary affections by this criterion. In this dissertation he has calculated, that no less than 140,000 persons fall annually victims to pulmonary diseases in this country: thus pointing out the importance of being able to distin- guish early the true nature of such maladies, with the view of taking those precautionary measures, which can only be effectual to prevent their fatality. Another subject which attracted the attention of Dr. Pearson, at an early period, was the analysis of that cele- brated chemical preparation, Dr. James’s Powder. This medicine, originally introduced from the continent, had, by the industry of Dr. James, and concurring circum- stances, acquired the highest reputation, and this reputa- tion it had acquired equally with the profession as with the public. Something mysterious was supposed con- nected with the mode of preparation : and it was in order to convince the profession in respect to this, and to shew that the antimonial powder of the Dispensary was nearly the same, that Dr. Pearson undertook this investigation. As a chemist, the merits of Dr. Pearson stand very high. He has published a correct view of the different changes in the Chemical Nomenclature, agreeable to the revolutions in the science, produced by the discoveries of the French writers. He was also the first who introduced a knowledge of the phosphates into this country, and he has a right, therefore, to claim particular notice on this head. But what ought to convey his name to posterity, and which entitles him to the gratitude of mankind, no less than Dr. Jenner himself, is the laudable and active part he took in forwarding the important discovery of vac- cination. This discovery, which had been so long known