17th-century Physician Quotes

Marcello Malpighi

Angelus Silesius

John Arbuthnot

Thomas Willis

Thomas Sydenham

Giovanni Battista Morgagni

Bernardino Ramazzini

Sometimes a great wound or concussion of the head, especially which happens by falling headlong from an high place, brings a prejudice and weakness to the animal faculty, dulling the understanding

Want of Care does us more Damage than want of Knowledge.

Thomas Fuller (writer)

Should poor souls fear a shade or night,
Who came sure from a sea of light?
Or since those drops are all sent back
So sure to thee, that none doth lack,
Why should frail flesh doubt any more
That what God takes, He'll not restore?

The generality have considered that disease is but a confused and disordered effort in Nature, thrown down from her proper state, and defending herself in vain.

Thomas Sydenham

The dumpling is indeed of more ancient institution, and of foreign origin; but alas, what were those dumplings? Nothing but a few lentils sodden together, moisten'd and cemented with a little seeth'd fat.

All these Illustrious Worlds, and many more, Which by the Tube Astronomers explore; And Millions which the Glass can ne'er descry, Lost in the Wilds of vast Immensity, Are Suns, are Centers, whose Superior Sway Planets of various Magnitude obey.

Richard Blackmore

The Patient's Ears remorseless he assails, Murders with Jargon where his Med'cine fails.

God does not care what good you did, but why you did it. He does not grade the fruit but probes the core and tests the root.

Angelus Silesius

The seed is the fetus, in other words, a true plant with its parts (that is, its leaves, of which there are usually two, its stalk or stem, and its bud) completely fashioned.

Marcello Malpighi

To see the Convulsions, Agonies and Tortures of a poor Fellow-Creature, whom they cannot restore nor recompense, dying to gratify Luxury, and scratch callous and rank Organs, must require a rocky Heart, and a great Degree of Cruelty and Ferocity.

George Cheyne (physician)

All cats were at first wild. But were at length tamed by the industry of Mankind; it is a Beast of prey, even the tame one, more especially the wild, it being in the opinion of many nothing but a diminutive Lyon.

When a doctor arrives to attend some patient of the working class, he ought not to feel his pulse the moment he enters, as is nearly always done without regard to the circumstances of the man who lies sick; he should not remain standing while he considers what he ought to do, as though the fate of a human being were a mere trifle; rather let him condescend to sit down for awhile.

Bernardino Ramazzini

Those who have dissected or inspected many bodies have at least learnt to doubt; while others who are ignorant of anatomy and do not take the trouble to attend it are in no doubt at all.

Giovanni Battista Morgagni

The perfect physician must have not only the knowledge of medical art but also prudence and wisdom.

Friedrich Hoffmann