Thomas Sydenham Quotes

12 Sourced Quotes

The art of medicine was to be properly learned only from its practice and its exercise.

Thomas Sydenham
In writing the history of a disease, every philosophical hypothesis whatsoever, that has previously occupied the mind of the author, should lie in abeyance.

Thomas Sydenham
As no man can say who it was that first invented the use of clothes and houses against the inclemency of the weather, so also can no investigator point out the origin of Medicine - mysterious as the source of the Nile.

Thomas Sydenham
This is all very fine, but it won't do-Anatomy-botany-Nonsense! Sir, I know an old woman in Covent Garden, who understands botany better, and as for anatomy, my butcher can dissect a joint full as well; no, young man, all that is stuff; you must go to the bedside, it is there alone you can learn disease!
Comment to Hans Sloane on Robert Boyle's letter of introduction describing Sloane as a 'ripe scholar, a good botanist, a skilful anatomist'.

Thomas Sydenham
We are overwhelmed as it is, with an infinite abundance of vaunted medicaments, and here they add another one.

Thomas Sydenham
Almighty God hath not bestowed on mankind a remedy of so universal an extent and so efficacious in curing divers maladies as opiates.

Thomas Sydenham
All this is mighty fine! but it won't do — Anatomy — botany — nonsense! Sir, I know an old woman in Covent Garden, who understands botany better; and as for anatomy, my butcher can dissect a joint full and well: — no, young man, all this is stuff; you must go to the bedside, it is there you alone can learn disease!

Thomas Sydenham
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
We may ascertain the worth of the human race, since for its sake God's Only-begotten Son became man, and thereby ennobled the nature that he took upon him.

Thomas Sydenham
Gout, unlike any other disease, kills more rich men than poor, more wise men than simple.

Thomas Sydenham
Acute [diseases] meaning those of which God is the author, chronic meaning those that originate in ourselves.

Thomas Sydenham
Physick, says Sydenham, is not to bee learned by going to Universities, but hee is for taking apprentices; and says one had as good send a man to Oxford to learn shoemaking as practising physick.

Thomas Sydenham