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Thomas Sydenham Quotes

Physician

Thomas Sydenham, a renowned British physician, was born on September 10, 1624, in London, and died on December 29, 1689. He is considered one of the most important doctors in the history of British medicine, known for his contributions to medical practice and theory.

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All Disease Men Medicine Nature Gout Died Exercise Medical Opium Patient

Famous Thomas Sydenham Quotes

“...that the doctor being himself a mortal man, should be diligent and tender in relieving his suffering patients, inasmuch as he himself must one day be a like sufferer.”

Suffering Empathy Mercy Patient Relief Consideration Tenderness Good Will Diligence Doctor Cure

Author:Thomas Sydenham

“They love without measure those whom they will soon hate without reason.”

Love Hate Borderline Personality Disorder

Book:The Whole Works of That Excellent Practical Physician, Dr. Thomas Sydenham: Wherein Not Only the History and Cures of Acute Diseases Are Treated of ... from the Original Latin, by John Pechey ...

Source: The Whole Works of That Excellent Practical Physician, Dr. Thomas Sydenham: Wherein Not Only the History and Cures of Acute Diseases Are Treated of ... from the Original Latin, by John Pechey ...

“Of all the remedies it has pleased almighty God to give man to relieve his suffering, none is so universal and so efficacious as opium.”

Medicine Remedy Drugs Opium Heaven Sent Painkiller

Author:Thomas Sydenham

“Among the remedies which it has pleased Almighty God to give to man to relieve his sufferings, none is so universal and so efficacious as opium.”

Men Giving Suffering Universal Remedy Almighty Almighty God Opium

Author:Thomas Sydenham

“A man is as old as his arteries.”

Men Arteries

Author:Thomas Sydenham

“Read Don Quixote; it is a very good book; I still read it frequently.”

Stills Book Very Good Good Book

Author:Thomas Sydenham

“Nothing in medicine is so insignificant as to merit attention.”

Attention Medicine Merit Insignificant

Author:Thomas Sydenham

“Gout produces calculus in the kidney... the patient has frequently to entertain the painful speculation as to whether gout or stone be the worst disease. Sometimes the stone, on passing, kills the patient, without waiting for the gout.”

Sometimes Waiting Worst Produce Disease Stones Patient Painful Passing Passings Speculation Calculus Kidneys Gout Kidney Disease

Author: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.”

Should Writing Mind Lying Disease Philosophical Hypothesis

Book:The works of Thomas Sydenham, M.D.

Source: The works of Thomas Sydenham, M.D.

“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.”

Men Firsts Use House Source Clothes Medicine Weather Mysterious Investigators Nile

Book:The works of Thomas Sydenham, M.D.

Source: The works of Thomas Sydenham, M.D.

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

Infinite Add Abundance Overwhelmed

Book:The works of Thomas Sydenham, M.D.

Source: The works of Thomas Sydenham, M.D.

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

Art Practice Exercise Medicine Medical

Author: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'.”

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

God Disease

Book:The works of Thomas Sydenham, M.D.

Source: The works of Thomas Sydenham, M.D.

“The arrival of a good clown exercises a more beneficial influence upon the health of a town than twenty asses laden with drugs.”

Influence Exercise Drug Twenties Towns Ass Clown Beneficial Arrivals

Author:Thomas Sydenham

“I confidently affirm that the greater part of those who are supposed to have died of gout, have died of the medicine rather than the disease - a statement in which I am supported by observation.”

Greater Disease Died Medicine Medical Statements Observation Gout

Author:Thomas Sydenham

“Disease is nothing else but an attempt on the part of the body to rid itself of morbific matter.”

Matter Body Disease Parts Of The Body

Author: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.”

Men Science Learning Medicine University Bees Oxford Apprentice

Book:Dr. Thomas Sydenham, 1624-1689: His Life and Original Writings

Source: Dr. Thomas Sydenham, 1624-1689: His Life and Original Writings

“Gout, unlike any other disease, kills more rich men than poor, more wise men than simple. Great kings, emperors, generals, admirals and philosophers have all died of gout.”

Men Simple Poor Rich Wise Kings Disease Died Simplicity Philosopher Emperor Rich Man Admiral Gout

Book:The works of Thomas Sydenham, M.D.

Source: The works of Thomas Sydenham, M.D.

“Fever itself is Nature's instrument.”

Nature Instruments Fever

Book:The works of Thomas Sydenham, M.D.

Source: The works of Thomas Sydenham, M.D.

“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.”

Men Humans May Nature Race Son Sake Human Race

Book:The works of Thomas Sydenham, M.D.

Source: The works of Thomas Sydenham, M.D.

“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.”

States Nature Effort Disease Vain Confused Thrown Generalities

Book:The works of Thomas Sydenham, M.D.

Source: The works of Thomas Sydenham, M.D.

“It is my nature to thin where others read.”

Nature

Author:Thomas Sydenham

About the Author

Born: September 10, 1624
Died: December 29, 1689
Known for: Physician
Quotes: 23

Books & Sources

The works of Thomas Sydenham, M.D.Related source material

Dr. Thomas Sydenham, 1624-1689: His Life and Original WritingsRelated source material

The Whole Works of That Excellent Practical Physician, Dr. Thomas Sydenham: Wherein Not Only the History and Cures of Acute Diseases Are Treated of ... from the Original Latin, by John Pechey ...Related source material

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