Page:Lives of British Physicians.djvu/221

Rh, no prejudices to gratify, and was solely animated by the desire of recording, with fidelity, that which he had seen and done. So many medical authorities have been ambitious of founding a sect; so many writers have been merely stimulated by the desire of acquiring immediate practice—and have discussed with passion the most serious topics,—that it is gratifying to be always able to find in the pages of Heberden a scrupulous and unvarnished narrative of the symptoms of disease, and of the effects of remedies, such as they presented themselves to a calm and deliberate intellect, during a length, and extent, and variety of opportunity rarely enjoyed by any practitioner of any age or country.

The impartial Soemmering considered the Commentaries of such value, that he has reprinted them, in Germany, with a preface, in which he styles their author the Medicus vere Hippocraticus. Professor Friedlaender, of Halle, is also preparing an edition, which will soon appear at Leipsic, as a portion of the Latin Medical Classics.