FIFTH TREATISE 



ON RICKETS. TO WHICH IS AP- 

 PENDED A METHOD OF TREAT- 

 MENT. SECOND EDITION. 



There has been only one, as far as I know, who has 

 written anything on the subject of rickets, namely, 

 the distinguished Dr Glisson ; and that may seem 

 strange, because as a rule disease scarcely rages so 

 much as the incurable passion of writing about it. 

 And the very accurate treatise on this disease pub- 

 lished a good while ago by Dr Glisson, and the 

 authority of such a man, would have deterred me 

 from writing, but that I knew that he would readily 

 forgive one who reverences the truth although he 

 may to some extent differ from him. Yet, as I hasten 

 with him to the same goal, it cannot but be that I shall 

 for a great part of the way tread in his footsteps : 

 wherefore I shall sometimes, with apologies to so 

 eminent a man, repeat some things he has said before, 

 as this cannot be avoided. 



This disease made its appearance some forty years 

 ago in the western parts of England ; and since then 

 (as it is the way of diseases and other evils to spread 

 themselves) has infested infants' cradles through nearly 



