Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 879

JOHN PRINGLE (1707-1782) Observations on the diseases of the army. Printed for A. Millar, and D. Wilson, and T. Payne 1752 xxiii, 431 [1] pp. 20 cm.

Pringle, the founder of military medicine, served as Physician-General of the British Army from 1744 to 1752 and was also president of the Royal Society. In this book he outlined the basic principles of military sanitation and stressed the proper ventilation of military quarters regardless of their location. The preface of the book contains a brief account of the concept of neutrality for military hospitals on the field of battle. This idea was later embodied in the provisions of the Geneva Conventions. In an appendix to the book, Pringle includes a paper on septic and aseptic substances in which he recognizes the value of antisepsis and describes the effect of various chemicals in checking putrefaction.

See Related Record(s): 879.1 879.2

Cited references: Cushing P398 (6th ed., 1768); Garrison-Morton 2150

Gift of John Martin, M.D.