EDITOR'S PREFACE.

THE duty which has been assigned the Editor, of bringing another Surgical work before the profession has been cheerfully undertaken, from his conviction of the high character and utility of the present volume. It is true, that comprehensive cyclopædias and manuals, and instructive treatises on special surgical subjects, as well as beautiful illustrations of surgical anatomy and operative surgery, have been issued from the press in great profusion; but the want of a suitable text-book on surgery has been constantly felt by those who are called upon to recommend to students a guide to their surgical studies, and who desire to place in the hands of their pupils the elements of sound principles, combined with safe practice.

This desideratum has been admirably supplied by Professor Pirrie, who has introduced recent views of pathology, and whose experience, both as a teacher and practitioner, has enabled him to give force and weight to his practical deductions; and we therefore venture to say, that no work has been offered to the medical public, which has so many claims to recommend it to the student of medicine.

Difficult as it is to limit the amount of matter that should be included in a work of this kind, at the same time, it is equally important that it does not encroach upon the province of a dictionary, or of a work upon Minor Surgery. If every topic had been introduced, it would have exceeded its

appropriate limits, and not fulfilled the precise object of its publication. The Editor has, therefore, added but few new articles, some of which are upon subjects that may render it more acceptable to the American Student, while the liberality of the publishers has enabled him to increase the number of the illustrations.

317 SPRUCE STREET,

July, 1852.