Papers on Health

Papers on Health, by John Kirk

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Title: Papers on Health
Author: John Kirk
Editor: Edward Bruce Kirk
Release Date: May 21, 2007 [EBook #21560]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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ON HEALTH ***

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PAPERS ON HEALTH

By
PROFESSOR KIRK
Edinburgh

NEW AND COMPLETE ONE-VOLUME EDITION REVISED AND
EDITED BY EDWARD BRUCE KIRK
London Simpkin Marshall Hamilton Kent & Co. Paternoster Row
Manchester Albert Broadbent 19 Oxford Road
Glasgow T. D. Morison 240 Hope Street
Philadelphia The Broadbent Press 1023 Foulkrod St. Frankford
1904

COPYRIGHT IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Printed by Hurst Bros., Shaw Heath, Stockport.

Transcriber's Note: The topic of Throat, Sore (Clergyman's) includes
advice for enunciating the vowels in their natural order ([=a], ay, ee, o,
oo). The use of [=a] indicates that the a has a macron over it, since a
macron cannot be represented in Latin 1 character set.

PREFACE.
In his later years my father often expressed to me his desire for the
reduction of the eleven volumes of his "Papers on Health" to a compact
one-volume edition; but as long as fresh papers were being written, he

saw no use in beginning this work. In the end the project was
interrupted by his last illness and death. Since then, circumstances have
prevented the work being undertaken until the present time.
Having been associated with him in his health work for some years,
and having often discussed with him all his methods, I have had
considerable advantages in undertaking to carry out his intention in the
shape of the volume now given to the public.
It represents as nearly as possible the book he planned himself; and
though greatly reduced in bulk, all that is of importance in the original
eleven volumes has been inserted in it. It is complete in every way; and
in many details of treatment, improved methods, applied in later years
by Dr. Kirk, have been substituted for the older methods he first
introduced.
The arrangement in alphabetical order has been very carefully attended
to, and the treatment for any particular trouble within the scope of the
work can be quickly turned up.
This edition is sent forth in the hope that it may have even a wider
circulation than the last, and may be still more largely blessed than that
has been, to the relief of suffering humanity.
I would appeal to those who know the value of this treatment to make
the book known to the many who would benefit by its teaching. The
cost of the original edition was considerable, but this one is sold so
cheaply that anyone may possess it.
EDWARD BRUCE KIRK.
E. U. Manse, Barrhead, Scotland. September, 1899.

PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION.
In this edition of "Papers on Health" some changes, as well as some
entirely new features are introduced.

The large demand for the first one-volume edition has made it clear that
the public approve of the methods, both of arrangement and of
condensation employed in it.
Another edition being called for, it appeared evident that several
changes were desirable, in order to bring the book in line with rapidly
increasing medical knowledge, and to give full effect to more recent
experiences in the application of Dr. Kirk's treatment.
Since the "Papers" were first written, medical, and especially surgical,
practice has very greatly changed, and some of the practices against
which Dr. Kirk most vehemently protested have passed away. Hence,
certain modifications introduced into this edition, for which the editor
accepts full responsibility. For those who wish to consult the actual
writings of Dr. Kirk, the original eleven volume edition is still
available.
Great advances have also been made in the knowledge of the causes of
disease; and preventive methods of treatment by regulation of diet and
habits of life are much better understood. To incorporate some
reference to these in a work dealing with health generally, appeared to
us absolutely necessary. For these additions also the writer accepts
responsibility.
Where it appeared to be useful, illustrations have been introduced,
which may help those to whom the treatment is quite new, to practice it
more easily and correctly, and to understand better the theories on
which it is founded.
These changes have enlarged the book, and somewhat increased the
price, which is, however, still such as to place the volume within the