Pneumonia: Its Supposed Connection, Pathological And Etiological, With Autumnal Fevers - Softcover

René La Roche

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0461908654 ISBN 13: 9780461908657

Publisher: HardPress, 2021

Synopsis

Pneumonia: Its Supposed Connection, Pathological And Etiological, With Autumnal Fevers; Including An Inquiry Into The Existence And Morbid Agency Of Malaria by René La Roche. In this mid-19th-century treatise, La Roche argues against the idea that pneumonia is merely a form or manifestation of autumnal (malarial) fevers, promoting an inductive, fact-based approach to understanding febrile diseases. Drawing on observations from France, England, Germany, and the United States, he emphasizes the primacy of carefully gathered clinical facts over speculative generalizations or adherence to a single dominant theory. The work contrasts Broussais’s partly factual yet ultimately flawed method with the more successful inductive work of clinicians such as Louis, Andral, Chomel, Jenner, Gerhard, and Flint, among others, arguing that true science arises from connecting facts to form general principles that guide therapy. The author highlights the value of observation—auscultation and percussion—as drivers of knowledge, rejects preconceived etiologies, and defends an inductive philosophy modeled on Montesquieu’s maxim about discarding data that lack guiding ideas. The volume also notes a lengthy publisher’s catalogue (Blanchard & Lea) reflecting the era’s expansive medical literature. The opening chapters establish a methodological critique of the “unity of disease” thesis and set the stage for a detailed comparative analysis of pneumonia and autumnal fevers. It culminates with a call for cautious, evidence-based classifications and further scholarly discussion.

Edition details

• Publisher: HardPress
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0461908654
• ISBN 13: 9780461908657
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 534