'A Methodical Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Physic' was written by the Scottish Doctor and medical researcher David Macbride (1726-1778) in 1772. The book is the process of acute observations of disease and is typical of the 18th century theory of clinical medicine where doctors were able to describe the symptoms of a disease with great accuracy, although for the most part they were unable to cure the disease. In the case of David Macbride he is most well known for his cure for the naval disease of scurvy, a disease caused by a severe lack of vitamin C. The pictures on top of the text are from a 19th century medical textbook