Letter 3327

[fol. 267] Sr I have lately (by carefully observing the Natural structure and situation of the Urinary and Genitall parts of both Sexes) discovered a New and vastly more safe method of Cutting for the stone than any now practiced. I should very willingly Communicate it immediately to the world, to prevent the barbarity and Uncertainty of the Common Operations, did I not foresee that the fruits of my Labour and Industry must be enjoyed by other; which you very well know was the Case, when I communicated the High Operation to our Hospitall Lithotomists who by their place have ten to one the advantage of any private practitioner. I therefore beg to know, if in yor opinion its possible to obtain a patent for the secureing the sole benefitt of this Discovery to my selfe, for the common term of 14 years, in Case I oblige my selfe immediately afterwards to publish a full and exact account of the whole Operation and allow the Surgeons of all the Hospitalls in England to practice it on all the Poor, that offer them selves to be […] in their respective Hospitalls. Now supposeing this new operat’n should not prove to be more successful than the Common methods, then all the loss would be mine who must pay the Common expences of getting a Patent passed: but if it should succeed according to my expectation, even then no one is injured by it, for the Poor are serv’d, and no Mans property invaded; That this may appear evidently, and that the words of the Patent may be such as shall neither restrain others from the practice of any of the Operations now in use, or from makeing any further Discoverys, I shall (upon proper assurances that my request will be granted) communicate the whole, to two or three Surgeons of Undisputed Judgement and Characters, before the Patent is drawn, that the Operation I have to propose may be express’d in it, in such terms as will clearly distinguish it from all the Operations now in use. But if a Patent cannot be granted, nor any other encouragement obtained, that will enable me to prosecute some other designs of the same kind- [v. 267] kind with proper Vigour, then I hope you will excuse me from communicateing it to the Publick, as long as its in the Power of my Enimies to rob me of the advantage of it. Sr yor advice in this affair will extremely oblige Yor most Obedt humble servt Jo: Douglas Cannon=street March 17th 1726/7