V 
A 
E. 
\ 
\-'\ 
the catalogues of tlie Materia Medica, the produdions of the 
animal and mineral kingdoms bear a fmall proportion to thofe 
^ 
of the vegetable. Though it muft be acknowledged that for fome 
time paft the medicinal ufes of vegetable fimples have been lefs regarded 
by phyficians than they were formerly, which probably may be 
afcribed to the fucceiilive difcoveries and improvements in chemiftry ; 
it would however be difficult to fhew that this preference is fupported 
by any conclufive reafoning drawn from a comparative fuperiority of 
Chemicals over Galenicals, or that the more general ufe of the former 
has actually led to a more fuccefsful pradice. 
w 
Although what may be called the herbaceous part of the Materia 
Medica, as now received in the Britifh pharmacopoeias, comprifes but 
a 
ery 
onfiderable portion of the vegetable world 
y 
e 
t 
J- 
mited 
as it now 18 
5 
E 
few 
d 
pra£titi 
have a diflind: botanical 
nowledge of the individual plants of which it is cOmpofed, though 
encrally well acquainted with their efFeds and pharmaceutical 
ufes 
But the praditioner, who is unable to diftinguifh thofe plants which 
he prefcribes, is not only fubjeded to the impofitions of the ignorant 
on v/hich the inquifitive 
and fraud 
but muft feel a diffatisfad: 
V 
and philofc 
prefumed M 
information 
h 
mind will be anxious to x'emov 
B 
by 
leding 
and 
d to fuch it is 
fupplying the 
iTary on this fubjed, will be found an 
table 
and ufeful work 5 the profelTed defign of which is not only to enabl 
a 
th 
