826 Anal j^ses of Books. [March, 



grounds for concluding that I have pointed out "a fatal and mate- 

 rial inaccuracy." Indeed the College seem to have concurred 

 with me on this point, for the process of which I complained has 

 been abandoned. Whether that which is substituted for it is any 

 better, I need not on the present occasion inquire. 



To proceed, however, with that part of the work which it is 

 more important to notice, it is to be observed, that after the his- 

 torical introduction, we have the term * Pharmacologia ' defined, 

 as comprehending " the scientific methods of administering 

 medicinal bodies, and explaming the object and theory of their 

 operation." This is divided into two parts ; ** the first compre- 

 hending the principles of the art of combination, and the second 

 the medicinal history and chemical habitudes of the bodies which 

 are the subjects of such combination." 



Excepting a short and incomplete paper by the late Dr. 

 George Fordyce, I believe no attempt has before been made to 

 investigate the medicinal properties resulting from the mutual 

 action of bodies independently of their chemical action. In the 

 execution of this part of his subject, the author has developed 

 some original views which appear to be capable of application 

 to the chemical analysis of vegetable substances. Thus in men- 

 tioning senna, he observes, that its leaves " appear to contain 

 an active principle in combination with a bitter, which latter 

 ingredient, although destitute of purgative properties, considera- 

 bly increases those of the former ; for if this be removed, as 

 happens when senna is transplanted into the south of France, 

 the purgative principle is weakened, but may be again restored 

 by the artificial addition of some bitter extractive." This and 

 similar instances induce Dr. Paris to inquire whether it does not 

 appear that " certain elements exist in the composition of vege- 

 table remedies as furnished by nature, which, although indivi- 

 dually inert, confer additional strength and impulse upon the 

 principle of activity with which they are associated ?" 



Incurring the risk of being again deemed an " Ultray' I shall 

 venture to observe that this reasoning appears to be derived 

 from the well-known chemical fact, that it is impossible to dis- 

 cover, a priori f what will be the result of mixture ; and I am 

 apprehensive that the fev/ remarks which I intend to offer upon 

 the formulae introduced by Dr. Paris, will be considered as 

 irrelevant. 



It will be seen by referring to the work that " key letters," so 

 denominated, are placed opposite to each ingredient of a collec- 

 tion of formulae to denote the mode in which it acts. Now 

 although these formula? appear in general to be extremely well 

 composed, there are, I think, some instances in which the idea of 

 the mutual assistance of similar medicines is carried a little too 

 <ar. On this subject I confess I speak chemically and theoreti- 

 cally ; but I would ask, what is tiiere so difl['erent in the action of 

 oak bark, galls, and catechu as astringents, that a mixture of 

 them is preferable to any one, or at any rate any two of them ; 



