( xin? Q 
INTRODUCTION, 
S° much has the fafhion of the times encreafed the ufe of foreign drugs 
and noftrums, that it has becomea fubject of difputationin the fchools, 
Whether medicine be mott deneficial or injurious to mankind. Many 
there are, who condemn the Facurry and the PROFESSION, as the 
greateft enemies of fociety ; and who would fooner part with life and 
fortune, than place themfelves in the power of either. Yet the one 
when confulted with caution, is the beft protector of our lives; and 
the other, when guided by integrity, is the fecureft guardian of our 
liberties. It is not the ufe but the abufe of them, which draws down 
a curfe upon pofterity ; whilft a feafonable and prudent refort to either 
is congenial to the bleflings of health and freedom. 
The Laws of Phyfic are agreeable to the Laws of Nature. Phyfic 
imitates Nature. Its defign is, to preferve the body in health—to de- 
fend it from infirmity—to ftrengthen and invigorate the weak, and to 
raife the dejected. Ina word, the falutary effect of natural medicine 
keeps the body in a progreflive ftate of health and comfort, until the | 
approach of death ; that certain and inevitable confequence of our exift- 
ence, which no art, nor invention, nor the greateft power of princes, 
can prevent or refift. Let it then be our wifdom, after attending to 
our eternal concerns, to be careful in fecuring the moft valuable of our 
‘temporal ones, namely, that of HEALTH ; for the is the moft excel- 
lent companion, the richeft treafure, and the beft of earthly poffeffions ; 
without hits nothing here can be efteemed a bleffing. 
_ Hence it becomes evident that the ftudy of Phyfic ought to form a part 
of the education of every private gentleman,and fhould become the amufe-_ 
No, 1. c is ment 
