The immediate effects of a tonic, given in a full dose, are 
crease the force of the circulation, to augment the animal beat, pt 
mote the various secretions, or moderate them when morbidly 
creased, quicken digestion, and reuder muscular action more easy 
and vigorous. By some of them, however, these effects are. 
slowly induced. ode 
The affections of the system in which the tonics are. 
must be obviously those of debility ; hence their use in the 
part of diseases to which ma ‘ind are subject. 
This class may be subdivided into those it 
the mineral, and those from the vege cin 
= Mee Ee, 
TONICS FROM THE MINERAL KINGDOM. 
*'These are in general more local in their nature than the vegetable - 
tonics, they do not operate so speedily, and seldom occasion consi- 
derable excitement. Boy 
= 
_.——sTONICS FROM THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM, 
- The tonic power in vegetables is intimat ely. 
tain sensible qualities, with their bitterness, astringency, and 
tic quality, all of them perhaps possessing these qualities, though, in 
each, one may be more predominant than the other. The purest 
ents, and aromatics, possess also more or less of a tonic 
power. Of these divisions, the pure astringents form a distinct class; _ 
the remaining tonics may be arranged according as the bitterness or 
. 
aromatic quality is predominant in them. es 
The stimulant operation of the purer bitters is little diffusible, and 
Very slow in its operation ; their effects are principally on the sto- 
mach and digestive organs, to which they communicate vigor, 
though they also act in some degree on the general system, and ob- 
Viate debility, as is evident in particular from their efficacy in inter- 
mittent fevers, in dropsy, and gout, and from their debilitating effects 
when used fortoo Jong a time: ; BIE LISS 23 
Aromatics are more rapid and diffusible in their action; they 
quicken the circulation, and augment the heat of the body. Their 
action has little permanence ; hence, in medicine, they ate employ- —. 
ed either as mere temporary stimulants, or to promote the action of 
bitters or astringents. a ; 
From these different modes of action of bitters and aromatics, it 
is evident, that a more powerful tonic will be obtained from the com- 
_ bination of these qualities than where they exist separately.. ‘The 
; at powerful tonics are accordingly natural combinations of this ae 
n saat 
AROMATICS. 
substances belonging to this subdivision of the 
thulate the stomach and general system, augment 
