IMPROVEMENT OF PHYSIC. 227 



refer thofe who choofe to look farther into this 

 affair, to a very curious and ingenious book 

 publidied not many years ago by dodlor Mar- 

 tyn, entitled, Ejfaies Philofophical and MedicaL 

 The reader may perhaps find there fufficient 

 reafons to incline him to lay fome ftrefs on the 

 old-fafhioned dodrine concerning the pecu- 

 liar vertues of fome medicines preferably to 

 others, feemingly of the fame intention. I will 

 add that the phsenomena of chemiftry give 

 continual proofs of the reality of this doctrine, 

 and afford lb many inftances of it, that were i 

 fo inclined, i could eafily fill fome pages with 

 them out of Mr. Boyle and other authors of 

 credit. Ray in his hiftory of plants, p. 49. cites 

 fome very currous obfervations of this tendency 

 from Grew, which are well worth the confider- 

 ation of phyficians. Upon the whole i cannot 

 help thinking that the want of true and ge- 

 nuine philoibphy ought rather to be imputed 

 to thofe who deny, than to thofe who main- 

 tain the dodrine of fpecifics; and that we 

 might as well undertake to opeii all locks with 

 one key, as purge all humors with one me- 

 dicine. 



0^2 THE 



