THE RELATIONS OF THERAPEUTICS 161 



the oxygen of the cells; in the presence of turpentine oil, however, 

 a transference of the oxygen occurs, and the phosphorus is more 

 rapidly oxidized, combines with the oil of turpentine, and, as we 

 must assume, forms turpentine-phosphoric acid, which is innocuous 

 to the system. By the ingestion of oil of turpentine the organism 

 can thus overcome the cause of illness. 



Unfortunately we do not possess similar remedies for some other 

 toxic morbific agents which are taken up by the cell. 



Since for the progress of therapeutics it is necessary to consider 

 the chemical and physical qualities of the body, therapeutics is 

 naturally dependent upon progress in chemistry. Although, as has 

 already been shown, pharmaceutical chemistry can be utilized for the 

 benefit of medicine, the results of theoretical chemistry have not as 

 yet become of much distinct importance for therapeutics. In the 

 first half of the nineteenth century distinguished chemists occupied 

 themselves with the laws of matter independent of biological pro- 

 cesses. Various chemical and physical theories followed each other, 

 and the theories propounded by Dumas, Gerhard, Williamson, and 

 Kekule" eventually developed into van 't Hoff's stereochemistry, and 

 in the physio-chemical researches. But these discoveries, though 

 made outside the limits of biology, came to be of great importance 

 to medicine when medical chemistry, fostered both by chemists and 

 physicians, began its growth. 



In the beginning of the century theoretical views in regard to 

 drugs had to contend in part with the philosophical tendencies of 

 those times, in part with the ill success which formerly attended the 

 iatro-chemical and physio-chemical schools of physicians. Progress 

 in the application of therapeutical measures was left to pure empir- 

 icism, and the view was accepted that what applied to food would 

 also do for medicine; for we became acquainted with the use of 

 coffee, tea, chocolate, potatoes, etc., not through theory, but simply 

 through empiricism. This standpoint could be justified all the more 

 because. many important remedies, such as quinine, arsenic, and 

 Peruvian balsam (which last substance has almost led to the dis- 

 appearance of a contagious disease similar to leprosy in its terrible 

 forms) became available to humanity purely through empiricism 

 and not as the result of scientific investigations. Similarly, balneo- 

 therapy is of empiric origin; only recently, owing to the physio- 

 logical researches of Winternitz and others and the application of 

 physical chemistry, has it assumed the dignity of a separate branch 

 of science. In consequence of a false point of view and empiricism 

 the creative ideas of a Paracelsus were forgotten. 



The progress in the chemistry of organic substances offered an 

 opportunity to combine chemical and medical research, especially 

 in the province of therapeutics. 



