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llianfes, seeing that both are in all instances at the same time 

 exposed to their operation. If, however, the relation of remedies 

 were in every case with the material or fluid alliances, it would not 

 interfere with our conclusions on the laws of the operation of reme- 

 dies on the spirit: the only difference would be, that, instead of pro- 

 ducing such and such effects directly, the same would be produced 

 mediately. But as it c;m rarely be proved that the change of the 

 spirit is a result of a change of its alliances, and as the change of the 

 spirit itself is in every instance to be inferred from the change of 

 phenomena dependent upon it (which change is the only proof of a 

 causative relation of any kind, in most instances), so it is best, having 

 stated these possibilities, together with the alternatives to which the 

 argument would be liable, supposing them to obtain, to speak of the 

 operation of remedies in general as influencing directly the principle 

 of life, without which influence, the changes which occur in the 

 material or chymical alliances are no more than would result frorn 

 the same causes employed upon the dead subject. 



13. Every change in the organic spirit is according to its rela- 

 tion with the cause that produces it. But different agents will 

 sometimes agree in producing similar effects: thus, a disorder which 

 might be .cured by blood-letting may also be cured by purgatives, 

 or by emetics, blisters, &c. In other instances, particular diseases, 

 or states of the principle, are cured only by some particular means; 

 as certain forms of syphilis by mercury, the itch by sulphur, scurvy 

 by arsenic, &c. The effect which is produced in common by the 

 former means can be identified only by the same causes; we have 

 ihen to determine whether they possess common efficient causes, 

 disguised by different alliances? or whether they have only the 

 force of remote causes to which a series of processes succeed, the 

 result of which, through different relations, may be finally to 

 identify the state of health? 



14. We have thought it necessary, on grounds before stated, 

 to conclude that remedies never restore health on the direct princi- 

 ple of causation, viz. that of supplying deficient properties, &c; at 

 least, remedies can never be employed with this view, except in the 

 instances of the material occasional causes, of which those that fall 

 within the department of medicine are very few, and with which the 

 direct relation of remedies is perhaps altogether problematical; our 

 alternatives are therefore briefly answered: remedies must on this 

 account, with respect to the cure of diseases, have always the force 

 and operation of remote causes. 



15. The manner in which external agents produce change in 

 the condition of the spirit, in the direct way which we are now con- 

 sidering, is by an alliance of their properties with those of life, by 

 which the combinations of the constituent properties of life are 

 modified, and hence exhibit modified phenomena, which are com- 

 monly expressed in symptoms. 



16. The identity which life assimilates is dependent upon the 

 combinations of its integral properties : its phenomena also depend 



