CHANGE IN PRACTICE. 



395 



idiosyncracy or peculiarity in the constitution of the 

 individual patient, instead of being attributed to 

 changes consequent upon the action of the stimulant 

 upon the phenomena of a particular abnormal state. 



Change in Practice. : By degrees, however, it came to 

 be observed that stimulants seemed to act favourably 

 in very many cases in which their administration was 

 quite opposed to theory, and was in direct antagonism 

 with the doctrines then taught ; and at last it was 

 admitted that experience was to be trusted, and that 

 the doctrines formerly taught could not be true in all 

 cases. Still more recently scientific observation and 

 experiment have demonstrated that facts which had 

 been appealed to had been misinterpreted and misun- 

 derstood, and that a plan of treatment at variance with 

 the one formerly popular, and in harmony with that 

 now followed out was really indicated. No one who 

 knows what changes are taking place in fever or 

 inflammation, would say that he objects to the exhi- 

 bition of stimulants, because some kind of inflamma- 

 tion or local fever is present. In fevers, which are in 

 reality but general inflammations, the pulse has been 

 observed by hundreds of practitioners to diminish in 

 frequency, delirium to give place to calm conscious- 

 ness, and the feverish state cease while the patient is 

 taking stimulants. Forty years ago such conditions 

 would have been treated by bleeding, calomel, an- 

 timony, and lowering remedies. 



Dr. Graves, of Dublin, who, like Todd, had been a 



