DURING THE MIDDLE AGE. 147 



could not fuficr the prefcnce of any earthy, grofs, 

 or unclean Jubilance in the human body ; but 

 confuming them, as it were by a fecret and in- 

 ienfible fire, difcharged them by the ordinary 

 natural duds. They imagined, that it did not 

 act: like other medicines, but fpread its influence 

 chiefly on the natural heat and vital fpirits, 

 preferred the radical moifture, averted every 

 thing noxious from the heart, moiilencd the ar- 

 teries, and purified the blood. Such were the 

 wonderful qualities they attributed to their tine* 

 turc, that they recommended it in all difeafes, ex- 

 cept thofe that were conftitutional, coeval with 

 our birth, or that required chirurgical afTiftance. 

 There can be no doubt, therefore, that its fuc- 

 ccfs was wholly imaginary. For let it be ad- 

 mitted, that it had the power of effecting the 

 tranfmutation of mctuls, furcly it will not fol- 

 low, that it fliould polTeisthc fame influence on 

 the human body. The immcnfe difference be- 

 tween animated exigence and unorganifcd maf- 

 fcs, mud convince us of the abfurdity of fuch 

 an opinion. Amidft the numerous band of dif- 

 enfes to which the human race is cxpofed, fume 

 arife from obftnitfcd vifccra, from debility, from 

 ;i defect in the nervous fyflcm, from redundcn- 

 cy of bile or blood, or from various other caufes; 

 and each, according to its peculiar character, 

 requires a particular method of cure, and me- 

 dicines very often exceedingly oppofitc. It is 

 K a therefore 



