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PREFACE TO THE SEVENTH EDITION. 



ogy, of pathological anatomy, and pathological chemistry, made 

 in the last ten years. Although direct and immediate advantage 

 to the art of healing is not to be expected of any of these 

 branches of learning, yet every new discovery, in its way, tends 

 to benefit that art, either by improving our knowledge of disease, 

 or by assisting our comprehension of the 'modus operandi of 

 medicines. My conviction is, that from the present state of 

 knowledge, from our deeper insight into the origin and relation 

 of symptoms from the improved accessories, by means of which 

 we are now enabled to follow the various phases- and modifica- 

 tions of disease, the prospect of obtaining sure and authentic 

 therapeutic facts, by dint of accurate comparison of results, is 

 not only by no means unfavorable, but, judging from present 

 experience, is positively certain. 



Seven years ago, I closed my inaugural address at Tubingen 

 with the following words : " The task is a laborious one ; the 

 " difficulties are great ; but the knowledge that this is the sole 

 "path leading to the wished-for goal, the conviction that the 

 " smallest well-authenticated fact in therapeutics is of profound 

 " importance, will inspire the perseverance in research requisite 

 " to make therapeusis an exact science, a science which may take 

 " equal rank with other branches of physical study." I may 

 now say that my anticipations have been well-nigh surpassed. 

 A band of distinguished teachers have carried out these labori- 

 ous researches with a thoroughness and perseverance which could 

 not fail in its effect. The valuable labors, now under prosecu- 

 tion, in the long-neglected field of treatment of disease, by 

 means of which, already, the value of certain important articles, 

 hitherto ill-appreciated, has been accurately determined, have re- 

 ceived general recognition, and thus a final blow has been given 

 to the dominion of a disheartening therapeutic nihilism. This 

 success, as an example of which I will merely mention the dis- 

 covery of the antipyretic action of quinia in typhus, pneumonia, 

 etc., and the establishment of precise indications for the use of 

 digitalis in disease of the heart, has caused the zeal for therapeu 



