424 INTRODUCTORY LECTURES. 



we mentioned before, must lead to a more accurate observation 

 of particulars. But if dissection is necessary and useful to a 

 Nosological system, let us next consider what this farther im- 

 plies : plainly, our judgment of morbid bodies must depend OH 

 our knowledge of the healthy state ; and accordingly we know 

 well that the dissection of morbid bodies has become more ac- 

 curate exactly in proportion to the progress in anatomy ; and, 

 indeed, that in this and other ways, a minute and accurate ana- 

 tomy is necessary to the Nosology every one now perceives. 

 But every one does not perhaps perceive that anatomy owes its 

 progress to the study of the use of the parts, and the study of 

 the use of the parts is inseparable from the study of the whole 

 economy. It is, however, pretty certain that the study of phys- 

 iology, by proposing inquiries, has contributed as much to di- 

 rect the knife and microscope of the anatomist, as the facts pro- 

 duced by these have contributed to give us a system of physi- 

 ology. Here is again the connexion between the study of system 

 and that of particular facts ; and while gentlemen pretend to 

 distinguish the provinces of reasoning and experience, and to 

 determine with regard to the importance of the one or of the 

 other, I wish they would, once for all, observe, that they are 

 truly inseparable ; or at least that, separately, they have never 

 been of much service. On the present subject, I think it must 

 now appear evident, that the distinction of diseases must be often 

 guided by the dissection of morbid bodies must be constantly 

 guided by anatomy, physiology, and pathology united together ; 

 and, therefore, that the discernment and accurate distinction of 

 external symptoms will be most effectually obtained by the culti- 

 vation of a Dogmatic system. In farther proof of this, we may 

 observe, that, as we have above explained, it appears from the 

 history of physic, that it has not been Empiricism, but Dogma- 

 tism, or the study of the proximate causes of diseases, which has 

 collected for us the facts of physic, and has led to the systematic 

 and useful application of them. From the nature of things, 

 this must continue to be the case ; and as on the one hand we 

 have shewn that there exists no proper foundation for an Empi- 

 rical system, and as we shall presently farther shew that no 

 such system is yet formed, so on the other hand, as from the 

 constitution of mankind a Dogmatic system has always prevail- 

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