METHOD OF STUDY. 431 



some persons have been cured by repeated blood-lettings, or 

 spontaneous hsemorrhagies ; but it is at the same time known, 

 that such a remedy, inopportunely employed, has in many in- 

 stances hastened on the fatal event" 



In the same manner he treats of vomiting, purging, sweating, 

 and the use of mineral waters. But I must confess, that he has 

 no where removed any of my doubts or difficulties, and indeed 

 he has sometimes increased them. He says, that hepatics, or 

 aperients, such as the lingua cervina, herbce capillares, &c. 

 deserve commendation ; but that, when the disease has arisen to 

 a certain degree, they have been, for the most part, found to 

 be useless. He observes, that the powder of toads given in 

 wine, to the quantity of a scruple or more, has succeeded with 

 several. 



Such are, commonly, the methods of cure delivered by Mr. 

 Lieutaud, longiori et forte felicissima praoci edoctus. 



It would be tedious to enter further into that detail, which a 

 criticism of this immethodical and uninstructive work might lead 

 me into; but, if the limits of these lectures did not prevent me, 

 I would particularly shew that the work is far from being free 

 from those reasonings which the author pretends to avoid, and 

 would affect even to despise. He still holds the doctrines of the 

 concoction and critical evacuation of morbific matter ; doctrines 

 depending upon subtile theories, and which, in my opinion, can 

 in nowise be ascertained as matters of fact. Mr. Lieutaud like- 

 wise is still very much upon the old plan of following nature, 

 and therefore gives often what I consider as a feeble and inert 

 practice. The humectantia, diluentia, demulcentia, et tem- 

 perantia, are with him very universal remedies, and often those 

 which alone are to be employed. 



The mention of these medicines might lead me to take notice 

 of Mr. Lieutaud's second volume, in which, ab insulsa reme- 

 diorum farragine alienus, he promises a great reformation up- 

 on the subject ; but this falls so far short of the idea of British 

 physicians, that I need not make any remarks upon it. With 

 respect to his list of simples, or Emporetica, as he is pleased to 

 term them, an English apothecary would smile at it ; and with 

 re&pect to his Officinalia, I believe they are to be found no- 

 where but in the Codex Medicamentarius of Paris ; and in his 



