442 INTRODUCTORY LECTURES. 



discover many errors. After this I must still say, that there 

 are a few diseases in which we cannot proceed any length 

 in investigating the proximate cause ; and here I can only offer 

 conjectures, of which I mean to be very sparing : I shall then 

 always give you due warning, and let you know when we can 

 hardly rise above a total empiricism. For, when the proximate 

 cause cannot be established with sufficient certainty, the judi- 

 cious and prudent physician will have recourse to experience 

 alone, always, however, aware of the hitherto incomplete and 

 fallacious state of empiricism. 



This then is what you are to expect with regard to the doc- 

 trine of proximate causes. There has not been greater blunder- 

 ing in the schools of physic than with regard to this subject. 

 In your systematic writers you find every thing explained, but 

 upon very slight grounds ; and these being given without any 

 warning, students were led into gross mistakes by theory. But 

 I shall be the first to express my doubts and diffidence in all 

 such circumstances ; I will be always impartial with respect to 

 opinions; I will acquaint you where you may expect our rea- 

 soning to be weak, and where I advise you to give up reasoning 

 till we have further experience : and my business will not be so 

 much to explain how this and the other phenomenon is produc- 

 ed, as to examine what is truly matter of fact ; we shall there- 

 fore follow the dogmatism of Dr. Sydenham, and we shall only 

 proceed so much further than he has done, as the improvement 

 of Anatomy and Pathology, since his time, will allow us ; and 

 I hope to give a specimen of dogmatism, (I avoid the word 

 theory, which, however, you may^use if you please,) which is 

 very little known in the schools of physic. It rests so much on 

 matters of fact, that it will not be refused by the most professed 

 empiric. 



Thirdly, From the phenomena of the disease, and with a view 

 to the conclusion respecting the proximate cause, I am next 

 to enter into a critical disquisition with regard to the proper 

 character and limits of every genus, and its division into spe- 

 cies and varieties. Here I must necessarily take notice of the 

 attempts which have been made by others upon this head, and 

 give the reasons for my deviating from them. I propose to do 

 this so as to instruct you in a critical Nosology, and so that you 



