* PREFACE. 



and poetry, but philofophy and truth recoil from 

 its combinations. 



The want of a theory, deduced from fuch ftrict 

 analogy, to' conduct the practice of medicine, is la- 

 mented by its profeffors ; for, as a great number of 

 unconnected facts are difficult to be acquired, and 

 to be reafoned from, the art of medicine is in many 

 inftances lefs efficacious under the direction of its 

 wifeft practitioners ; and by that bufy crowd, who 

 either boldly wade in darknefs, or are led into end- 

 lefs error by the glare of falfe theory, it is daily 

 practifed to the deftruction of thousands ; add to 

 this the unceafing injury which accrues to the pub- 

 lic by the perpetual advertifements of pretended 

 noftrums ; the minds of the indolent become fuper- 

 flitioufly fearful of difeafes, which they do not la- 

 bour under ; and thus become the daily prey of 

 fome crafty empiric. 



A theory founded upon nature, that mould bind 

 together the fcattered facts of medical knowledge, 

 and converge into one point of view the laws of 

 organic life, would thus on many accounts contri- 

 bute to the intereil of fociety. It would capacitate 

 men of moderate abilities to practife the art of 

 healing with real advantage to the public ; it would 

 enable every one of literary acquirements to dif- 

 tinguifh the genuine difciples of medicine from 

 thofe of boaftful effrontery, or of wily addrefs ; 

 and would teach mankind in fome important fitua- 

 tions the knowledge of the?nfelves. 



There are fome modern practitioners, who de- 

 claim againil medical theory in general, not confi- 

 dering that to think is to theorize ; and that no one 

 can direct a method of cure to a perfon labouring 

 under difeafe without thinking, that is, without 

 theorizing ; and happy therefore is the patient, 

 whofe phylician poffefles the bed theory. 



The 



