248 Medicine. 



tion of one class of animals; but all modern ex« 

 periments seem to concur with analogy in show-* 

 ing, that the doctrine in question is unphilosophi^ 

 cal and untenable. Indeed, it may be asserted 

 that every successive step which has been taken in 

 developing the structure and functions of the ani- 

 mal frame, and every new ray of light that has 

 been shed upon this interesting subject, in modern 

 times, have made more apparent the absurdity of 

 atheism, and furnished new demonstration of the 

 existence and wisdom of the Great First Cause. 



THEORY AND PRACTICE OF PHYSIC. 



At the period of the revival of learning in the 

 fifteenth century the medical system of Galen 

 was restored, and began generally to prevail. 

 Early in the sixteenth century the famous Para- 

 celsus laid the foundation of a chemical system^ 

 which attracted much notice, and excited a vio- 

 lent contest with the followers of Galen. The 

 efficacy of the remedies employed by Paracelsus 

 and his disciples, and the bold and confident terms 

 in which their virtues were extolled, procured, 

 with many, the reception of his system, and for a 

 long time supported its popularity and fame. But 

 the regular and systematic physicians still generally 

 maintained the doctrines of Galen, and, by their 

 superior learning, were enabled to keep possession 

 of the schools of physic till the middle of the 

 seventeenth century. 



About this time the discovery of the circulation 

 of the blood began to be generally received, which, 

 together with that of the receptacle of the cJiyle^ 

 and the thoracic duct, gave a heavy blow to the 

 Galenic theory. In the destruction of this theory, 

 the operation of the revolution in philosophy, ef- 



