250 Medicine. 



tury. This doctrine, which exhibits the last glim-* 

 mering of the chemical sect, attained its utmost 

 height, and was taught and practised with the 

 greatest applause by the celebrated Francis De 

 Le Boe, more known by his Latin name of Syl- 

 vius, Professor of Medicine in the University of 

 Leyden, who continued for many years the medi- 

 cal oracle of Europe, and gave an eminent degree 

 of eclat to the seminary to which he belonged. 

 With this physician acidity formed the principal 

 source of morbid affections, and he extended and 

 supported his doctrine by every analogy, that the 

 learning of that period and the utmost ingenuity 

 could devise. Agents adapted to correct or expel 

 this acrimony were exalted into universal remedies^ 

 and supplied every intention of cure. 



To oppose the cardiac and alexipharmic doctrines 

 of the Sylvian school, which often consisted in doing 

 violence to nature, and could not fail, when car- 

 ried to extremes, of increasing the mischiefs it 

 was intended to remove, required the powers of a 

 great and original mind. For this purpose the il- 

 lustrious Sydenham was eminently suited. The sa- 

 gacity of this physician led him, by an almost seem- 

 ing intuition, to discern and obey the dictates of na- 

 ture, and to afford every proper assistance without 

 urging her to useless and hazardous efforts. The 

 effects of this revolution were immediately seen in 

 the improved treatment of acute diseases of every 

 class, when, instead of the fashionable alexiphar- 

 mic remedies, intended to promote imaginary de- 

 purations, by additional heat and increased sti- 

 mulus, a safer antiphlogistic or cooling plan was 

 adopted, with a view to unload the oppressed habit, 

 to reduce excessive action, and to preserve the 

 strength of the system for the subsequent conflict. 



Towards the close of the seventeenth century, 

 the application of mathematical reasoning to me- 



