Medicine. 257 



His doctrines of acid and alkaline acrimony, of 

 fermentation, and of morbific matter in the blood, 

 were evidently derived from the chemical theories 

 which then prevailed. And from the mechanical 

 philosophy he borrowed his opinions concerning 

 the diseases of the simple solid; concerning defici- 

 ent or excessive circulatory motion; concerning 

 obstruction and error locij^ and concerning the 

 ientor and morbid tenuity of the fluids. 



The objections which have been made to this 

 system are numerous and important. Though it 

 was exhibited by the illustrious author in a very 

 attractive and elegant form, and long possessed an 

 unrivalled degree of reputation ; yet it appears that 

 time and the great mass of improvements since 

 made in every department of medical knowledge 

 have effected its entire overthrow. 



The leading defects in the Boerhaavian system 

 are too close an adherence to the humoral patho- 

 logy, and a constant neglect of the moving powers 

 of the animal body. In his notions of various acri- 

 monies and of Ientor he yielded almost entirely to a 

 hypothetical mode of reasoning. In his consider- 

 ation of the diseases of the solids, he dwelt too 

 much on the changes of the simple inanimate solid, 

 and too little on those of the living or vital solid. 

 Most of the faults, however, of his theory are 

 chargeable leather on the tiuie in which he lived, 

 and on the general imperfection of knowledge at 

 that period, compared with the present, than on 

 any defects in himself. It is surprizing that he 

 considered his system as having advanced so near 

 to perfection; for though he lived almost forty years 

 after he had formed it, he seems to have made in 

 all that time but few corrections or additions which 

 can be thought to be of any moment. 



j By this phrase is meant the entrance of particles of the blood into 

 vessels whose capacity is tg© %xti^\\ to transmit them. 



