Medicine. 259 



cious effects which might otherwise take place. He 

 sometimes mentions two opposite principles or pro- 

 pensities in the human frame; one constantly and 

 uniformly tending to corruption and decay, the 

 other to life and health ; the former founded on the 

 elementary composition of the body, the latter de- 

 pending immediately on the energy of the mind 

 or soul. By means of the nerves, the influence of 

 the soul is extended to every part of the system, 

 and if their action be impeded or deranged, disease 

 is the unavoidable consequence. A plethora and 

 jentor of the blood is therefore the proximate cause 

 of disease, as the energy of the mind is thereby 

 diminished, and its action on the body obstructed. 

 Hence, tolessenthequantity, and to break down the 

 lenfor of the blood, the soul exerts all its powers, 

 and excites hccmorrhages, sweats, diarrhoeas, fevers, 

 and the like. These efforts are sometimes happy 

 and successful; at other times they fail to answer 

 the purpose, and may occasionally even do mischief, 

 especially when opposed by the improper interfer- 

 ence of physicians, or by some internal accidental 

 or organic impediment. 



Such is the theory of health and disease which 

 Stahl delivered to his pupils and readers, and 

 which he endeavoured to recommend and support 

 by all his great powers of learning and ingenuity. 

 But, in his ponderous volume on this subject, en- 

 titled Theoria Medlca Vera, we look in vain for 

 the logical arrangement, the elegance and perspi- 

 cuity which are constantly displayed in the writings 

 of BoERHAAVE. Thcrc were not wanting, how- 

 ever, in various parts of Europe, especially in Ger- 

 many, many followers of Stahl, who thoroughly 

 imbibed his principles, and pursued his practice in 

 the treatment of diseases. Among these, J uncker 

 and Carl, particularly the former, in his work, en- 

 titled Conspectus Therapcic Specialise have given 



