Medicine. 267 



IS regarded by many as an insuperable difficulty. 

 No explanation is offered of the mode in which the 

 action of the heart and larger arteries is augmented 

 by the intervention of the cold stage and spasm. 

 The process by which this augmentation restores 

 the energy of the brain, and extends such energy 

 to the extreme vessels, is also left entirely in the 

 dark. His introduction of the vis medicatrix 

 naturce is liable to almost all the objections of 

 the anima med'ica of Stahl, and must be con- 

 sidered as no better than a confession of igno- 

 rance. In all these respects, and many others, this 

 celebrated doctrine rests on hypothetical ground. 

 This will appear the more surprizing, as the 

 learned author professed to disclaim all those hy- 

 pothetical opinions which go to the formation of 

 theories; and seems to have been persuaded that 

 his doctrine of fever was only an induction from a 

 generalization of facts. 



It would be injustice, however, to Dr. Cullen, 

 not to subjoin that his merits are extensive and 

 universally. acknowledged. He was a diligent and 

 faithful collector of facts. His works often con- 

 tain admirable descriptions and sagacious discri- 

 minations of diseases. His great excellence seems 

 to have consisted in methodical arrangement. 

 But it is commonly remarked, and apparently 

 with truth, that he was much m^ore successful in 

 demolishing the systems of others than in erecting 

 his own. 



The next system which demands attention, in 

 the order of time, is that of Dr. John Brown, of 

 Edinburgh. This original, eccentric, unfortunate 

 man framed a physiological and pathological 

 theory, which, amidst great errors, inconsistencies 

 and contradictions, contains many vigorous con- 

 ceptions of truth and nature, and some which it is 



