296 Medicine. 



It would be easy to descend to a great variety 

 of particulars, in which the means of curing, ot 

 mitigating diseases, have been radically improved, 

 during the period under consideration; but the 

 limits of this retrospect forbid such details. It is 

 sufficient to remark, that a large portion of dis- 

 eases, however faithfully observed by preceding, 

 and even by the most ancient physicians, have, 

 within this period, been better understood, ar- 

 ranged, and discriminated than ever before; and 

 that remedies of superior efficacy have been se- 

 lected, their qualities, virtues, and uses more fully 

 ascertained, and the best mode of their application 

 rendered more definite and precise. The number 

 of incurable diseases, also^ has been diminished, 

 and the treatment of many hazardous and violent 

 ones so far improved as greatly to diminish their 

 force and danger. The recent doctrines of Associ- 

 ation and Sympathy in morbid action, and the inte- 

 resting practical doctrine which results from them, 

 of the transfer of morbid action from vital parts to 

 such as are less essential to life, have unfolded a 

 vast extent of medical exertion and usefulness, 

 which was nearly unknown to the physicians of 

 former centuries. 



The practical zvriters on medicine, during the 

 eighteenth century, were very numerous and re- 

 spectable. From so large a catalogue it is difficult 

 to select the few names of which the brevity of 

 this review will allow the insertion. Besides a 

 considerable number of those mentioned in the 

 foregoing pages, Wintringham and Huxham, 

 on epidemical diseases, deserve a high place; Cleg- 

 horn, on the diseases of Minorca; Hillary, 

 Wkytt, Fothergill,* Heberden, Lind, Jack-' 



fj Dr. FoTHERGiLL (llcd in 1780, in the 68th year of Iiis age. Distin- 

 guished as he was for his learning, the solidity of his talent?, and the ex- 

 tent and success of hi* medical practice ; he ^Yas rendered still more con-' 



