Sect, III.] Theorij and Pradicc of Physic. 311 



ed that every siiccesfiive step \n hieh has hccn taken 

 ill developing the strueture and functions oi' tiic 

 animal frame, and every new ray of li.i^ht that lias 

 been shed upon this interesting siil>j(x.'t, in modern 

 times, liave made more apparent the absurdity of 

 atheism, and furnished ne^v demonstration of tlic 

 43xistence and wisdom of the Great First Cause. 



SECTION III. 



THEORY AXD PKACTICE OF PHYSIC. 



At the period of the revival of learning in tlie 

 fitleenth century the medical system of Galen was 

 restored, and began generally to prevail. Early in 

 the sixteenth century the famous Paracelsus laid 

 the foundation of a chemical system, which attract- 

 ed much notice, and excited a violent contest with 

 the followers of Galen. The efficacy of the remedies 

 employed by Paracelsus and his disciples, and the 

 bold and confident terms in which their virtues 

 were extolled, procured, with many, the reception 

 of his system, and for a long time supported its 

 popularity and fame. But the regular and syste- 

 matic physicians still generally maintained the 

 doctrines of Galen, and, by their superior learning, 

 were enabled to keep possession of the schools 

 of physic till the middle of the seventeenth 

 centur}'. 



About this time the discovery of the circulation 

 of the blood began to be generally recei\eti, which, 

 together with that of the receptacle of the chyle, and 

 tl|e thoracic dad, gave a heavy blow to the Galenic 



