516 Medicine. [Chap. IV. 



^J he mechauic theory of medicine is now so ob- 

 solete that even the most illiterate aftect to smil^ 

 at the al)siirdities of that kind, which were often 

 nttered by learned men. But it should be remem- 

 bered, that, amidst all its extravagance, it was an 

 important step towards improvement ; and it will 

 certainly be rescued from contempt by the recol- 

 lection that it was once honoured with the crreat 



o 



names of Eorelli, Boerhaave, and Newton. 



The Italian and Dutch schools, though hurried into 

 wild extremes by the rage of mathematical reasoning 

 which then prevailed, possessed an unrivalled cele- 

 brity at the end of the seventeenth century. The 

 history of medicine at that period particularly dwells 

 on the merits and services of many of their physi- 

 cians, and abundantly justifies their claim to di- 

 stinction. 



Thus stood the theory of medicine at the be- 

 ginning of the eighteenth century. At that: auspi- 

 cious period, every part of science began to assume 

 a more correct and improved aspect ; and, from the 

 vasl^ and diversified labours of the preceding age, it 

 hi^d become more practicable to select and combine 

 the materials necessary to construct the theories of 

 medicine which were speedily to ap})ear. Accord- 

 ingly, xii-vy early in the century three new and 

 consirlerably different systems were presented to 

 the ^vorld in the writings of Stahl, Hoffmann, and 

 lioerliaave. And they are the more worthy of ex- 

 amination at the present time, as they not only 

 engrossed the attention of physicians during a great 

 part of the century, but as even now they are not 

 T^ithout induence upon principles and practice. 

 Notuiihstandine^ the seniority of Stahl and llofll 



