348 Medicine. [Cha?. IV.. 



the liberation of oppressed action, by depletion, and 

 other analogous means; or to the support of feeble 

 action by appropriate stimulants; and afterwards 

 to the transfer of remaining morbid action, of 

 whatever kind, from the vascular system to parts 

 less essential to life*. 



The inquiries concerning the nature and consti- 

 tution of pestilential fluids, which have been pro- 

 secuted with great learning and ingenuity by Dr. 

 Mitchill, so radically concern many of the lead- 

 ing doctrines of diseases, that they may justly be 

 said to embrace a new theory. His doctrine, as 

 was before mentioned, is this, that the acid oiTspring 

 of putrefaction, composed of oxygen and azote 

 (which latter he denominates septon) chemically 

 united, forms the febrile poison the ravages of which' 

 are often so fatally experienced ; and that alkaline 

 and calcareous substances aiford the best means of 

 extinguishing its virulence. The evidence he ad- 

 duces to maintain this doctrine, drawn from an- 

 cient as well as modern authorities, and from facts 

 observed in all parts of the globe, does equal honour 

 to his diligence and erudition. 



In Germany there are several eminent physi- 

 cians who lately have published systems of medi- 

 cal doctrines, which are said considerably to differ 

 from all preceding ones, and which attract much 

 ntt^ntion in that enlightened part of Europe. 

 Among these, the names of Reil, Roschlaub, and 

 Hufeland deserve particularly to be mentioned ; 

 but the confmement of their opinions to the Ger- 

 man language prevents them from being sufti- 



* Medical Inquiries (jliuI Obsch-ations, vol. iv. 



