4 . Medicine. [Chap. IV. 



er.*^, it was attended with so much errour, and em- 

 braced so many visionary and absm'd opinions, as 

 rather to corrupt and degrade medical science, than 

 illustrate its principles, or guide their application. 

 And, indeed, till the close of the seventeenth cen- 

 tury, the doctrines of the chemist, when applied 

 to medicine, served little other purpose than to 

 amuse and mislead. But modern chemistry, in 

 every respect a more just, rational, and dignified 

 science than what had been called by that name iix 

 tlie preceding age, has opened resources for the 

 materia medica of incalculable value ; and is daily 

 furnishing the enlightened physician with some of 

 the most efficacious means of preserving health and 

 combating disease. 



The chemical inquiries of the eighteenth century 

 have brought to light many new medicines, some 

 of which hold the first rank for convenience, cheap- 

 ness, and efficacy. From the same source physi- 

 cians have learned to reject many inert and useless^ 

 substances which formerly held a place in the ma- 

 teria medica. They have been taught, also^ by che- 

 mistry, greater accuracy in forming their prepa* 

 rations, more easy, efficacious, and correct methods 

 of exhiliiting different substances, and more definite 

 rules for adapting remedies to diseases. To enu- 

 merate those who have distinguished themselves by 

 contributing to the improvement of the materia 

 medica, through the medium of chemical investi- 

 gations, would be to repeat the long catalogue of 

 great chemists before given, whose names do so 

 much honour to the last age. 



Several systematic writers on the materia medica 

 have been already mentioned. To these might be 



