992 VIEWS OF CALDWELL. 



it is encephalic, and that when the abdominal 

 viscera are highly developed, compared with the 

 thorax and brain, the temperament is abdominal. 

 The essential parts of this theory have been 

 adopted by Dr. Caldwell, of Kentucky, and in- 

 geniously carried out, in a recent work on Malaria 

 and Temperament. With a strong prejudice 

 against the humoral doctrine,* and a singular 

 partiality for the hypothesis of Cullen, he main- 

 tains, that as " the solids are the ruling portion 



* Dr. Caldwell maintains, that " humoralism is one of the 

 most fearful and destructive monuments of error that has ever 

 been erected, an idol, which, through the many centuries of its 

 existence, has done nothing but falsify and adulterate the princi- 

 ples, and lamentably pervert the practice of medicine, that 

 physicians have sacrificed millions of their fellow beings under 

 the fatal spell of its influence," that although the fluids may 

 be vitiated in their condition, disease is not predicable of them, 

 according to any legitimate interpretation of the word. But 

 the only reason he deigns to assign for these remarkable asser- 

 tions is, that " we know nothing of the manner in which the 

 blood is affected by different kinds of food and drink, medicines, 

 and morbid states of the atmosphere, nor what condition of the 

 blood predisposes to disease, and what affords security against 

 it." (On Malaria and Temperament, pp. 124. 208. 212. 217.) 

 Now, with due deference to the opinions of my old friend and 

 medical instructor, it does appear to me, that millions of our 

 fellow beings have been sacrificed, owing to the ignorance of 

 physicians in regard to the true theory of sanguification, secre- 

 tion, nutrition, and the manner in which the vital properties of 

 the blood are impaired, and that it is high time they should set 

 about ascertaining how it is affected by food and drink, various 

 states of the atmosphere, medicines, passions of the mind, vicissi- 

 tudes of temperature, &c. 



