EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY MEDICINE 



ena of life. This "vital principle" differed from the 

 soul, and was not exhibited in human beings alone, but 

 even in animals and plants. This force, or whatever 

 it might be called, was supposed to be present every- 

 where in the body, and all diseases were the results 

 of it. 



The theory of the Organicists, like that of the Anim- 

 ists and Vitalists, agreed with the other two that vital 

 activity could not be explained by the laws of physics 

 and chemistry, but, unlike them, it held that it was a 

 part of the structure of the body itself. Naturally the 

 practical physicians were more attracted by this tan- 

 gible doctrine than by vague theories "which con- 

 verted diseases into unknown derangements of some 

 equally unknown ' principle.' ' 



It is perhaps straining a point to include this brief 

 description of these three schools of medicine in the 

 history of the progress of the science. But, on the 

 whole, they were negatively at least prominent fac- 

 tors in directing true progress along its proper channel, 

 showing what courses were not to be pursued. Some 

 one has said that science usually stumbles into the 

 right course only after stumbling into all the wrong 

 ones ; and if this be only partially true, the wrong ones 

 still play a prominent if not a very creditable part. 

 Thus the medical systems of William Cullen (1710- 

 1790), and John Brown (1735-1788), while doing little 

 towards the actual advancement of scientific medicine, 

 played so conspicuous a part in so wide a field that the 

 " Brunonian system " at least must be given some 

 little attention. 



According to Brown's theory, life, diseases, and 



