iv The P Pv E F A C E. 



TVOULD ihefe praditioners, hiftead 

 of r 171 gin g the changes lath a Jet of 

 paltry receipts, handed down to tkem 

 from their ignorant grandjires^ but care- 

 fully apply themfehes to this jo vfeful and 

 neceffary branch of knowledge^ and in- 

 dufirioify(olle5l and compare the fymp- 

 - toms of particular difeafes, they ^woidd 

 attain much more certainty in their 

 praBice^ and^ cfccurfe^ morefafety and 

 expedition in their cures. They locidd 

 then find that a few fimple medicines ^ 

 jiidicioufy direBed in acute cafes^ wcidd 

 fully ^ an jwer their intention^ by juffering 

 nature to co-operate with them ; and that 

 the naujeous ilU contrived drenches^ fo ge- 

 nerally made life of, but too often thwart 

 her operations^ and prove of worfe confe- 

 Quence than the difeafe itfelf 



FOR it is this knowledge of the 

 fymptoms of difeafes, that difiinguifl^es 

 the rational phyfician from the empirical 

 pretender ; it is this accounts for the fu" 

 pericr ability and judgment which ap- 

 pears between one phyjician and another ; 

 and it is hence only any progrefs can be 



mad^ 



