356 THE LAWS OF ORGANIC 



dicines forms but a slender part of the profes- 

 sional duties of a physician ; and it is to be 

 regretted that his value, in the eyes of a great 

 part of mankind, is estimated by his obvi- 

 ous operations, and not by the obvious bene- 

 ficial results. There was a time when charms 

 and specifics were held in high repute ; and, 

 although we are at present too enlightened to 

 allow the public to be indiscriminately imposed 

 on, yet I hope we are sufficiently candid to ac- 

 knowledge that these have not only protected 

 thousands from disease, but have saved them 

 when scientific practice had lost its efficacy. 

 Although we are unwilling to imitate servilely 

 the product of ignorance, let us appreciate and 

 apply those principles from which empiricism 

 and priestcraft have derived the greater part of 

 their reputation and consequent success. 



CCCCXXVII. Individuals who have suffer- 

 ed long from depressing passions are frequently 

 subject to pulmonary affections. If we consider 

 that the lungs, throughout the mental disturb- 

 ance, have been more or less oppressed by the 

 congestion of blood, and this of a quality not 

 calculated to stimulate the thoracic and abdomi- 

 nal organs, the occurrence of disorganization 

 ought not to surprise. 



CCCCXXV1IL BICHAT, in his General Ana- 

 tomy, relates one or two interesting cases of in- 

 dividuals who had suddenly become jaundiced 



