DungUson's Human Physiology. 165 



The reader will find in the articles Cinchona, Rhubarb, Tartar 

 Emetic, Calomel, Soap, Terebinthina, Wine, Colchicum, Elaterium, 

 Quinia, and numerous others, similar evidences of originality, re- 

 search, and sound judgment. Upon the whole, we consider the 

 " Dispensatory of the United States of America" as deserving the 

 tide which it bears, as a valuable addition t® the stock of American 

 literature, and as worthy of a place in the library, not only of every 

 physician and apothecary, of every lover of natural history, but of 

 every one who aspires to some knowledge of the nature and char- 

 acter of those materials which, in skilful hands, are of so much im- 

 portance in alleviating the pains and diseases which cast so deep a 

 shade over the perspective of human existence. 



Art. XVII. — Notice of Prof. DungUson's Human Physiology, 

 2 vols. 8vo. Philadelphia : Carey h Lea, 1832. 



The author of the above named work was one of the gentlemen, 

 who, upon the establishment of the University of Virginia, were in- 

 vited from abroad, to fill the professorial chairs in that liberally en- 

 dowed institution. While resident in London, he was favorably 

 known to the profession as the co-editor, with Dr. Copeland, of a re- 

 spectable medical journal, the London Medical Repository ; and in 

 consequence of this knowledge, he was, at the suggestion of the late 

 Professor Smith, complimented with the honorary degree of Doctor 

 of Medicine, by the President and Fellows of Yale College. As 

 the result of his labors, he has now favored the profession with a full 

 and elaborate work on one of the most important and interesting; 

 branches of medical science. A particular examination of the doc- 

 trines of a work of this nature, would not exactly comport with the 

 design of this Journal, but a few general remarks may not be unac- 

 ceptable to a large class of its readers. 



Systems of physiology have been written upon two plans, widely 

 differing from each other. In one, the leading doctrines of the sci- 

 ence are laid down, in a regular series, in the form of distinct propo- 

 sitions, beginning with the more simple and gradually advancing to 

 those that are more abstruse. These propositions are accompanied 

 by such facts or trains of reasoning as are sufficient, in the opinion of 

 the author, to proves and illustrate them. In this way, physiology is 

 made to bear the semblance of the more exact sciences ; and were 



