113 
pogon Schcenanthus. The Ka^a/io; enumerated with the 
above, sect. v. p. 574, mentioned as xatetfjio; nvpt-^Mos a t 
p. 651, and translated Calamus aromaticus, is thought by 
Sprengel to be Acorus Calamus, v. p. 82, but is more likely 
to be Andropogon Calamus Aromaticus nob., v. p. 33, or 
some nearly allied species, as in later authors. 
Among the saline, earthy, and metallic substances, we 
likewise find a number, which we have already noticed, 
as forming parts of Indian Materia Medica ; but these 
it is sufficient merely to mention. Sulphur and bitu- 
men, several earths and salts, as the loadstone, lime, 
nitre, and red nitre, with alum of different kinds, may 
have been obtained from Egypt and other parts of the 
world ; together with lead, litharge, and cerusse, as 
well as copper, and its oxide in the form of scales. 
Iron with its oxides was also employed, as well as misy, 
v. p. 102 ; together with sulphuret of arsenic, both in the 
form of orpiment and of realgar. 
Great as was the genius of Hippocrates, and admirably as 
it was suited, from the conjunction of powers of observation 
with those of generalisation, for investigating and advancing 
so complicated a science as medicine ; there is no doubt 
that the full development of his mental faculties was 
owing in some measure to the impulse which had been 
given to philosophy and science during the preceding 
century, or from the time of Thales and Pythagoras. 
Previous to them, medicine is described by its historians 
(v. Le Clerc) as having been only an empirical art. 
But after reasoning had been introduced by these philo- 
sophers into the investigations respecting the phenomena 
of life, the powers and functions of the human body, 
and the causes and nature of disease; medicine began to 
assume the semblance of a science. These philosophers appear 
themselves only to have participated in the intellectual excite- 
Q 
