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REVIEWS. 
principally on the morbific causes, and produce cessation of 
the disease by attacking especially these causes ; such are 
vermifuges. 
Some authors have attached a high importance to this last 
or special property, and have signalised, by the name of 
specific, all such medicaments appearing so endowed. 
Specifics have been, and still are, at the present day, 
on occasions the subject of numerous controversies : admitted 
by some, rejected by others, without distinction, they have • 
given rise to sharp discussions. 
Without doubt, confining one’s self rigorously to the word 
specific , and the signification it bears, one would not desire to 
apply it to substances having, to the exclusion of all other 
properties, the single one, of constantly removing this or 
that morbid condition ; if we did, it is certain that, on such 
ground as this, there would not be a single specific in 
existence ; but if, with less rigour, and with a wider view of 
matters, we regarded as specifics medicaments which, appear- 
ing to attack the causes of certain diseases, removed them 
more frequently and constantly than others, then we should 
be forced to admit that there did exist substances deserving 
such qualification, since it is most certain there be many which 
enjoy such kind of privilege. 
In regard to what remains, since veterinary therapeutics 
are but of small account in the present state of science, 
among medicaments, worthy of receiving the title of specifics, 
those only that are employed to combat diseases occasioned 
by insects or parasitic worms, as well as such as we administer 
against meteorisations, we believe ourselves warranted in 
dispensing with entering into further details, in respect of 
them. 
From such considerations it is that we have reduced our 
Table of Classification. We have been compelled to 
collect together the different groups composing it, according 
to the physiological effects proper to each of them, but with- 
out losing sight altogether of their therapeutic properties 
Thus it happens that astringents and tonics , which we might 
have felt disposed to arrange in the same class, if we had con- 
sulted their primitive action alone, have been separated ; 
