MATERIA 
the inflammatory tribe, are, in like manner, 
divided into vesieatories or blisters, if by 
their application they raise watery bladders 
on the skin ; cathaeretics, escharotics or 
corrosives, if they eat into and destroy the 
substance of the solid parts tiiemselves ; 
and rnbefactive or rubefacient, if possessed 
of less power than the vesieatories, they 
merely produce a redness on the part to 
which they are applied, by increasing the 
action of a part, and stimulating the red 
particles of the blood, into vessels which do 
not naturally possess them. The alterant 
tribe is divided into absorbents, antiseptics, 
coagulants, resolvents, calefiants, and re- 
frigerants, according to the peculiar mode 
by which the different individuals of this 
tribe are supposed to operate. The eva- 
cuants are generally subdivided from the 
nature of the humour tliey are supposed to 
discharge : emetics, if they evacuate the 
contents of the stomach by vomiting ; ca- 
thartics, if they induce purging ; laxatives, 
if they produce a moderate discharge of 
feces withaut pain or sickness ; eccoprotics, 
if the discharge be greater, but still con- 
fined to the common nature of the fecea 
themselves. Thus again they are named 
diaphoretics, if they promote the expulsion 
of humours through the pores of the skin 
with a small increase of action ; sudorifics, 
if the increase of action be greater, and the 
discharge more copious. Such as excite 
urine are called diuretics ; such as produce 
evacuation from tlie glands of the palate, 
mouth, and salivary ducts, salivating medi- 
cines ; those that promote the discharge of 
mucus from the throat, apophlegmatics ; 
those that evacuate by the nose, ptarmics ; 
errhines, sternutatories ; and those which 
promote the menstrual discharge, emena- 
gogues. To this order, also, some writers 
reduce those medicines which expel any 
preternatural bodies, as worms, stones, and 
flatus or confined air ; of these the first are 
called anthelmintics ; the second, and espe- 
cially vvhen directed to the bladder, lithon- 
triptics ; tmd the third, carminatives. 
Such is the general outline of those who, 
have adopted this kind of system. But 
it must be obvious that though the general 
outline be the same, it may submit to a 
great variefy of modifications ; and hence, 
again, the writers who have made choice 
of this system, and founded their classifica- 
tions upon, tlie eft’ects produced by the 
articles of which they have treated upon 
the human body, have arranged it in various 
ways according to their respective ideas of 
MEDICA. 
superior utility or convenience. Hence 
the classes of (Jullen amount to twenty- 
three ; those of Darwin to not more than 
seven, while others have given us twelve, 
fourteen or fifteen according to their own 
fancy. 
The twenty-three classes of Dr. Cullen 
are as follow : 
Astringents 
Antacids , 
Tonics 
Antalkalines 
Emollients 
Antiseptics 
Corrosives 
Errhines 
Stimulants 
Silagogues 
Narcotics 
Expectorants 
Refrigerants 
Emetics 
Antispasmodics 
Cathartics 
Diluents 
Diuretics 
Attenuants 
Diaphoretics 
Inspissants 
Demulcents 
Menagogues. 
The seven classes of Dr. Darwin are the 
ensuing : 
Nutrients Invertents 
Incitants Revertents 
Secernents Torpents. 
Absorbents 
It will appear, even upon a superficial ex- 
amination of the former of these classifica- 
tions, that the first division is nnnecessarily 
diffuse : that some of the divisions might be 
introduced under one common head, as for 
example those of emoilients and demul- 
cents ; diluents and attenuants ; and that for 
(me or two of them there is little foundation 
in nature. We particularly allude in this 
last instance to the antalkalines, vrhich are 
obviously only introduced as a sort of grace- 
fnl contrast to the antacids; and concern- 
ing whicli the writer himself observes, “ had 
it not been to give some appearance of sys- 
tem, and from ray complaisance to Dr, 
Boerhaave who treats de morbis ex alkali 
sponta,neo, I should not have admitted of 
this chapter; for I am well persuaded that 
no alkaline salt, in its separate state, ever 
exists in the blood ' vessels of the living 
human body.” This is not the only instance, 
however, in which we find men of judg- 
ment and deserved reputation consenting 
to propagate errors from the mere love of 
system, or from attachment to names of 
extensive celebrity. Happy would it be 
for us that all who thus act, should, avow 
their error like the author before us, and 
thus put the remedy by the side of the 
evil! 
The classification of Dr. Darwin, hpwt 
ever, labours under ^till stronger objections. 
