IMPROVEMENT OF PHYSIC. 205 
on the other hand the bear-berry has been 
negledted, though an efficacious aftrin- 
gent. The grafs of Parnajfus , and fun-dew , 
have crept into the ffiop by chance. The 
carline thiftle , an excellent remedy in hy- 
fteric complaints, is negledled. Thofe 
poor wretched plants the vervains increafe 
the number of officinals without any merit 
of their own, and only fupported by the 
teftimony of antiquity. 
2. 
'The many theories and hypothefes of phyficians 
that vary in every age . For men have been 
vain enough to imagine that they knew the 
immediate caufes of difeafes, the manner in 
which medicines operate, and from their prin- 
ciples have undertaken to deduce the vertues 
of medicines. 
Formerly hot and volatile medicines were 
ufed in acute diftempers. At prefent the 
acid, cooling , and diluting with bleeding are 
recommended. Mufti, ambergris , civet 
were looked upon as moll efficacious in 
eruptive fevers , now juft the contrary. 
And thus meadow-fweet , woodruff , mufk 
cranes bill , may in their turn come into 
credit, which now are feldom ufed for 
driv- 
