INTKODUCTORY LECTURE. 277 
alluring to induce the entrance into its ranks of many compe- 
titors for the simple rewards which it has to offer; conse- 
quently, public attention has, in this country, not been 
sufficiently awakened to an idea of its importance, and in- 
fluence on the comforts of society. 
It is the offspring of civilization, and can only exist in 
highly civilized communities : like the great science of 
medicine itself, of which it constitutes a no unimportant 
branch, the application of fixed principles for its prac- 
tice, was, during the early ages of barbarism, entirely 
neglected and unnoticed. The savage in his native wilds, 
was satisfied with the application of a few bruised simples to a 
wound produced in the conflict or the chase, or in the adminis- 
tration of some simple infusion or tea, to assuage the paroxysm 
of fever. Beyond this culling of simples, he neither knew, nor 
cared, nor indeed was there probably occasion, for all the 
remedies which have since been introduced to our notice. In 
that primitive condition of existence, disease much less fre- 
quently manifested her powers; and the few ills which did 
afflict humanity, were perhaps capable of being relieved by 
these simple agents. But, as population increased, and civili- 
zation advanced, remedies were required which exceeded in 
complexity the bruised herbs and infusions of the early ages ; 
and from the employment of vegetables alone as remedial 
agents, recourse was had to the mineral substances also provided 
by nature for our use. In the application of these to the 
wants of society, chemistry was called in to bestow her aid, 
and many of the preparations at present of established repu- 
tation in medicine, were the results of processes invented and 
pursued hundreds of years ago. At that period chemistry itself 
was but little better than empiricism; and adventitious cir- 
cumstances attending the production of some compounds, were 
supposed seriously to influence their effect; while from a want 
of the knowledge of principles which have since been disco- 
vered, many important requisitions for their production and 
efficacy were entirely neglected and disregarded. Chemistry, 
however, was making rapid advances to the character of a sys- 
VOL. III. — NO, IV. 35 
