294 Original Communications. 
were established by which the pharmaceutist might conduct 
safely the numerous operations which could not be made the 
subjects of officinal formulae ; and a spirit was, to a certain 
extent, subjected to his commands, which, pervading all 
nature, and ruling every secret movement of unorganized 
bodies, became a powerful instrument in his hands for the pur- 
poses of improvement or discovery. Since the commence- 
ment of the present century, the advantages from this source 
have been constantly on the increase ; and the discovery of 
the vegetable alkalies, and other active principles of medicinal 
plants, and of the modes of extracting them, will probably be 
considered hereafter as the foundation of a new era in our 
science. 
I have thus presented you with a rapid and imperfect sketch 
of the origin and growth of that branch of medicine which it 
has become my duty to teach. It would afford me much 
pleasure to do justice to the numerous individuals, who by 
their writings or discoveries have contributed to its present 
flourishing state, especially those of our own country, and of 
this particular school, who have illustrated the subject of the 
American Materia Medica. But from this gratification I am 
precluded by the narrow limits assigned to a discourse like 
the present, and must content myself with referring you to 
my future lectures, in which the opportunity will be offered of 
giving to each individual due credit, in connexion with the par- 
ticular improvement or discovery which may constitute his 
claim to distinction. At present it is more important that I 
should endeavour to impress you with a conviction of the 
great value of the Materia Medica, and thereby afford you 
the strongest inducement for entering zealously upon its pur- 
suit. This is the more necessary, as the science of late has 
been somewhat undervalued. The current of medical partia- 
lity appears to have set strongly into the channel of Pathology. 
The successful cultivation of this science in France, the dis- 
tinction attained by some of those who have prosecuted it 
most diligently, and the warm and contagious zeal which cha- 
racterizes their writings, have kindled the emulation of some 
