The uncertainty of physick / Being a translation from the Spanish [of 'Teatro critico'] ... by E.D.

  • Feijoo, Benito Jerónimo, 1676-1764
Date:
1739
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The uncertainty of physick / Being a translation from the Spanish [of 'Teatro critico'] ... by E.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ( *3 ) pofite to chymical and galenical ; fo, on the other hand, Santorius produc’d the plaufible fyftem of mathematical Phyfick, wherein, according to the rules of ftaticks and mechanicks, is confider’d the alternate force of the folids and fluids of a humane body : And the whole care of a phyfician ought to confift like that of Catherine de Medicis in France, to preferve the ^equilibrium of the two oppofite parties, fetting himfelf fometimes on one fide, fome- times on the other ; for which foever of the two parties fliould gain an apparent advantage, it would threaten deftrubtion to this animated repub- lick. Thus they proceeded, varying fyftems, and de~ ftroying one the other, when either the faftidity of fo many, or the uncertainty of them all, occafion’d the phyfleians, of more diferetion, to purfue another method, and that was, to feek nature by her own foot-fteps, confiding in experience alone. It’s true, that after the great Bacon of Verulam had open’d the eyes of both phyfleians and philofbphers, giving them plainly to underhand, it was only by this path that they could be able to make any proficiency in the two faculties, there were not wanting fome pru¬ dent phyfleians that gave a glance or two towards experience, and for that end collected together a few obiervations, although for the moft part defe- dfive, as we fhall obferve hereafter. In eftetft, the phyfleians of the brighteft genius’s, this day, in all Europe, are of this faction : But with this reftri£H- on, that the major part of them, altho’ entirely di¬ vorc’d from Galen, continue neverthelefs to fight very faithfully under the banner of Hippocrates, whole dodlrine, they fay, they always find in con- ftant alliance with their own proper experience. Baglivius, altho’ a great promoter of obfervati- ons, and a declar’d enemy to fyftems, and yet en¬ amour’d of the new one of ftatical Phyfick, could not