Pharmaceutice rationalis: or, an exercitation of the operations of medicines in humane bodies. Shewing the signs, causes and cures of most distempers incident thereunto ... As also a treatise of the scurvy. And the several sorts thereof, with their symptoms, causes and cure ... / [Thomas Willis].

  • Willis, Thomas, 1621-1675
Date:
1679-1681
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Pharmaceutice rationalis: or, an exercitation of the operations of medicines in humane bodies. Shewing the signs, causes and cures of most distempers incident thereunto ... As also a treatise of the scurvy. And the several sorts thereof, with their symptoms, causes and cure ... / [Thomas Willis]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    indeed fometimes fhe learned at this time give Medi¬ cines (like People fliooting at random J ralhly and al- moft fortuitoudy; being uncertain whither they will tend, or what end or effeds they fhall have. From hence it is, that not only fome learned Cynicks, but the vileft of the Icum of the people bark againfl; and fling dirt uponPhy fick. And truly I know not how fhe will be wholly excufed from being called a Lyar,Vain andjugler, folong asyet the reafons of curing by me¬ dicine, on which the life and health of Man much de¬ pends, and oftentimes by which ’tis no lefs indanger- ed, lye hid. But this Dodrine ofMedicinal Operati¬ ons either negleded or ignored, fhewing like a great Chafm, hath been the only, or at leafl: the greatefl: im¬ pediment that Phyflck is not come to its perfedion, and its whole Syftem rightly framed: For though the matter of Medicine gotten from each family of the Vegetables, Minerals, and Animals,leems fufHciently digefted and complcated,and that the Types and Na¬ tures of all Dileales being colleded by mofl: accurate Oblervations,areexplicated by innumerableAuthors, and befides that the humane Body as it were a martial Field,where thole Champions try their Skill,be exad- ly delcribedas to all its parts by Anatomifl:s,yet what is of greatefl: moment, and without which the afore- laid things fignifie little, is not yet lufficiently and clearly deteded, to wit, what the weapons of thole Champions are, what Furniture, what Force and re- .liftancethey have,ailo whatAdion,Pairion,andRe- adion may be between the Particles of the Medicine \ 4 apd the Spirits, Humors, and Iblid parts. But flnceal- mdfl the whole bulinels of this Pharmaceutick Drame is adM behind the Curtain,therefore the various con- ' grrffions of Particles, Fermentations, Impulfes, and other