Volume 2

Antitheriaka. An essay on mithridatium and theriaca / [William Heberden].

  • Heberden, William, 1710-1801
Date:
[1745]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Antitheriaka. An essay on mithridatium and theriaca / [William Heberden]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    given in the iltithridatium or <Theriaca. I own it is hard to fay, that thefe are their chief virtues, or what their chief virtues are ; for there are as many friendly and hoftile qualities blended to¬ gether, as in that well-known cafe, where the Poet forbids us inCerta hcec ratione certa facere. I might now proceed to fupport my objedtions by authorities, which perhaps would be the pro- perefl method of attacking what is fupported only by authority. For I muft do that juftice to Phy- ficians as to own that there have not been want¬ ing feveral in all ages who have born witnefs againft this complicated error, and that it's triumph has been conftantly attended with many juft cenfures and reproaches. However I fhall content myfelf with quoting only the opinion of Pliny who is almoft as old as the Tdheriaca, and that of a Writer of our own times; fince if what has been faid is of any weight, it will make it an unneceffary talk to col¬ lect all that has been difputed for and againft it by the intervening Writers. The latter of thefe Authors a afferts that Mithridatium and fuch other medicines have done more mifchief in » Theriaca, Mithridatium, Philonium et alia confute magis, quam compofita remedia, plus fane damni, quam auxilii adferunt. Hinc ad jufta Dei judicia referendum vide- tur, quod faltee de his remediis traditiones univerfo fere terra- rum orbi impofuerint- Junck. Med. Pradt. 587. D V the