An inaugural dissertation on the chymical analysis and operation of vegetable astringents, with observations on the identity of the vegetable acids : sumbitted to the examination of the Rev. John Ewing, S.T.P. provost ; the trustees and medical professors of the University of Pennsylvania, for the decree of Doctor of Medicine / by John Willis, honorary member of the Philadelphia Medical Society.

  • Willis, John, active 1795.
Date:
1795
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An inaugural dissertation on the chymical analysis and operation of vegetable astringents, with observations on the identity of the vegetable acids : sumbitted to the examination of the Rev. John Ewing, S.T.P. provost ; the trustees and medical professors of the University of Pennsylvania, for the decree of Doctor of Medicine / by John Willis, honorary member of the Philadelphia Medical Society. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    dinary courfe of providence. They appear to en- grofs nearly the whole reafon of the lpecies, and feem to have been born to inftrucl:, to guide, and to preferve; and are therefore defigned to be the tutors and guardians of mankind. When they prove fuch they exhibit to us examples of the tru- ed virtue and piety, and deferve to have their fef- tivals kept ; inftead of that pack of anachorts and enthufiafts, with whofe names the calender of Medicine is difgraced. But we often find, on the contrary, thefe fuperior parts employed to do fu- perior mifchief, and a mifapplication of thofe parts that were, given for the good of mankind is committing a mod facrilegious breach of truft ; it is perverting the means, defeating, as far as lays in their power, the defigns of providence, and difturb- ing in fome manner the fyitem of infinite wildom. But an exclamation againft theory is by no means a proof of earnefl zeal for obfervation, and when theory is the offspring of obiervation, and not the luxuriant growth of fancy, it does not miilead the inexperienced, by pleafing the imagin- ation, but rather guides their footfteps and illu- minates their paths. Thus, it would appear, to reject all theory from medicine, would be at once offering every obftacle to the natural progrefs of the fcience. Vegetable aftringents like mod other medicines, have undergone great revolutions : in fome ages being in high repute, their operation on the folids have been fludied and keenly purfued, while in others they have been as much neglected. To take a furvey of the feveral Hypothefes, which have prevailed at different times, would af- ford a melancholy proof of the ridiculous nature of moil of them, which have been puifued through