ndom practice, which must be the consequence of not taking a proper
view of the laws of life, and the causes of diseases.

The nature of the disease may be generally ascertained, by attending
to the habits of the patient, and the manner in which he has lived,
as well as to the state of the pulse; but in cases where these
circumstances do not render it clear, it may be ascertained, beyond a
doubt, by a trifling degree of stimulus, as, for instance, by any
cordial, as a little wine or spirits. If the disease be of an
inflammatory or sthenic kind, the symptoms will be aggravated, and
the cordial will not produce its usual pleasant effects on the
system; but on the contrary, if the nature of the disease be
asthenic, then the usual pleasant effects of the cordial will be
perceived, and the pain and other symptoms will be alleviated. This
trial, which is soon made, and without danger, will determine our
plan of cure, and we can then proceed with the most perfect
certainty. Thus you will see that this view we have taken leads to a
very different and much more rational plan of practice than is
generally followed, in which the most judicious physicians confess
that they have no clue to guide them; and complain that the science
of medicine consists merely in a number of insulated facts, not
connected by any theory: that they merely prescribe a remedy because
they have seen it of use in an apparently similar state, but that
they have no certainty of its producing a similar effect in the cases
in which they prescribe it. This all depends on trusting to the
fallacious appearance of symptoms, and not having taken a proper view
of the laws of life, or the manner in which the exciting powers act
on living bodies.

After these observations on the diagnosis, or the method of
distinguishing the nature of diseases, I shall proceed to consider
more particularly the nature of sthenic diseases, and the methods of
curing them, which will occupy the remainder of our time this
evening.

The powers or causes, which by their action produce inflammatory or
sthenic diseases, are, first, heat, which is a very frequent cause,
particularly when it succeeds cold; for the cold accumulates the
excitability, and then renders the whole body, or a part, more liable
to be affected by the heat afterwards applied. In this way is
produced rheumatism, catarrh, or, as it is commonly called, a cold,
and peripneumony. These complaints have been often attributed