64

ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.

Some physicians have classified the articles of the materia medica inaccordance with Brunonian principles. I have already mentioned thatBrown regarded all medicines as stimulants ; that is, as agents causing ,excitement. But he supposed some of them to produce less excitement Sthan health requires, and, therefore, to be the remedies for sthenic dia- ••thesis: hence they were termed Debilitating or Antisthenic. On theother hand, some agents give more excitement than suits the healthystate, and are, therefore, the remedies for the asthenic diathesis. These hecalled Stimulant or Sthenic. ( The Works of Dr. John Brown , vol. ii.p. 205, 1804.) The following pharmacological works are based on Bru-nonian principles : ( Encyclopadisches Worterbuch der medicinischen Wis-senshaften, 3 Bd. art. Arzneimittellehre.)

Versuch einer einfachen praetischen Arzneimittellehre. Wien. 1797.

Pharmacopeea Browniana, oder Handbuch der einfaehsten und Wirksamsten Heil-mittel, mit kliuischen Bemerkungen ini Geiste der gelauterten neuen Arzneilehre.Stuttgart , 1798.

J. S. Frank, Versuch einer theoretiscb-praktischen Artzneimittellebre naeh den Prin-cipien der Erregungstheorie. Erlangen , 1802.

C. F. Oberreich , Utnriss einer Arzneimittellehre naeh den Grundsatzen der Erre-gungstheorie. Leipzig , 1803.

J. J Chortet, Traite de Pharrnacologie, basde sur la thenrie de Brown. Paris , 1806.

F. Wurzer, Grundriss der Arzneimittellehre. Leipzig , 1808.

J. H. Muller, Handbuch der Lebens-und Arzneimittellehre. Leipzig , 1809'.

J. A■ Neurohr, Versuch einer einfachen praktischen Arzneimittellehre, Z.weite Aufl.Heidelberg , 1811.

K Schone, praktische Arzneimittellehre fur Aerzte und Wundarze naeh den Grund-satzen der Erregungstheorie. 2 Bde. Berlin, 1815. ■

The partizans of the theory of contrastimulus divide medicines into *two great classes : one comprehending those agents which augment or jdepress the excitability—(stimulants and contra-stimulants)—and which ]on that account are termed dynamics; the other contains all mechanical 5and chemical agents, under the denomination of irritants. {Diet, de Me-rle cine et de Chirurg. pratiq. art. Contre-stimulant, par Andral.) 1 have 'already given a list of stimulants and contra-stimulants, and have pointedout some objections to the arrangement.

The followers of Broussais, the founder of what the French denomi-nate the New Medical Doctrine, or Physiological Medicine, consider all (medicines to be either stimulants or debilitants. When a stimulant is iapplied to the organ affected, it is termed a direct stimulant, but when )applied to a part more or less distant from that affected, it is termed arevulsive, or sometimes an indirect debilitant. Hence medicines aredivided into debilitants, direct stimulants, and revulsives. This is theplan adopted in the following work:

L. J. Begin, Traits de Therapeutique, redige d’apres les principcs de la uouvelleDoctrine Medicale, t. ii. Paris , 1825. ;

Another mode of classifying medicines is on chemico-physiological /principles; or, to use the phrase of Dr. Osann ( Encyclop. Worterb. d.med. Wissenschaften ) “ on the chemico-therapeutical basis of naturalphilosophy.” This method has been adopted in the following works:

K. F. Burdach, System der Arzueimettcllebre. 1807-9. 3 Bde. 2te Aufl. 1817-19.Leipzig .