Ebook: A treatise of the materia medica v1&2 combined

This Scottish medical author and physician was an illustrious organizer of medical knowledge in his time period

"I have not attempted to give a full account of
all that might be faid of the feveral fubjeds of the
Materia Medica. My chief purpofe is to give the
principles upon which thofe fubftances are to be
judged of as medicines ; to correct the errors
of former writers in that refpe6l ; and to offer
fbme new principles and doctrines which to me
appear to be neceffary. Thefe doctrines are given
partly in my general introdudion to the whole,
and partly in the reiledions on the general operation
of medicines, which I have prefixed to the
feveral chapters. Thefe difcuffions have extended
that introduction, as well as fome other parts of
my Work, to a length beyond what might have
been expected ; but the flate both of phyfiology
and pathology, for ages paft, over the greateft
part of Europe, led me to think fuch difcuffions
neceffary. Thefe fpeculations may often appear
doubtful, efpecially to perfons little exercifed on
this fubject. I hope however they are well founded
; and I offer them with entire deference to the
judgment of the public."
His publications were used by many other authors as a starting point for their own teachings like Samuel Hahnemann, founder of homeopathy.