Ardent and zealous in the advancement of our science, you must deeply deplore the prejudices that retard its progress;—eminently enlightened in Natural History, you can justly appreciate the importance of its applications to Medicine; while your well known earnestness in upholding the dignity, and in encouraging the legitimate exercise of our profession, marks you as the most proper patron of a work, the aim of which is to extinguish the false lights of empiricism, and to substitute a steady beacon on the solid and permanent basis of truth and science: at the same time, the extensive practice which your talents and urbanity so justly command in this metropolis, must long since have taught you the full extent of that empiricism which it has been my endeavour to expose, and the practical mischief of that ignorance which it has been my object to enlighten. Nor let me omit to mention the claims of that friendship which has for many years subsisted between us; be assured that I am gratefully sensible of those personal obligations which so fully justify this public avowal of them; confidently trusting that you will not measure the gratitude which your kindness has inspired, by the merits of the offering by which it is acknowledged, but rather by the truth and sincerity of the Dedication, by which I am enabled to express My respect for your talents; esteem for your virtues; and wishes for your happiness; JOHN AYRTON PARIS. _Dover-street, April, 1829._ TO THE STUDENTS OF THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS IN THE CITY OF NEW-YORK, THE PRESENT EDITION OF THIS WORK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, BY THEIR FRIEND AND INSTRUCTOR, THE EDITOR. CONTENTS PREFACE. HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION. PHARMACOLOGIA. ON THE OPERATIONS OF MEDICINAL BODIES, AND ON THE CLASSIFICATIONS FOUNDED ON THEM. ON THE THEORY AND ART OF PRESCRIBING. A COLLECTION OF FORMULÆ INTENDED TO ILLUSTRATE THE FOREGOING PRECEPTS, and to furnish the inexperienced Prescriber WITH A SERIES OF USEFUL AND INSTRUCTIVE LESSONS. A SYNOPSIS OF THE Principles of Combination, AS INVESTIGATED IN THE PRECEDING PAGES, ARRANGED IN A TABULAR FORM SO AS TO AFFORD THE STUDENT AN EASY REFERENCE TO THE KEY LETTERS. OF THE MEDICINAL DYNAMETER. PHARMACOLOGIA. INDEX. INDEX TO THE PATENT MEDICINES, AND NOSTRUMS, DESCRIBED IN THIS WORK. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ PREFACE.