Such is the general outline of those who have adopted this kind of system. But it must be obvious that, though the gene ral outline he the same, it may submit to as great variety of modifications ; and hence, again, the writers who have made choice of this system, and founded their classifications upon the effects produced by the articles of which they have treated upon the human body, have arranged it in various ways, according to their re spective ideas of superior utility or con venience. Hence the classes of Cullen amount to twenty-three ; those of Darwin to not more than seven ; while others have given us twelve, fourteeen or fifteen, according to their own fancy.
The twenty-three classes of Dr. Cullen are as follow : Astringents Antacids Tonics A ntalkalincs Emollients Antiseptics Corrosives Errhines Stimulants Silagogues Narcotics Expectorants Refrigerants Emetics Antispasmodics Cathartics Diluents Diuretics Attenuants Diaphoretics Ins pi ssants Menagogues.
Demulcents The seven classes of Dr. Darwin are the ensuing : Nutrients Invertents Incitants Revertents Secernents Torpents.
Absorbents It will appear, even upon a superficial examination of the former of these clas sifications, that the first division is unne cessarily diffuse; that some of the divisions might be introduced under one common head, as, for example, those of emollients and demulcents ; diluents and attenuants ; and that for one or two of them there is little foundation in nature. We particu larly allude in this last instance to the an talkalines, which are obviously only intro duced as a sort of graceful contrast to the antacids ; and concerning which the wri ter himself observes, "had it not been to give some appearance of system, and from my complaisance to Dr. Boerhaave, who treats de morbis ex alkali spontaneo, I should not have admitted of this chapter ; for I am well persuaded that no alkaline salt, in its separate state, ever exists in the blood vessels of the living human body." This is not the only instance, however, in which we find men of judgment and deserved reputation consenting to propa gate errors from the mere love of system, or from attachment to names of exten sive celebrity. Happy would it he for us, that all who thus act should avow their error, like the author before us, and thus put the remedy by the side of the evil ! The classification of Dr. Darwin, how ever, labours tinder still stronger objec tions. Instead of being too diffuse, it is
too contracted, for we may defy the warmest supporter of the Darwinean school to simplify and arrangethe whole of what is included in the preceding clas sification, or that ought to be so included, under the present. But it has a fault still more prominent ; and that is, it is adapted to an individual Posology, we mean the nosology of the author himself; and this a nosology, which in some of its divisions is perhaps founded on mere fancy, and consequently has no chance of a perma nent or general adoption. His inverten tia and revertentia depend upon actions, which to say the least of them are highly doubtful, and have for some years been gradually sinking into disbelief.
Between these two extremes we have had a variety of arrangements of late years, one of the best of which, perhaps, is Dr. Kirby's, published in a small tract, entitled, " Tables of the Materia Medico," which, with a chemical and a miscella neous division, consists of eighteen classes; but to both of which we cannot but ob. ject ; to the first, as it enters too deeply into the department of pharmacy, for a mere list of the materials of medicine ; and to the second, as evincing a careless. ness, or want of methodizing talent, which we should not have expected, and a total departure from every system what ever. We shall nevertheless avail our selves of its general merit as far as we may be able, and endeavour to correct its deficiencies.
There is, however, another point to which we must advert before we proceed to our classification and that is the no menclature by which the different sub stances ought to be distinguished. Till of late, from the use of different nomen clatures by different colleges of medicine, and an absurd intermixture of several of them by some writers, the whole has been a scene of perplexity and confusion. Within the last six or seven years, how ever, a disposition has been progressively evinced to simplify and generalize the technology, and render the descriptions more accurate. The language of Liimmus has been resorted to as by common con sent, throughout the three kingdoms of animals, vegetables, and inMerals ; and though the chemical vocabulary of La. voisier has not yet been generally intro duced, it is daily gaining ground in the publications of individual writers, and has been admitted in its utmost latitude into one or two of our collegiate pharmaco.