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Botany is a knowlege of the natural history of vegetables. It may therefore be considered as part of the Materia Medica, as far at least, as it is connected with the knowledge of medicine.
By the Science of Botany we learn to methodize the vegetable part of the creation, and to range vegetables in different classes, subdividing them into a variety of orders, genera, and species. Such a systematic, or botanic arrangement, as it is called, has taught us this general observation, that all plants of the fame natural order have in a degree some common virtue. Botany thus lessens the difficulties we must otherwise have been at in discovering their medical virtues. I need not therefore dwell on the importance of this study to a Physician and a Philosopher.
Chymistry is either Philosophic, or Pharmaceutic. The former considers the particular properties of bodies, and explains their effects. It is distinguished from natural philosophy, as this latter is only conversant about the general properties of bodies.
Pharmaceutic Chymistry, is that branch of philosophic Chymistry, which regards the particular properties of such bodies as are appropriated to medicine. It considers their virtues in a simple state, or those which they acquire by combination,
