Zoonomia/III.Preface

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ZOONOMIA;

OR,

THE LAWS OF ORGANIC LIFE.

PART III.

CONTAINING

THE ARTICLES OF THE MATERIA MEDICA,

WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE

OPERATION OF MEDICINES.

IN VIVUM CORPUS
AGUNT MEDICAMENTA.

PREFACE.

The Materia Medica includes all those substances, which may contribute to the restoration of health. These may be conveniently distributed under seven articles according to the diversity of their operations.

1. Nutrientia, or those things which preserve in their natural state the due exertions of all the irritative motions.

2. Incitantia, or those things which increase the exertions of all the irritative motions.

3. Secernentia, or those things which increase the irritative motions, which constitute secretion.

4. Sorbentia, or those things which increase the irritative motions, which constitute absorption.

5. Invertentia, or those things which invert the natural order of the successive irritative motions.

6. Revertentia, or those things which restore the natural order of the inverted irritative motions.

7. Torpentia, those things which diminish the exertions of all the irritative motions.

It is necessary to apprize the reader, that in the following account of the virtues of Medicines their usual doses are always supposed to be exhibited; and the patient to be exposed to the degree of exterior heat, which he has been accustomed to, (where the contrary is not mentioned), as any variation of either of these circumstances varies their effects.