Page:Restorative medicine - an Harveian annual oration delivered at the Royal College of Physicians, London, on June 21, 1871 (the 210th anniversary) (IA restorativemedic00cham).pdf/18

RESTORATIVE MEDICINE. by Contraries. During a given disease there is found in the body a substance differing from what is found in health. United with certain drugs, it forms a third neutral and harmless substance.

We will give those drugs. If the urine be over- acid, we will give alkalies; if it be alkaline, we will give acids. It seems as if contagious fevers were set in action by a ferment in the blood, so we will administer, in as large doses as we dare, chemicals which decompose ferments. Though sometimes leading us into blunders, this idea has certainly taught modes of treatment which relieve illness; so that it has advanced along with ad- vancing chemistry from the time of our famous co-fellow, Dr. Thomas Willis,* author of the "Pharmaceutice Rationalis," up to the present time. And seeing that our generation of fellows has contributed a Dr. Prout, a Dr. Bence Jones, a Dr. Garrod, and many others to the laborers in the cause, we cannot be surprised that valuable therapeutical results have arisen.

COUNTER-IRRITATION is a principle of treat-

Oxford, he was admitted an honorary fellow of our College in 1664. + Dr. Parry calls it the Cure of Disease by "Conversion."
 * Though Willis's reputation was mainly connected with