Croonian Lectures on Disease and its Medical Treatment
1872; BMJ; Volume: 1; Issue: 590 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1136/bmj.1.590.414
ISSN0959-8138
Autores Tópico(s)Mental Health and Psychiatry
ResumoMR. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN,-In my former lecture I endea- voured to explain what I understood by the word "disease," and, by reference to various complex diseases, to show in what sense, as applied to them, it might be regarded as including within its scope the various phenomena which flow, immediately or mediately, from the primary cause, and in what sense again it is applicable to each or certain of these various phenomena.I ventured, also, to make some kind of arrangement of diseases in groups; and, guided by this arrangement, to discuss the processes by which diseases affect the body injuriously, and those by ,which their cure or alleviation is accomplished.To-day I enter upon the subject of the treatment of disease.The art of prescribing is unquestionably a very important medical art.I recollect when, some years ago now, I read that fascinating work, the Pharma- sologia of the late Dr. Paris, I was struck with the logical (I had almost said plausible) way in which he classifies the objects which we should en- deavour to obtain, by mixing and combining medicinal substances.He arranges them under five heads, and under each head includes several subdivisions.The five heads are as follows :-I.To promote the action of the basis or principal medicine ; 2. To correct the operation of the basis by obviating any unpleasant effects it might be likely to occasion, and which would prevent its intended action, and defeat the objects of its exhibition; 3. To obtain the joint action of two or more medicines ; 4. To obtain a new and active remedy, not afforded by any single sub- stance; and 5. To afford an eligible form.Now, I suppose that each one of us has endeavoured, according to his lights, to carry some such principles as these into operation; at all events, every one will admit lat it is in many points of view not immaterial that our combinations of drupsKshould yield "elegant" results; and, still more, that the drugs which we administer together should neither neutralise one another che- mically, nor aim at producing incompatible results within the body.But, admitting all this, it must also be admitted, I conceive, that such rules are more adapted for those who thoroughly understand, or who believe they understand, the actions of medicines in relation to the processes of disease, than for those who are investigators of the actions of drugs, and
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