Lastly, as if, notwithstanding his own previous attention to the important question of the influence of the digestive organs in disease, he felt that the inquiry had grown upon him in consequence of Mr. Boodle's endeavour to concentrate his attention to the subject, he concludes by expressing his past obligations to Mr. Boodle; for he says, with admirable modesty and candour, "for Mr. Boodle first instructed me how to detect disorders of the digestive organs, _when their local symptoms were so trivial as to be unnoticed_ by the patient." He urges Mr. Boodle to publish also his own observations on the subject, because any remarks from one who observes the progress of disease "with such sagacity and accuracy, cannot but be interesting." We are quite aware how feeble our attempt has been to do justice to this admirable book. But nothing can do that but a careful study of the various principles which it either suggests, dimly shadows forth, or deeply and beautifully unfolds.
Through not a very short life, we have had ample opportunity of testing these principles by the bedside, and of endeavouring to connect some of them with the laws in obedience to which they occur; and we are free to declare our impression that when the book is studied with the requisite previous knowledge, and freedom from preconceived opinion; and when tested and carried out in _principle_, as distinguished from any adhesion to mere matters of _detail_; we think it infinitely more valuable than all other professional works whatever. In examining the truths it unfolds, or in our humble endeavours elsewhere at a more analytical or extended application of them, like Abernethy, we have rested our reasoning wholly on facts and observations which are acknowledged and indisputable.
Whilst other views have only led to a practice in the highest degree empirical, or, what is worse, conjectural, those of Abernethy's lead often directly, but always _when duly studied_, to a practice at once clear, definite, and in the sense in which we shall qualify the word "positive,"—that is, one which gives us the power (when we really have the management of the case) of predicting the success or failure; which is at least a ripple indicative of a coming science.