Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 564.5

ROBERT BOYLE (1627-1691) Some considerations touching the usefulnesse of experimental natural philosophy, propos’d in familiar discourse to a friend, by way of invitation to the study of it. Printed by Hen: Hall printer to the University for Ri: Davis 1664 2nd edition of vol.1, 1st edition of vol.2. 20 cm.

For more information on this author or work, see number: 564

The Usefulness of Experimental Philosophy is an attempt to justify the activities of the virtuoso experimentalists in the eyes of their contemporaries. Part II, written later, is of interest to present-day biologists for its many allusions to physiology; it is also illuminating for its references to the activities of his contemporaries such as Digby, Pecquet, Wilkins, Wren, and others. The work as a whole shows a most surprising knowledge of natural history, medicine, physics, and chemistry, in many respects far in advance of his age, and it is of special importance for its comments on medicine. For example, in discussing the usefulness of natural philosophy to medicine (Part II), he states that ‘physick’ is logically divisible into five parts: the ‘physiological, pathological, semiotical, hygienial, and the therapeutical’. He then systematically describes each of the five divisions of knowledge. (Fulton)

See Related Record(s): 577 599

Cited references: Waller 10756; Wellcome II p. 221; NLM 17th c. 1667

John Martin M.D. Endowment