Elementa Medicinae

work by Brown

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June 26, 2026

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Elementa Medicinae was a significant work published in 1780 by John Brown, a British physician. Brown's theory of "excitability" proposed that all living tissues possess excitability, and life depends on internal and external stimuli. He classified diseases based on whether they decreased or increased this excitability, recommending stimulants for the former and sedatives for the latter. His treatments often involved wine or laudanum. The book was praised for its Latin prose and its practical teachings, gaining attention across Europe. Despite its initial reception, Brown's theory eventually fell out of favor.1

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John Brown
…celebrated exposition of his doctrine, Elementa Medicinae, which was appreciated as much for the purity of Brown’s Latin as for the practicality of its teachings. It was read with attention and was well received throughout the medical centres of Europe. In the meantime, Brown’s detractors in Edinburgh grew, his practice…
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…celebrated exposition of his doctrine, Elementa Medicinae, which was appreciated as much for the purity of Brown’s Latin as for the practicality of its teachings. It was read with attention and was well received throughout the medical centres of Europe. In the meantime, Brown’s detractors in Edinburgh grew, his practice…
Read More