He found that nature alone often terminates diseases, and works a cure with a few simple medicines, and often enough with no medicines at all." Towards the end of the century many great clinical teachers arose, of whom perhaps the most famous was Boerhaave, often spoken of as the Dutch Hippocrates, who inspired a group of distinguished students.

I have already referred to the fact that Franciscus Sylvius at Leyden was the first among the moderns to organize systematic clinical teaching.

Under Boerhaave, this was so developed that to this Dutch university students flocked from all parts of Europe.

After teaching botany and chemistry, Boerhaave succeeded to the chair of physic in 1714.

With an unusually wide general training, a profound knowledge of the chemistry of the day and an accurate acquaintance with all aspects of the history of the profession, he had a strongly objective attitude of mind towards disease, following closely the methods of Hippocrates and Sydenham.