The proximate cause of disease : by induction from the laws of animated nature : with an examination of the theories of Townsend, Reich, Darwin, Rush, and Wilson / by John Mace, M.D.
- Mace, John, 1935-
- Date:
- 1802
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The proximate cause of disease : by induction from the laws of animated nature : with an examination of the theories of Townsend, Reich, Darwin, Rush, and Wilson / by John Mace, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)
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![its exigence fuppofe. Every one accuftomed to tra- vel the alluring paths of true fcience, will readily agree to the firft rule of philofophizing laid down by the great Newton, which is, that no more nor any other caufes of natural effects ought to be ad- mitted, but fuch as are both known to exift and are fufficient for explaining their appearances. This is a golden rule ; it is the true and proper tefl to dif- tinguilh what is founded in nature and truth, from what refts only upon the illufive dreams of the ima- gination. The doftrine of an animating fpirit or nervous fluid, mud therefore be difcarded as the offspring of an unbridled fancy. Indeed Dr. Darwin himfelf, after all his reafon- ings, appears to have been in great doubt concern- ing the exiftence of this fubtile agent; for, fays he, this opinion feems not without probability, an expreflion which denotes the lowefl: degree of belief. Yet this very refpe&able author confiders the prox- imate caufe of all difeafes to confifl: in the various ftates of this fluid, as appearing in morbid irritation, fenfation, volition, and affociation. From his dili- gent refearches this ingenious writer mull have been aware of the fate of hypothetical doctrines in all the different branches of philofophy, but particularly in medical fcience. The vague and innumerable con- jectures which were formed in ancient times concern- ing the ftructure and fungous of different parts of the human body, have all been difcovered by ana- tomifts to be deftitute of foundation. The Aura Vitalis of Van Hehnont; the Vires Confervatrices et ]r Mediai-](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21138138_0037.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
