A lecture on the physiology of digestion : introductory to a course of lectures on the Institutes of Medicine and Materia Medica : delivered before the medical class of the University of the City of New York, at the session of 1844-5 / by Martyn Paine.

  • Martyn Paine
Date:
1844-5
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A lecture on the physiology of digestion : introductory to a course of lectures on the Institutes of Medicine and Materia Medica : delivered before the medical class of the University of the City of New York, at the session of 1844-5 / by Martyn Paine. 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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    stance ; that every conception, every mental affection, is followed by changes in the chemical nature of the secreted fluids; that every thought, every sensation, is accompanied by a change in the composi- tion of the substance of the brain.— Every manifestation of force is the result of a transformation of the structure or of its substance. Many organic chemists, however, are disposed to admit the existence of a spiritual part, and they should therefore recollect that the exist- ence of a principle of life is substantiated by far more numerous facts than the spirituality of mind, which they are so ready to concede when inviting your attention to their physical doctrines of life. They should be as ready to yield to one series of facts as to the other, and especially to the more cogent series when the minor rs obtruded upon your belief. Let us now observe the hostile attitude of some of the important doc- trines which I have quoted from Liebig, by repeating them in direct connection, that we may the more distinctly realize the absurdities which come to us from the laboratory of the chemist, when its ambi- tious aim is turned upon physiology. Examples of similar conflicting views abound in the writings of the reformer.—Thus :— My object has been, in the present work, to direct attention to the points of intersection of chemistry with physiology, and to point out those parts in which the sciences become, as it were, mixed up together. It contains a collection of problems, such as chemistry at present re- quires to be resolved, and a number of conclusions drawn according to the rules of that science. These questions and problems will be resolved ; and we can- not doubt that we shall have in that Case A NEW PHTS10LOGT AND A RATIONAL pathology.—Liebig's Animal Che- mistry. In the animal body we recognise as the ultimate cause of all force only one cause, the chemical action which the elements of the food and the oxygen of the air mutually exercise on each other. The only known ultimate cause of vital force, either in animals or in plants, is a chemical process. If this be prevented, the phenomena of life do not mani- fest themselves. If the chemical action be impeded, the vital phenomena must take new forms All vital activi- ty arises from the mutual action of the oxygen of the atmosphere and the ele- ments of the food.—Liebig's Animal Chemistry. Physiology has sufficiently decisive grounds for the opinion, that evert mo- tion, EVERY MANIFESTATION OF FORCE, IS THE RESULT OF A TRANSFORMATION OF THE STRUCTURE OR OF ITS SUBSTANCE; that every conception, every menial affec- tion, is followed by changes in the che- mical nature of the secreted fluids ; that tvery thought, every sensation, is accom- A rational physiology cannot be founded on mere re-actions, and the liv- ing body cannot be viewed as a chemi- cal laboratory.—Liebig's Animal Chemistry. The^tudy of the uses of the func- tions ofrrifferent organs, and of their mu- tual connection in the animal body, was formerly the chief object in physiological researches ; but lately this study has fallen into the background.—Ibid. [See 3rd motto.] In the animal ovum, as well as in the seed of a plant, we recognize a CERTAIN REMABKABLE FORCE,THE SOURCE of growth, or increase in the mass, and of reproduction, or of supply of the mat- ter consumed; a force in a state of rest.* By the action of external influ- ences, by impregnation, by the presence of air and moisture, the condition of sta- tic equilibrium of this force is disturb- ed. Entering into a state of motion or activity, it exhibits itself in the pro- duction of a series of forms, which, al- though occasionally bounded by right lines, are yet widely distinct from geo- metrical forms, such as we observe in crystallized minerals. This force is call- ed the vital force, vis vita, or vitali- ty-—Liebig's Animal Chemistry.—[See my Essays on Vitality, &c p. 13—18.] 11 The vital principle must be a mo- tive power, capable of imparting mo- tion TO ATOMS AT REST, and of OPPOSING * See my Examination of Reviews,' p. 7—24.