Vital motion as a mode of physical motion / by Charles Bland Radcliffe.

  • Charles Bland Radcliffe
Date:
1876
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Vital motion as a mode of physical motion / by Charles Bland Radcliffe. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    quently*,t4- I should, in fact, be very glad if much that I have written on this subject at different times could be cancelled. What has been done, however, has been done, and, after all, if it were still to do the argument in all essential particulars would be the same. Indeed, except in being clearer and far more comprehensive, the view now taken is that I have always taken ; and this is all that I would now say about it except this—that I have thought it expedient toprolong these introductory remarks so as to bring in certain points in the history of vital mo- tion which can scarcely fail to be of service in preparing the way for the just appreciation of the more serious work with which I propose to occupy myself presently. Very misty notions about vital motion prevailed in olden times, and, most assuredly, some of this very mistiness still clings to the notions which are now in the ascendant. In the beginning, as it would seem, all motion was believed to be essentially vital. Thales talked about the world as being animated by a soul and actuated by demons, and looked upon motion as being due to the working of one or other of these two causes. Hippocrates believed in the universal presence of a living, intelligent, active principle, to which he gave the name of nature (^uo-t?), and to him, as to many in the present day, it was enough to refer motion to nature—to * Epileptic and other Convulsive Affections of the Nervous System. (Incorporating the Gulstonian Lectures for i860.) 3rd edition. Post 8vo. Churchill, 1861. + Lectures on certain Diseases of the Nervous System. Delivered .at the Royal College of Physicians. Post 8vo. Churchill, 1864. J Dynamics of Nerve and Muscle. Post 8vo. Macmillan <2r* Co., 1871.
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