A synopsis of a course of lectures, on the theory and practice of medicine. In four parts. Part the first. / [Benjamin Waterhouse].

  • Benjamin Waterhouse
Date:
1786
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A synopsis of a course of lectures, on the theory and practice of medicine. In four parts. Part the first. / [Benjamin Waterhouse]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    t 45 ] IV. Certain extremities of the nerves (§11. ) fo framed as to be capable of a peculiar contractility * and in confequence of their fituation and attach¬ ments, to be by their contraction capable of mov¬ ing moft of the folid and fluid parts of the body. Thefe are named moving or mufcular fibres. That mufcular fibres are a continuation of the meduU lary fubftance of the brain and nerves, has not been fhewn by Anatomijls, nor univerfally admitted by Phy~ fiologifs ; but we now fuppofe it9 and hope afterwards to render it fujficiently probable* Are the Ganglions of the nerves to be confidence! as a part of the nervous fyftem diftinguifhed by a peculiar function ? Thefe feveral parts of the nervous fyftem, are every where the fame continous medullary fub¬ ftance, which we fuppofe to be the vital folids, fo conftituted in living animals, and in living fyf- terns only, as to admit of motions being readily propagated from one part to every other part of the nervous fyftem, fo long as the continuity and living ftate of the medullary fubftance remains. In the living man there is an immaterial think¬ ing fubftance or mind ; and every pheenomenon of thinking is to be confidered as an affection or faculty of the mind alone. But this immaterial Q % and