Lectures on the science of human life / by Sylvester Graham.

  • Sylvester Graham
Date:
1849
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Lectures on the science of human life / by Sylvester Graham. 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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    again, on what depends those conditions of the bodv which affect the mind. In order to this, the bodV Itself must be understood in its animal and organic nature, and its physical and vital properties and Jaws in Its physiological actions and pathological affections And this nvestigation will disclost to us a multitude of relations between human organic Jife, and the animal, vegetable and inorganic world flT^ A 'i' ''^^ °'y greatly affect the body but, m the present state of being, modify ra!,nV frr'i-'^ '^'S'^'' ^o an extent which cannot safely be disregarded. H. So likewise, if wo would correctly understand the science of physiology or pathology, we must take into view, and thoroughly investigate, the whole na- ture and condition and relations of man. He who treats of the functions of the human organs, and the diseases of the human body, without fully and accu- rately considering the modifying influences of the mind, and ot the various physical and moral circum- stances acting on the healthy and on the morbid sensibilities and sympathies of the svstem, may in- deed form a theory which will have its day of popular acceptance; but fortunate without a parallel will it be. It It does not, sooner or later, prove to possess suf- hcient errors to sink it into utter disrepute, if not into total oblivion. 12, There is probably no subject which the mind of man has ever contemplated, concernine: which more extensive and enormous error prevails; than in regard to human life and health and disease; and yet nearly every person seems to think that there is a kind of intuitive knowledge possessed by all, which enables each one to understand his own constitution and what is good for him, better than another can teach him. In relation to almost every thing else in nature, mankind are willing to acknowledge that there are fixed principles and permanent laws and established order and system. 13. If we speak of the science of astronomy, and assert that God has constructed the planetary sys- tem^ upon fixed principles, and arranged the several bodies according to precise laws,_that the relative size, weight, distance, velocity, and every thing else m regard to the whole planetary system, are regu- lated and governed by the most exact and permanent laws,_every enlightened christian and theist will readily admit the truth of the assertion. Or if we affirm that, in the creation of our globe, God ordained all things according to fixed principles, and that he has established unchanging laws which govern it in every respect, our affirmation will be promptly acceded to. Or if we speak of the science of chemistry, and declare that all the molecular com- binations and arrangements of matter are according to fixed laws, and that tliese laws always govern every chemical action and result with the utmost precision, here again the truth of our declaration will be acknowledged. If also, we assert tliat God has constructed every mineral according to fixed principles—that the formation of every crystal is governed by established laws, this too will be admit- ted. If we proceed yet farther, and affirm that, in the vegetable kingdom, from the smallest thing that has an individual existence, to the largest tree, all are constituted according to fixed laws ;_that the life, growth, health, and every thing belonging to the nature and properties and powers of the vegetable, are governed by the permanent laws which the Cre- ator has established and continually sustains, tlie truth of what we affirm will still be unhesitatingly allowed. And finally, if ascending in the scale of creation, we advance to the animal kingdom, and assert that God has created every animal, and estab- lished all its properties and powers upon fixed prin- ciples ; that even in the formation of the bones and muscles and nerves, and all the organs of the human body with their mysterious and ionderfuT end^t^ ments-law and order and adaptation to special piiT- poses and ends, prevail and govern every thinj,! even here tlie truth of what we predicate will be ad- mi tt6d. 14 Thus, from the nice adjustments and balanc ing of revolving worlds, to the structureand operation of the organs of the smallest insect, and the simplest vegetable, and even to the arrangement of the par tides of matter in the formation of minerals; and all the combinations of the elements of nature by which the various forms and properties of matter are pro- duced ;—throughout the whole immensity of created things—mankind will readily admit that an intelli gent and wise and benevolent Creator has established iaws ; and that by virtue of the laws which he has estabhshed and continues to sustain, the forms and properties and powers of all material things are what they are. All, except the atheist, will frankly ac- knowledge that it is befitting a God of infinite intel- iigence and wisdom and goodness, that all the works ot bis hands should be established in order and har- monious system, and governed by precise and un- changing laws. And even he who denies the existence ot a God, IS forward to confess that eternal and' un- varying laws reign in and over every thing; and that, by the energy of those laws of nature, all the forms and conditions of nature are produced, and are pre- served. Yet, strange to tell! when all these ac. knowledgments are made concerning the laws which govern the material universe and all material forms, if we turn to the higher order of God's works, in which he has associated with organized matter, in human nature, organic vitality and animal consciousness, and sensibility and voluntary motion, and intellectual and moral powers, and affirm that human life and health, and thought and feeling are governed bylaws as precise and fixed and immutable as those which hold the planets in their orbits, and cause all portions of each globe to press towards its centre, and point the trembling needle to the pole, and govern all the molecular aggregations and combinations and ar- rangements of matter in the inorganic and organic world, mankind will, almost universally, without a pause for thought, deny the truth of the affirmation, and contend that human life and health and disease are matters of entire uncertainty, governed by no laws, and subject only to the arbitrary control of God, or the blind necessity of fate, or the utter Cfln- i tingency of accident. They do not believe that there are any fixed Jaws of life, by the proiier observance ' of which, man can, with any certainty, avoid disease j and preserve health, and prolong his bodily existence ; j and they are confident that the experience of the hu- | man family in all ages has fully and conclusively ] demonstrated the correctness of their views. | 15. In the same circumstances and habits of life, '. they affirm, one enjoj^s good health, and another is frequently or continually diseased ; one dies early, i and another reaches an advanced period of life ; while ; people of very different, and even opposite circum- j stances and habits, experience the same uncertain. I ties and .share the same fate ; some enjoying health, ; and others being afflicted with disease; some finding ' an early grave, and some attaining to old age; and in : all circumstances and habits, the vigorous and robust | often die suddenly in the opening of manhood or the very prime of life, while the feeble and the sickly fre- quently drag out a protracted and miserable existence. Surrey, say they, the extended map of the earth, and we find the inhabitunts of one portion feeding on the putrescent carcasses of dead animals, others on noisome vermin and reptiles, others on a mixture of animal and vegetable substance, others on vegetables exclusively, and others allaying their hunger, and to some extent supplying the alimentary wants of their