Philosophical principles of education and their scientific application to the development and perfection of medical science : delivered before the Louisiana State Medical Society at its 10th annual session, Monroe, Louisiana, April 25th, 1888 / by Joseph Jones.

  • Jones, Joseph, 1833-1896.
Date:
[1888?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Philosophical principles of education and their scientific application to the development and perfection of medical science : delivered before the Louisiana State Medical Society at its 10th annual session, Monroe, Louisiana, April 25th, 1888 / by Joseph Jones. 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.)

    46/122
    space, constituting what is called the ethereal medium, and in it at wide intervals from each other, are isolated masses of grosser matter, which constitute our world, the planets, the sun and stars. These also consist of atoms of another order, or of groups of atoms, with spaces between them, wide in comparison with the size of the atoms, and these spaces are pervaded by the minute atoms of this ethereal medium. These bodies move in the medium without sensible resistance, or such as is only rendered evident by the minute retardation of the nebulous masses denominated comets. According to this theory, the various isolated bodies of the universe act upon each other by means of the force of gravitation, and also by tremors or vibrations in this medium, radiating in every direction from each body, as a centre. All matter, therefore, is porous, whether in the liquid, gaseous or solid condition. The pores may be considered to be of different orders, namely: pores between the atoms, between the molecules or assemblages of atoms, and between the still larger par- ticles. We are obliged to assign to the ethereal medium a simi- lar constitution to that possessed by grosser matter, name- ly, that it consists of inert atoms, at great distances from each other, relative to their own size, and each kept in position by attracting and repelKng forces. Through this medium impulses or minute agitations are transmitted over celestial space, from planet to planet, from system to sys- tem-, and these tremors or waves constitute light, heat, and other emanations, which we receive from the sun, or in other words, the solar emanations are not matter, but mo- tion communicated from atom to atom, beginning at the luminous body, and diffused in widening, spherical sur- faces, enlarging in size and diminishing in intensity to the farthermost portion of conceivable space. The atoms of the ethereal medium are perfectly free to move in all di- rections, so that the earth and dense masses experience no retardation as yet measurable, though light bodies, as