Education as a science / by Alexander Bain.

  • Alexander Bain
Date:
1886
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Education as a science / by Alexander Bain. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    that memory reposes upon a nervous property or power, sustained, like every other physical power, by nutrition, and having its alternations of exercise and rest. It also informs us that, like every other function, the plasti- city may be stunted by inaction, and impaired by over- exertion. As far as pure physiology is concerned, I would draw attention to one circumstance in particular. The human body is a great aggregate of organs or interests—diges- tion, respiration, muscles, senses, brain. When fatigue overtakes it, the organs generally suffer; when renova- tion has set in, the organs generally are invigorated. This is the first and most obvious consequence. We have next to add the qualifying consideration that human beings are unequally constituted as regards the various functions ; some being strong in stomach, others in muscle, others in brain. In all such persons the general invigoration is equally shown; the favoured organs re- ceive a share proportioned to their respective capitals: to him that hath shall be given. Still more pertinent is the further qualification, that the organ that happens to be most active at the time receives more than its share; to exercise the several organs unequally is to nourish them unequally. Now comes the important point. To increase the plastic property of the mind, you must nourish the brain. You naturally expect that this result will ensue when the body generally is nourished : and so it will, if there be no exorbitant demands on the part of other organs, giving them such a preference as to leave very little for the organ of the mind. If the muscles or the digestion are unduly drawn upon, the brain will not respond to
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