Inaugural dissertation on the nature of respiration, and the extent of its connection with the nervous system / [George Augustus Frederick Wilks].

  • Wilks, George Augustus Frederick.
Date:
1835
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Inaugural dissertation on the nature of respiration, and the extent of its connection with the nervous system / [George Augustus Frederick Wilks]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    probably be found, that the circumstances were stili such as not entirely to preclude respiration, in the extended, sense in which 1 have endeavoured to define it. It appears, indeed, somewhat extraordinary, that the greater number of physiologists who have treated of the conditions necessary to respiration, have omitted to draw a line of distinction between the real function of respira¬ tion, as above defined, and the preliminary contrivances adopted for its exercise ; the former is uniform, or nearly so, throughout the two kingdoms of nature, the latter are infinitely varied, in proportion to the greater or less com¬ plication of structure exhibited in different departments. From this want of discrimination, much confusion has arisen. In the human body, for example, the function of respiration has been held to be essentially dependent on nervous influence, whereas it is easily demonstrable that this function may continue to exist in those departments of nature, where, if we may judge from the total want of its ordinary phenomena, nervous influence is utterly unknown. It will therefore be my object, in the following disserta¬ tion, to lay before the reader a comparative view of this function throughout the two kingdoms of nature, with a view of establishing the close analogy that exists in the essentia] process, notwithstanding the great diversity in the preliminary conditions. At the same time, I shall offer a few observations on the development of the nervous system in the respective classes, in order that we may arrive at some definite conclusion as to the nature and extent of its connection with the actual function of respiration on the one hand, and with its mechanical operations on the other. Of Respiration in Cryptogamic Vegetables. Although our knowledge of the functions of this interest¬ ing but obscure class of vegetable productions, is at present
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