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tion of no movements, but what are eafily perforined, and which contribute also to health and pleasure.

Phyfiologifts were long perplexed to account, "how parts fupplied with NERVES could be infenfible*; and how,

* In the INTRODUCTION of Vol. II. we proved, from the experiments of HALLER, that the vifcera were INSENSIBLE (vide page xxxiv. to page xlvi), and PATHOLOGY alío confirms this opinion. Hence ulcers of the lungs are attended with little or no pain, the heart has been pierced through, and corroded, the liver has been indurated, and stones have been found in the kidneys, without the patients complaining of more than faintings and want of health. Hence schirrous and encyfted tumours are fo indolent, and life is prolonged for fuch a length of time under them.

The examinations of dead bodies, in the immenfe collections of BONETUS, MORGAGNI, LIEUTAUD, and in a late work by the ingenious and indefatigable Dr. BAILLIE, furnishes ample evidence how frequently indeed fatal diseases are formed in the vital organs, and in the abdominal vifcera; and how often thefe parts are confumed by collections of pus; tumours; water; ad&c. of which the practitioner had not the smallest suspicion.

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Too often indeed should we find, if the practice of opening dead bodies were more the custom, that those patients who have looked up to us for health have laboured under fome fatal and incurable malady! That inftead of DISEASED ACTION;-he has DISEASED ORGANIZATION;-incurable fcirrhofitics; inacceffible and wide-extending abfceffes;-the heart and membranes thickened by the fuffufion of coagulable lymph;-parts tied together, and incapable of their just action by adhesions ;-tubercles; aneurifins ; &c. &c. But what advantage, it will be faid, fhall we reap from fuch painful difcoveries-but the mortification of knowing the impoffibility of finding adequate remedies, and giving the relief expected from us.-Hold, is it not fomething, if this knowledge should prevent the practitioner from attempting impoffibilities, whereby he aggravates mifery already too great, by heaping on additional mischief. Was ADRIAN to be blamed for caufing to be inscribed on his tomb-stone, “It was the great number of phyficians that haftened on the "death of the Emperor.”

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though all the nerves terminate in the common fenforium or brain, over fome organs the influence of the will extended, whilft the motions of others were INDEPENDENT of that principle. They allowed the propriety of the final cause, and referred it to the wisdom of GoD primarily, whereas philofophy should look for a second caufe*, which demonftrates the fame goodness, with still greater power in our beneficent CREATOR.

The folution of this difficulty was reserved for the glory of the present age. The GANGLIONS, which are hard and callous bodies attached to those nerves which fupply the organs which have involuntary motion, did not indeed escape the all-prying eye of anatomy: but their uses were long wholly unknown. Conjectures were indeed formed that they were muscles capable of contractions by which the nervous spirit was accelerated and impelled forwards: but they have been fince found, from the experiments of the illuftrious De HALLER, incapable of such contraction, being wholly devoid of irritability. They have been represented as little brains to supply that afflux of nervous fluid which the inceffant motions of

ARISTOTLE, CICERO, GALEN, BACON, BOYLE, NEWTON, and LOCKE, all concur in allowing that the laft link in the chain of natural causes terminates at the throne of God.

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the organs to which they went feemed to require. Repetition and authority gave confiderable weight to these conjectures, and we therefore are the lefs furprised Dr. JOHNSON, the learned and ingenious discoverer of their real ufe, fhould complain:

"It requires a long series of years for the admiffion "of new truths. The period cannot be limited to thirty or forty years.

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"It depends on circumftances peculiar to the age, "the fubject, and the author's fituation; and mine " has no peculiar advantages.

"It is thirty years fince my early thoughts on the uses "of the GANGLIONS of the nerves was communicated "to my correfpondents Dr. WHYTT and Baron de " HALLER; and twenty years fince, on maturer re"flection, I published an account of this discovery to "the world.

My opinion has been filently attacked, and as “filently adopted, without any explicit acknowledgment "of the author, or any direct quotation from his "work. Several of the objections, which I have an"fwered, were communicated in a correspondence with "which I was honoured by Baron de HALLER: and

"I have

"I have reafon to think, from a letter afterwards re"ceived, my anfwers were fatisfactory.

66

My ideas were received by Dr. M'KETTRICK, "and my work ingeniously analized by the celebrated

Tissoт. I fay nothing of the private, and perhaps "partial, teftimonies of my correspondents.

"BUT BEFORE TRUTH, IN ITS SILENT OR DIS"PUTED MARCH, HAS ROUSED THE ATTENTION "OF THE INDOLENT, CONVERTED THE SUPERCI66 LIOUS, SUBDUED THE INTERESTED AND OBSTI66 NATE, AND REACHED THE EARS OF ALL, AN 66 AGE HAS PASSED AWAY."!!!

GANGLIONS, as we before obferved, are attached wholly to nerves which fupply the organs which have involuntary motion, and being NON-ELECTRIC BODIES are the CHECKS which prevent our volitions from extending to them, and alfo fenfation from reaching

*

* If you ftimulate any nerve not fupplied with GANGLIONS, all the irritable fibres will be thrown into a state of action through the whole extent of the minute ramifications of that nerve: but, on the contrary, ftimuli do not affect the heart, inteftines, &c. when applied on the nerves above the GANGLIONS, but acting just below them, these organs are instantly strongly affected.

+ In violent fits of paffion the accumulated electric fluid of the nerves however paffes these barriers, and the vital organs are immediately in agitation, and fometimes death enfues.

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the common fenforium*.

* The effect of different PASSIONS on the voluntary as well as involuntary organs, is a subject worthy of scrutiny, and has not been enough attended to by the phyfiologift. Hope, fear, joy, grief, are well known to display their figns externally. The character of each man can in general be read in his face. Diffocial paffions, being hurtful by prompting violence and mischief, are noted by the most confpicuous external figns, in order to put us upon our guard : thus anger and revenge, especially when sudden, difplay themselves on the countenance in the most legible characters. The breathing is quick, with deep infpirations; hence the swelling of the nostrils, and projecting of the under lip; the accumulated nervous electricity now paffes the GANGLIONS, which nature defigned as BARRIERS in the more tranquil hour, and flies to the heart, which propels with velocity the blood, which being very deeply oxygenated in its quick tranfit through the lungs, aids muscular exertion, inflames the eye, and reddens the countenance. The other internal vifcera are also affected, and there is a fuffufion of bile. In fear there is a deep inspiration, and it is long before the air vitiated in the lungs is returned, the mouth is wide gaping, the noftrils closed, and the heart receiving unoxygenated blood palpitates, the countenance is livid, the hands pale, and swooning often enfues. The ferpents in Africa, according to VAILLANT, fix their eyes on a bird, and curling themselves up, so terrify thefe little creatures, that they are incapable of flight, and fall down from the bush or tree dead. Sorrow produces nearly the fame inattention to respiration; hence the noftrils are drawn downwards, the mouth is half open for languid refpiration, fighs are frequent, the face is of a lead colour, and the lips are pale. We shall not enter now more deeply into the question, but conclude by obferving, that the external figns of paffion are a strong indication that man, by his very conftitution, is framed to be open and fincere. A child, in all things obedient to the impulfes of nature, hides none of its emotions; the favage and clown, who have no guide but pure nature, expose their hearts to view, by giving way to all the natural figns. And even when men learn to diffemble their fentiments, and when behaviour degenerates into art, there ftill remains checks, that keep diffimulation within bounds, and prevent a great part of its mischievous effects. The total fuppreffion of the voluntary figns during any vivid paffion, begets the utmost uneasiness, which cannot be endured, but by the most practifed villains. We may pronounce, therefore, that NATURE, herself fincere and candid, intends that mankind should preferve the fame character, by cultivating fimplicity and truth, and banishing every fort of diffi mulation that tends to mischief.

VOL. IV.

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