The works of William Cullen : containing his physiology, nosology, and first lines of the practice of physic; with numerous extracts from his manuscript papers, and from his treatise of the materia medica / Edited by John Thomson.

  • Thomson, John, 1765-1846.
Date:
1827
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The works of William Cullen : containing his physiology, nosology, and first lines of the practice of physic; with numerous extracts from his manuscript papers, and from his treatise of the materia medica / Edited by John Thomson. 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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    gives occasion to new motions in the nervous system. This mutual communication or influence we assume with confidence as a fact; but the mode of it we do not understand, nor pretend to explain; and therefore we are not bound to obviate the diffi- culties that attend any of the suppositions which have been made concerning it. u I have added, 4 of the mind alonebut there is some little ambiguity with respect to this, therefore I would take it as at first—‘of the mind,1 and say that thought must have for its cause an immaterial substance, and that, at least ultimately, every phenomenon of thinking is to be referred thereto. A demon- stration of this proposition would lead me into a very long di- gression, which is not much connected with this subject, and the discussion might appear subtile and difficult. I am con- vinced that this proposition has been demonstrated by divines and metaphysicians, to whom therefore I must trust, and refer you for farther satisfaction; and I shall have occasion immedi- ately to refer you to a physician for the proofs of it. But while we agree with mankind in general, and with philosophers, with regard to this fact, we observe, in the next place, that 6 this im- material and thinking part of man is so connected with the ma- terial and corporeal part of him, and particularly with the nervous system, that motions excited in this give occasion to thought; and thought, however occasioned, gives occasion to new motions in the nervous system.1 I need not illustrate this further, as it is so universally understood and agreed upon in every system that thinking or thought arises from certain changes in the state of the body ; and it is as evident that certain modifi- cations of thought, however they arise, do produce motions in the material or corporeal part; and I say that 6 this mutual communication or influence we assume with confidence as a fact.1 There is not in nature, seemingly in the acknowledgment of all philosophers, a greater mystery than this mutual action of the soul and body upon one another ; philosophers have at least talked about the matter, and there are three very celebrated sys- tems with regard to it. “ The system of Aristotle, which is adopted by many moderns, is called the system of the physical influx. Des Cartes has pro- posed another, which is known by the name of the system