A treatise of the materia medica and therapeutics (Volume 1).

  • Eberle, John, 1787-1838.
Date:
1830
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise of the materia medica and therapeutics (Volume 1). 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.)

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    2. Medicines are absorbed into the circulation, and act on the system through the medium of the blood. That the animal body possesses the faculty of trans- mitting impressions from one part to another, is an in- disputable fact. Such a power is essential to the pre- servation of the living economy. The circle of vital actions would soon cease to revolve, were it not for some general connecting medium, by which the various organs of the body are brought into a mutual harmony and correspondence of action. From an examination of the different structures of the animal system, and the functions which they perform, it is evident that the brain and its appendages, the nerves, constitute this medium of connexion ; for these alone receive and transmit im- pressions ; and upon them, therefore, depend all those phenomena which are called sympathetic. The objec- tion which has been made to this opinion, that sympa- thies exist between parts of the animal body that have no direct nervous communication with each other, is without foundation; for it must be obvious to every one, on a moment's reflection, that the nervous system brings every sentient and irritable part, under the immediate influence of the sensorium commune, the brain; and that, therefore, all the parts of the body have a continu- ous nervous connexion with each other, through the medium of this common centre of feeling. That sym- pathetic actions are thus propagated through the system, may be inferred from the known laws of nervous ex- citement. An impression made on the nervous extremi- ties of a part, is either altogether local or insulated in its effects, or it is communicated to the sensorium com- mune, whence it is reflected either upon the part in which the primary irritation exists, producing sensation