The Abernethian code of health and longevity, or, every one's health in his own keeping ... founded on the principles ... of John Abernethy.

  • Abernethy, John, 1764-1831.
Date:
1829
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Abernethian code of health and longevity, or, every one's health in his own keeping ... founded on the principles ... of John Abernethy. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    yond our controul. Such being the case, we are restricted to trace only the nature of the digestive and expulsive organs, and from them alone, draw the necessary conclusions that tend to the preservation of health, the cure of disease, and the exten- sion of life, or in other words, the means of attaining longevity, which can only be a real blessing, w ith the possession of health, and the power of enjoyment. The principal organ is the stomach:* no animal can exist * The vital importance of the stomach to life, may be judged of from the following facts. Such simply organized animals as have no visible brain, nerves, lungs, heart, or blood-vessels, and even vegetables, contract and re-acton impressions being made on any part of them ; and being cut in pieces, each becomes a living individual. They separate the elements of dead matter which re-nnite within them in various and specific proportions, and extend their fibres; they propagate their kinds whose par- ticles and fibres are arranged into specific forms, as all consoli- dated fluids are; they have a preserving and resisting power called vis couservatrix, and medicatrix naturae; become de- ranged in their functions and structure by excess, defect, or peculiarity of impression ; recover from various morbid states; regenerate lost substance; cease at length to answer impres- sions, and spontaneously separate into their elements, which form new combinations in nature. In an animal, which, besides a stomach, the seat of the first assimilation and simple life, has nerves and brain, the medium of sensation and thought, the energy of which is increased by a heart and lungs ; the assimilating, moving, sentient, and thinking powers become parts of one whole, necessary to the action and effect of one another, acting as it were in a circle, modifying and improving the system, in which the smallest puncture producing contractility, pain, and haemorrhage, seems to shew that life, mind, and heart exist in every point. Cold-blooded animals, whose circulation is languid, and re- spiration occasional, live and move for several hours without brain, heart, or lungs: the heart of a young hot-blooded animal, continues its motions for some time after its connection with the brain is cut off; in consumption there is sometimes scarcely a vestige of lungs left; aome persons have the power of sus- pending the action of the heart, and it is sometimes suspended without the will, while the other functions continue entire. After decollation, it is said, a viper traversed several walks in a garden; an ostrich continued running in a circular course leading to an accustomed place of refuge; and acock impul- sively continued its motion towards some grain that had been •ust presented to it; a turtle, whose strength, considering its