An elementary system of physiology ... / By John Bostock.

  • Bostock, John, 1773-1846.
Date:
1825-1828
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An elementary system of physiology ... / By John Bostock. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    terially influenced, not only physiological speculations, but medical and surgical practice, even as late as the’ middle of the last century, long after the distinction between nerves and tendons was thoroughly under- stood. Even Boerhaave fully subscribed to this doc- trine, in which he is warmly seconded by his learned, but obsequious commentator, Van Sweiten ;* and the influence of the old hypothesis upon our language may still be observed in the present day.t John Bell, in his usual animated and impressive man- ner, describes the dreadful effects which this opinion, concerning the great sensibility of membrane, formerly produced in the operation of lithotomy.f As the blad- der principally consists of membrane, it was agreed by all the learned operators, for a succession of ages, that it would be improper to cut or divide any part of it; and, therefore, in order to extract the calculus, a varie- ty of instruments were employed for the purpose, as it was said, of dilatation, but’ which, in fact, caused the most cruel laceration of the organ itself and of the neighbouring parts. It is truly astonishing to observe, how the weight. of authority bore down the clearest dictates of reason, and the most decisive results of ex- perience; and how the most obvious facts were warp- ed and misconstrued, before mankind would submit to prefer the evidence of their own senses to the mere hypothetical opinions of the ancients. From these remarks it will appear, that except bone, membrane may be regarded as the most simple in its vil. c. 20; Le Clerc, Hist. de la Medecine, liv. iii. c. 3, § 5; and Haller, Mem. sur les Part. Sens. et Irrit. t. i. p. 19; and Opera Mi- nora, t. i. p. 41]. * Aphorismus 164; and comment. in eund. 1 Stuart argues with much ingenuity to prove, that tendons and nerves are the continuation of the same substance, differing mere- ly in the mechanical arrangement or disposition of their parts. Diss. de Struct. and Mot. Mus. C., vii. { Surgery, v. ul. sect. 3.