The American physician, and family assistant / by Elias Smith.

  • Smith, Elias, 1769-1846.
Date:
1837
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The American physician, and family assistant / by Elias Smith. 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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    vessels, nerves and absorbents, intended for the secretion or alteration of particular fluids. They are divided into lour cla.-ses, simple, compounds, conglobate, and conglomerate ; and the oriiices of glands are said to be peculiarly irritable. 5. Secretion is the process by which various fluids are separated from tlie blood by means of the glands. Tlie secretions are divided into tbe saline, as sweat and urine ; the oleaginous, as the fat, cerumen of the ear, &c. ; the saponaceous as bile and milk ; the mucous, as on the surface of membranes, &c. 6. Sensibility is the faculty of perception by the contact of an extraneous body ; and this principle is generally diffused in our corporeal organs, but in different degrees. That modification of animal matter, in which sensation appears peculiar to ex- ist, is termed nervous. 7. Motion is effected by the muscular fibre con- tracted by volition ; but the will can only exercise this power, through the medium of the nerves.— hritability is the power of contraction, inherent in our bodily organs, but not liable to be influenc- ed by the will.] All the senses of animals, and all their varied powers of action-are exactly adapted to their dif- ferent modes of existence. What is food to one, is poison to another ; and every one finds provision according to its natural habits. Every thing, also, is in exact proportion ; and every provision of nature harmonizes with the corresponding desires and wants of animals. Nature's unnumbered family, combine In one beneficent, one vast design ; E'en from inanimates to breathing man. An Heaven-conceived, Heaven-executed plan ■ Onward, from those, who soar, or lowly creep '