An introductory lecture delivered in the hall of the medical department of the St. Louis University, November 4th, 1845 / by M.L. Linton.

  • Linton, M. L. (Moses L.), 1808-1872.
Date:
1845
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An introductory lecture delivered in the hall of the medical department of the St. Louis University, November 4th, 1845 / by M.L. Linton. 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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    [4] the deep mysteries of nature, and the most ardent philanthropy can be gratified. Common sense would dictate the proposition, that in order to under- stand the physical constitution of man it is necessary to analyze him and ascertain his composition. Revelation represents him as having been formed of the dust of the earth ; and it is reasonable to conclude that in order to understand his material portion at least, we should analyse him as we would any other portion of earth and its contents. Subjected to analysis, we find him indeed composed of the same elements which enter into the composition of other material bodies. We find in him the hydrogen of the water which quenches our thirst; and the oxygen of the air that vivifies our blood. We find the carbon that mainly compo- ses the dense forests that shadow the earth and the extensive coal mines that lie hid in its bosom ; the lime and other materials of those ponderous rocks of which nature has built up the mountains. We find him verily a child of the earth, and a near kinsman of its humblest worms. If, then, man be made up of the same elements which compose the universe at large ; if he consist of combinations of the same elemental atoms, it is as necessary in order to comprehend his being and nature, to become acquainted with these atoms and their properties, as it is in regard to any other portion of matter. These elements are the A. B. C of the science of man, as they are of all matter ; the different forms and properties of matter being caused by variations in the number and proportions of these elements. In man, the A. B. C, the elements, are more exquisitely arranged and combined than in other terrestrial beings and objects. He is the most sublime and elegantly turned sentence in the book of nature, and constituted the finest and most euphonious stan- za in the poetry that burst into music on its completion,;i when the morn- ing stars sang together, and the sons of God shouted for joy*' in response to the high eulogy of creation that all was good. We speak of man at present only as a material being, and repeat that to understand his nature, as such, we should commence:^vvi h the ele- ments of which he is composed. The parts of a machine must be stu- died before the machine itself can be comprehended—but the proposi- tion is so nearly a self-evident one—so near a first truth if not actually such, that proofs and illustrations cannot add to its support or its lucid- ness. The study of man then must commence with the elements of his composition. He is a compound of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, iron and other elements—the alphabet of the unit* chemistry teaches us all that is known of these in their simple and their compound states. It is the usher that instructs us in the first rudi- ments of nature and also the high teacher that expounds the sublime and general laws which preside o\er and regulate her e\ er-\ arying yet harmonious movements—her wonderful and mysterious metamorphoses— her adaptation of all things to the well being • of God's most perfect creature, man. «