The generative organs, considered anatomically, physically, and philosophically / a posthumous work of Emanuel Swedenborg ; translated from the Latin by James John Garth Wilkinson.

Date:
1852
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The generative organs, considered anatomically, physically, and philosophically / a posthumous work of Emanuel Swedenborg ; translated from the Latin by James John Garth Wilkinson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

    26/356 (page 10)
    spring. And so it is also with the blood as regards its quality. Nature, which ever strives after equation, cannot be equated justly if any particular quality of blood is taken in by larger than the proper quantities, and hence she supplies a quantity equal to the necessity. From this requirement and dispensa- tion it follows, that the intermediate vessels are in this way necessarily disposed to pass onwards distinct sorts of blood, and no others; or if others, they send them off in new directions. This is what we term the equation of the blood, and this it is from which all the above effects result. See Part I. 12. It is necessary that the spermatic artery should come off from the aorta by a small stem or narrow orifice, in order that the purer and more^ soluble blood may be derived into the testes and epididymides; and also in order that the blood may be purified on the way, that is to say, that as it runs onwards, the more ivorth- less, watery and urinous part, and the excrementitious portion, may be completely detached, and none but the purer part remain, which will be available for the preparation of the seed. Obser- vation shews that the spermatic vessels arise from the aorta by a fine and narrow beginning; likewise that the artery descends by a long course towards its proper organs; to enable it to be duly expurgated from heterogeneous matters on the passage; for the longer the distance, the greater the quantity of expurgationf. At first it throws on one side the grosser, then the purer hetero- geneous elements; first the urinous, then the aqueous, and then again the oily matters that are not suitable for the seed: this is the reason why the spermatic vessels transmit branches to- wards the kidneys and the suprarenal capsules, and moreover to the adipose membrane both of the skin and kidneys; and in- deed a number of twigs to the peritonaeum, whose cellular tissue receives the aqueous portion of their blood. By this means the urinous matter is evaporated through the skin (see above), or sweated off. And finally those crudities that from other places are sent away to the liver, are committed to the mesenteric arte- ries ; besides which the spermatic vessels communicate with the * By more soluble blood, the author means the blood which is more readily re- solvable back into its elements; the excellence of all supplies depending on their capability of detaching the precise materials which are wanted.— TV. t This is a rule following from the now adopted principle above mentioned.— TV.