The substance of a lecture : designed as an introduction to the study of anatomy considered as the science of organization ; and delivered at the re-opening of the school, founded by ... Joshua Brookes, Esq. in Blenheim Street Oct. 1st, 1833 / [Thomas King].

  • King, Thomas, 1802-1839.
Date:
1834
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The substance of a lecture : designed as an introduction to the study of anatomy considered as the science of organization ; and delivered at the re-opening of the school, founded by ... Joshua Brookes, Esq. in Blenheim Street Oct. 1st, 1833 / [Thomas King]. 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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    plex, the Organs of Respiration. It is better, however, to call the three simple solids which compose all the rest, the Anatomical mate- rials of Organs, or Primary Anatomical Elements, rather than Organs. As we say the Organs are the solid parts, you foresee, no doubt, that there are other parts not solid. So it is. These last, Anatomists range under the generic term of Fluids. They are either liquid or gaseous. Blainville, however, considers some of them as semi- liquids. . , I must now tell you what we ought to understand by Solids and Fluids. This has never been sufficiently explained: I may say, in- deed incorrect notions are prevalent on this subject, which have given rise to so many false systems of Medicine, and are still an abun- dant source of Pathological errors. The body is spoken of, as if it were really divisible into Solids and Fluids ; ana the proportion of the latter to the former is said to be as nine to one. But, the fact is ; it is not divisible into Solids and Fluids without a total alteration in their properties : and, when authors indi- cate the proportion they bear to each other, all they ought to mean is that when a body is dried and mummified, it loses nine-tenths of its weight, one tenth remaining in a solid state. Now, this tenth which remains, is composed of solids; but they are mightily changed: the muscle, bone, membranes, and different parts have no longer any of the physical properties they possess in the living body, or shortly after death. They may not be altogether destroyed in Chemical com- position ; they may not have entirely changed; but they have scarcely any resemblance to what they were. Let it then be clearly under- tood, that when we speak of Solids and Fluids distinctly, as they exist in the body; all that we mean by Solids is, the Solids separate from all the Fluids, except those necessary for the F^°^f their properties, as possessed in life or at death; and by Fluids such portions of these as are free, and can be removed without a teration of the Solids. Thus, when we speak of the blood, we mean that portion only which is free, and circulates in the vessels; and not every particle of blood retained in the different Organs and about to nourish them. And when we speak of the muscular fibre, as a Solid, we do not mean a tainin* the Fluid necessary for its form and properties. The Fluids and Sthus understood, cannot be separated and measured after death.