A summary of physiology / by F. Magendie ; translated from the French by John Revere.

  • Magendie, François, 1783-1855.
Date:
1822
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A summary of physiology / by F. Magendie ; translated from the French by John Revere. 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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    WWKStSUR TThetie have been two different modes pursued in investigating the physical sciences. They may with propriety be denominated systematic and theoretic. The first has for its foundation certain gratuitous suppositions, or assumed principles, to which known facts are applied in such a manner as to explain them. Should any new phenomenon be observed which does not agree with the fundamental principles of this sys- tem, the fact must be so modified that an explanation of it may be given. If the supporters of systematic science pay any attention to experience, it is with the intention of confirming the system which they have adopted; every thing which tends to overthrow it is neglected, at least it is not noticed; they endeavor to find nature as it should be, according to their pre- conceived opinions, not as it is—in a word, they follow the synthetic method; descending from hypothesis to facts, without paying any attention to those general principles which we ought always to keep in view, in our search after truth. It is scarcely possible, that un- der this form natural science should make any real progress 2