An inquiry into the origin of epidemics, and a physical and chemical analysis of their specific cause : on a new theory of matter and form / by J. Wishart.

  • Wishart, J., M.D.
Date:
[1848?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An inquiry into the origin of epidemics, and a physical and chemical analysis of their specific cause : on a new theory of matter and form / by J. Wishart. 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.)

    5/20
    others, and that these diverse properties are the results of the form of the atoms composing the body. The effect of this law is announced in a standard work, though not med- ical, that is, that the leopard cannot change his spots, nor the African his skin ; and this is the enunciation of an uni- versal law of organized life. In tracing the laws and pro- perties of aeriform poisons, this law of nature, stamped on matter, occurred to me, in every stage of the inquiry, that quality is the result of form. But in pursuing the examina- tion, I discovered that this idea was not original with me.— Professor Bush, of New York, and others have made the observation, that ^^ quality, when traced back to the last analysis, will be found to resolve itself into form. But, although writers on Natural Philosophy admit that form is inherent in matter, it has not been presented as the mode of existence of quality, which is generally supposed to be something else than form. Light is one form of matter, and heat is another. Electricity is a distinct form, and magnetism is another modification of matter. And, al- though it has been questioned whether light, &c., are mat- ter, it has never been refuted, nor ever can ; and, notwith- standing there are some analogies in them, there are, also, striking differences in their properties, from which differ- ence of form is deduced. This question will be illustrated as we proceed. The solution of the problem, as to the pro- perties of miasm, which will be given on this hypothesis, conforms to the simplicity and uniformity discoverable in all the works of nature. For it seems, not only to pervade our planet, as I shall show, but, if we reason from analo- gy, the entire solar system, no two of the planets being alike ; and the two bodies which reach us from the sun, are different. And by the exercise of this principle, the Author of nature governs all His physical agents, as I shall attempt to show, in another mode, and on a different occasion.— uniformity of principle, and diversity of result, are thus dis- played throughout that part of the universe of which we can take cognizance. Geological researches show that, in the bony skeletons of animals, there are no identities of structure, in the vari- ous species. Extinct species are also obsolete forms, which have yielded their places in creation to recent formations, produced in endless variety, presenting us with the amaz- ing and astounding truth, that, although creative energy has never ceased, the same formation has never been repeated, so that neither in living species nor dead, has identity of form a place in creation. When we turn to the pages of Comparative Anatomy, we are met by the same uniformity of result, in the unlim-