Dr. Wilson Philip on Galvanism. 73 



well versed in medical science, in tlie first instance objected to 

 these inferences. I also, in some degree, ascribe it to the argu- 

 ments relating to this part of the subject being necessarily dis- 

 persed through a great part of the treatise, even in the last edition, 

 in which 1 have endeavoured, as far as v^as consistent with the 

 general arrangement, to bring them into one view. This prevents 

 their being fairly considered, except at the expense of much 

 trouble. The object of the present pages is to communicate to 

 the reader what I have attempted to ascertain respecting the 

 agency of galvanism in the animal economy, in a concise and 

 more connected form, and consequently one which affords less 

 room for misconception. 



Some, who will not admit that any argument in favour of the 

 identity of the nervous influence and galvanism can be derived 

 from the experiments in question, allow, that they prove the latter 

 to be capable of acting as a substitute for the former. This 

 language, I confess, I do not understand. Whatever is capable 

 of acting as a substitute for the nervous influence, must possess 

 its properties. I have said, that such and such are the properties 

 of this influence, and that galvanism, possessing all these pro- 

 perties, we have reason to regard the two powers as identical. 

 To refute this inference, it must be shewn, that I have mistaken 

 the properties of the nervous influence, or that galvanism does not 

 possess these properties, or possesses others inconsistent with 

 those of the nervous influence. Although all will grant the truth 

 of this position, yet in no instance do those, who, admitting the 

 accuracy of the experiments, controvert my inference from them, 

 attempt to prove that in any of these respects I have been misled. 

 They satisfy themselves with assertions, that my conclusions in 

 this part of the subject are less correct than in others, that it is 

 still involved in obscurity, Sfc. Without regarding general as- 

 sertions of this kind, which, it is evident, unless they are the legi- 

 timate result of a fair statement of facts, amount to nothing, lot 

 us endeavour to ascertain how far our present knowledge enables 

 us to go towards determining the question before us. 



I have endeavoured to shew that the functions of the nervous 

 influence arc those of conveying impressions to and from the 



