On the Vital Principle. 225 



Haller charges him with making the foul di- 

 vifible. Dr. Whytt admits, alfo, contrary to 

 experiments, the Stahlian doclrine of univerfal 

 fenfation*j a dodrine clearly difproved, by the 

 effect of ligatures, or divifion of nerves, in the 

 living animal. While he combats the vis infita, 

 he produces fome fafts which contradift his own 

 theory of the involuntary motions, and feem to 

 Ihew, that the motions of thofe organs may be 

 explained from the ftimulus of the contamed 

 fluids. Thus, the power of ftimuli applied to 

 any mufcular part, even to a voluntary mufcle, 

 is greater than the power of the will over that 

 part-f, and the periftaltic motion of the inteftines 

 fometimes continues, after the aftion of the heart 

 has ceafedj, from the ftimulus of their contents. 

 And Dr. Whytt is obliged to confefs, that the 

 mind has no concern, as a rational agent, with 

 the coalefcence of the duSius arteriojus (3' du5lus 

 venojus z.htx birth §; for the mind is not even 

 confcious that fuch parts have ever exifted, and 

 their circumftances are only known by anatomi- 

 cal inveftigation. 



Dr. Monro explains his opinion of rhe intel- 

 le5lus agens, in the human body, in thefe few 



• Jb- P- >23. f lb. p. 14. 



X lb. p. ,92. Dr. Haller fays. Vox ('vis -vitalis) non 

 ferinde placet, cum 'vis noftra -vita aliquantum futer'vivat^ 

 Phyfiolog. T. IV. p. 464. ■ ^ r '^ 



% Vit. and Inv. Mot. jj, 169. 

 ^^'••lil- CL words, 



