1818.] the Nature of the Vital Poioers. 117 



and 147 of the above treatise, and what is said in this treatise 

 respecting asthma, dyspepsia, and apoplexy. 



In a paper entitled, " On the Effects of Galvanism in restoring 

 the due Action of the Lungs," which appeared in the Philoso- 

 phical Transactions of last year, I have observed, that a Voltaic 

 trough of the old construction is more effectual in restoring the 

 due action of the lungs, than the improved trough now in general 

 use. I was at first at a loss to account for this circumstance. 

 From many observations, I have now reason to believe that it 

 arises from such effects of Galvanism, like its other effects on the 

 animal body, being proportioned not to the quantity of electricity 

 supplied by the trough, but to the intensity of its electric and 

 quantity of its chemical power, both of which are proportioned 

 rather to the number of plates, than to the extent of surface. 



1 have repeatedly tried the effects of a powerful electrical 

 machine in habitual asthma. They are considerable, but inferior 

 to those of the Galvanic trough, which I would ascribe to the 

 former possessing much less chemical power, in proportion to the 

 intensity of its electricity, than the latter. The most powerful 

 electric battery will not readily decompose water without the 

 ingenious arrangement, suggested by Dr. Wollaston, for concen- 

 trating as much as possible its electric power, while the power of 

 a few Voltaic plates is, without any precaution, sufficient for this 

 purpose. 



It appears from what is said in my treatise on the vital func- 

 tions, as well as what has just been laid before the reader, that I 

 regard Galvanism as totally distinct from, and having nothing in 

 common with, the vital principle. It is as distinct from this 

 principle as the blood or the muscular fibre ; like them, it is only 

 one of the means employed by it in producing the phenomena of 

 life. 



In the above treatise I have given at length the reasons which 

 seem to render it probable, that the first rudiment of life exists in 

 the central part of the circulating system, from which it is propa- 

 gated to every other part. We have reason to believe that it 

 exists not in the muscular fibre of the heart, but in the blood. 

 It is inconsistent with what we observe in the operations of 

 nature that it should exist simultaneously in both, and we never 

 see blood formed from muscular fibre, but we constantly see the 

 latter formed from blood ; besides, the great changes of nature 

 take place rather in fluids than in solids. 



With regard to the nature of the vital principle, we may say of 

 it what is said above of the sensorial power. As its eflocts can- 

 not be classed with the phenomena observed in any other part of 

 nature, we have no reason to believe that we phafl ever be able 

 to refer them to any more general principle. The view taken of 

 the vital principle by Mr. Hunter, and more fully explained by 

 Mr. Abernethy, is not that it is electricity or magnetism, opi- 

 nions which some, from want of due attention, have ascribed t» 



