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might be, whether in the seat of the symptom or in a related one, 

 whether in the first formation of the ovum, or in a subsequent 

 spiritual change ; or whether produced by a chymical or mechanical 

 cause, which being itself an effect, in turn becomes a cause; whether 

 arising from internal causation or produced by a foreign external: 

 whatever may be the process by which a symptom takes place, as 

 much is to be attributed to an altered condition of the spirit as can- 

 not take place without it. Thus, in an inoculated disease (as the 

 small-pox), say a peculiar chymical substance is introduced into the 

 body whose effect is to produce eruptions, &c.; these eruptions are 

 formed by a suppurative process : now although the cause, for the 

 sake of the argument, may be granted to be chymical, yet would 

 not the animal phenomena which succeed to its introduction take 

 place unless the properties of life were under a state of preternatural 

 affection. It is the history of the spiritual properties which I wish 

 chiefly to trace; and as every form of disease is peculiar to the living 

 state, so the laws of the properties and affections of life admit an 

 analysis which will refer to the general character of disease; and 

 this analysis must be principally founded upon our physiology. 



15. Having shewn in part the importance or share in disease 

 which might be attributed to the chymical and mechanical depart- 

 ments ; having shewn that spontaneous change in the properties of 

 these departments is always secondary, but that they might become 

 re-agents ; I shall now proceed to speak of disease, as more exclusive- 

 ly concerning the state of the organic life; and the future employ- 

 ment of the term disease will be understood with the qualification 

 here hinted at. 



