PHYSICAL PHENOMENA 



BODIES, 



LECTURE I. 



INTRODUCTION. GENERALITIES. 



ARGUMENT. Living beings are endowed with the general properties of 

 all natural bodies. Imbibition. Elasticity. Gravity. Caloric. Elec- 

 tricity. Light. Affinity. All the phenomena of living beings are not 

 explicable by reference to physical and chemical forces merely. The 

 action of physical agents is modified by the organization and molecu- 

 lar structure of living bodies. Catalytic actions. The Cell is the ele- 

 mentary organ of living bodies ; the mechanism of its life explicable by 

 the phenomenon of endosmose. Vital phenomena ; a complete explana- 

 tion of them is, at present, not possible. General conclusions, 



Objects and limits of the study of the physico-chemical phenomena of 

 living beings. Precision of language and accuracy of method as 

 necessary for physiology and medicine as for the physical sciences. 



GENTLEMEN, 



I NEVER felt more diffident of ray own abilities than now, 

 when about to discharge the duty imposed on me, of deliver- 

 ing a course of lectures on the Physical Phenomena of Living 

 Bodies. But, while I am fully sensible of the difficulties 

 of such an undertaking, I am supported by the hope that 

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