TRANSLATOR'S INTRODUCTION. ix 



George Prochaska was bom at Lospitz, in Moravia, 

 April 10, 1749. In 1776 he graduated at Vienna; in 1778 

 he became Professor of Anatomy and Diseases of the Eye, at 

 Prague; and, in 1791, Professor of Anatomy, Physiology, and 

 Diseases of the Eye, at Vienna. In 1805 he was appointed a 

 Regierungsrath, and died on July 17, 1820, of hydrothorax 

 and pulmonary disease, aged 71. His portrait was published, 

 in 1812, with his ^Disquisitio Anatomico-physiologica Organismi 

 Corporis humani.' 



At the commencement of his career, Prochaska specially 

 investigated the anatomy and physiology of the muscular and 

 nervous systems ; and, throughout his whole life, endeavoured 

 to elucidate the vital processes. His first essay was published 

 at Vienna, in 1778, and entitled, ' Qusestiones Physiologicse de 

 Viribus Cordis,^ and was followed, in the same year, by ^ De 

 came musculari; Tractatus Anatomico-physiologicus.' In 1779 

 he published a histological essay, entitled ' De Structura 

 Nervorum ; Tractatus Anatomicus :' and this was followed by 

 his 'Adnotationes Academicse.^ The first fasciculus, published 

 in 1780, contained anatomical observations (with plates) on 

 the wear of the teeth, and an elucidation of the causes of the 

 second dentition ; together with a description, dissection, and 

 plates, of a human bicephalous monster ; the second, published 

 in 1781, contained various contributions to pathological ana- 

 tomy, a description of four monsters, and a commentary on 

 their mode of generation ; the third, published in 1784, con- 

 tained contributions to pathology and pathological anatomy, 

 together with a dissertation, ' De Functionibus Systematis 

 Nervosi,* the translation of which has been intrusted to me 

 by the Sydenham Society.^ In 1797, he repeated the views ad- 

 vanced in this essay, with certain modifications, in a class-book he 

 published, for the use of his pupils, at Vienna.^ The text of 

 the essay sufficiently shows, that the works of Unzer were well 

 known to him, for not only is direct reference made to the 

 * Erste Griinde,' but the doctrines as to the functions of the 



• This was republished, with few alterations, amongst the ' Opera Minora* 

 (Vienna, 1800,) of the author ; but the translation is from the first edition. 



' Lehrsatze aus der Physiologic des Menschen, 2 vols. 1797. A second edition 

 appeared in 1802, and a third in 1810. This work was also published in Latin, in 

 two volumes, under the title of * Institutiones Physiologiae Humanae,' 1805. 



