Medicine. 22T 



Tity, mistake and error, the true principles of res- 

 piration. 



There cannot be stronger proof of the fact that 

 these obscure hints of the real use of respiration 

 were unknown or forgotten by succeeding physio- 

 logists, than may be found in the works of Haller 

 and Dr. AVilliam Hunter. The opinion of the 

 former of those great physiologists, concerning the 

 subserviency of respiration chiefly to the formation 

 of the voice, has been already mentioned. The 

 Jatter, in his introductory lecture, published in 

 1784, expresses himself as follows : '' Respiration 

 *^ we cannot explain ^ we only know that it is, in 

 ^' fact, essential and necessary to life. Notwith- 

 " standing this, when we see all the other parts of 

 '^ the body, and their functions so well accounted 

 ^*' for, we cannot doubt but that respiration will be 

 *^ so likewise. And if ever we should be happy 

 ^' enough to find out clearly the object of this func- 

 *^ tion, we shall, doubtless, as clearly see, that this 

 *^ organ is as wisely contrived for an important 

 ^^ office, as we now see the purpose and importance 

 " of the heart and vascular system; which, till 

 " the circulation of the blood was discovered, was 

 *' wholly concealed from us.'' 



It will scarcely be necessary to add to what is al- 

 ready stated concerning Hook and Mayow, that 

 Mr. Boyle and Dr. Hales were much engaged on 

 the same subject, and that the latter particularly 

 was greatly useful by his experiments and re- 

 searches in pneumatic philosophy, which paved the 

 way for the brilliant improvements of his successors 

 in that inquiry. 



The splendid progress of pneumatic chemistry 

 which ennobles the last twenty-six years of the 

 eighteenth century, has been detailed in another 

 place. The discovery of oxygen, and the analysis 

 of the atmosphere, are prominent points in that pro- 



