278 Medicine, . [Chap. IV". 



those which are enabled, by a certain organised 

 structure, to grow and to propagate their kind, it 

 is plain that physiology must extend to the whole 

 of that organical economy in animals and plants 

 which the Author of Nature has contrived for the 

 preservation of the individual, and the continuance 

 and propagation of the species. But although it 

 is not intended, in this brief retrospect, wholly to 

 overlook the history of the doctrines of general 

 physiology for the late century, it may be proper 

 to apprise the reader that the objects of human 

 physiology will chiefly claim attention, This re- 

 stricted view of the subject is preferred on the 

 present occasion, not only on account of the re- 

 quisite brevity, but because the chief design of in- 

 troducing this sketch of the progress of physiology 

 is to consider it in subserviency to medical science, 

 and as preparatory to the remarks which are 

 to follow concerning the theory and practice of 

 physic. 



At the close of the seventeenth century, phy-» 

 siology presented a chaos of the wildest and most 

 discordant principles. The extravagant notions of 

 the Galenists and chemists had indeed ceased to be 

 generally defended; but they were succeeded by 

 those of the mathematicians, which were nearly 

 as far removed from truth and nature. The dis- 

 covery of the circulation of the blood, in the be- 

 ginning of the seventeenth century, had given rise 

 to the introduction of mechanics into medical doc- 

 trines. And as that system of philosophy was 

 founded upon the general laws of nature, the ablest 

 physiologists of the day were easily induced to ap- 

 ply it to the human body; which was supposed to 



