584 Medicine. [Chap. YV. 



and defend the former, and tlicreby to constitute 

 a moving perfect whole, adapted to assmne the ac- 

 tions of life, and to sustain the impression of sur- 

 rounding objects. 



In this arduous inquirj'jVvhicli so long engaged 

 the mind of Haller, and w hich led to so many in- 

 teresting results, he was not condemned to the ne- 

 cessity bi labouring alone. The example of the 

 preceptor inspired many of his pupils with the same 

 spirit of exertion and enterprise. Zinn, Zim.mer- 

 man, Caldani, and several others, animated by a 

 liberal emulation, laboured with indefatigable di- 

 ligence to extend and improve the discoveries of 

 their illustrious master. Thus, by the combined 

 exertions of the teacher and his students, was the 

 philosophy of animal life more deeply investigated 

 than ever before, and eventually placed on a basis 

 almost entirely new. 



The effects of Haller^s doctrine of irritahiliti) in 

 improving physiological and medical principles must 

 be obvious to the most superficial observer. It 

 will not be thought extravagant to say that he 

 seems to have laid the true foundation of the sci^ 

 ence of medicine, if indeed such a foundation can 

 be said to be yet laid. From Haller, more than 

 from any single writer. Dr. Brown, and other mo- 

 dern sj^stematic reformers, who have done most to 

 improve medical principles, seem to have borrowed 

 the torch b}- which they were enabled to direct 

 their progress, and to explore the obscurities of 

 their route. 



But notwithstanding Ilaller's felicity in accom- 

 phshing so much to aid the |)rogress of physiology, 

 he did not live to witness two of the most signal 



