Sect. II.] Plnpiologt/. 509 



hoiisz, Hunter, Broussoncl, Danvin, and man v of 

 tJie most distinguished disciples of the Lmn.can 

 school. And when the progress made by tliem in 

 vegetable physiology is considered in relation to the 

 discoveries obtaincvi by Haller and Fontuna in ani- 

 mal phj'siology, it will not appear surprising tliat 

 inferences and doctrines of the greatest interest 

 have recently been thence dedueeiJ. Tlie physio- 

 logical principles of Brown and Darwin, which now 

 occupy the attention of so large a portion of the 

 medical world, are conclusions resulting from that 

 great body of facts. But of these more particular 

 notice will be taken imder the next head. 



Theories oiGenercuion have engaged mucli atten- 

 tion during the last century. Towards the close 

 of the preceding one^ Leuwenhoeck attracted notice 

 ])V Jiis microscopical inquiries concerning the scmc?i 

 7nascuUnu7nj in which he believed that he saw nu- 

 merous animalcula, one of which was destined to 

 form the rudiments of the future embryo. I'liis 

 »su])posed discovery gave rise to a theory not yi:t 

 altogether exploded, according to whicli tJie womb 

 of the female only allbrds to the embryo a lodging, 

 iindthe requisite suppli-es of nourishment. 



M. BuiTon endeavoured to prove that the female 

 holds n more important share in the process of 

 generation. He asserts that animalcula, or organic 

 particles, are to bo found in the semen of both sexes j 

 and he derives that of the female from the o\aria, 

 dcnving, at the same time, that any ovum exists'in 

 thooe parts. But in this he is connnonly suppctocJ 

 to he mistaken. 



The opinion more generally adopted within a few 

 years is, that an impregnation of the o\um by (he 



