6 THE LAWS OF ORGANIC 



it in front , in consequence of the resiliency of the 

 lungs interposing its influence in the intervals 

 between the contractions of the heart ; and by 

 gravity, which is rendered available in this case 

 by the projection of the arteries and the diastole 

 of the auricles." The reader will do well to per- 

 use with great care this ingenious work: its 

 merits have never been sufficiently estimated. 



Mr CHARLES BELL* endeavours to shew that 

 Nature has been particularly solicitous topreserve 

 the act of inspiration, as this is " secured by a 

 double provision of nerves, viz. those which 

 come out from the sides of the spine, and those 

 which descend from the neck, when the act of 

 expiration is provided for solely through the 

 former." He still farther says, " These nerves, 

 which govern the muscles of inspiration, are 

 linked more intimately by sympathy with the 

 state of circulation and respiration ; for we see 

 in disease, as in experiments on animals, that, 

 when the powers of life have run low, the sym- 

 pathy is still exerted with such sudden catch- 

 ings of the muscles of inspiration, and with an 

 effort so powerful and unexpected, as to startle, 

 while the expiration is soft and without effort," 

 &c.f " These considerations exhibit the impor- 

 tance of the act of inspiration over that of ex- 



* An Exposition of the Natural System of the Nerves 

 of the Human Body, p, 239. 

 f Ibid. p. 



