INTRODUCTION, XV 



ditions at all essential to the function of digestion. 

 The same observations apply to the rest of his 

 mutilations of the nervous system, in respect to 

 animal heat and digestion. As the consideration 

 of the former occupies the greater part of the fol- 

 lowing volume, I have attended critically to the 

 views of those who suppose the nervous system to 

 be the efficient agent in maintaining the tempera- 

 ture of the body. I have not, on all occasions, per- 

 formed experiments in order to prove the correct- 

 ness of my own opinions ; but have, when it was 

 possible, taken the results of the experiments of 

 others as data for my own reasoning. This plan 

 is closely followed in several chapters, in which 

 I attempt to shew the fallacy of principles ad- 

 vanced by WILSON PHILIP, Dr EDWARDS of 

 Paris, JOHN HUNTER, and others. 



I have not brought forward the varieties of 

 opinion on every physiological subject treated 

 in this work. My object has been to notice the 

 views of those whose originality and importance 

 merit repetition and consideration ; nor have 

 I been particularly desirous of developing mi- 

 nute details which naturally flow from general 

 principles. 





