278 DR. PHILIP'S OBSERVATIONS ON THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 



fluenced by it, constantly in some, occasionally in others. It therefore bears 

 the same relation to the sensorial organs which the muscles bear to it. As 

 the muscular is independent of the nervous power, so is the nervous of 

 the sensorial power. As the nervous, influence all the muscular, functions, 

 those of the muscles of voluntary motion constantly, those of the muscles of 

 involuntary motion occasionally ; so the sensorial, influence all the nervous, 

 functions, those of the cerebral and spinal nerves constantly, those of the 

 ganglionic nerves occasionally. Thus all the functions of the nervous and 

 muscular systems, by which we are connected with the world that surrounds 

 us, are constantly subjected to the sensorial power ; while the functions on 

 which our life depends, with the exception of respiration, are only occasionally 

 so, and under circumstances in which the will has no controul. With this 

 exception the latter are all functions of the nervous and muscular powers alone. 

 To respiration the sensorial power also is necessary, and therefore the nervous 

 and muscular powers never long survive the loss of the sensorial power. 



The nei'vous power which connects all the other powers of the animal body, 

 effects so many changes in it, and has so large a share in connecting it with 

 the world around it, cannot strictly speaking be regarded as one of the vital 

 powers of that body, but as an agent employed by those powers ; because it 

 has been proved by direct experiment that it is capable of existing independently 

 of the mechanism of the part in which it resides, and therefore is not peculiar 

 to that mechanism ; and by the same means, that all its functions may be » 

 performed by galvanism, made to operate in the same circumstances in which ' 

 the nervous power operates. 



The experiments referred to in the foregoing paper suggested the use of 

 galvanism in those diseases which arise either from a partial or general failure 

 of the nervous power ; and the success which has attended its employment has 

 afforded another proof of its capability of the functions of that power. The 

 diseases in which it has been chiefly employed are habitual asthma, the various 

 forms of indigestion, affections of the spinal marrow and general nervous de- 

 bility. An account of its effects in the first of these diseases was laid before 

 the Society, and published in the Philosophical Transactions of 1817- An 

 account of its effects in the others is published in the third edition of my 

 treatise on the Vital Functions. Jo smufov 



