VITAL MOTION. 471 



excitability of parts which both move evidently from the applica- 

 tion of stimuli, and possess distinct fibres ; and he therefore said 

 that muscles only are irritable 6 , though other animal parts, as 

 well as vegetables, possess excitability, move independently of 

 gravitation, or chemical or electric circumstances, or mechani- 

 cal impulse. To deny this power, styled also by Haller visinsita 

 or propria, to parts which may not show muscular fibres, or which 

 may not move evidently on the application of a stimulus, would 

 be absurd ; yet Haller did this. To avoid confusion, the term 

 myotility is given to the power of instant and evident con- 

 traction of fibrous parts on the application of a stimulus : it is 



And Nov. Commentar. Getting, t. iv. 



Among innumerable other writers on the same subject, suffice it to quote the 

 following : 



Zimmerman, De irritabilitate. Gott. 1751. 4to. 



Oeder, on the same. Copenhagen, 1752. 4to. 



J. Eberh. Andrea?, on the same. (Praes. Ph. Fr. Gmelin.) Tubing. 1758. 

 4to. 



As well as three entire Collections of writings which related to the great 

 controversy excited throughout Europe in consequence of the Gottingeu 

 publications. 



SulV Insensibilita e Irritabilita, Dissertazioni transportate da J. G. V. Petrini. 

 Roma, 1755. 4to. 



Sulla Insensitivita ed Irritabilita Halleriana opuscoli raccolti da G. B. Fabri. 

 Bologna. 1757 59. iv. vol. 4to. 



And what were published under Haller's inspection, Memoires sur la Nature 

 sensible et irritable des Parties du Corps Humain. Lausanne, 1756 59. 

 iv. vol. 12." 



e Our countryman, Dr. Glisson, whose portrait we possess in the College 

 of Physicians, was the first who absolutely ascribed animal movement to 

 a specific power, which he termed irritability, (De Natura Substantive ener- 

 getica, sen de Vitce Natura. London, 1672. 4to.), to a property of being 

 influenced by excitants ; and he distinguished it from sensibility. He pointed 

 out that it might occur without sensation, with sensation, or through the 

 will, " Irritatio est perceptio, sed sensatio est perceptio perceptionis." Yet 

 his facts, for his statements of the existence of such a living power were no 

 theory but facts, found no supporters, Dr. Tiedemann remarks, (1. c. dxxvi.) 

 " among his contemporaries, blinded as they were by the system of chemistry 

 and iatro-mechanics, and were only justly appreciated in the following century." 



Dr. De Gorter pointed out that the former is possessed by all parts of living 

 bodies and by vegetables also. (Exercitationes Medicee quatuor. Amstel. 1 734. 4to. 

 Ex. Med. quinta. Amst. 1748. 4to.) Dr. Glisson had allowed excitability even 

 to the blood and humours, and Dr. Gaubius of Leyden afterwards did the same. 

 (Institutiones Pathologiac. Leyden, 1758. 4lo. p. 169.) 



