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 ape 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 nervous 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. 
