Dr. Wilson Philip on the effects of galvanism, &c. 25 
which subsists between the sensorial and nervous systems, 
that by rousing the energy of the latter, we may excite the 
former. It would be easy to show, that we have little reason 
to expect that this will often happen. It also appears from 
the experiments to which I allude, that galvanism has no 
other power over the muscular system, than that of a stimu- 
lus ; we are, therefore, to expect little more advantage from 
it in diseases depending on faults of the sanguiferous system, 
than from other stimuli. Hence its failure in tumors, &c. But 
I cannot help regarding it as almost ascertained, that in those 
diseases in which the derangement is in the nervous power 
alone, where the sensorial functions are entire, and the vessels 
healthy, and merely the power of secretion, which seems 
immediately to depend on the nervous system, is in fault, 
galvanism will often prove a valuable means of relief. 
As soon as this view of the subject presented itself, I was led 
to inquire, what diseases depend on a failure of nervous 
influence. The effect on the lungs of dividing the eighth 
pair of nerves answered the question respecting one of the 
most important diseases of this class. We find that with- 
drawing a considerable part of the nervous influence from the 
lungs, produces great difficulty of breathing. When the 
effect of this experiment on the lungs is, carefully attended 
to, it will be found, I think, that it is in all respects similar to 
the disease which may be called habitual asthma ; in which 
the breathing is constantly oppressed, better and worse at 
different times, but never free, and often continues to get 
worse in defiance of every means we can employ, till the 
patient is permanently unfitted for all the active duties of life. 
The animal in the above experiment is not affected with the. 
