PAGE

This was exploded by BACON, who would
admit no Conclufions but from Experiments,

{The fudden Improvement that this gave to

{

every Branch of Science, -

The Discovery of the Circulation of the Blood

firft immortalized the Name of HARVEY,

{The Opposition which this at firft met with,

ib.

i

ii

ib.

The Difcovery of the next Importance was

Irritability; a Property effential to all

living Animals, and likewife to Plants, iii

[The Oppofition which this Difcovery excited,

and from fimilar Motives,

1. INDOLENCE, to avoid the Trouble of

Examination;

2. VANITY, to fhun the Imputation of

Ignorance; and,

3. ENVY, to deprive the Discoverer of

his due Share of Praise.

[In like Manner the Science of Chemistry has
had its Revolutions, and one Error fuc-
ceeded to another, until LAVOISIER efta-
blished a Syftem, which being founded

Lupon Truth, is eternal,

Upon the broad Bafis of the New Chemistry,

and the Irritability of the Fibre, Dr. BED-

DOES, the Rev. Mr. TOWNSEND, and Dr.

ib.

iv

PAGE

DARWIN, have each ably treated on Dif-

eafes, and from their Works principally a

new and beautiful Superftructure is at-

tempted to be formed; fo that instead of a

proverbial Difagreement, the fame Confent

among Practitioners may be eftablished, as

at present exist among Aftronomers and

Chemifts,

Dr. BROWN, however, has the Honour of first having

published a Syftem of Phyfic founded upon the Irritabi-

lity of the Fibre, -

-In illuftrating this Syftem, with the Improvements it has

derived from modern Discoveries in Chemistry, it is at-

tempted as much as poffible to obtain the Voice of every

one, "Delectando pariterque monendo.";

Baron de HALLER'S Divifion of the Body into
three Parts,

1. SENSIBLE,

2. INSENSIBLE, and

3. IRRITABLE,

{The precife Meaning of these Terms, -

Apology.

I. OF IRRITABLE PARTS.

iv

ib.

ib.

ib.

PAGE

{

The PUNCTUM SALIENS, which is the Heart

of a Chick, beats, before we dare presume

that there is any Organ to diftribute the

nervous Power, -

The Heart therefore must be confidered the

PRIMUM MOBILE, as it is the ULTIMUM

MORIENS of the Animal Machine, -

-

ix

ib.

The Heart poffeffes different Degrees of IR-
RITABILITY in different Classes of Beings, - ib.

{Examples of this Pofition,

The Doctrine of BOERHAAVE and WHYTT

ib.

PAGE

The MUSCLES.

Thefe cannot be defined by Colour, but only
by their CONTRACTILE POWER which each
Mufcle has in common with the reft, -

It is from THIS POWER that a Mufcle is able

to move a Weight, which tears it when

dead,

IRRITABILITY proved to be Independent of

Nerves and Brain,

IRRITABILITY furvives the lofs of nervous

Power,

The DIAPHRAGM.

{It retains for a long While its Irritability,

xiii

xiv

XV

xvii

THE GALL, LIVER, AND COMMON, DUCTS.

{Proof of their Inirritability,

xxvi

ib.

xxiii

xxvii

ib.

III. OF