Conspectus medicinae theoreticae : a view of the theory of medicine ; in two parts: Part I. Containing physiology and pathology. Part II. Containing therapeutics / a new ed., carefully rev. throughout. Translated from the original Latin.

  • Gregory, James, 1753-1821.
Date:
1833
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Conspectus medicinae theoreticae : a view of the theory of medicine ; in two parts: Part I. Containing physiology and pathology. Part II. Containing therapeutics / a new ed., carefully rev. throughout. Translated from the original Latin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    quality: a most subtle, virulent, and perhaps putrescent matter, issues from every pore of the skin, which, when long- collected, and not dissipated through the atmosphere, but applied anew to the body, or again received into it, infects it with the severest diseases; nor does it stop here, but, acquiring^ strength as it were with its aliment, extends its ravages far and wide. 60. The animal functions also, which are voluntary, are fre- quently neglected, or too much exercised. There is danger in both extremes. By indolence either of body or mind, the powers of both become languid; they are no less injured by too violent exercise. For the provident Parent of all things has or- dained that the powers of particular parts, or of the whole body, and of the mind also, should acquire vigour and acuteness by exer- cise ; and to this again certain limits are assigned; so that the use which nature intended cannot, with impunity, be either omitted or immoderately extended. From this circumstance, athletics on the one hand, and the idle or indolent on the other, are equally liable to diseases, but each class to those pe-' culiar to itself. On the same principle, injury is sustained from the total want, or from the excess, of mental exertion. Hence also arise the many diseases to which ditferent classes of artizans are subject, whose health and symmetry are generally impair- ed ; because, being always occupied in the same employment, and that possibly unfriendly to health, they exercise certain parts of the body very much, perhaps to excess, while they make little use of many other parts ; or perhaps, by an impro- per position of the body, or depraved mode of living, their func- tions are greatly impeded ; and thus, while, in the use of certain parts, they acquire a wonderful dexterity and strength, they lose the general vigour of the body, and that thriving state of health which depends upon it. 61. But the health may also be exposed to no small danger by those functions, both of mind and body, which are not sub- ject to the will. The affections of the mind especially, which, when moderate, produce a grateful excitement, if they be vio- lent, or depressing, and of long continuance, prove alike destruc- tive to its own powers and those of the body ; sometimes pro- ducing instant death, more frequently wasting the system by tedious illness. Either excess or deficiency of sleep, also, which