A Collection of Chirurgical TractsBeckett, William
Science
A Collection of Chirurgical Tracts
Beckett, William
Surgery
We are very well assured, _Sir_, that it has been a Matter of very
great Surprize to several ingenious Men, to consider how the various
Operations of the Body have continued to be performed, when those Parts
which were so absolutely necessary to the Well-being of the Animal,
have been naturally or accidentally disordered to such a degree, as
to suffer a perfect Confusion of their Parts: And of this we find
Variety of Instances in those Authors, who have very obligingly applied
themselves to relate the Histories of deceased morbid Bodies. But that
the Brain it self, which is the very Source and Principle of all Animal
Functions, should, after it has undergone such a Violation as we have
observed, continue several Days without incommoding the Person in the
least respect, is really very remarkable; for if we do but consider
what an absolute Necessity there is for a constant Supply of Animal
Spirits, to empower the Parts to perform their mechanical Actions, and
at the same time reflect on the Disorder and Corruption of that Part,
whose Office it was to secrete a sufficient Quantity of those Spirits,
we might very reasonably expect a considerable Alteration in the whole
Body. One might very well think, that from the Deficiency of Spirits
that would ensue, the Parts could no longer continue to perform their
Actions, but must gradually lose their Power and Spring, and at length
become in a manner destitute of Motion: For we can scarce perswade
our selves, that Nature in this Case is so provident as to suffer
the _Cerebellum_ and _Medulla Spinalis_ to filtrate the Spirits in a
greater Quantity, that they might supply the Exigencies of the Body.
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