_There continued Enquiries made up at last, Three or Four short Discourses; which, when I began to Digest into Order, the Increase of Business contracted the Intervals of my spare Time; and the Diversion of such Studies quickly giving way to the Severity of more Necessary Labours, They were quite thrown by, Till Talking not long since with Dr. 〈Areskine〉, concerning the 〈Viper〉, I took Occasion to review my scattered Papers, and confirm my Reasonings by New Experiments. He very readily offered Me His 〈Anatomical Observations〉; These I have put at the End of the First 〈Essay〉; Which do not promise a 〈Complete Dissection〉 of the 〈Animal〉, but chiefly shew the Make of those Parts which are concern’d in the 〈Poison〉._ _My Design, in Thinking of These Matters, was, to Try how far I could carry 〈Mechanical Considerations〉 in Accounting for those Surprizing Changes, which 〈Poisons〉 make in an 〈Animal Body〉; Concluding (as I think, fairly) that if so abstruse 〈Phænomena〉 as These did come under the known Laws of Motion, It might very well be taken for granted, that the more obvious Appearances in the same Fabrick are owing to such Causes as are within the 〈Reach〉 of Geometrical Reasoning; And that therefore as the first Step towards the Removal of a Disease is to know Its Origin, so he is likely to be the best Physician, who having the same assistance of Observations and Histories with Others, does best understand the 〈Humane Oeconomy〉, the Texture of the Parts, Motions of the Fluids, and the Power which other Bodies have to make Alterations in any of These._ _Nor indeed ought any One to Doubt of This, who considers that the 〈Animal Compages〉 is not an irregular Mass, and disorderly Jumble of Atoms, but the Contrivance of Infinite Wisdom, and Master-piece of that Creating Power, who has been pleased to do all Things by Establish’d Laws and Rules, and that Harmony and Proportion should be the Beauty of all his Works._ _It were therefore heartily to be wish’d, that those Gentlemen who are so much afraid of Introducing 〈Mathematical Studies〉, that is, Demonstration and Truth, into the Practice of Physick, were so far at least Instructed in the necessary Disciplines, as to be able to pass a true Judgment, what Progress and Advances may be made this way; They would not then perhaps Decry an Attempt of so much Moment to the Wellfare of Mankind, as vain and impossible, because it is difficult, and requires Application and Pains._