General Anatomy, Applied to Physiology and Medicine, Vol. 3 (of 3)Bichat, Xavier
Science
General Anatomy, Applied to Physiology and Medicine, Vol. 3 (of 3)
Bichat, Xavier
Human anatomy; Human physiology
I have then employed galvanism, and I am convinced that it has very
little, almost no power, in putting into action muscular contractions
in organic life, whilst it is the most powerful agent in animal life.
I shall not here relate my experiments upon this subject; they will be
read in my Researches upon Death.
We can conclude from all that precedes, that the cerebral and nervous
influence upon the organic muscles is not known to us; that it does
not act as upon the voluntary muscles. It is however real to a certain
extent, since it is necessary that the nerves which enter into the
composition of these muscles should be of some use; but we are ignorant
of this use.
_Organic Properties._
The organic sensibility is strongly characterized in the muscles of
which we are treating. Before the sensible organic contractility is
developed in them, it is necessary that this should be put in action.
But as these two properties are not separated, as in their exercise
they always succeed each other, what we are going to say of sensible
organic contractility will apply also to the sensibility of the same
nature.
Insensible organic contractility or tone, exists in the muscular
system, to a degree necessary for its nutrition; but it does not
exhibit in it any thing peculiar.
It is the sensible organic contractility that is the predominant
property in this system, all the functions of which rest almost
entirely upon this contractility, as all the functions of the preceding
muscular system are derived as it were from the animal contractility.
We shall now examine more in detail this essential property, with
regard to which physiology owes so much to the illustrious Haller. We
can consider it in three relations; 1st, in the stimuli; 2d, in the
organs; 3d, in the action of the first upon the second.
_Of the Sensible Organic Contractility considered in relation to
Stimuli._
Stimuli are natural or artificial. The action of the first is continual
during life; upon them turn in part the organic phenomena; they place
in action the muscles, which without them would be immoveable; they are
as it were to these organs what pendulums are to our machines; they
give the impulse. The second can hardly have effect until after death,
or in our experiments.
_Natural Stimuli._
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