A mechanical essay upon the heart, in three anatomical lectures. Wherein I. The heart is demonstrated to be a compleat epitome of myology ... II. The origin and nature of the blood ... III. The praeternatural state of that fluid / By William Wood.

  • Wood, William, 1688-
Date:
1729
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A mechanical essay upon the heart, in three anatomical lectures. Wherein I. The heart is demonstrated to be a compleat epitome of myology ... II. The origin and nature of the blood ... III. The praeternatural state of that fluid / By William Wood. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Sal Armoniac with the Salt of Tartar newly prepared; or Spirit of Wine with an equal Quantity of pure Spirit of Urine well (hook together in a Glaft-Bottle, they will quickly coagu¬ late, and become a pretty hard Maft. N O W, if Fluids, lo Ample and uncompounded as the White of an Egg, and fo fine and volatile as Spirit of Wine, can be coagulated and fixed by thele Spirits of Salt, two of which are animal Salts, viz. the Sal Armoniac and the Spirit of Urine, it is eafy enough to conceive how the venomous Salts of Ani¬ mals, or any pernicious Particles, blending with the circulating Blood, which is ft compounded a Fluid^ as obftrved before, mull coagulate it, and that more or lels in proportion to the Quantity and Quality of thefe Particles fo entering, and con- fequently mull induce a Languor, or an unnatural ‘Diathejis -of the Blood. SECONDLY, A ‘Plethora will do the lame: For when the Increafe is greater than the Decreafo, the Volume of the Blood mull necelfarily be augmented, and the containing v Velfels be llretch’d beyond their natural Size. NOW, a Plethora may happen feveral ways : For Inftance, Firft, from too violent Exercifo. Thus the Mufcles and their Tendons being forcibly agitated, vibrate againft the Sides of the adjacent and contiguous Blood-Velfels, and confoquently mull drive on the Blood with a greater Impetus. Thus the Blood is render’d both more fluid and more hot, (Heat being the Effed: of Motion) and the Pulfe beats quicker and higher. By this means the Blood being broke and comminuted by an adventitious Heat and Motion, mull, like the tinged Spirit in the Thermometer, take up a greater Space, and confoquently diftend the containing Velfels beyond their natural Size. Hence comes that Faintneft and Weakneft from a greater Confumption of the animal Spirits than their fecreting Glands