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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    r • ^ ^ . p 0- * ' f~v.*' ; * 1 ' ‘ * i , . a j * . 0 - 9 *• * * * * ■* «v • - • ^ , V, FOR. this Juice being brought here, 'tis certain, it docs not flay and ftagnate here; Corruption being inconfiftent with a natural State: therefore it muft have its proper Veffels to return it fomewhere after it has done its part, it being as im- poflible to return in the fame Veffelthat brought it, as it was to come here without one. r . x ' AGAIN, it is certain, that all the Mufcles become ftronger by their being the oftener moderately exercifed. Thus the right Hand and Arm are generally ftronger than the left, becaufe more generally made ufe of. NOW, as Strength immediately depends upon conftant Supplies of Nourifhment, I conclude that the Fibres of all Mufcles in exercifc, muft, from their Contra&ion and Dilatation, comprefs their contain'd Fluid both laterally and longitudinally, and confequently expel fome part of it by its excretory Canals, to make room for a frefh recruit of animal Spirits through their proper Veffels of Conveyance, the Nerves. .V . i. • _ . t -h r:; ' THUS the Heart is conftantly maintain'd and invigorated, and its involuntary and inceffant Motion kept conftant, Accidents excepted, fbmetimes above a hundred Years. This is very aptly confirm’d by the Diftribution of the Nerves in the Subftance of the Heart, they running in at the Bafe in greater plenty near the Aorta, where the Motion is the ftrongeft, and the Fibres molt numerous, and vice verfa. FROM hence 'tis demonftrable how Exercifc becomes lb falutary, efpecially fuch as more generally vibrates the whole Syftem of the Mufcles moderately; and in this cafe, Mufick too is extremely Ufeful and Neceffary : For it is by this means, that the ftagnating Spirits are ladl’d on, and circulate freely; . F 2 wrhich