Body and mind : an inquiry into their connection and mutual influence, specially in reference to mental disorders / by Henry Maudsley.

  • Maudsley, Henry, 1835-1918.
Date:
1870
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Body and mind : an inquiry into their connection and mutual influence, specially in reference to mental disorders / by Henry Maudsley. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    The conclusions with regard to vital force, which a consistent conception of it as a natural force seems to necessitate, will find extensive application in the various phenomena of disease. We have seen that if the resolution of the vitality of a single nerve-cell into a vitality of a lower kind be supposed,—into that, for example, of polype substance,—it would necessarily suf- fice for the production of a whole polype, or perhaps of a multitude of polypes. In other words, one nervous unit, monad, or molecule, is the vital equivalent of many units, monads, or molecules of polype substance. How idle it is, then, to dispute, as some have done, as to whether epilepsy is increased vital action or diminished vital action, when there exists no clear conception of what is meant by the words ! No one can deny that there is great display of force in the convulsions of epilepsy, but is it increased vital force? Is a man in convulsions a strong man ? for that is the real question. Does convulsion in a paralysed limb indicate increased vital action of it? When tetanus of a muscle is pro- duced, as Weber showed it might be, by putting a loop of thread round its nerve and slowly and gradually tighten- ing it, does the violent action of the muscle testify to increased vitality? If it really does, then the mechanical tetanomotor of Heidenhain might, properly used, suffice for the cure of every paralysis, and effect a complete renewal of life. In speaking of vital action, we may either consider the whole organism as individual, or we may consider the cell or organic monad as the individual. If we