An introductory lecture, intended as a recommendation to a more careful investigation of the constitutional origin of local diseases, on principles deduced from the opinions of Hunter and Abernethy / delivered at the Finsbury Dispensary, by George Macilwain.

  • Macilwain, George, 1797-1882.
Date:
1834
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An introductory lecture, intended as a recommendation to a more careful investigation of the constitutional origin of local diseases, on principles deduced from the opinions of Hunter and Abernethy / delivered at the Finsbury Dispensary, by George Macilwain. 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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    To state this briefly: it was, that life did not arise out of organization, or any mechanical arrange- ment of parts; but that it was some very mobile and subtle substance, superadded to organization. The manner in which Mr. Abernethy introduces his ad- vocacy of such a view, is truly admirable : it is at once simple, modest, and philosophical: terms which were also distinguishingly characteristic of Mr. Hunter's mode of promulgating an opinion. Since thinking is inevitable, says Mr. Abernethy, our chief inquiry should be, how we ought to think or theorizeand on this point, Newton himself has condescended to instruct us. Our theories, hypo- theses, or opinions—for to me all these words seem to refer to one and the same act of the mind— should be verifiable or probable, and should ra- '' tionally account for all the known phenomena of the subjects they pretend to explain : under which circumstances, it is allowable to maintain them as good, until others more satisfactory be discovered. No man, who thus theorizes, need feel shame in this employment of his intellectual powers; no man need feel arrogance, for it is acknowledged that his theory is but a probable and rational con- jecture. Besides, we never can be sure that the series of facts belonging to any subject is full or complete ; new ones may be discovered, that would overturn our best established theories. Upon the foregoing terms alone, do I wish to uphold Mr. Hunter's theory of life, &c.