The Dawn of Modern Medicine / An Account of the Revival of the Science and Art of Medicine Which Took Place in Western Europe During the Latter Half of the Eighteenth Century and the First Part of the Nineteenth

by Albert H. Buck

[6]. Several weeks after I had sent my completed manuscript to New Haven I received, from a London dealer in second-hand books, a catalogue in which the following item appears:—

Haller (Albrecht von) First Lines of Physiology. Translated from the Third Latin Edition. To which is added a Translation of the Index composed for the Edinburgh Edition printed under the Inspection of Dr. William Cullen. Edinburgh, 1801.

It is evident, therefore, that I was in error when, after a very limited search, I was led to believe that no English version of the “Primae Lineae” exists, and accordingly I ventured to translate a few brief selections of the text.—A. H. B.

[7]. To make sure that any errors rightly chargeable to me as translator shall not be imputed to von Haller I will add here the original Latin text.—A. H. B.

Chapter XX. Somnus.

Section 564.—Aptitudo ad sensus et motus voluntarios libere exercendos in sanis organis, VIGILIA vocatur: ineptitudo ad eosdem et quies omnium cum sanis organis SOMNI nomen fert.

Section 565.—In somno anima vel omnino nihil cogitat, quod memoria retineatur, quodque notum fit, vel unice occupatur in speciebus, sensorio communi receptis, quarum vividae repraesentationes in mente eo tempore omnino similes perceptiones producunt, quales objectorum externorum impressiones insensuum organa faciunt. Hae repraesentationes INSOMNIA vocantur, et efficiunt, ut reliquo toto emporio sensuum et voluntariorum motuum quiescente, aliqua tamen particula aperta sit, spiritibus perfluatur, et vigilet. Aliquando cum his perceptionibus animae aliqui motus voluntarii conjunguntur, ut loquelae organa, ut artus multi, omnesve, ad nutum illarum preceptionum regantur. Huc SOMNAMBULI.

Section 566.—Sed in somno pergit omnium humorum in corpore humano distributio, circulatio, vis peristaltica ventriculi, intestinorum, sphincterum, respiratio denique ipsa simili modo exercetur. Haec compositio in quiete certarum partium, aliarum motu, cognitionem causae mechanicae somni difficilem reddidit.

[8]. A French physician by the name of Goudareau has published a translation of the work under the title: “TRAITé DE MéDECINE PRATIQUE,” 2 vols., Paris, 1820–1822.

[9]. At this point one of Wunderlich’s critics makes the comment that Ludwig Traube may more justly be considered the real founder of experimental pathology in Germany.