An entire body of philosophy according to the principles of the famous Renate Des Cartes in three books, (I) the institution ... (II) the history of nature ... (III) a dissertation of the want of sense and knowledge in brute animals ... / written originally in Latin by the learned Anthony Le Grand ; now carefully translated from the last corrections, alterations, and large additions of the author, never yet published ... by Richard Blome.

CHAP. I. Of the Sense of Touching, or Feeling.

I. The Skin partakes more of the Sense of Touching, than all other parts of the Body. ALTHO' the Sense of Touching is spread all over the Body of Man, yet it is generally allowed that the Skin partakes more of this Sense than all the other parts, and the reason is, because the Nervous Fi∣bres which are spread almost through all parts of the Body, run through the Skin in a particular manner, and in effect, the whole construction thereof is particular: For besides, that it is form'd of Nervous Fibres which are interwoven one with another, there spring from among these Fibres, certain small threds disposed into the form of Py∣ramids, and are Nervous Eminences, covered with a Cuticle or Upper Skin, under which is discover'd an Oily Humour, which keeps them always very supple. Whence it must needs follow, that the immediate Organ of Touch is no other than the Nervous Fibres extended all over through the Skin.

But this Sense of Touching or Feeling is chiefly predominant in the hand, as MALPIGHIUS confirms, who observed by a Microscope, that in the hollow of the hand, and the extremities of the Fingers, there were certain elevated wrinkles spirally drawn, in which were hidden those Ner∣vous Bodies that serve for the act of Touching.

II. Of a Wo∣man, who after the cutting off of her Leg, complained of great pains she felt. A Certain Noble Woman in Dauphiny had one of her Legs, newly affected with a Gangreen, cut off, but with such Art and Industry, that she had not the least suspicion thereof, being deceived by a Wooden Leg which the Surgeons brought along with them, wrapt up in a Cloth; but some consi∣derable time after the amputation, she complained of very sharp prickings and shootings, not only in her Leg, but down to her very Toes ends. Nor did she cease complaining after the matter discover∣ed, but still asserted that she felt pain in her Leg.

The cause hereof can be no other than this, namely, that such is the constitution of our Body, that no part thereof can in the least be stirred by any other remote part, but it may also after the same manner be moved by intermediate parts, al∣tho' the remoter conduce not at all to the motion: For who ever draws the last part of the given Rope ABCD, the first part A, will be moved in the same manner as it might be moved if it were drawn by one of the intermediates B or C, the last part D remaining unmoved; so when the Noble Woman felt the pain of the Joints of her Leg and Foot, the reason hereof was, because the Nerves which first descended to the Foot from the Brain, and were then terminated in the Thigh near the Knee, were there moved in the same manner as they were to have been moved before in the Foot, upon the sense of this or that Toe aking to be imprest upon the Soul residing in the Brain: Hence an Argument may be brought against the Aristotelians, who will have the Soul to be actu∣ally present in each part of the Body; for were it so, how could the Soul of this Lady judge her pain to be in her Leg, which was cut off, or in her Toes, when it was indeed in her surviving Thigh?

III. How the Sense of Touching may be de∣ceived. Thus it happens in us many times that when we lean longer than ordinary upon our Elbow, we feel a numbness in the Little Finger, so that the Nerve which is deduc'd from the Brain to that Finger being comprest more than it can indure, moves the common Sensorium with the like affecti∣on, as if it were prest in the said Finger.

IV. Why any one touch'd on a sud∣dain, hath a horror upon him. When any one, on a suddain, and having his Mind intent upon other things, is touch'd by any one, he is seised by a suddain trembling or hor∣ror.

The cause seems to be, upon an apprehension that by the said suddain stroke some mischief is de∣sign'd against him, whereupon he recollects him∣self, and indeavours to decline it. For then the Animal Spirits are suddainly stirred up, and tend in greater plenty to the Brain than that they can possibly be derived thence in order into the Mus∣cles. For that which comes to the Soul by the Senses, affects it more, than that which is repre∣sented

to it by reason, tho' for the most part it comes short in truth and reality: Whence in re∣gard by that unexpected contact, there is but a slight impression made in the Body, and he finds the mischief which he apprehended coming upon him, to be nothing but a vain apprehension, he returns immediately to himself, and after a little time lays aside all horror.

V. Why they who tickle themselves, are not touch'd with horror. Hence it comes to pass, that when we touch or tickle our selves with our own hand, we are not so shaken or smitten with horror, because therein is no surprise, but we act at pleasure, and conse∣quently following our own way and method, we are not touch'd with that apprehension of evil, which is the principal cause of the said Horror.

VI. Why Titil∣lation is chiefly rai∣sed in the Soles of the Feet. Titillation is chiefly raised in the Soles of the Feet, which delighting the Patient by a grateful Pruriency or Itching affects him with a sensibility of Pleasure.

Titillation is produc'd when the Nerves termina∣ting in the Skin of the whole Body, are agitated more vehemently than ordinary. Yet so as that there follows thence nothing of hurt; or when the Filaments which are carried from the Brain to the other remoter parts of the Body, are drawn with the like force, so as they be not broken, nor divided from the Members to which they adhere; which Titillation or Itching is chiefly perceived in the Soles of the Feet, by reason of the tension of the Skin which is impell'd by a light contact, and transmits motion to the Nerves, the Organs of the Senses: Or else, when through the unwontedness of the way of promoting the agitation of the Spi∣rits, new force accrews to them. So a Feather or Bulrush lightly running over the Lips or Cheeks, causes a titillation there, by reason of the thinness of the Skin, and the seldomness of any contact hapning in those parts: Whereas if things harder than those aforesaid are applied, or the parts are more frequently touch'd the Titillation ceases; nor are those parts affected in any unwonted manner. But the pleasure which proceeds from Titillation hence arises, viz. because the Objects excite a cer∣tain motion in the Nerves which might possibly hurt them, unless they had strength enough to re∣sist it; or unless that Body were well disposed, which causes such an impression in the Brain, which being instituted by Nature, to contest this good disposition and strength, represents it to the Soul, as a Good that belongs to it, so far as it is joined with the Body.

VII. How it is that some certain Dis∣eases abo∣lish all Sense of Touch in Man. In persons affected with the Elephantiasis or Leprosie, and in some that are craz'd in their Brain, and are, as they are commonly term'd, be∣sides themselves, the sense of Touching is wholly taken away, tho' the Locomotive Faculty remains entire: For we often see Madmen go barefooted, and lie almost naked on the ground, their Skin being so benumb'd and sensless, that they hardly feel the incisions of a Knife, or the running of Pins or Needles into their Flesh.

This Case, tho' it be very difficult to unfold, by reason the Nerves convey both the Instincts of Motions, and the impressions of Sensibles to the Brain; yet it may be affirmed, that not the same Fibres, which attend upon Motion, are inservient to the Sense. For the Musculous and Tendinous Fibres execute the motive power, but the Mem∣braneous receive the sensible Species, and convey it to the Brain: So that it may possibly be, that the Hurt or haply the Loss of the Sense of Feel∣ing may be caused by reason of some harm inflict∣ed upon the exteriour Members; as namely, when their Fibres are overlaid by some gross matter, or condens'd by excess of cold. On the contrary in the Palsie, it falls out that the Sense, and not the Motion is hindred, in regard that not the same Fi∣bres that are the Organs of Sense are the Organs of Motion.

VIII. How it is that the Skin being pulled off, Objects are felt more acutely. The Skin being pulled off from any part of the Body, Objects are the more acutely felt.

This happens, because, tho' the Cuticle or up∣per Skin be intersperc'd with Filaments, by which the affection is transmitted to the Brain, yet it contains many insensible Fibres, which like Dead Flesh are not affected by any Object. In so much that they may be taken off with a Penknife with∣out any Pain or Sense: Or at least it may be made out that they are harder than to admit of any Im∣pression. For the Interiour Fibres which compose the Flesh, being more tender and nervous, are therefore the more apt to admit even of the least affection, and consequently are the more sharply prick'd with the asperity of a Body.

IX. How it is than any part of the Body be∣comes numb'd, or as they call it, asleep. He who leans or puts a stress long upon any part of the Body, makes it stupid and numb'd, or, according to the vulgar expression, asleep; as hath been already intimated.

The Reason is, because by the said compression the Spirits are stopp'd, and all access to them ob∣structed; whence it comes to pass that when that part of the Body is relax'd, there is felt a little pricking, trouble or pain, by reason of the Spirits being at length agitated afresh, and repeating their interrupted motion.

X. That Males in Winter, and Fe∣males in Summer are m••st de∣sirous of Co∣pulation. It is vulgarly affirmed, that Females in the Sum∣mer, and Males in the Winter are most desirous of Copulation.

The Reason is, because the Bodies of the Males being more hot and dry, the Summer hath more power by exhalation to dissipate the Animal Spi∣rits; whereas the Winters Frost condenses more, and preserves them intire: For in cold and moist Bodies, such as are those of Females, the Summers heat cherishes, and calls forth the Spirits, when as Winters cold blunts and repels them.

XI. Man excels other Ani∣mals in Feeling. Of all Animals whatsoever, Man excels in the faculty of Feeling, and more distinctly perceives the first qualities of things, and other qualities re∣lating to Touch in general, as Humidity, Siccity, Hardness, Gravity, and the like.

This Prerogative we commonly attribute to the Spider, who (as the Boar surpasses in Hearing, the Ape in Tasting, the Vultur in Smelling) is generally believed to be the more quick and vigo∣rous in the faculty of Feeling; but this vigorous sense of Touch is upon no other account ascribed to the Spider than upon its quick perception of motion, when sitting in the midst of its Web, it per∣ceives the Fly lighting upon the most remote part thereof, which is not in the least to be wondred at, since all the Lines are equal which are derived from the Center; so that lying in ambush in the middle, and holding the extremities of the Threds with its Feet, it easily deprehends all things which are transacted about it: But Man surmounts in the Prerogative of Feeling above all Creatures, by reason of the excelleent temperament of his Skin,

and the subtile contexture of Fibres in which he excels all other Animals. His most excellent Fa∣culty of Touching, is most chiefly discerned in the hollow of his Hand, and the extremities of his Toes, because that in those parts the Filaments of the Nerves are very slender, and moved with small ado. Whence it happens, that, as it were by instinct of Nature, when we go about to grope out any thing by Feeling, we reach out our Hand, but chiefly make use of the extremities of our Fingers.

XII. The Sense of Touch is sometimes augmented by the fai∣lure of the Sense of ••ight. The Sense of Touching in some Men is so admi∣rable, that it mightily helps the want of Sight in them, as appears most evidently in that renown∣ed Organist of Falcembourg, who by his Touch alone, not only knew how to play most elegantly, but also could distinguish Coins and Colours of all sorts from each other; nay, and to very great advan∣tage plaid at Cards with other persons, especially if he dealt the Cards, since he could easily under∣stand by the Pulps of his Fingers what sort of Cards they were which he dealt to his Part∣ners.

Of this thing there can be no other cause assign∣ed, than because all persons, like the said Organist, deprived of their Sight, are by consequence no longer distracted by the multiplicity of external Objects, which hinder us from keeping our thoughts fixt upon any particular thing, so that by daily exercise, and a most accurate attention of all cir∣cumstances, it must needs of necessity be that Blind Men must in the Sense of Touching, for ex∣amples sake, as in the rest of the Senses, of which they are not deprived, excel all other Men.

XIII. How it is that in touching, the Object seems to be double. Touching sometimes causes the Object to seem to be felt double, when as indeed it is but single: For the Globe G, being touch'd with the two Fin∣gers laid a cross D and A, feels like two.

The Reason is, because while these Fingers keep themselves thus crossed, the Muscles indeavour to deduce A into C, and D into F: Whence it hap∣pens that the parts of the Brain, out of which * 1.1the Nerves, inservient to these Muscles, derive their original, are disposed in such a manner as is requisite for the said Fingers to be, viz. A into B, and D into E, and consequently that the two Globules H and I, must seem to touch each other. For when we lay the Middle Finger A, for ex∣ample sake, upon the Fore Finger B, then the part of the said Fore Finger B, which being next to the Thumb F, is disposed together with the said Thumb, to lay hold upon any thing, and the part of the Middle Finger A, which joined to the Ring Finger H, is apt, together with the said Ring Finger, to catch hold on any thing, are not very capable, both at the same time, to grasp the said Globe. And the Mind then seated in the Glan∣dule, perceives the Globe, not as single but double, and as it were placed in two places; and from the different Motion of the Nerves hath an apprehen∣sion of two Globes, not one.

XIV. How things appear double. By the same Reason, or not much unlike, when we hold up one Eye with our Finger, and behold any thing with dissevered Rays, we cannot but perceive it as double: Forasmuch as the superior Rays of one Eye, are ever wont to act with the superior Rays of the other; as likewise the Mid∣dle with the Middle, the Inferior with the Inferior, and to conspire together to the percept••on of one and the same thing, as it were to make a report that it is indeed but one and the same. But if the Eyes chance by any means whatsoever, to be so distorted, that the Right Rays of one Eye agree not with the Left Rays of the other; or the Superior Rays of one with the Inferior of the other, all single Objects whatsoever are look'd upon as divers. As in a Concave Glass, the Flame of a Candle ap∣pears double, by reason that from the Left Side of the said Glass, the Rays are reflected into the Right Eye, and from the Right Side into the Left Eye.

Notes

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  Figure 28.