Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 2061

JOHN MARTIN (d. 1844) An inaugural dissertation of the vitality of the blood. Robert Carr 1802 36 pp. 19.4 cm.

The doctrine of vitalism can be traced back to Aristotle and has had many proponents and permutations through the centuries. Generally speaking, it views the nature of life as resulting from a vital force that is unique to living things. It was an extremely popular concept in the early nineteenth century and was often associated with natural philosophy. This is the dissertation which Martin prepared for his M.D. degree at the University of Pennsylvania. It is his purpose "to shew that animal substances, apparently inorganic, and destitute of motion, have a vital principle" (p. 6) and "to define what is to be understood by life in the blood, and endeavor to make it appear that it has a vital principle" (p. 6). In stating his arguments, Martin relies heavily on the work of John Hunter (see No. 968 ff.) to support his position. He also quotes freely from the writings of John Bell (see No. 1186 ff.), who was an opponent of vitalism.

See Related Record(s): 968 1186

Cited references: Austin 1201

Gift of John Martin, M.D.