Arthur Ransome

“ It is not only as interpretations of the 'dark sayings' of nature, not merely as contributions to science, that the discoveries now detailed are interesting and important. All of them have a bearing upon the art of healing, and may serve at least to direct the treatment of disease; but chemistry gives still more direct aid to the therapeutist; it has added not a few contributions to the materia medica— new weapons to the physician's armoury. Every new substance discovered is, in fact, a possible remedy, and may ultimately be used to cure or alleviate disease. ”

“ Until the last few years, however, chemistry has been mainly occupied with the production of what were called inorganic compounds, and with the analysis or breaking up of organic substances. It could not produce any of the myriad combinations which were constantly formed by the simplest animal or vegetable structures. By many, therefore, these organic bodies were looked upon as things apart, not to be put together by the unhallowed hand of the chemist, only to be brought into being when touched by the sacred Promethean flame of life. ”

“ Whenever the most perfect knowledge of Chemistry and Physics becomes the basis of rational Medicine, then, and not till then, Medicine will obtain the highest place among all the arts that minister to the welfare and happiness of man. ”

“ This constant comparison of his own conceptions and supported with observed facts under all aspects, forms the leading employment of the discoverer; this candid and simple love of Truth, which makes him willing to suppress the most favourite production of his own ingenuity as soon as it appears to be at variance with realities, constitutes the first characteristic of his temper. He must have neither the blindness which cannot, nor the obstinacy which will not, perceive the discrepancy of his fancies and his facts. ”

“ He must allow no indolence, or partial views, or self-complacency, or delight in seeming demonstration to make him tenacious of the schemes which he devises, any further than they are confirmed by their accordance with nature. The framing of hypotheses is, for the inquirer after truth, not the end, but the beginning of his work. Each of his systems is invented, not that he may admire it and follow it into all its consistent consequences, but that he may make it the occasion of a course of active experiment and observation. ”

“ So many and various are the materials relating to Biology or the Science of Life, recently brought to light by scientific labourers of all kinds, that in attempting to give an account of the progress of medicine, the difficulty of the task will be, how to limit the range of our quest so as to give a sufficient explanation of the selected subjects, and to avoid a mere catalogue of names and discoveries. ”

“ These, then, are some of the many points at which chemistry and physics invade the territory of physiology and medical science. I must not now trespass longer upon your time. Sufficient has perhaps been said to show their intimate relations, and to urge those who are entering upon medical studies, to make practical acquaintance with these important branches of knowledge. Some may even be encouraged themselves to attempt independent lines of research, in order to raise another corner of the veil which conceals the mysteries of creation [32] . ”

“ Perhaps we shall ultimately be able to estimate the increase or diminution of any one motion, which by affecting all the motions in a part or in the whole body constitutes disease. When the disease arises from increased action we shall restore that normal quantity and quality of motion in the body, on which health depends, by decreasing the motion, or adding to the resistance to conversion; and when the disease arises from diminished action we shall obtain the same result, by increasing the motion, or lessening the resistance to conversion.—Ib. ”

“ At the present time the aspect of the field of chemical research is quite altered. It is true that the analysis of complex substances is not neglected. The tar products alone number many hundred, and include many bodies useful, not only in manufactures, but also in medicine. But the synthesis, or building up of new combinations formerly supposed to be the appanage of organized beings, is now going forward in most of the chief laboratories of chemistry. ”

“ We may hope for abundant results from such a research.
The spectroscope is a joint gift from both chemistry and physics: the mysterious dark lines of Wollaston or Fraunhofer's spectrum, which must be so familiar to many here, have been shown to be variously illuminated by incandescent chemical substances; and by the great genius of Kirchhoff and Bunsen they have been made to bear witness to the presence of these substances, when inconceivably small in quantity. ”

“ It is so, because, in affirming that mind is nothing more than the product of animal organization, it excludes the belief of a pure and uncreated mind, the cause of all things; for if there be a supreme mind, absolutely independent of matter, then, unquestionably, there may be created minds, also independent of matter. ”

“ Whilst, however, some have thus been searching the universe, others have turned the same instrument, the spectroscope, towards the minutest recesses of the microcosm of the human body. And it has here done service, which in practical importance to mankind may perhaps rank with any of its astronomical triumphs. ”

“ The discoverer of the Truth should indeed be ingenious and fertile in inventing explanations of the phenomena of nature, but he must also be diligent and careful in comparing his hypotheses, ready to abandon his invention as soon as it appears that it does not agree with the course of actual occurrences. ”

“ We may probably look for good fruit from such labours.
Physics have accomplished for medicine almost as much as pure chemistry. Time would not suffice even for a list of its contributions. I must therefore pass over without notice the services which have been rendered by the thermometer, by the use of heat and cold as medicinal agents, and the employment of electricity and galvanism, both in physiological experiments and in medicine. ”

“ Much of this success is undoubtedly due to the modern views of the constitution of organic bodies; not only the composition, or the relative proportion of the simple elements in an organic compound, is now sought for; the mode of their grouping, their structure, is examined [2] . Numerous substances are now known (Isomers, they are called) , identical as to the proportionate number of their elementary atoms, but differing completely in structure and properties. At the present time many of these bodies are arranged in different groups according to their typical constitution. ”

“ The doctrine of the materialist, if it were followed out to its extreme consequences, and consistently held, is plainly atheistic, and is therefore incompatible with any and with every form of religious belief. ”

“ These conditions are present in nearly all physiological processes; by living beings, freshly formed, or nascent, material is continually brought forth with its molecules free, untainted by any soil of extraneous matter [30] , and it is at once presented to fluids containing substances for which it has more or less molecular affinity.
For the most part, again, this material is colloidal in its structure, and hence is both chemically indifferent, and with its particles loosely aggregated, and in a position to act powerfully without entering into chemical combination ”

“ He allows no natural yearning for the offspring of his own mind to draw him aside from the higher duty of loyalty to his sovereign, Truth; to her he not only gives his affections and his wishes, but strenuous labour and scrupulous minuteness of attention."— Whewell, Novum Organon Renovatum, p. ”

“ It is scarcely too much to hope that by this and other methods, the structure of many animal and vegetable products may at length become known, and that their production by artificial means may come within the reach of Chemistry. ”

“ It is thus also "that the mobility of nitrogen makes it pre-eminently the modifier of the living organism; like a half-reclaimed gipsy from the wilds, it is ever seeking to be free again, and not content with its own freedom is ever tempting others not of gipsy blood to escape from thraldom. ”

“ Thus, phosphorus, in virtue of its changeableness, "may occur in the brain in the vitreous form, changing as quickly as the intellect or imagination demands, and literally flaming that thoughts may breathe or words may burn ”

“ Its composition as ordinarily given is C116H241N4PO22 but now chemists declare first that it is a combination of an acid, phospho-glyceric acid, with a base, neurine = C5 H15 O2 N, and then neurine can be artificially prepared by acting upon trimethylamine by Ethylene Oxide. ”

“ His chime of restless motion—
Such signs of life old ocean gives
We cannot choose but think he lives.
Keble.
↑ Darwin, Variation of Animals and Plants, 1868, p. 61. ↑ Fortnightly Review, Feb. 1869. ↑ The very ground of the assumption that the existence of an external world ought to be admitted as certain, without reasoning, is nothing else but a consideration of the laws or constitution of the mind. Mind, therefore, and its elementary principles stands first in logical order ”

“ Journal, July 18, 1868. ↑ 'Rest and Motion may be taken as the two great aims of therapeutical actions; stimulants giving rise to the greatest increase of motion, and sedatives allowing the least motion, or the nearest approach to rest.' — Dr Bence Jones, Croonian Lectures, p. ”