Physiological Essays

Edinburgh: Hamilton, Balfour and Neill, 1755. First Edition.. Original publisher's grey paste paper bds. .. Good; boards present but detached; two leaves with clean tears and very old repairs (no loss - not offensive).. 8vo, viii, [1] - 223 pp.

A most interesting Whytt title in which he addresses two key issues: the first essay deals with the circulation of the blood in the capillaries; the second is his commentary on Haller's theories of nerve irritation. Whytt's essay on capillary blood flow is a milestone in the literature and the most important work in the field after the discovery by Leeuwenhoeck. Whytt reviewed the printed literature of the subject and drastically criticized all of it (see Fishman). He also drew the correct conclusion as to its nature and source. The second essay is an important first step in his own neurological work for which he is remembered. See G-M for author's other work; Fishman, p. 371 -` 2; Garrison, Neuro..