The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-11-01
Physiological, Lectures.

The first lecture In the course of twenty at
Mrs. TROOPS school, was given by DIR. Ger
IRISH yesterday afternoon, to an audience of la
dies which almost filed the large school room
The lecturer began by stating that if the
course consisted of two hundred lectures it
would be no more than sufficient to adequately
present the great sciences OF anatomy and ply
siology. As it is but a tenth of that number
it is necessary to make selection of subjects,
and even the few must DO trea ted with breyity
The first lecture was introductory, presenting
number of matters which must be referred
to constantly in the course, and knowledge
of which is essential to an intelligent apprecia-
ton of the subsequent lectures
Anatomy was defined to be the science of or
gsnization, and is studied in two great divis-
ions-vegetabe and animal, the latter being
sub-divided into comparative and human. I'm
til the microscope was brought to a high degree
OF development, the science of anatomy was
pursued only as far as naked eye appearances
would allow; but during this century micros-
cropical anatomy has come into existence and
revealed a new world of wonders The tex
lures OF the bodyAthe tissues, as they are
called-are studied by themselves, and this
branch of science is called histology. The cell
is the original structural element of every It's
sue, and was described as very minute body,
not hollow, as its name implies, but commonly
solid. The original cell of any tissue is indis-
tinguishabe from that of any other, but each
cell starts with the ability of developing into
its own kind of tissue only. So, Of two cells
which look exactly alike, one may become
nerve fibre, another an epithelial SCALE Saw
eral simple tissues were described, while 9TH
ers were left to be taken up later in the course,
Physiology was defined as the science of
function. While anatomy tells what an organ
is, physiology describes what it does. There
are three classes of functions in the body;
those of nutrition, which relate to the preser-
walton OF the individual; those of reproduc-
ton, which relate to the perpetuation Of the
species; and those of relation, by which the
different parts of the organism are brought in
to relation with each other, and the individual
comes into conscious relation with the outside
world. In the lowest animals every part of
the body is equally capable of every kind of
function; but in man each sort lof duty is per-
formed by particular organ, only in excep-
tional cases can one part act vicariously for an
other, and even then the task is done imper-
fectly. The ultimate elements of which a
man is composed were named. and also the
proxlmate elements, each of these last being
usually combination of two or more of the
first named, and is distinct unorganized
substance which exists ready formed in the
system. There are two great groups of proxi-
mate principles; those which enter into the
constitution of the tissues, and those which re-
suit from the wearing out of the tissues OF
the former, some of the principals are water
common salt, carbonate of lime albumen,
fbrin, casein, sugar and oil.
| A brief description of the principal organs
of the body was given, the nervous system be-
ing shown to be The highest in function. 1t is
that part of man which renders him superior
to all other animals; it is waited on by all other
parts, but, in its turn, renders most important
service to every organ, illustrating the obliga-
ton whidh nobility always owes.
The second lecture will be given next We'd
nesday afternoon, at o'clock, on the blood
and the circulation. The lectures will be Illus
trated with blackboard sketches, experiments
and demonstrations of dissections on lower an.
| finals,