BioConcepts

vital spiritπνεῦμα ζωτικὸν (gr.); spiritus animalis (lat.); Lebensgeist (ger.)

• One or other of certain subtle highly-refined substances or fluids (distinguished as natural, animal, and vital) formerly supposed to permeate the blood and chief organs of the body. (OED 2012)
  category vitalism

  -1st cent. (BC)

  caloris vero si non fuerit in corpore iusta comparatio, non erit spiritus animalis neque erectio firma, cibi que vires non poterunt habere coctionis temperaturam.

  Vitruvius (-1st cent.) (BC). De architectura VIII, praefatio, §2.
  

  3rd cent. AD

  Stoici somnum resolutionem sensualis uigoris affirmant, epicurei deminutionem spiritus animalis, anaxagoras cum xenophane defetiscentiam, empedocles et parmenides refrigerationem, strato segregationem consati spiritus, democritus indigentiam spiritus, aristoteles marcorem circumcordialis caloris.

  Tertullianus (3rd cent. AD). De anima 43.
  

  12th cent.

  Levemus igitur, fratres mei, levemus in caelum corda cum manibus, et ascendentem Dominum sequi, velut quibusdam passibus devotionis et fidei, contendamus Erit enim cum sine mora, sine difficultate, obviam illi in nubibus rapiemur, et id poterunt corpora spiritualia, quod merito interim nequeunt spiritus animales Nunc enim quantis conatibus corda levare necesse est, quae quidem, ut miserabiliter satis in libro propriae experientiae legimus, et corruptio corporis aggravat, et terrena inhabitatio deprimit?

  Bernard of Clairvaux (12th cent.). Sermones in ascensione Domini (Bernardi opera, ed. J. Leclercq & H.M. Rochais, Rome 1968, vol 5, 123-160): 151 (sermo 6, par. 2).
  

  13th cent.

  Item considerat medium minoris mundi id est cor a quo egreditur spiritus animalis vitalis naturalis.

  Bonaventura (13th cent.). Collationes in Hexaemeron: Principium, collatio 1, 19.
  

  c. 200

  ἐκμὲντῆςκεφαλῆςφησιτὸψυχικόν,ἐκδὲτῆςκαρδίαςτὸζωτικὸνὁρμᾶσθαιπνεῦμα

  Galen (c. 200). Opera omnia (ed. C.G. Kühn, Leipzig 1821-33): V, 281, 5-6.

  c. 1138

  Et haec omnia operatur spiritus naturalis, qui natus in hepate uirtutem naturalem augmentat et regit, actiones eius custodiens, sicut spiritualis spiritus in corde et spiritus animalis in cerebro. […] De qua digestione spiritus animalis creatur, et post per duas arterias supra rete retortas egreditur, et ad uentriculum prorae cerebri dilabitur. […] Sciendum etiam de arteriis quia per totum corpus quadam familiaritate uenis coniunguntur, et per poros quos in eis prouida creauit natura de quibus abundant inuicem sibi communicant, arteriae scilicet uenis uitalem spiritum, uenae arteriis nutrimentum naturale, nec unquam sanguis nutritiuus deest in arteriis, nec spiritus animalis in uenis.

  Guillelmus de Sancto Theodorico (c. 1138). De natura corporis et animae de physica humani corporis (Opera omnia, part III, Opera didactica et spiritualia, ed. by P. Verdeyen, Turnhout 2003): 20; 24; 28.

  1254-56

  Subjectum autem delectationis et omnium animae passionum est spiritus animalis, qui est proximum instrumentum animae in operationibus quae per corpus exercentur.

  Thomas Aquinas (1254-56). In IV. sententiarum: 49.3.2.c.

  1531

  Continuall studie without some maner of exercise, shortely exhausteth the spirites vitall

  Elyot, T. (1531). The Boke Named the Gouernour: i. xvi. sig. Hvi.
  

  1542

  Vnde intelligitur supra innatorú spirituú qui stabiles fixíq; sunt ordines, tres insuper errátes & vagos influétesq; existere, vnum naturalé è iecore per venas in corporis extrema diffusum: alterum vitalem qué cor assiduò per arterias diffundit: tertiú animalé qui in cerebri ventriculis genitus, híncq; per neruos profectus, partes irrigat sensus motusq; cópotes.

  Fernel, J. (1542). Universa medicina: 79 (IV, 11); cf. 133 (VI, 13).
  

  1542

  spiritus animales
  

  Fernel, J. (1542). Universa medicina: 166ff. (IV, 11); nach Fuchs, T. (1992). Die Mechanisierung des Herzens. Harvey und Descartes – der vitale und der mechanische Aspekt des Kreislaufs: 36.

  1606

  The heart, wherein all the vitall spirits are forged, and receiue their strength

  Bryskett, L. (1606). A Discourse of Ciuill Life: 48.
  

  1626

  As for liuing creatures it is certaine, their Vital Spiritts are a Substaunce Compounded of an Airy and Flamy Matter

  Bacon, F. (1626). Sylva Sylvarum: §30.
  

  1707

  The vital Spirits are the Animal, as they are commonly call’d; I call them vital, because they move the Heart and Respiration

  Floyer, J. (1707). The Physician’s Pulse-Watch: 134.