dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðæt tˈaɪm, mˈɛni fˌɪzɪˈɑːlədʒˌɪsts stˈɪl səpˈoːɹɾᵻd dᵻskˈɑːɹts θˈiəɹi ʌv mˈuːvmənt wˌɪtʃ haɪpˈɑːθəsˌaɪzd ðæt mˈʌsəl kəntɹˈækʃən wʌz dˈuː tə ðɪ ˌæktɪvˈeɪʃən ʌv flˈuːɪd ɪnðə nˈɜːvəs sˈɪstəm kˈɔːld ˈænɪməl spˈɪɹɪts.
During that time, many physiologists still supported Descartes' theory of movement which hypothesized that muscle contraction was due to the activation of fluid in the nervous system called animal spirits.