General Anatomy, Applied to Physiology and Medicine, Vol. 2 (of 3)Bichat, Xavier
Science
General Anatomy, Applied to Physiology and Medicine, Vol. 2 (of 3)
Bichat, Xavier
Human anatomy; Human physiology
When we run swiftly, when the blood is violently agitated in the
paroxysm of fever, more caloric is disengaged than at any other time.
Does this prove that it is the general circulation which contributes
to the disengagement of caloric, and that it takes place in the great
vessels? No more than a copious sweat proves that the heart drives it
out. Strongly excited by the shock of the red blood which is suddenly
increased, the capillary and exhalant systems are compelled to
increase their action; now a double effect is the result; 1st, greater
disengagement of caloric; 2d, increased exhalation.
If the heat is increased when respiration is hurried, it appears to
depend only on this, that the latter is hardly ever accelerated,
without the circulation being so too. This is so true, that if you make
for a long time rapidly successive inspirations and expirations, the
heat will not increase. Besides, why should the heat actually increase
by the hurry of respiration? Undoubtedly because more air entering in
a given time, the lungs would absorb more oxygen, and consequently,
according to the opinions of the chemists, more caloric would be
disengaged. But let them present more or less of this principle to the
blood, it absorbs the same quantity. In ordinary inspiration the air
contains much more than can pass into this fluid. When an animal is
made to breathe it pure, the blood does not become more red, because
the same quantity always enters it. So you may in vain put into the
alimentary passages four times more nutritive substance than common, no
more chyle will be formed, the lacteals will absorb no more; there will
only be more excrements, or vomiting will take place.
The state of respiration has no influence then upon the actual heat of
the body; it only contributes to it by constantly introducing a greater
or less quantity of combined caloric. It is thus that animals which
respire the most, have habitually the most caloric.
How can an animal, breathing a very cold air, eating aliments almost
deprived of caloric, &c. in northern latitudes, have as much heat as in
hot climates? It is not the free caloric contained in the parts, but
the combined, which, being introduced into the blood with the foreign
substances, furnishes the materials of that which is disengaged in
the general capillary system. Now the combined caloric is absolutely
independent of temperature. As much fire is elicited from the same
stone by the steel, in the coldest as in the warmest countries.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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