The Principles of Biology, Volume 1 (of 2)Spencer, Herbert
Science
The Principles of Biology, Volume 1 (of 2)
Spencer, Herbert
Biology
Besides the connexion between the waste of the organism as a whole and the
production of sensible and insensible motion by the organism as a whole,
there is a traceable connexion between the waste of special parts and the
activities of such special parts. Experiments have shown that "the starving
pigeon daily consumes in the average 40 times more muscular substance that
the marmot in the state of torpor, and only 11 times more fat, 33 times
more of the tissue of the alimentary canal, 18.3 times more liver, 15 times
more lung, 5 times more skin." That is to say, in the hybernating animal
the parts least consumed are the almost totally quiescent motor-organs, and
the part most consumed is the hydro-carbonaceous deposit serving as a store
of energy; whereas in the pigeon, similarly unsupplied with food but awake
and active, the greatest loss takes place in the motor-organs. The
relation between special activity and special waste, is illustrated, too,
in the daily experiences of all: not indeed in the amount of decrease of
the active parts in bulk or weight, for this we have no means of
ascertaining; but in the diminished ability of such parts to perform their
functions. That legs exerted for many hours in walking and arms long
strained in rowing, lose their powers--that eyes become enfeebled by
reading or writing without intermission--that concentrated attention,
unbroken by rest, so prostrates the brain as to incapacitate it for
thinking; are familiar truths. And though we have no direct evidence to
this effect, there is little danger in concluding that muscles exercised
until they ache or become stiff, and nerves of sense rendered weary or
obtuse by work, are organs so much wasted by action as to be partially
incompetent.
Repair is everywhere and always making up for waste. Though the two
processes vary in their relative rates both are constantly going on. Though
during the active, waking state of an animal waste is in excess of repair,
yet repair is in progress; and though during sleep repair is in excess of
waste, yet some waste is necessitated by the carrying on of certain
never-ceasing functions. The organs of these never-ceasing functions
furnish, indeed, the most conclusive proofs of the simultaneity of repair
and waste. Day and night the heart never stops beating, but only varies in
the rapidity and vigour of its beats; and hence the loss of substance which
its contractions from moment to moment entail, must from moment to moment
be made good. Day and night the lungs dilate and collapse; and the muscles
which make them do this must therefore be kept in a state of integrity by a
repair which keeps pace with waste, or which alternately falls behind and
gets in advance of it to a very slight extent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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