The Principles of Biology, Volume 1 (of 2)Spencer, Herbert
Science
The Principles of Biology, Volume 1 (of 2)
Spencer, Herbert
Biology
that these special actions and re-actions do not end with temporary
changes, but work permanent changes.
If, in an adult animal, the waste and repair in all parts were exactly
balanced--if each organ daily gained by nutrition exactly as much as it
lost daily by the discharge of its function--if excess of function were
followed only by such excess of nutrition as balanced the extra waste; it
is clear that there would occur no change in the relative sizes of organs.
But there is no such exact balance. If the excess of function, and
consequent excess of waste, is moderate, it is not simply compensated by
repair but more than compensated--there is a certain increase of bulk. This
is true to some degree of the organism as a whole, when the organism is
framed for activity. A considerable waste giving considerable power of
assimilation, is more favourable to accumulation of tissue than is
quiescence with its comparatively feeble assimilation: whence results a
certain adaptation of the whole organism to its requirements. But it is
more especially true of the parts of an organism in relation to one
another. The illustrations fall into several groups. The growth of muscles
exercised to an unusual degree is a matter of common observation. In the
often-cited blacksmith's arm, the dancer's legs and the jockey's crural
adductors, we have marked examples of a modifiability which almost every
one has to some extent experienced. It is needless to multiply proofs. The
occurrence of changes in the structure of the skin, where the skin is
exposed to unusual stress of function, is also familiar. That thickening of
the epidermis on a labourer's palm results from continual pressure and
friction, is certain. Those who have not before exerted their hands, find
that such an exercise as rowing soon begins to produce a like thickening.
This relation of cause and effect is still better shown by the marked
indurations at the ends of a violinist's fingers. Even in mucous membrane,
which ordinarily is not subject to mechanical forces of any intensity,
similar modifications are possible: witness the callosity of the gums which
arises in those who have lost their teeth, and have to masticate without
teeth. The vascular system furnishes good instances of the increased growth
that follows increased function. When, because of some permanent
obstruction to the circulation, the heart has to exert a greater
contractile force on the mass of blood which it propels at each pulsation,
and when there results the laboured action known as palpitation, there
usually occurs dilatation, or hypertrophy, or a mixture of the two: the
dilatation, which is a yielding of the heart's structure under the
increased strain, implying a failure to meet the emergency; but the
hypertrophy, which consists in a thickening of the heart's muscular walls,
being an adaptation of it to the additional effort required. Again, when an
aneurism in some considerable artery has been obliterated, either
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