Alabama state intelligencer., 1831-11-12

cnemstTy over the Wlue empire of life; bat 1t IS an arrogant assumption unfounded in truth and reason It only when vitality to exist in natter that chemistry commences it's operations of destructive analysis There is an eternal war between these two principles; and the only agency thn chemistry does exercise over living matter s in the stimulation of latent or passive life into active or ostensibe life To be more explicit, life may 1e either ac- tive or passive: examples of the first exhibited in man and vegetables in a state of vital progress sion of the latter or latent life, tic egg before
 incubation, the seeds of grain, hybenating or tor pd animals are instances. Heat witch IS che mcal agent, applied to them, induces them to as- sume forms, to evolve the phenomena of life it stimulates them into activity, but nothing more- Would this agent applied to matter deprived of the spirit ofvitay arouse it again into actIviy2 can it l awaken the dormant powers of life Certainly not. The embryo of all plants and animals derive their vitality from the parent stock. So soon IS their or ganizaton is complete, sufficiently maured as to exist independently, they cast off, and acquire the means ofsupporting life from surrounding causes lfihese sources few in number or eaiy exhaust ed, the vegetable as well as the animal egenerates. Should they be abundant, and impart tInr necessa- " quantum of stimulus, the functions of1le will be more clearly defned-the powers augnened-the individuals acquire magnitude, and ultimately arrive at their perfect and natural standard.
 With a recollection of these princpes we now proceed to the consideration of climate uJon man. And can he be exempted from the secret but certain influence of that agent that exerts such powerful control over the vegetable kingdom? Gan ke be se- parate, uninfuenced and isolated2 Is he not bound down 10 this ball of matter, by the same great law that wheels the planet in its orbit7 Does he not form link in that
 Vast chain of Being which from God began
 Natures elheria, human, angel, man,
 Beast, bird, fish, insect, which no eye can see, No glass can reach
 Yes, distinguished as he is by the endowment of req son; highly exalted in the scale of being and in his capacity for progressive improvement, he feels the force of climate modifying his physical character and reachingto the empire ofmind itself. Two grand principles exert their potency over man in his pre- sent state of exstence-Instinct and Reason. In the savage state, man acknowledges controlling power but instinct; in state of civilization. reason exercises her sway, and brings under subjection the lnstinctive or animal apptences of his nature. In- stinct 1 conceive to he that influence exercised by the various organs of the human frame the brain as expressed in motion, or in the qualification of the various passions; or other words the wants ofthe vicera, expressed through he medium of the brain. Physical causes impar peclllarimpulses to the mind, through the senses. When objects are presented to the senses, the impression made upon them is per ceved by the brain, and reflected to the vicera; if they, in return. reflect their wants to the brain the notary powers of the system are called into action for the acquisition of the object It is thus that the passions of the body the instinctive appitencies oi the vcera, this the with regard to hunger thirst and indeed most of the passions of our nature If the stomach on the presentation of food 10 the senses has been previously satisfied, the impression of disgust is made upon the brain and 1t IS rejected
 It s one of the laws of the animal economy that stimulus produces an exaltaton of the powers of life If stimulating agent, either in the form of food or drink is presented to the stomach, the brain imme- diaey sympathises with that peculiar impression of the stomach; and if the stimulating of the stomach Is increased to diseased condition, corresponding abnormal condition of the brain resnlts Han ndi- vidua Indulges in the of highly stimulating food or the nordinate of ardent spirits until his sto- ach becomes the seat of extensive and dangerous r- rtaon, his brain will assume the same form of dis ease, and fever, dcllrium madness or phrenzy will be the inevitable consequence.
 We may conceive of condition ofthe human sys- tenn wherein the stomach and brain may approximate to this diseased condition. under the long continued influence of stimulating ingesta, and still all the functions be performed, though in excess. This Representation of the brain will produce violent passion, strong ardent feeling; great irritabty of temper; and rapid movements ofthe notary powers.
 It in this way that food and drink effectthe brain l and through it, the faculties of the mind It is a truth certain in the physiology of man as any mathematical problem of Euclid, that he who lives upon rich stimulating diet. with ardent drinks must necessarily be irritable mpetuous, and of vio- lent passions. It is the injunction of religion that we should be temperate in all things-in our meat and drink; and the hermit who 2asscs his life in the secluded walls of his closier sustaining his life by his temperate fare of vegetables and water, better prepared in mind as well body to offer suitable and acceptable sacrifice to his Maker.
 We will now trace the chain of irritation to the brain from different part of the system he skin, in which resides more immediately the sense of touch. It is on this organ that the force of climate Is spent and through which the impression is ex- tended to the cerebral system the brain. The skin informs us of the condition of the surrounding at mosphere; is calorfc, or refrigerating properties; and next to the stomach stands in the order of suc- cession, as regards mental influence. It stands as it were the frontier border of the empire of e en- dowed with such properties from its organization that the impression of any agent, morbic in its character, or salutary in its tendencies, made upon
 1t, Is prOpagated to the brain-he arbiter vite Ubi trrttdtto tb ta1c,S, IS an axiom in hysoogy-cen- trpal or centrifugal ;-and he who is gOaded by continual stimuants upon his skin, will ceteres pari- bus, be as irritable as he who lives upon stimulat- ing diet lf one source of irritation, continually act ing upon the mind, hurres its movements and de- ranges It, what must be its condition subjected to the influence Of two or more sources? This unortu- nately IS the sad condition of him who under the influence of q heated atmosphere. still augments the excitement of his system by ardent spirits until he no longer appears clad in the panoply of reason the proud champion of his rights. and the dignifed representative of God but the weak. fallen and de- graded victim of slavish habit, sunk in the polu. ton of crime, and the pitlless wreck of all that is merltorlous noble in human nature.
 Let us examine the features of the polar regions and see the physical and moral condition of man. Tho winter oonueneoo in August snow falls and the whole ground is covered three feet deep As the cold augments, the air deposits it's moisture in the form of fog; which freezes into fine gossa. mer netting, or spcular cicles, dispersed through the atmosphere, and extremely minute as to pierce and excoriatc the skin. The hoar frost settles pro. in tuntn fip rlu ,l,l,
 steams like lime kiln-called the frost smoke caused by the water being still relatively warmer than the incumbent air. At length the mist dis
 perses and the clearness of the atmosphere an