The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-02-01
Lecture before the Society or Mechanics and
Fundamentals. Bedford on the Circulation
OF tho BLOOD.


Tradesmen-Dr. Bedford on the Circulation
OF tho BLOOD.
The third and last of DIR. Bedford's series of
lectures before the General Society OF Mocha
MICS and Tradesmen, was delivered last evening
in Mechanics Hall, Broadway, to an overflow
ing audience, who listened to the discourse
throughout with the utmost attention. The sub
Ject OF the lecture was the circulation OF the
blood, which engaged the attention of the speak
er and the audience for upwards of an hour
After few preliminary remarks, Professor
Bedford stated that the blood was divided into
two substances--the gaseous and fluid, and
the solld-the elementary substances or which
are carbon, sulphur, phosphorus, sodium, iron,
&c. He begged the ladies present not to be
alarmed at the statement OF TACT which
he should make that the human system it presents
itself in their persons is reduced to the substances to
which he advsred viz: fluids and solids 1t is very
interesting fact that these substances unite and form
manner In which they unite. When union take,
place In different proportions, they form combinations
which are dsuomnated permanent principles Now
these take place and these circumstances
result In the format of compounds, anu these
pounds are termed proximats principles There ia a
bum"n and on, and there various other unioos
taking place In the production Of tissues aud organs
Here you have the bones; and N you subject the
bones to snaly alton, you will fnd that they viii
present to you Of the elementary substances
which have referred SO it is with the muscles and
every tissue in the system Now another point to which
wish to direct your Alteration IT, that the human body
compound of fluids and solids, with certain proper
ton between them. The relative proportion be ween
thsm il according to the minimum calculation OF six to
but there are others who make it as to tsnthst
he fluids ak to In proportion to the solids This
proportion, must inform YOU however varies in pro-
portion the age and the health of the indvdua for
greater than OF solids. In youth and manhood there
IS certain proportion of fluids over the solids aud
this continues uut old age, and until deerepitude
comes on Look, for example, at young subject, IRE
ferrins to thu skeleton Of young person the plat
form see of the angular projections that you
'sill in this which is the skeleton old person
observe
(pontng the skeleton Of the old ruoj is
sunken; there prominence at sles of the jaw
Not vita the young subject you may rc-ivs SO
that you that In old as precisely the of
what presents itself In youth is apparent in regard to
another point and it is very natural inquiry for you
make regard to the circulation Of the blood and that
Is how the blood Is made. This shall endeavor to
plain to you The blood is fluid, which is not in
tended to circulate through the system for any idle
purpose but Os the purpose OF giving growth
originated blood, the system would linger and
die and this blood Is distributed for the purpose Of
giving vgor development to every and tissue
the economy Of nAture This blood then is formed
by the food which eat We continually wasting,
it pair the waste Of the system which Is thus
going on There is constant loss and waste
material that, from birth to death, nature
continually and necessarily exetts herself renovate
the system Theirs is constant state of transition in
which nature makes the waste and again supplies it,
and it is this balance which depends perfect health
But when the balance lost nature Ia overpo Wered by
disease; disease too frequently brought by
indscretons the violation OF those which
In the formation of the blood therefore, that taking
food into ths mouth. The next ID that of mastcang
IT, Then there are certain gland which, stimulated BY
the presence Of the food gveg out uid which il call
ed saliva. which incorporates that which you have
tsksn into your mouth into one homogeneous mas.
When this is effected, the muscles called into
on and unite ia the process Of dig. ston and the
suit is that the food thus incorporated swallowed
taken down. and deposited in q small bag denominased
the stomach You will perceive, therefore, that the
TODD undergoes a remarkable and curious action which
action is explained by chemists in one way, and by
.cln a .nf
opinion between them in regard to the theory of this
process; buS thiak IL Is hardly necessary
cupy your time with discussion of the differences
.sting between them on this subject shall not here
array r copAio the chemists against the physioogsts
ths ply siologists against the chemists The
davor to sustain their views and the other class
will not abandon their grounds unless arguments which
easo0 ospss end TN
upon converted into chyo and then In
with BILE and nature has most beautifully arranged the
ducts which bis passes into and changes it
portions; Of hese is mk-hke fluid and this Is the
blood You tnen perceive changed into two conditions
one Of which, as said before is blood and the other
is taken up and deposited 10 the thoracic duet
aud 1t will be my duty to show how tits changed in
the extrao:d binary laboratory, the human lungs will
show you no this blood is conveyed into tho arteries
AMI made healthy blood II you look at the blood after
physician tie up the of person from whom
ne has extracted It, and before any change in IL is
duced you will perceive that looks red therefore,
it is generally considered that the vital fluid is Of that
COLOR and the redness in which you supposed
be OF the essential elements OF blood Now, you will
in insects blood which is not redthe in the
blood OF fishes and reptiles As general rule, the
greater PROPORTION Of blood which circuatss in fishes
not red Yet this blood which oirculates in
system ssnotrsd altogether and when coue to speak
OF the manner in which our blood Is circulated, |
will show you that th ere is both red blood aud dark
blood the latter being hat which has lost its nutritious
attributes. Again you know there is good deal said
about the vitality Of blood; and h, subject let
ms inform you that there are many mistaken opinions
abroad Macy consider 1t imprSdent to draw blood;
which, If carried too far, will not end In absurdity
r0ere is no who thinks Of temperance than
lot hcu.
from drinking too much cold water. This principle e
one thing, and the application Of the prncips is
In this way, that tn blood as Il crcula.ss ' in
tue IS stem becomes portion Of the system and does
In virtue of it's vitality This blood is the sustaining
priocple Of life, and IL circuates In the system IL
life to the ogaus by which they developed and
grow Agate; you take this blood look It, 1t is
homogeneous Will you believe that 1t contains
all tho elements Of ieall Of the Developments which
the different organs reQ1irel And this CT the
beautiful facts ia physiology 1t contains earthly
ter, fibred slbunen and fatty matter, SO Now what
are the object aud purposes Of those different sub
stances? The blood circuates through the system and
there Is but element in 1t which the bones require
for their sustenance and growth This Is the earthly
matter that taken up by the bones in the economy
iates in the bones, that they take from It only
that element VIII they require aud leave the remain
ing elements OF it untouched! The fact Is So aud it
a beautiful mystery in the economy Of nature When
the blood hows among the muscles, they take that
elementary portion Of 1t which they require for their
support aud developement and that Is nore and like
The bones leave the uut' uched. These muscles
take from tho blood the very elements which they
qure Tor their existence aud you will be amused
tell you, that the ass OF all your brain. is m
poed OF the fatty matter which is another elementary
principle In blood There is fatty matter there
fore, IN the bio d; and when the blood oirculates
in the brain, IL takes only that fatty mat,sr and
allows the remaining principles to pass Great
AZ the human mind unquestionsby is-great rs
the works which 1t accomplishes- great in
every point of view as it dessrvedy isit sinks into
nothing when compared with this most beautiful and
complicated arrangement in the economy of nature
You VIII now perceive by these general remarks (aud
general they must DO occasion lksths) the gene
raj attributes OF the blood and will dir ect your atten
ton to the provision which nature ha, made for the
trans osson OF this blood to every portion of the sys
tenn rms (ref>rring ~ n modeD you perceive Is the
human heart which divided into cavities-two
the right and two the Left Those the left are
intended for the reception of artersl blood
on the rignt Tor the reception of blood. The
difference between them is that sreral blood is fitted
for the nourishment OF the rynten Venous blood has
Loot its nutritious qualities aud must be renovated
and reted before 1t can again give to the
system Here (reerrog spain to the models) two