Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-01-03
COMMUNICATIONS.
PHI YsIoLoGY.
ny II. n. sonErrrRrY, or HOWELL. MIC

side proceeds the great artery called the aora which
dividing and subdvidng into an almost infinite number of
branches too small finally for the eye to perceive them
carries the blood all parts Of the body noursh il and
repair all injuries, such healing wounds broken bones
&C. Where these branches the aorta end another set
Of blood vessels called veins begins perhaps as many
and as minute branches which take up blood brought
by the arteries and unite they proceed till at last they
all terminate in which pours all the blood into the
right aurcle from which it received by the right ven
nce which sends it through the pulmonary artery into
the lungs where it is exposed in the air cells to the air
we breathe, and absorbs from its electricity and oxygen
which change it from dark red to bright vermilion
coor and, having been mpregnated with these princi-
pies of life and health and animal heat it is thence car
ried by the pulmonary veins the left aurcle which
pours into the left yentrce be again distributed to
all parts of the body as before.
1t has long been known to anatomts that every artery
has nerve accompanying it, while the veins have
but the design of the Creator in giving the
res but not to the veins remained profound mystery till
lately I well established that with every breath
we inhae quantity of electricity mixed with the air.
tiers into the blood in the lungs and this electricity is
again separated from the blood by friction in the arteries
received by the nerves accompanying hem and by these
conveyed to the BRAIN the great fountain of the whole
nervous system, to be distributed TO the mind to the
body, under the CONTROL in measure, of votion
There are in the body of notion voluntary and
involuntary nerves of sensation and Of nutri
ton. Now neither motion, sensation, nutrition can
take place without calling into activity of these
nerves. and the best development of every part of
body takes place when this fluid or electricity
equally distributed to every part of it. at least long
person continues to grow; for, when the mind for in
stance only is exercised the corporal frame srobbed of
its share of vitality the brain only becomes developed and
the body will necessarily be sunted and become diseased
and an early death and miserable lfe long it lasts
may be looked for because vital energy and corporal
strength only be secured by active exercise In fact
all education is predcated upon this hypothesis and our
present system of educating the mind and negecting the
exercise of the body is therefore extremely detrimental
to both
Hence the reason why few of the graduates of col
eges and universities among the active business
of all countries, and why, in all pursuits the most sue
cessul those who have been brought up active
and aborious life When the mind is called into constant
activity for number of years. and the body consequently
subjected to but little casual exercise in early fe the
latter becomes incapable of supplying sufficient vital
energy to the mind however active and well stored with
knowledge and it becomes sluggish also, and finally dis
qualified for intense application But if the body has
attained its full growth and development if both body
and mind simultaneously and equally exercised in
youth may undergo almost any amount of mental
labor afterwards That such is natures law all expe-
rience teaches, might be easily proved by citing any
amount Of facts Suffice it to mention the of the
Misses Davisson, young Spaord of Vermont the learn
ed Blacksmith; and where in the wide world class
of men be found who possess more practical wisdom,
knowledge energy, and endurance, both Of mind and
body than did revolutionary ancestors who subjected
themselves to every prvaton and toll that human nature
can bear? But let us return to subject
Every kind of food contains certain quantity of
bon and some kinds much than others Sugar and
fat meat, particularly pork, contain the largest quantity
This carbon being extracted from food by the diges
tive organs and conveyed by the horacc duct into the
blood in the form of chye is burnt up in the
by the electricity inhaled through the lungs above
stated This combustion, which could not take place
without the presence of oxygen which also enters the
blood through the lungs produces the heat of bodies
The above facts fully account for another fact that
in cold climates and during the cold in temperate
ones theinhabants need and more animal food
than in countries and seasons because heat is
radated by their bodies in the srmer than in the latter
and this increased waste must be supplied by increase
Of fuel Carbon to keep up the uniform temperature of
9S degrees in the body Hence, should expect that
vegetarans who able to and understand the
functions of the human system would see the folly in
culcatng entire abstinence from animal food under al
circumstances.
is true that the human body accommodates itself in
great measure surrounding circumstances and diff
ferent modes of living if the change be made gradually
evidenced by the fact that by constant person
may oneself to eating much of narcotic and
other poisons as would kill number Of persons not
customed them. But this is not healthy condition of
the system neither is it heahful deprive the human
organism of the necessary quantity of carbon, so long
aperson resides in cold climate must expose himself
during the cold in temperate The Esqui-
would find it impossible TO sustain life without his
rations of bubber and train OIL seeing few vegetables
grow in his country.
proved by and by the fact that mankind do
and, by constituting omnivorous he has enabled
human beings to dwell in every cline. 1t would be diff
cult to make the the sheep eat fesh because
tive wisdom did not ordain them to subsst on it. But
there is proper medium which alone health.
In the States of the West the earth is during most
Of the hot season. overshadowed with clouds which attract
the electricity from EARTH and people consequent
y more subject to bilious than to nfammatory Diseases
and less able to bear depletion than in California,
where the atmosphere is free from clouds during half the
year. and diseases principally inammatory else
affect the mucous membrane of the bowels with darrha
In both these countries fruit is scarce, and in the former
females are too much engaged in visiting to cultivate a
garden and people therefore subss pork and po
tatoes or meat and bread seasoned with sugar The
sequence is that carbon is taken into and
lated the system than is consistent with health and
this cause than to masmata contained in the atmo-