Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-02-12
How Animals Cool Off.

The genus bono and the genus horse have
double privilege of refrigeration, while all other
ANNALS have but one. You may be surprised to
learn that no other beings sweat except men and
horses, and hence no other beings can cool them
selves, when hot, by perspiration through The
skin. The confirmation OF this fact Is found IN
the whole range of comparative anatomy, where
nature has furnished examples on the most ex'
tended scale of magnitude, in the whole animal
world. in the largest as well as the smallest Of
beings.
In all the pachydermata, or thick skinned ami
mails. except the horse are found no pores in the
skin that exhale heat by perspiraton, the enveI
one OF, all these animals being only secretng
surface. like others of the internal surface OF the
body. All the cleft feet species, including those
presenting feet with toes rounded and Unprovlded
with claws, the elephant, rhinoceros, mammoth,
bson mastadon, butflIo, OK, swine deer, as
well as the lion, tiger, wolf, BEAR fox, birds,
SQUIRRELS, dOrmouse, oppossum, and raccoon, all
alike offer the same example as the dog, that
thew have no other means OF cooling thcms elves
when hot except through the medium of the
lungs by respiration
The farmer dives his oxen in the summer
heat, with great care, and when they open their
mouths and thrust out their tongues, and pant 10
exhae the heat generated by exercise, if he
does not stop their potion, they die with the
heat which accumulates within them. His hogs,
TOO. must be driven with more care, and if they
are allowed to grow fat in hot weather, they of.
len die, painting, in state of repose, when in the
shade.
All these animals, with the exception of the
elephant and rhinoceross, are covered with hair
and fur, or feathers and down, which varies with
the climate.
The fur and down tribe throw off their rich
covering at the approach of spring, and reve
with their fellows in the summers sun, and, as
the autumn returns, they are reiurnlshed with
their furs and down, in anticipation Of the win
ter'5 frost.
In health these animals have large deposi
of fat beneath the skin; fat is mixture of two
or more ingredients, which differ from each ohe
in consistency most instances they are stea
une and margarine, along with liquid oieine
AZ the weather cools these oils and fat condense
aud as they solid(y they become non.conductor
Of heat. and as the heat accumuates beneatl
the skin, 1t generates the delicate furs and dowl
for winters use; and IN the spring, as the TEN
pera;ure rises, the oleine becomes volatile ant
sheds them again for the summers heat: so tha
this simple law for the generation Of hrat, il
animal as in vegetable life, is graduated by th
fluctuations of the season and the revolutions o
time. The familiar example Of the dog VIII
generates his heat at the expense of his sub
stance, as he increases his speed, and, having n
pores in his skin, he nulupes his respiration il
the ratio of motion, as the only means of keep
ing himself cool, and having no perspration 4
check, he plunges into water with.impunity, an
returns refreshed, when men and horses sub
merged in a similar condition would suddenl
check perspiration, and if they survived tn
shock, il would be to die Of acute or chronic in
fammation.