Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-11-12
COMMUNICATION.
no THE EDITORS.
pHysIoLoGY-MoTrE POWER OF THE BLOOD.

chief for the circulation of the areria blood
through the arteries but that respiration, in the Ian
guage of Mrs. willard Operating by animal heat pro-
duces an expansive power the lungs and thus becomes
the principal efficient cause OF the boods circulation
According to this strange theory the only of heart
s to open the valves and convey the blood to the lungs
it is mere pumping apparatus to feed the lungs with
yenous blood "[Mrs. Wizards Motipe Popr of the Blood
p. 40.
This physiological theory have controverted,
with Dr. Cartwright in several papers in the New Orleans
Medical and Surgical Journal in connection with a series
Of very interesting vivsecons performed by Dr. Bennett
Dower the great sauran Of Southern watersthe
Aagatosome of which had the pleasure of witnessing
In New Orleans. These experiments performed the
alligator supposed by Dr. Cartwright to prove
clusiyey the truth of his theory though Dr. Dower
by whom the vivisections performed decidedly
of the contrary opinion also many other distinguished
scientific gentlemen who witnessed them. They all saw
the facts but could not how the conclusions of Dr.
Cartwright necessarily followed.
Since the publication of my last article the subject
nearly year ago, Dr. Cartwright has remained entirely
silent, few occasional illusions to the subject in
the Boston Medical Journal. He has however, as it
seems only been preparing hunders to hur against
his aversaries for in the last number Of the New Or
leans Medical and Surgical Journal be opens new attack
upon in the following strain
While the new doctrine of the motive power Of the
blood was in process of publication, and experiments
were being instituted to establish its TRUTH it assail-
ed by Albert Weles Ely, An MD in the July number
of this journal for 1862 But scarcely had the celebrated
reviewer received the congratulations of his friends for
the able in which he had put the new doctrine OF
the blood moving power, called (by meg haematokne
down. when he himself instituted an experiment on his
child that did more to put up again than all he
had written had done to put it down. His child died,
and he brought it to life by bringing into action the
haematoknetc blood moving power which he had been
aboring to prove had no existence"
1t may be improper here to state that this new
term in physiology haemaohinety, derived from a'pa,
anguis xus0 naoreo is an invention of Dr. Cartwright
Ind has yet found its way into medical dictona-
ies unless Dungsson has recently honored it with
lace We would respectfully suggest to esteemed
riend Dr. Cartwright the proprey of writing the word
ainsakineio
DR.. Cartwright maintains that atmospheric air admitted
MO the lungs the bood-mouing poVcr" This, he con-
ends is proved by the fact that alligator that hos
cen strangled death by tying igature about the
,achea be restored to life again by simple nsufia
on blowing air into the lungs Now, admitting for the
AXE of argument all of Dr. CartHrghts facts regarding
he resuscation Of strangled agators and asphyxated
omen and children by of immediate nsutHation
DIV do these facts prove that atmospheric air admitted
ito the lungs is the bloodmovng power and that the
Heart does not circulate the arteria blood After all
that Dr. Cartwright has written this theory, or
alner on MIS- Ouc ny uSreuI
deal Of Insulation and exsufaton after all the world
had supposed that it hopelessly asphyxiated we
verify believe that he has not made single proseyte
We will however, endeavor to give the arguments of Dr.
Cartwright fair and impartial hearing, object is
ae promotion of physiological science alone If it is
tue, DR.. Cartwright maintains that the heart has
nc hing to do with circulation Of the blood and that
that circulation is commenced and kept up simply by the
cir inhaled into the lungs then all previous knowledge
the subject OF the functions of the heart is worthless
and we have to deny the evidence of our
When we examine the heart and its appendages what
q, we discover? Do not find that it has all the cha
rrters Of circulating apparatus If its powerful
factions and expansions do not circulate the blood then
ieed the eyes Of all Psychologists, except those of Dr.
Cartwright and Mrs Willard have deceived them, and all
tat they have written the circulation is miserable
issue Of absurdtes Dr. Cartwrighs position is
tayagan that cannot think of going into elaborate
description of the structure of the heart for the purpose
approving that its sole Office is to circulate the blood.
1t us now examine some of Dr. Cartwrights arguments
DIR. Cartwright informs that some very celebrated
SEMITIC men, Rogers at the North, and Dr. 3. Dowler
ad Prof Rddell at the South did not the full value
othe experiments which had been made establish the
NV doctrine They misinterpreted them, and sup
psed that they did not prove what they werc cited to
ppye" At this ore not at all surprised DR.. Cart
wight therefore, instituted experiments the 1st
oGune last The argument which these experiments
abrded him give in his own words The haema-
tonetc or moving power ordered stop, and
id STOP by simple string thrown around the trachea,
wch did nothing than to exclude the atmospheric
al thus proving that atmospheric air admitted into the
ldgs is the bood-moving power."-[N Q. Med. Jour.
Set. 1865 The animal died in less than an hour.
Dr. Cartwrights argument above amounts to just this:
tn exclusion of the air from the agators lungs caused
itsblood circulation in less than hour and
the animal to die ergo atmospheric air admitted into
theungs is the blood-moying power" II any one can
discover the connexion between the Doctors premises and
hsconolusion, will readily acknowledge the SUPERIOR
ty If his mental vision and the dmness of our own We
certainly not at oil surprised that Dr. b. Dowler and
Pro- Rddel humbly confessed their scepticism the
subject
We readily admit that in asphyxated persons or ami
mah Insulation, where the asphyxia is caused by
organic lesion and where the entire organism is perfect
is capable Of restoring the circulation and eecting
plete resuscitaon provided that the Insulation ap
piled Immediately after all signs Of life have disappeared
We have been completely successful in the of insua
ton Dr. Cartwright states in the extract above in the
caselof my lamented little son, who swept away by
the recent awful epidemic in New Orleans We believe
that thousands of lives might be saved by if applied
by asklfu hand, and that it is too much neg
lectei but confess that discover the
nexotn between installation and the circulation Of the
blood
n C&es of resuscation from Insulation afford ground
for tbe suppositon OF some motive power Of the
blood In asphyxia there sagnation Of the blood in
the Pulmonary arteries whereby the left venricle of the
hear ceases to be supplied with its appropriate stimulus
arteha blood. The heart ceases its action from this
cause alone. AL other parts of the system, too, being
deprived Of the stimulus Of properly nrteriazed blood
cease heir action also, and death is the result Now
what does insuAiation dol Its odus operand is this
BY inhstng the lungs oxygen is brought in contact with