American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1858-06-10
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The truth Of this becomes overwhelming.
the more closely we survey tbs nature Of
man. 10 all his being and characters. as lie
passes through the various phases Of his
course, from the cradle 10 the grave. AT
birth. he is the most helpless and depend.
ent on parental protection. Of all anlmltsd
beings: even animal instinct. Is less per.
fenly developed in the infant man. when
he FIRST comes TO the Il !b'. than Ia the
most Of the lower order Of animals. We
cannot easily conceive OF a more perfect
state OF idioeity. or blankness than that Of
an infant at birth. Society requires the
hist eighteen or twenty years Of our off
spring. to be spent under tie control Of
parents. and guardians. bef)re man is con.
sidered rightly qualified 10 provide for
himself.
OF all the beings that inhabit the earth,
endowed as he is. with re son, Intellect and
sensibiity. man would be the most wretch
ed and forlorn. II the author Of his exist.
snce had not furnished him with the cap4.
bilities. and means. of providing for his
wants, and qualifications. II he we're FIX.
to locality like plant, and yet poss,ss-
ing the mini, with ality aspirations. that
he does. as we'll as the physical wants Of
lis body, without the power OF locomo.
tion, how could We conceive OF more de.
plorable state.
Bn', from the p'rf,stiol OF his anitomi.
cal formation, with ability 10 transport
himself from one locality TO another, the
organs Of prehensioD, by which he can
mould and construct, and bring to his aid,
whatever is necessary for his comfort, or
sustenanoe. With his five senses, of ct
adaptation to bring him into an Acquaintance
with the earth, and all that belongs to it:
with an intellect which enables him TO pen.
citrate the hidden mysteries Of Science, and
the established laws of nature, and with
moral endowments. which guile him in
his onward and upward course Of duty, to
God and society; We learn the wisdom, and
power, of the being that formed him.
But that we may further learn, that man
is feaTiuIiy and wonderfully made, let US
consider him in some of his other aspects.
or the ultimate cause Of the vivitcation of
the ovum or egg, from which his existence
commences, we will not attempt 10 spsak,
it is secret hidden from our perception,
with our pesent means of inquiry. We
know that life point is established, a.
round which particles of matter continue 10
aggregate, until we behold the most perfect
ly developed body. But if this life princi-
pie should at any time take its departure,
the physiology of the organic Lion would
cease, and the elements would return to
their original state. And here arises
difficult question; one about which, meta.
physicians will speculate in vain. as to
what constitutes life. Does tha body form
the spirit, or the spirit cause the form alton
OF the body: neither, We know can exist
without the other. A fatal disorganz,.
ton OF the physical parts. causes the sital
principle, to depart. and the spirit cln be
forced out of the body, without materially
disturbing the integrity of the latter, and
the state OF being cease forever. But a
shot newspaper article, will not permit us
20 expand upon points. about which vol.
umes might be written.
1t may serve to humble us, when we look
into the physical constitution Of man, and
his mode oflfe, so far as his mortal ex,s-
tence is concerned. In what essential re-
spects does he differ from vegetables
Perhaps the existence of an internal stom-
ach, where his food is received. and pre-
pared to supply the waste, which his boJy
is constantly undergoing, may be regarded
as among the most distinguishing charac.
terisics. The predominance also, Of III
trogen, or azote, in the solids of his body,
where's, in plants, corton may be regard
ed as the principle element. But in both
animals and plants. ca.bon, hydrogen, OK.
ygen, and azote, are united The relative
proportions Of solids. and fluids. in the
body, may be ascertained by placing man
of ordinary statue, say of 16O pounds. in
a powerful press, ,and oonlinu4ing the press
ure. until the fluids were excluded; and the
residue would be about 35 to 40 pounds, of
solid matter.
An adult person will require from 80 to
Ga ounces, OF aiment daily, to supply the
nutrition Of his BODY; the secretng organs
being constantly at work, removing from
his system. such particles as have served
their purpose. The whole mass of his
blood. requires TO be passed through the
lurgs every few minutes, where in contac
with atmospheric air, taken in. in breath.
ing. it is purified from its earbonic acid,
and other recrementous matter, with which
it has become loaded, by traversng the
other parts Of the body. The skin dis
changes in the form of insensibIe prespira-
ton. every day quantity of fluid which, i'll
retained in the body, would generate dis.
ease aud death. The brain must be sup
piled every moment. with vitaiz,d blood,
prepared in the lungs, as stated above, or
death from asphyxia ensues at once. Or
it the heart were to stop its pulsations for
few minutes, the vital spark has fed for
ever. There are also other secreting or>
gans:: as the Ever, the kidneys. mucous
surfaces, DC, which are essential to puri-
Tying the blood. aud preserving a healthy |
condition Of The whole body, physically and
mentally.
But limit is set to mans mortal state.
Death comes, and every particle of bis
form disappears. After four score years
have passed, it would be reasonable to
state, that physical element enough. have
contributed TO the formation of his body at
different periods, to form regiment Of
soldiers. We must leave the curious to
speculate upon the resurrection of the