, 1873-07-01
HOW is THE BLOOD CIRCULATED 2


BATTLE GREER, Mich, June 90, 1879.
To the Eti'ior of The Chicapo Tribune:
SIN: Ny attention Inns boon called to m arti-
clio in The TRIBUNE Of lsBt Saturday. headed
Oxygen and Carbon" Inoticcd in snid nrticlo
several errors which ought to DO corrected.
"carbon" informs US that tho molecules of
oxygen are smaller than those Of nitrogen or
carbon: Now, Utmost any schoolboy knows TINT,
according to the law demonstrated by Amrero
al molecules aro of tho Bnu1o volume when in
tho gaaeous state. Again, wo aro told that oxy-
gen OF the venous blood: Tllis statonent is also
erroneous, as my ono with tho slightest know1-
edge oG chemistry can provo. 1Io also tolls na
TINT the animal hoat of tho body il gonerased in
1h;a 19G l'gs L by tue process which ho eacribos
as utterly untenahlo, and is obviously in
correct, since, if 1t wore truo. tho
specific heat Of tho lungs would necessarily be
much M Eroater than that Of my other portion Of
tho body, which is not the case. Furthermore,
no tolls a that this Same procoss which aupplieH
toanirnal oat Of tho body is also tho "t11o force
Of lifo." Dy his reference to tho honrt, suppose
he means by "true forco Of Afo" tho foYco
which ctrcu1atcs tho blood. Tho facts just
montionod in regard to oxygen. and the size Of
molecules. Of course demolish his whole theory.
I agroo with him, however, in bolieving that tho
heart is not tho only motive powor concerned in
tho clrculatory procoss, and also that it is most
NAL heat. Without intruding upon your space
by entoriug into tho whole argument In support
Of tho theory which shall advance, although
shonld bo greatly pleasod to place it bcfore your
the modua-operandi of the circulation Of tie
blood, presenting it to tho public for consdora-
tion and criticiAn,.
The two essential elements for tho production
OF animal heat are carbon aud oxygen. Tho
carbon is derived from the food the oxygen from
tho atr. In the body, tho carbon axiats in tho
form OF fat md tho various carbonacoouH pro-
ducts Of tho disintegrntion Of tho tsaueB tho
oxygon IL found in FREQ state, being conveyed
by tho rod corpusclos Of the blood. It oxiHts in
a. state of great condensation, Ms can DO oasily
shown, and it's power Of combination ia consc-
1uontly greatly increased, as ia tho caae when
oxygen is similarly contlonsod by p!atnum-black,
spPngy platinum ro',oh1,nss io eoMttonwaatG IT, otc
emit, starting with tho left side Of tho heart. Tho
left ventriclo. BY reason Of tho great thickness
and tcnacity Of its walls, has powor to contract
with sufficient forco to propol tho blood to tho
minute capillaries. Hero the condensed oxygen
ia brought in close proximity with tho carIon-
nceous matters Doforo mentioned, and combustion
onBues. Tho yast amount Of lcat titus pro-
duccd is Immediately rendered. latent by tho con-
version Of n portion Of the water present into
vapor. This produces consequent incronse in
tho yolu1no OF the blood, 30 that a portion ia
crowded forward BY the pressure, in tho only di-
rection poaBihle, into tho veins. BY tho con-
stant operation Of this forco, tho blood ia driven
in steady stream to the right aido Of tho heart,
whore, by tho contraction Of tho right vontriclo,
it is sent to tho lungs. Hero, by the ratification
Of tho mir contained i'll the thoracio cavity, re-
aulting from tho downward contraction Or the
diaphragm, tho volume Of tl1o blood il again ILL
creased, and by this means is pressed onward
into tho pulmonary voin, aftcr exchanging It'll
carbonio acid for q fresh supply Of oxygen, and
ia th,,s returned to the heart md pagaes through
tho same process again. The wliolo volume OF Tho
a. ttnd1 NJ tco, 1.Nyr +f,o
vapor which was formed, thus rendering latent
tho heat producod has been condensed to water
body, apd IN 10 ioiug, has % been the be- n means Of
equalizing tho bodily temperature, and maintain
ing the requisite heat by giving up it's so-callod
latent heat.
claim, then, TINT tho circulation is not main
taincd by any one singlo force, but by tho COM
binod action of several forces. No doubt the
processeB Of digestion, assimilation, muscular
contraction. etc., serye aa auxiliaries to tho
forcos already mentioned. But claim that the
principal forco is the yaporization of wator.
TT RrTTrH1 M