Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-08-01
POWER OF THE HEART.
What that Little Organ Endures
and Accompanies from
Day 10 Day.
Edinburgh Review.

nolnouIbu RthtoNs
This important little organ of the
body is the primary source of the
movement of the vital streams as with
each stroke the heart projects somes
thing like six ounces Of blood into
sse conduits of tho system, as it does
so some twenty times every minute
and 400 times in an hour, and it does
the same thing 100,900 times In "A
hours, 20, 0U0.000 times every year and
more than !, 5O0, DOC, 600 Of times In Q
life OF seventy years.
The mechanical force that is exer-
ted at each stroke amounts to a pres
sure of thirteen pounds upon the en-
tire charge Of blood that has to be
pressed onward through the branching
network of blood vessels. This gives
an exertion of force that would be ad-
equate in another form of application
to lift l20 tons one foot high every
twenty-four hours. Yet the piece Of
living mechanism that is called upon
to do this, and do it without pause
OF three score and ten years, without
itself being worn out by the effort, is
small bundle of flesh that rarely
weighs more than eleven ounces.
1t must be remembered that this
little vital machine cannot at any time
be stopped for repairs. II it gets out
Of order it must be set right as it runs
To stop the action Of the heart for
more than the briefest interval would
be to change life into death.
SO, also, consideration of other
organs of the body will show the vast
amount Of labor that is constantly
going on within us,of which we scarce
ly take note.
The digesting, secreting and excret-
ing apparatus, and supplementary
structures associated with them, may
well be called the servant organs Of
the body, and are mainly engaged with
preparing the food SO that it may per-
form its task OF supporting the activi
ty of the muscles, brain and nerves,
with the least possible strain upon
their own energies, and with removing
out OF the way the waste resulting
from their action. The body may be
considered as an deliberately construc
ted machine, devisedDfor the purpose
OF converting the latent energy stored
up in food into TIE effective energy
manifested in muscular movement,
sensation, nerve influence and brain
operations.
The various changes that are car
ried out in the materials of the living
are all effectualIy dissected to this
conversion Of latent energy, brought
in by the food, into the active energy
which is the attribute and immediate
purpose of animal life. Not more
than one-seventh part Of the energy
which is thus developed in the human
body is devoted to the performance of
external work, the moving about from
place to place and the operating upon
and the holding relations with the
objects of external nature. The re-
naming six>sevenths are reserved for
what may rather be termed the inter
nal work Of the mechanism-the ope-
rations which are requisite to keep its
own structures in efficient repair and
q fit state for the performance of their
proper functions.
1t has been estimated that the
power which is applied in this way to
internal work in the human body, il
used for external work instead. would
suffice to lift 100000 pounds one
foot high every twentySfour hours
Add to this the amount of force used
in the circulation Of the blood, and
we have the sum total Of force re
quired to keep up the internal opera
tions Of the animal economy, the i'm.
mense aggregate equal to lifting $3.50
tons every twenty-four hours. Now,
If we can estimate the amount OF brain
work and physical work and physical
labor which can be performed by a
healthy, we'll developed individual as
the remaining one-seventh part of his
powers, we at once see how immense
and almost measureless are the capac.
ity IF human endurance, when these
capacities are we'll guarded and prop
erly sustained by careful and well Sc.
lected elements Of autrition,
Nor IS it at all to be wondered at
that men engaged in the activities Of
life fail in health and break down.
when they go on year in and year out
putting into their system the various
and multiform food elements without
once thinking or knowing What is to
be the effect Of it all on the vital
economy.