The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1894-04-28
WONDERS OF THE HEART.
reactions of This Great Organ OF thu
Body.

Body.
This highly important organ of the
human body, sometimes called the CO.
.partner and co-laborer of tho lungs, in
ers hand, with the thumb. commencing
it's labors short time before the lungs
breathe. 1t contracts, in man, about
20 times each minute. naturally, being
a little more active in females, rs each
minute, though in certain forms of dis
ease its labors are increased about one
third. This marvellous little engine
throbs and throbs, from birth to old
age-sonewhat more rapidly in youth
continually on the alert, at tho rate
of 100, 900 beats each day, 10000, 0O(
each year, when the owner becomes
aged it may beat 5000, 100000 times
without q stop-no vacations!
1t has wonderful powers of endur-
ance, marvellous vitality. ct has been
stated that the heart OF sturgeon, re-
Gently caught, if Immediately removed,
will continue to tcat for four days, as
if alvey So long as the human heart
has any action there is possibility OF
a continuance OF life. During long
life it is estimated that it propels $780,
900 tons Of blood, sending the Same to
all parts of the body, to give life,
growth. vigor, endurance and health.
The same blood, after returning from
tho body, where it gathers up foul,
effete and poisonous matter. being sent
to the lungs for publication. the
warmth, of the body being sustained by
this circulation. According to the
moderate estimates, two and a half
ounces of blood are propelled at each
; beat, ITS ounces each minute, CSC
pounds each hour, 1874 pounds each
day, or nearly eight tons
The labor of other muscles when
acting at a disadvantage, as when the
. forearm is closed Or one rises from the
knees, standing erect, is enough, yet
this small heart is perfect marvel in
its daily tolls. The force required for
single contraction of the heart, a
| long time since, was estimated at eight
pounds, which, in a day and night,
would be equal to more than that re-
quired to raise to the height of a foot
more than IT'S tons. \ more recent eS-
innate is that it does tho labor each 81
hours of raising to the height of a foot
| about 1875 tons. Why such an eXpendi-
| ture of force? This body, ''fearfully
! and wonderfully made" requires a
great deal of attention. The contra c.
| ton of every muscle of the bedy, the
heart being prominent, prolucesanimal
heat, we'll illustrated by the warmth
| which follows general exercise, while
! it is the duty of the heart to send this
warmth, connected with the blood to
| every organ, bone, muscle and fiber of
j the body. in addition to the distribu-
! ton of that produced by the action OF
| the oxygen taken from the air in the
! lungs In the absence of such constant
| la bors the warmth of the body could
| not be continued al about 9S degrees, a
| positive necessity; growth and vitality
| could not be promoted: noErlshment
! could not be made availa BILE; while the
! repairs of the system would be impcs-
| sible, such as made necessary by
! the constant waste, particle by par
| ticle, of every part Of the system, made
by general exercise. We may readily
! admit that the "ileart is deceitful 4 bove
all things, and desperately wicked, ~
| but it is not a siug-ard. :'non-pro.
| 1uccr''-Bosto on Traveller.