Rudiments of animal physiology : for use in schools, and for private instruction / by G. Hamilton.

  • Hamilton, George, 1808-1885
Date:
1839
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Rudiments of animal physiology : for use in schools, and for private instruction / by G. Hamilton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

    71/116 page 65
    seasons he protected from sudden chills by warm (the best are flannel) coverings; and, 2dly, that sea-bathing, a generous diet, and all other means that give permanent vigour to the circulation, should be specially attended to. Under all cir- cumstances, indeed, frequently cleansing the skin, by removing noxious excretions, and allowing the prop.er exercise of its functions, has a much more important influence on health than is generally imagined. [Good views of the lymphatic vessels will be found in Lizars's Coloured Plates, page 99, and of the skin, at page 82 of the same. Connected with the subject of the skin, the teacher may introduce some instructive lessons on the five varieties of the human species and their distribution. We have found that these lessons are rendered much more impressive by having drawings of these varieties, and also a skeleton map of the globe, of a large size (say six feet by four), coloured so as to indicate their different localities. Thus, the European, or Caucasian, may be left white, the Mongolian coloured yellow, the American red, the Malay brown, and the Ethiopian black. The di-awings, and the requisite information as to localities in making this map, will be found in the latter part of Lawrence's Lectures on Man, 8vo. edition.] SECTION VII. LOCOMOTION—THE BONES, MUSCLES, &c. 122. Having now given a short account of the most impor- tant functions of the organic or vegetative life, we shall here consider shortly the parts that are immediately concerned in producing the motion of the body. These are the bones and their articulations (joints), and the muscles. 123. The most important of the hard parts m animals are shells, crusts, and bones. The two former, however, are void of vitality, while bone gives every indication of possessing life. In shells, almost no animal matter is found ; they are nearly the same in composition as a piece of marble. Crusts (as the lobster's) have a larger proportion of animal matter; and in the composition of bones there is much more. Not only, however, is the earthy matter less in bones; it is also diffe- rently combined. In shells and crusts the earth is carbonate of lime (chalk), while in bones the lime is principally united with an acid composed of phosphorus and oxygen, forming phosphate of lime ; and it may be remarked, that it is from bones that phosphorus is usually obtained.
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3