Ourselves, our food, and our physic / by Benjamin Ridge.

  • Ridge, Benjamin.
Date:
1861
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Ourselves, our food, and our physic / by Benjamin Ridge. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    37/220 (page 25)
    lively, direct tind reflex. Wo can thus sec the whole force of what is c;alled the ganglionic system. It must always be home in mind, that no i)ositive or current action occurs in Nature’s telegraj)h or nervous system, without a negative or recurrent one following. CHAPTER III. THE CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF THE BODY. Bones—Muscles—Brain and nerve structure—Hair—Ligaments—Tendons— Cartilage—Skin.—The blood—Siiliva—Gastric, or stomach acid—Mucus— .Serum—Bile.—The urine and perspiration.—The animal, earthy, vege- table, and mineral matters.—The gases.—The atomic theory of combination of elements.—Gektine—Albumen—Fibrine, &c.—The constant metamor- jihosis of structure, and gr eat battle between the acids and alkalis.—Heat or caloric.—Blood-heat or natural temperature of the body.—Inspiration and expiration.—Pressure of the atmosjrhere resisted by the railiation of the body.—Man and animals are self-dependent beings to a large extent.—The Hybemators.—The first step in the self-dependent condition of animals.— The newly discovere<l membrane, or Kete vasculare.—All substances biken into the body have .similar elements to those found therein.—Life and electri- city.—The first great act of a separate existence is caused by the “ Breath of Life,” &c. &c. Evkby part of the body, whether fluid or solid, has been carefully analyzed, and each resolved into its jtrimitivo elements of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon ; and, as these combine in certain atomic proportions, so solids, fluids, and gases are formed. The Bones.—The bases of these consist of the animal proiterties of gelatine and albumen; also of earthy matter, such os hme, magnesia, and soda, combined with phosphoric acid, therefore furnishing phosphate of lime, magnesia, and soda; or with fluoric and carbonic acids, and so taking the names of fluato or carbonate of lime, magnesia, soda, &c. The Muscles contain flbrine, albumen, gelatine, and a distinct animal matter called osmazone, to which all soups owe their peculiar odour and taste; besides phosphates of soda, ammonia, and lime, and sulphates of potass, derived from the large amount of sulphur which the body contains. Bkain -iND Nekvous Stuuctuke have also some of tho