5t^Qt ON MUSCULAR MOTfOWi 



from the common atmofphere, the mufcular and fenfible parts 



ot the iydQtn exhibit the change : the adions of the heart are 



altered or fufpended, and the whole mufcular and fenforial 



fyftems partake of the diforder : the temperature of animals, 



aLs before intimated, feems altogether dependant on the' refpi- 



ratory fiin6lions, although it flill remains uncertain in WKat 



manner this is effe6led. 



l>iftribatIon of The blood appears to be the medium of conveying heat to 



x^^J ^ " the different parts of the body; and the changes of animal 



temperature in the fame individual at various times, or in its 



feveral parts, are always connefled with the degree of rapidity 



of the circulation. It is no very wide ftretch of phyfiologlcal 



dedu6lion to infer, that this increafed temperature is produced 



by the more frequerit expofure of the mafs of blood to the 



refpiralory indaence, and the (Itort time allowed in each circuit 



for the lofs of (he acquired heat. 



Coagulation of The blood of an animal is ufually coagulated immediately 



that fluid* ^fj_gj. (jgjjth^ jj|^(j t}^Q mufcles are cpntraded ; but, in fome pe«» 



culiar modes of death, neither the one, nor the other of thefe 



effe«5ls are produced : with fuch exceptions, the two phenomena 



are concoraitant. 



Ifeat delays the A preternatural increafe of animal heat delays the coagu- 



Uft coagulation i^jjoj^ ^f ^j^^ 1,|qq^ ^„^ jj^g ^^Q. contradlons of the mufcles: 



and the com trac- 

 tions of the thefe; contractions gradually difappear, before any changes 



mufcles, &c. from putrefaction are manifefted; but the cup in the coaguluni 

 of blood does not relax in the fame manner ; hence it may be 

 inferred, (hat the final contraction of mufcles is not the coagu- 

 Jation of the blood contained in them; neither is it a change in 

 the reticular membrane, joor in the blood- veflels, becaufe fuch 

 contractions are not general throughout thofe fubftances. The 

 coagulation of the blood is a certain criterion of death. The 

 reiterated vifitations of blood are not elTential to mufcular 

 irritability, becauie the limbs of animals, feparated from the 

 l^ody, continue for a long time afterwards capable of contrac- 

 tions, and relaxations. 

 The chemical The conftituent elementary materials of which the peculiar 

 combinations of artimal and vegetable fubftances confift^ are not letiarable by 



hving matter are ,° ^,., -n- i-ri 



tranficnr, and any chemical procelles hitherto inftituted, in lucn manner as 



not renewable, (q allow of a recombination into their former flate. The cem- 



pofition of thefe fubftances appears to be naturally of tranfient 



duration, and the attradions of the elementary materials which 



form 





