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HANDBOOK OF PHYSIOLOGY. 



The effect of starvation on the lower animals, as recorded by various 

 experimenters is: (1.) One of the most notable effects of starvation, a- 

 might be expected, is loss of weight ; the loss being greatest at first, as a 

 rule, but afterward not varying very much, day by day, until death 

 ensues. Chossat found that the ultimate proportional loss was, in dif- 

 ferent animals experimented on, almost exactly the same ; death occur- 

 ring when the body had lost two-fifths (forty per cent) of its original 

 weight. Different parts of the body lose weight in very different pro- 

 portions. The following most noteworthy losses are taken, in round 

 numbers, from the table given by Chossat : 



Fat . 

 Blood 

 Spleen 

 Pancreas 



loses 93 per cent. 



75 

 71 

 64 



Liver 

 Muscles 

 Nervous tissues 



loses 52 per cent. 

 43 

 2 



These figures are in practical agreement with those of later experi- 

 menters. They show that the chief losses are sustained by the adipose 

 tissue, the muscles and glands. 



(2.) The effect of starvation on the temperature of the various ani- 

 mals experimented on by Chossat was very distinct. For some time the 

 variation in the daily temperature was more marked than its absolute 

 and continuous diminution, the daily fluctuation amounting to 3 C. (5 or 

 6 F.), instead of 5 to l c C. (1 or 2 F.), as in health. But a short time 

 before death, the temperature fell very rapidly, and death ensued when the 

 loss had amounted to about 16.2 C. (30 F.). It has been often said, 

 and with truth, although the statement requires some qualification, that 

 death by starvation is really death from want of heat; for not only has it 

 been found that differences of time with regard to the period of the fatal re- 

 sult are attended by the same ultimate loss of heat, but the effect of the 

 application of external warmth to animals cold and d} 7 ing from starvation, 

 is more effectual in reviving them than the administration of food. 



The symptoms produced by starvation in the human subject are hun- 

 ger, accompanied, or it may be replaced, by pain, referred to the region 

 of the stomach; insatiable thirst; sleeplessness; general weakness and 

 emaciation. The exhalations both from the lungs and skin are foetid, 

 indicating the tendency to decomposition which belongs to badly nour- 

 ished tissues ; and death occurs, sometimes after the additional exhaustion 

 caused by diarrhoea, often with symptoms of nervous disorder, delirium 

 or convulsions. 



In the human subject death commonly occurs within six to ten days 

 after total deprivation of food. But this period may be considerably 

 prolonged by taking a very small quantity of food, or even water only. 

 The cases so frequently related of survival after many days, or even some 

 weeks, of abstinence, have been due either to the last-mentioned circum- 



