FATS. 251 



A merely superficial comparison of the sexes shows that the 

 female organism contains more fat, and has a greater tendency to the 

 deposition of fatty matter than the male, as indeed is most evident 

 from the rounded outlines and symmetrical curves of the female 

 figure, which cannot be entirely destroyed even by influences 

 most inimical to the deposition of fat. 



We find that special physiological relations give rise in some 

 cases to an increase, and in others to a diminution of the fat in the 

 animal organism. Thus an excessive activity of the sexual functions 

 prevents the increase of fat, and even induces considerable emacia- 

 tion where the sexual activity is of a morbid character. Men and 

 animals that have been castrated, are, on the contrary, much dis- 

 posed to become fat, as are also women who have ceased to con- 

 ceive. Many male animals, according to Haller, lose the marrow 

 from their bones in the season of heat. 



It is well known that great muscular activity not only impedes, 

 but even utterly arrests the deposition of fat. Thus the flesh of 

 the Arabs, and that of all nations living in a state of nature, as well 

 as of most wild animals, contains a very small quantity of fat, while 

 civilized nations and the domestic animals reared for purposes of 

 food are, in general, much fatter, owing to their inconsiderable 

 muscular activity. Most persons are familiar with the fact that 

 horses become much leaner in summer even when better fed, and 

 that they soon grow fat in the winter. The whole art required in 

 fattening domestic animals consists in suffering them to have little 

 exercise and good feeding. 



We have daily opportunities of noticing the influence exercised 

 by food alone on the deposition of fat ; and the degree to which 

 the temperament and conditions of the mind affect the corpulency 

 or meagreness of the human body is too obvious to require further 

 notice here.* 



Every physician is familiar with the marvellous rapidity with 

 which fat disappears from the animal body in acute as well as in 

 chronic diseases, and we would here only refer to the fact which 

 undoubtedly is well known to many physicians, that tuberculosis 

 very frequently induces very little or no emaciation, even where 

 the pulmonary tissue is already in a great measure destroyed, if 

 the disease be accompanied with certain forms of hepatic disease, 

 as fatty or nutmeg liver. The emaciation is often so inconsi- 

 derable in these cases, that any one not acquainted with the physical 



* We may refer to the first volume of Haller's Elementa Physiologies for 

 the most copious accumulation of facts bearing on this subject. 



