254 ANATOMY, PHYSIOLOGY, &C. 



a mass of fluid equal to the blood would be carried 

 through the heart 24 times in an hour. 



By the pulsations, 1260 gallons of blood pass 

 through the heart per day. 



The Pulse. 



By the circulation of the blood throughout the ar- 

 teries, the particular motion called the pulse is cre- 

 ated, it proceeding from the alternate dilatation of the 

 arteries called diastole, and their contraction called 

 systole. The time which the fibres of the arteries 

 take to perform their systole (that is, returning to 

 their natural state after their expansion,) is the dis- 

 tance between the two pulsations. 



The average number of pulsations in an adult 

 man in good health, between 30 and 40 years of 

 age, is estimated about 73 or 75 in a minute ; the 

 pulse of females, of the same age and condition, is 

 quicker, viz. about 84. In fever, a pulse of 120 

 indicates danger. 



Blumenbach found the pulsations of the heart of a 

 . new-born infant, while placidly sleeping, amount to 



140 per minute. 



Towards the end of the first year 124 

 Second do. 110 

 Third do. 96 



When the first teeth began to 7 g g 

 drop out .... j 



At puberty 80 



Manhood 75 



About 60 60 



In those of more advanced ages, scarcely two were 

 alike. 



The Chinese Doctrine of Pulsation. 



The Chinese are not at all convinced by the rea- 

 soning of the western nations, that pulses being 



