658 



HEALTH 



formed hends. In this part the mouth (q. v.), as ttie 

 opening of the oesophagus, is always situated. In 

 the second class of animals, in which the head is less 

 distinct, that part of the body which is provided 

 with the mouth, may be called the head end. In the 

 vertebral animals (mammalia, birds, reptiles, and 

 fish), the head has a bony basis (cartilaginous only 

 in the cartilaginous fishes). In fishes, the bores of 

 t/ie head are not united with each other ; and the 

 formation of the separate bones is various. In car- 

 tilaginous fishes, the head is more or less oblong and 

 angular ; in osseous fishes, it is less flattened, and 

 composed of a considerable number of bones con- 

 nected in various ways ; in all fishes, the cavity of 

 the brain is very small and oblung. Equally various 

 is the formation of the head in the different classes 

 of reptiles. In general, the head is composed of few 

 bones, and more rounded in proportion as the brain 

 is more developed. In birds, the bones of the head 

 are more closely formed into one whole, constituting 

 a skull more or less round, which contains the brain, 

 and to the fore part of which the beak is attached. 

 But the head is most perfect in the mammalia, and 

 resembles the human head more nearly as the animal 

 approaches more nearly to man. In general, the 

 human head may be considered as the standard, 

 which may be traced, with gradual deviations, through 

 the different classes, until it entirely ceases in the 

 lower orders of animals. Nowhere is its proper 

 office, to serve for the reception of the nervous 

 system, so distinct as in the human head ; the cavity 

 of the skull containing the principal organ of sensi- 

 tive life the brain ; as the great cavities of the 

 trunk contain the chest, the organs of irritable life 

 (the heart and lungs), and the abdominal cavity, 

 the organs of the reproductive life (the organs of 

 digestion and generation). The superiority of the 

 head over the other two parts just mentioned, appears 

 also from the circumstances, that whilst it is pre- 

 eminently the seat of the nervous system, it also con- 

 tains organs essential for functions of the irritable 

 and reproductive system ; as the inspiration and 

 expiration of the air are effected through the nostrils 

 and month, and the entrance of food into the abdo- 

 minal cavity, as well as the preparation of it for 

 digestion, by mastication and the production of 

 saliva, is effected by the mouth ; and these organs ap- 

 pear more prominent, in the heads of animals, as their 

 sensitive system sinks lower in the scale. It must 

 not be forgotten, that the head also contains the 

 tongue, an organ not only important in respect to 

 nourishment, but also communicating the desires and 

 thoughts, until it becomes in man the organ of oral 

 intercourse, of language, and of the finest music 

 singing. The human head, and, more or less, the 

 head of other animals, is divided into two chief parts, 

 the skull and the face. The importance of the head as 

 the noblest part of the animal system, has occasioned 

 it to be used metaphorically, in all languages, to 

 denote that which is chief. See Ear, Eye, Face, 

 Mull. 



HEALTH is that condition of the living body, in 

 which all the vital, natural, and animal functions, are 

 performed easily and perfectly, and unattended with 

 pain. The vital functions comprehend the circula- 

 tion of the blood, and the motion of the heart and 

 lungs. The natural functions again are those of di- 

 gestion, secretion, and discharge of the various fluids, 

 prepared within the human body, either for the pur- 

 pose of replacing those which are expended, or for 

 throwing off, and evacuating those particles, which 

 are become useless and hurtful. Arising out of these 

 again, are the animal functions, such as the exercise 

 of the external senses, the powers of volition and 

 locomotion, and all the mental faculties. The most 



perfect state -of health, is generally connected will: i 

 certain conformation and structure of the bodiiy 

 organs, and well marked by certain external figures 

 and signs. These are a well proportioned body, 

 neither tall nor very short, neither lean nor fat, rather 

 stout than slender, with an open full chest and 

 breadth of shoulders; the bones somewhat large, the 

 muscles fleshy and well marked, firm and strong ; 

 skin soft, never dry, but rather slightly moist ; the 

 colour, especially of the face, steady, and not variable, 

 whether fair or brown, provided it be not very fair 

 nor very sallow ; the countenance open and cheerful, 

 bright quick eyes, teetli sound and strong, the step 

 firm and elastic, walk erect, all exercise performed 

 with ease and freedom, and even severe, and long 

 continued labour neither exhausting nor deranging 

 the system ; the organs of the external senses neither 

 too acute nor dull, sleep calm and continued, not dis- 

 turbed, but refreshing and unattended by frightful 

 dreams ; in sleep a perfect oblivion of all the cares 

 of life, in which the mind is only soothed with agree- 

 able visions. In good health, also, there is a calm 

 and regular circulation of the blood, the pulsations of 

 the heart and arteries are strong, full, and equal ; 

 neither too frequent, nor too slow, and not easily 

 hurried ; a full, free, and almost imperceptible respi- 

 ration, not easily quickened ; a strong sonorous 

 voice, and of a grave tone in men, not easily rendered 

 hoarse ; the breath from the lungs agreeable or at 

 least quite free from any fetor ; the mouth moist and 

 the tongue clean, but not too red; appetite good, 

 not requiring the aid of spices or condiments ; thirst 

 moderate, digestion easy and good, without eructa- 

 tions or uneasiness of stomach ; discharge from the 

 bowels of a natural form, odour, and consistence, and 

 occurring once a day ; urine easily retained, and 

 voided with facility, although varying in quantity, 

 colour, and thickness, according to the quantity oJ 

 food, drink, and exercise, and heat of the weather ; 

 depositing a proper sediment on standing, and the 

 slower the deposition the better ; perspiration of the 

 skin free and regular, and neither too copious nor too 

 scanty. 



Healthy people, also, should possess the power of 

 withstanding the variations of the atmosphere with 

 impunity. 



To preserve health, it is necessary to be temperate 

 in food, exercise, and sleep, and to pay strict atten- 

 tion to bodily cleanliness, abstaining from spirituous 

 liquors, and the over indulgence of sensual gratifica- 

 tions. 



HEARING. See Ear and Sound. 

 HEARNE, SAMUEL ; an English traveller in the 

 service of the Hudson's bay company. He was em- 

 ployed, in 1769, to explore the north-western part of 

 the American continent. The narrative of his re- 

 searches, published after his death, which occurred in 

 1792, is entitled a Journey from the Prince of Wales 's 

 Fort, in Hudson's Bay, to the Northern Ocean (1795, 

 4to). 



HEART ; a hollow, muscular organ, the function 

 of which is to maintain the circulation of the blood, 

 and which is of different formations in different ani- 

 mals. The organs of circulation are the heart, the 

 arteries, the veins (see Blood Vessels), and the capil- 

 lary vessels. The blood is divided into the arterial 

 blood and the venous blood. The object of the cir- 

 culation is to carry the venous blood, which has re- 

 turned from the body, into the lungs, where, by the 

 influence of the air, it is converted into arterial 

 blood, which is then again sent out into the system, 

 to nourish it and repair its losses. The heart in men, 

 quadrupeds, and birds is composed of four cavi- 

 ties, two auricles and two ventricles (thence called 

 double). It is enveloped in a membrane called the 



