CHAPTER XIII 



REPAIR AND WASTE-NUTRITIONANIMAL 

 HEAT PERSPIRATION THE POWER THAT 

 SUPPORTS AND PRESERVES HEALTH 



HAVING studied concisely the complex nature of man, 

 both as regards the substances of which he is composed 

 and the organs that go to make up -his body, and having 

 briefly pointed out the different functions of many of the 

 organs and parts described, we will now turn our attention 

 to a consideration of the power that keeps the organs in 

 motion the phenomenon that essentially constitutes life. 



We have shown that each organ of the body is charged 

 with the performance of an office or a function. Now, 

 the performance of a function implies both an action and 

 the power to act, for without action there could be no 

 performance, and without the power to act there could be 

 no action. , It is clear, therefore, that there must be a 

 power either invested in or furnished to the organs that 

 enables them to act. It is this power, which may be 

 termed the living power, vital power, or power of life that 

 we will now consider. The various terms applied to it 

 are here used synonymously, and must always be under- 

 stood as referring to that power or principle by which 

 the vital actions are maintained and life sustained. 



Waste is continually going on in our bodies; that 

 is, the substances that make up the body are constantly 

 being exhausted by the activity of the riervomuscular 

 apparatus, and thus arises the necessity for our taking 

 food. The phenomena of this waste of the substance of 



294 



