OF ANIMAL HEAT. 109 



> 



SECT. X, 



OF ANIMAL HEAT, 



163. Man, the mammalia, and birds, are distin- 

 guished by the natural temperature* of their bodies 

 greatly exceeding that of the medium in which they are 

 accustomed to exist. Man is again distinguished from 

 these classes of animals by possessing a much lower 

 temperature than they; so that in this climate it is 

 about 96° of Fahr. while in them, and especially in 

 birds, it is considerably higher.f 



164. This natural temperature in man, is so con- 

 stant, equable, i and perpetual, that, excepting slight 

 differences from variety of constitution, it varies but 

 little even in the coldest climate and under the torrid 

 zone. For the opinion of Boerhaave, — that man can- 

 not live in a temperature exceeding his own, has been 

 refuted, since the admirable observations § of H. Ellis, 



* W. B. Johnson, History of Animal Chemistry. Vol. iiL p. 79. 



t The torpid state of some animals, during winter, is of course an exception 

 to this. During it most of the functions cease or languish considerably, and the 

 animal heat is reduced nearly to coolness. This well-known circumstance 

 prevents me from acceding to the opinion of the very acute J. Hunter, — that tlie 

 animals which we call warm blooded, should rather be called animals of a per- 

 manent heat under all temperatures. On the Blood, p. 15. 



% J. B. Van Mons, Journal de Physique. T. lxviii. 1809. p. 121. 



§ Philos. Tram. vol. i. P. ii. 1758. Arn. Dantzc had previously made the 

 observation in regard to brutes. Expcr. calorrtn. a*imalc»t xpectantia. Lugd. 

 Bat.' 1754. 4to. Also Bcnj. Franklin, E^ferimeutt and Observations on Ekc~ 

 tricily. LOud. 17C9. AXo. p. 365. 



