CHAPTEK VII 



THE STAGES OF LIFE AND DEATH 1 



SUMMARY. 1. The functions of embryonic and foetal life. Omphalo-mcscnteric 

 circulation and cardio-placental circulation. 2. The first phases of extra-uterine 

 life ; the establishment of the cardio-pul /nonary circulation ; the physiology of the 

 new-born child. 3. The theory of growth ; the anaplastic period ; criteria for its 

 estimation deduced from the length and weight of the body and the development 

 of the skeleton. 4. The three periods of childhood ; the rhythmical variations in 

 growth from early infancy to puberty. 5. Youth ; the three periods of maturity 

 and virility ; the critical age in woman and man. 6. The ancient and modern 

 theories of senility. 7. The bodily basis and the phenomena of physiological 

 and pathological senility of the whole organism and of single organs. 8. Modifi- 

 cations of the intelligence, affections, character, and psychical personality in the 

 aged. 9. My theory of death ; the death of the tissues and the death of the 

 whole organism ; Bichat's tripod of life and death ; the primum moriens and the 

 ultimum moriens. 10. The psychical phenomena of the period preceding death ; 

 euthanasia and the fear of death. Bibliography. 



IF we consider the normal course of human life from the first 

 development of the product of conception in the mother's womb, 

 the life of the new-born infant, the child, the youth, the 

 mature man, down to extreme old age and death, we may dis- 

 tinguish, as does Preyer, three great periods : the first, the period 

 of increasing development and energy, is anaplastic ; the second is 

 the state of maturity and dynamic equilibrium; the third, the 

 period of retrogressive involution and decreasing energy, is 

 cataplastic. Popular wisdom has compared the succession of 

 the periods of life with that of the seasons. They undoubtedly 

 rest upon a real anatomical and physiological foundation. Man, 

 as he passes through the different stages, changes proportionally 

 in stature, in the development of his tissues and organs, in the 

 significance and activity of his functions, and in the character and 

 quantity of his products of metabolism. 



1 I have much pleasure in informing my readers that I am greatly indebted 

 for the ancient and modern literature bearing on the'interesting subjects discussed 

 in this chapter to the assistance of my young and gifted friend Dr. Guglielmo 

 Bilancioni, who placed at my disposal all the material collected by him at the cost 

 of much labour and trouble. I have drawn on it more particularly for what seemed 

 to me important from the point of view of my book, passing over what had a 

 purely historical interest. 



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