INFLAMMA TION. 2 1 9 



of the body, as in inflammation, or distributed over 

 the entire organism as in fever, is invariably associated 

 with the increase of bioplasm. The facts I have 

 observed justify me, I think, in concluding that when- 

 ever bioplasm increases, the evolution of heat takes 

 place. Normally the heat developed is very soon 

 distributed over a wide extent. The arrangements 

 for effecting the distribution, and thereby occasioning 

 the equalization of the temperature in all parts of the 

 body, notwithstanding considerable local variations 

 are, in man and warm-blooded vertebrata, wonderfully 

 perfect. In fever and inflammation the arrangements 

 are much disturbed, or they are completely suspended 

 for the time. In cases where the body-heat rises 

 several degrees in the course of a few hours, the 

 germinal matter or bioplasm increases with mar- 

 vellous rapidity. The capillaries of a great part of 

 the body are found to be gorged with particles of 

 living matter, for the most part descended from the 

 colourless blood-corpuscles, while the masses of 

 bioplasm of the neighbouring tissues have increased 

 to twice their normal size. 



It has been affirmed, over and over again, that 

 the elevation of temperature is invariably due to 

 increased oxidation ; but the state of things above 

 referred to can hardly be favourable to this process. 

 The oxidation theory is 'quite negatived by the fact 

 that the temperature sometimes rises most rapidly 

 for some hours after death has occurred, and when, 



