424 ANIMAL HEAT. [CHAP. xxx. 



animals have shown that in starvation the fatty matters, which are 

 most readily convertible into carbonic acid, are first removed; soon 

 afterwards, the substance of the muscles is acted upon, in order to 

 furnish an amount of heat, without the development of which life 

 would at once cease; next the nervous system gives way to this 

 oxydizing power, life ceases, and every portion of the organic 

 material, with the exception of the mineral matters combined with 

 it, is brought under the destructive influence of the oxygen. M. 

 Choesat found that, taking 40 per cent, as the mean, fat lost 93 '3, 

 blood 75, heart 44'8, muscles 42-3, skin 33'3, bones 167, and the 

 nervous system only 1-9 per cent, of their weight in fatal starvation. 



The time required to produce death from starvation varies ac- 

 cording to different circumstances. If the body be very fat, life 

 will be supported for a longer period than if only a small quantity 

 of fatty material be present. A fat pig, which was confined by a 

 slip of earth, lived 160 days without food, and during this period 

 he lost more than 120 Ibs. (Martell Trans. Linn. Soc., vol.xi. p. 41 1 

 quoted in Liebig's Letters). "While death from starvation would be 

 retarded by warmth, little or no exercise, and a moderate supply 

 of water, it would be much accelerated by the converse of these 

 circumstances. 



Influence of Disease. In acute diseases accompanied with fev 

 such as pneumonia, pleurisy, acute rheumatism, and in scarlatina, 

 typhoid fever, etc., the temperature often rises several degrees 

 above the normal standard, not unfrequently reaching 105 or 

 106 F. Dr. Edwards observed the temperature as high as 11 Of 

 in a case of tetanus. This high temperature sometimes decreases 

 rapidly, and sometimes very gradually, the diminution being fre- 

 quently accompanied by free perspiration and copious excretion of 

 urine, rich in urea and lithates. The frequency of the pulse also 

 diminishes at the same time. This increased development of heat, 

 during the exacerbation of the fever, is associated with the increased 

 amount of disintegration of tissues taking place at that time; 

 while the remission is accompanied by the elimination of t 

 resulting compounds, free perspiration, diminished frequency 

 pulse, and corresponding decrease of temperature.* 



In those diseases, on the other hand, where the activity of the ch 

 mical processes going on in the body is impaired, the temperatu 

 falls many degrees below the normal standard. In cholera, wh 

 the dark blood and imperfect respiration mark the introduction of 



* See a review, by Dr. H. Weber, in the Medico-Chir. Review, Jan., 1853, on 

 Crises and Critical Days, by Dr. L. Traube. Berlin, 1852. 



