368 OFFICE OF CALORIC IN 



of animals, the temperature is higher during 

 youth than middle age, still lower in old age, 

 and higher during summer than at any other 

 season. We have seen that Dr. J. Davy found 

 it higher in the human species under the tongue, 

 within the tropical than the temperate latitudes. 

 And I have ascertained by about one hundred 

 observations on myself, during the last eighteen 

 months, that a nicely graduated thermometer 

 placed under the tongue, varies from 97 to 100 

 during winter, and from 100 to 102 or 103 occa- 

 sionally, during summer ; while in April and May, 

 the average has been about 100. I have also 

 found it from 1 to 2 higher on first awaking in 

 the morning, and throughout the day, than at 12 

 o'clock at night, when it has always been at the 

 minimum, except after taking supper, or return- 

 ing from a brisk walk, both of which augment 

 the quantity of respiration. 



But what is the specific office of caloric in the 

 operations of life? Within the last few years I have 

 often propounded this question to various mem- 

 bers of the medical profession, without receiving 

 any better answer, than that it is to keep MS warm. 

 With a view of ascertaining what the uneducated 

 portion of the community think about it, the 

 question was put to a common barber ; What is 

 the use of animal heat ? To which he replied with- 

 out hesitation, " to make us live and grow ? " Sur- 

 prized at the novelty of this answer, his reasons 



