666 THEORY OF NUTRITION. 



there is no conceivable method of explaining the 

 transmutation of one into the other, without ad- 

 mitting, that nutrition consists in the transfer of 

 vital heat and organic particles from arterial blood 

 to the solids, i 



The principal mystery connected with the pro- 

 cess of nutrition, is the law of elective affinity 

 by which the proximate constituents of the blood 

 unite with their respective tissues. This much, 

 however, is certain, that if the temperature of the 

 blood be not raised above that of the solids, there 

 could be no transition of caloric from one to the 

 other, no combination of fibrin with the mus- 

 cles, of albumen, oily, phosphuretted, and other 

 matter, with the brain and nerves, of albumen 

 with the membranes, ligaments, and cartilages, 

 nor of lime with the bony textures. The proof 

 of which is, that after the temperature of arterial 

 blood has been reduced to an equilibrium with 

 the solids, and its properties changed to the ve- 

 nous state, it fails to nourish the brain, nerves, 

 muscles, and other tissues, to maintain their tem- 

 perature and specific modes of action, and to ela- 

 borate the various secretions. The inference is 

 therefore obvious, that animal heat is the agent 



the 28th vol. of the Med. and Surg. Journal,) who found that 

 after a limb had been paralyzed by depriving: it of arterial blood, 

 its contractility was partially restored by the influx of fresh venous 

 blood, which was doubtless owing to the fact, that fresh venous 

 blood contains more caloric than the solids, even at the same 

 temperature. 



