102 THE LAWS OF ORGANIC 



approximate to the life of the infant, the more 

 closely will our frame resemble the form and 

 softness of the infantile system. 



XCIL The frequent respiration of the in- 

 fant explains the quick and numerous contrac- 

 tions of the heart ; and the existence of these 

 conditions, the internal organs being compara- 

 tively inactive, proves that the blood must be 

 more generally and equally distributed to every 

 part of the system. At this age, the circulation, 

 in contradistinction to what subsequently occurs, 

 may be called external ; and, from views which 1 

 intend in the next chapter to unfold, it will be 

 obvious, that this character of the circulation be- 

 longs to the young of every kind ; and, still 

 further, the knowledge of this peculiarity will 

 teach us to estimate the influence of external 

 causes in augmenting or diminishing the gene- 

 ration of animal heat. 



XCIII. As soon as the infant ceases to be 

 dependent on the mother for its support, the 

 digestive functions acquire a greater energy ; 

 and the consequence of this change is, that the 

 stomach, liver, and the whole of the intestines, 

 as well as the excretory organs, make a continual 

 and more extensive demand upon the properties 

 of the blood, and necessarily must modify the 

 previous circulation of this fluid, as these inter- 

 nal actions must be regarded in the light of 

 attractive or controlling powers. In accordance 



