104 THE LAWS OF ORGANIC 



will not be fully appreciated by all, we will at 

 once commence to treat of a period of life which 

 developes the distinctive characters of sex. 



XCVI. I have already pointed out in 

 what manner the internal or vital organs of the 

 system influence the circulation of the blood, 

 viz. by their increased importance and energy ; 

 and when these have, for some time, given a 

 different inclination to the distribution of this 

 fluid, the various organs appropriated to the 

 animal propensities appear as additional stimuli 

 or powers to complete that inclination. 



XCVII. The development of these parts, 

 in relation to the blood which must supply them, 

 cannot be considered in the light of a simple in- 

 crease of matter requiring nerves and blood- 

 vessels for their nourishment, but must be re- 

 garded as bringing into play new and essential 

 functions, endowed with principles independent 

 of the general laws of the system, except in so 

 far as these contribute to their wants. 



XCVIII. All secretions of the system are 

 accomplished by certain organs or adaptations, in a 

 way unknown to us, but at all times at the ex- 

 pence of the sanguineous fluid, and they always 

 bear a ratio to the quantity they receive in the 

 state of health. It is therefore evident, that, if 

 we augment the secretions, and particularly such 

 as are not intended for the support of the consti- 

 tution, we must diminish the proportions previ- 



