186 THE LAWS OF ORGANIC 



existing, and not to set limits to its production ; it 

 is an effect which tends to preserve the constitution, 

 but is not the cause that regulates the generation 

 of animal heat. 



CCVII. When an individual has been using 

 violent exercise for some time, perspiration flows 

 profusely from the body. Is this to diminish the 

 heat, or to retard its generation ? Or, if we sup- 

 pose the same to be exposed to a medium of 

 100, an evaporation from the surface takes place 

 proportionate to the external temperature; if 

 the medium become 150, evaporation continues 

 to correspond ; if that be raised to 200 or 250*, 

 the body is literally suffused with moisture. 

 Since, in the first instance, perspiration was the 

 consequence of increased heat, without having the 

 least influence on the source which produces it, 

 for it continues to flow as long as the muscular 

 exertion remains, and ceases as soon as this sub- 

 sides, or as soon as the system recovers its regu- 

 lar temperature, it cannot be regarded as a cause 

 that regulates the production of heat.* 



CCVIII. The profuse quantity of perspira- 

 tion does not affect the reasoning, for this is 

 merely in accordance with the excessive heat of 

 the body. If we could, by exercise, produce as 

 great a temperature as is occasioned by the ex- 

 ternal medium, we should observe the same re- 

 sults ; but in this case we could not say that the 



* Dr EDWARDS, pp. 254, 488. 



