282 THE LAWS OF ORGANIC 



life which he leads, the neglect of proper food, 

 and stimuli, such as society, fresh air, and the in- 

 fluence of pleasurable objects, have one general 

 tendency, to change the equality of the circulation. 

 The influence of these causes, from the first, has 

 been to determine the blood upon the internal 

 organs, as proved by the paleness or otherwise 

 unnatural complexion of the countenance and 

 surface of the body, the great sensibility to cold, 

 the want of appetite, and the irregularity of 

 other organic functions. I have previously stated 

 that this condition of the sanguiferous system 

 invariably tends to diminish the stimulating pro- 

 perties of the blood; and, from the combination 

 of these causes, we shall be enabled to give rea- 

 sons for the occasional occurrence of palpitation. 



CCCII. The lungs and the heart are inti- 

 mately connected by the nature and proximity 

 of their functions. If the heart, from malconfor- 

 mation, be not capable of propelling the blood 

 which the lungs transmit, syncope or death is the 

 consequence ; or if the lungs, on the other hand, 

 send blood deficient in its ordinary qualities, the 

 pulsations of this organ become weak, cease, or 

 exhibit convulsive action ; or if it be unusually 

 oxygenated, its contractions are forcible and fre- 

 quent. 



CCCIIT. In the nervous constitution, when 

 the heart is troubled by occasional palpitation, 

 the lungs, in common with the rest of the inter- 



