VEGETATIVE LIFE. 39 



In a young animal, the waste is less than the 

 increase ; and the female retains, up to a certain 

 age, this peculiar condition of a more intense vege- 

 tative life. This condition does not cease in the 

 female as in the male, with the complete develope- 

 ment of all the organs of the body. 



The female in the lower animals, is, at certain 

 seasons, capable of reproduction of the species. The 

 vegetative life in her organism is rendered more in- 

 tense by certain external conditions, such as tempe- 

 rature, food, &c. ; the organism produces more than is 

 wasted, and the result is the capacity of reproduction. 



In the human species, the female organism is 

 independent of those external causes which increase 

 the intensity of vegetative life. When the organ- 

 ism is fully developed, it is at all times capable of 

 reproduction of the species ; and infinite wisdom 

 has given to the female body the power, up to a cer- 

 tain age, of producing all parts of its organisation in 

 greater quantity than is required to supply the daily 

 waste. 



This excess of production can be shewn to contain 

 all the elements of a new organism, it is constantly 

 accumulating, and is periodically expelled from the 

 body, until it is expended in reproduction. This 

 periodical discharge ceases when the ovum has been 

 impregnated, and from this time every drop of the 

 superabundant blood goes to produce an organism 

 like that of the mother. 



Exercise and labour cause a diminution in the 



