CONTENTS. 



PART I. 



PAGE 



Vital force, vis vitse, or vitality ... . . . 1 



Distinction between animal and vegetable life ... 2 

 Assimilation the result of chemical forces ... 4 

 Vitality independent of consciousness .... 6 



Laws of the vital force 8 



Conditions of animal life 9 



Nutrition depends on chemical changes .... 10 

 Amount of oxygen inspired by an adult man . . .12 

 It combines with carbon and hydrogen in the body . 13 

 The consumption of oxygen varies . . . . .15 



Effect of heat on these variations 16 



The mutual action of oxygen and carbon in the body is the 



true source of animal heat 17 



The amount of oxygen regulates that of food . . .20 



Effects of climate on the appetite 22 



The process of starvation 24 



Cause of death in starvation and chronic diseases . . 26 

 Nerves and muscles not the source of animal heat . . 28 



Amount of animal heat 32 



Nervous and vegetative life . . . . . .36 



Nutrition depends on the constituents of blood . . 38 



Identity of organic composition in fibrine and albumen 39 

 d 



