CORPULENCE. 489 



Conditions favouring Corpulence. The following conditions favour the 

 occurrence of corpulence: (1) A diet rich in proteids, with a corresponding 

 addition of fat or carbohydrates. As flesh or muscle is formed from proteids, and 

 part of the fat of the body is also formed from albumin (p. 487), the assumption 

 that fats and carbohydrates fatten, or when taken alone, act as fattening agents, 

 is completely without foundation. No one ever becomes fat without taking 



plenty of albumin. (2) Diminished disintegration of materials within the body 



e.g. (a) diminished muscular activity (much sleep and little exercise); (6) abroga- 

 tion of the sexual functions (as is shown by the rapid fattening of castrated 

 animals, as well as by the fact that some women, after cessation of the menses, 

 readily become corpulent) ; (c) diminished mental activity (the obesity of dementia), 

 phlegmatic temperament. On the contrary, vigorous mental work, excitable 

 temperament, care and sorrow, counteract the deposit of fat; (d) diminished extent 

 of the respiratory activity, as occurs when there is a great deposition of fat in the 

 abdomen, limiting the action of the diaphragm (breathlessness of corpulent 

 people), whereby the combustion of the fatty matters, which become deposited in 

 the body, is limited ; (e) a corpulent person requires to use relatively less heat- 

 giving substances in his body, partly because he gives off relatively less heat from 

 his compact body, than is done by a slender long-bodied individual, and partly 

 because the thick layer of fat retards the conduction of heat (p. 444). Thus 

 corresponding to the relatively diminished production of heat, more fat may be 

 stored up; (/) a diminution of the red blood-corpuscles, which are the great 

 exciters of oxidation in the body, is generally followed by an increase of fat fat 

 people, as a rule, are fat because they have relatively less blood (p. 63) women 

 with fewer red blood-corpuscles are usually fatter than men; (g) the consumption 

 of alcohol favours the conservation of fat in the body, the alcohol is easily oxidised, 

 and thus prevents the fat from being burned up (235). 



Well-nourished individuals are usually at first both muscular and endowed 

 with a fair amount of fatty tissue. When they begin to put on fat, the develop- 

 ment of the muscular system lags behind, partly because the increasing corpulence 

 leads to diminished activity of the muscular system, so that this system is 

 involved secondarily. Some lively corpulent people, nevertheless, retain their 

 muscular energy. When those conditions which favour corpulence are specially 

 active, corpulence may ultimately pass into a condition of great obesity. 



Besides the inconvenience of the great size and weight of the body, corpulent 

 people suffer from breathlessness they are easily fatigued, are liable to intertrigo 

 between the folds of the skin, the heart becomes loaded with fat, and they not 

 unfrequently are subject to apoplexy. 



In order to counteract corpulence we ought to (1) Reduce unifoi'mly allarticks 

 of diet. The diet and body ought to be weighed from week to week, and as long 

 as there is no diminution in the body- weight the amount of food ought to be 

 gradually and uniformly reduced (notwithstanding the appetite). This must be 

 done very gradually and not suddenly. It is not advisable to limit the amount 

 of fat and carbohydrates alone, as is done in the Banting-cure or Bantingism. 

 Apart altogether from the fact that fat is formed from proteids, if too little non- 

 nitrogenous food be taken, severe disturbance of the bodily metabolism is apt to 

 occur. (2) The muscular activity ought to be greatly developed by doing plenty of 

 muscular work, or taking plenty of exercise, both physical and mental. (3) Favour 

 the evolution of heat by taking cold baths of considerable duration, and afterwards 

 rubbing the skin strongly so as to cause it to become red; farther, dress lightly; 

 and at night use light bed-clothing ; tea and coffee are useful, as they excite the 

 circulation. (4) Use gentle laxatives; acid fruits, cider, alkaline carbonates 

 (Marienbad, Carlsbad, Vichy, Neuenahr, Ems, &c.). The copious drinking of 

 water is also serviceable, as it favours the metabolism. 



Fatty Degeneration. The process of fattening consists in the deposition of 



