TRANSACTIONS OP THE SECTIONS. 175 



it does exist, to the "suspensory lobe." Without, however, positively pronouncing 

 upon its homology, convenience of description induces iis to name it " left suspen- 

 sory lobule." 



It is proposed, then, to speak of the liver as divisible into three principal lobes, 

 two of which frequently admit of further subdivision — at the most, however, into 

 not more than three lobides each. 



The "left lobe." 



!a left suspensory lobule, 

 a central „ „ 



a right „ „ 



I a superior right lobule, 

 a right kidney lobide. 

 a loDulus Spigelii. 



On the Influence of the Season of the Year on the Human System, 

 By Edwakd Smith, M.D., F.B.S. 



_ The author said that he only proposed to give a brief outline of a series of observa- 

 tions he had made upon himself, and to mention one or two deductions he had 

 drawn from these observations. The observations he had made were to show tha 

 variations of the vital actions in the human system, and his two principal inquiiies 

 referred — the one to the respii-atory fimctions, and the other to the elmiination of 

 nitrogen. In reference to respiration, the amoimt of carbonic acid evolved varied 

 from day to day with the cycle of the seasons. He had found that there was a 

 definite variation in the amount of vital action proceeding within the body at 

 the diiferent periods of the year, and that this followed a well-marked course. 

 Thus, at the heguuiing of June a fall commenced, and this continued and pro- 

 gressively increased through June, July, and August, until the commencement of 

 September, when the lowest point was attained. After this period, in October an 

 upward tendency was manifested, and it continued through October, November, 

 and December, mitU January, when a point was attained from which there was 

 little change in January, February, and March. In April and May the amount 

 of carbonic acid evolved was yet fm-ther increased, imtil the point was reached 

 whence he started. The extreme amount of change obseiTed was a loss of three 

 gi-ains of carbonic acid per horn- from the commencement of June to September ; 

 and the extreme quantities recorded were in May 10-26 grains, and at the lowest 

 period between 6 and 7 gi-ains. The rate of respiration, the quantity of air inspired, 

 and the quantity of carbonic acid exhaled, followed the rule he had explained. It 

 had been proved by several series of experiments that the rate of pulsation was in- 

 creased by heat, whilst the rapidity of pulsation was the reverse of the rate of respi- 

 ration. With reference to the evolution of niti'ogen, the conditions were the opposite 

 of those of the elimination of carbonic acid. The general results he had anived at 

 were, that there was a greater amount of fluid evolved in the summer months than 

 in the winter. The cai-bonic acid evolved decreased with the increase of tempera- 

 ture. On a sudden increase of temperature there was a large decrease of vital 

 action, and on a fall of temperatm-e there was an increase of vital action. The 

 greatest gi-owth of animals would occur at that period of the year when there was 

 the largest amount of \'ital action ; and in this respect they were connected with the 

 vegetable kingdom. He believed that it was a fact with regard to the gi-owth of 

 childi-en, that they gi-ew at a greater r.ate in spring than in winter. From facilities 

 which the Registrar-General had afforded him, he had ascertained that a much 

 larger number of those children boi-n at the latter part of the summer died within 

 a year of birth than took place amongst those born at other periods of the year. 

 The children bom in the winter and spring periods were less subject to disease, 

 and in all probability had stronger constitutions than those bom in the summer 

 season. Tbese variations in the increase and decrease of the vital power of the 

 system seemed to him to be the origin and the cure of diseases, especially those 

 that were chronic. All epidemics to a large extent, in whatever part of the world 

 they occurred, took place at the period when the human system was decreasing in 

 yital a,ction. This rule applied to cholera especially, which generally attained its 



