TRAINING OF ANIMALS^ &C. 309 



rijlin happens to contain at any moment, and Its capacity to 

 receive that fluid at the fame inftant. The objed of the 

 jirefent letter is to demonftrate, that the faculty of this body 

 to abforb the calorific principle, may be leflened, by forcibly 

 diminifhing the magnitudes of its pores; and this eflentlal 

 point of the theory may be confirmed by experiment : for 

 the fpecific gravity of a flip of Caoutchouc is increafed, by 

 keeping it e^ctended, while it is weighed in water. 



JOHN GOUGH. 



VIII. 



Ohfervations on the training of Pugillfis, Wrejilers, Jockies, and 

 others, who give themj'elves up to Athletic Exercifes; zuithfome 

 Queries for difcovering the Principles thereof and the Procejs 

 of training Running HorfeHi S^-c. loith a View of afcertaining 

 whether the fame canfurnijh any Hints ferviceable to the Human 

 Species. * 



JrROFESSIONAL men are ready to acknowledge, that pre- General con- 

 vention is better than cure; and the beft informed ingenuoufly ^derations on 

 admit, that organic difeafes, once confirmed, are beyond the 

 reach of their art. As organic difeafes generally proceed from 

 flow and gradual changes, ihey may certainly be prevented 

 by temperance and labour; by a6livity of body, and content- 

 ment of mind. In regard to the common metaphyfical ex- 

 preffions, " of the exliaufting of the excitability; of the 

 wearing of the parts; of tlie attrition of our fluids, in circu- 

 lation, againfl the folidsj of tiie abrafion of the folids by fric- 



• The fubfequent queries and obfervations have been circulated 

 by Sir John Sinclair, with a view to obtain information concern- 

 ing the efFedls of diet and exercife on the human frame, from a 

 clafs of praftical experimentalifts, whom the pride cf fcience has 

 hitherto overlookeit. The philofophical manner in which this bi-anch 

 of diftatic medicine is here confidered, appears to render it a fit 

 objeft for infertion in a Journal conduced on the plan of the pre- 

 fent. In promoting the circulation of this paper, we have no 

 doubt that we are coinciding with the plan of the author, by ex- 

 tending his means of information ; Any communications tending 

 to throw further light on the i'ubje^, will be acceptable. W. N, 



Vol. XIII.— Apuil, 18U6, Z tion j 



