THE VETERINARY ART IN INDIA. 
173 
The excitement, or stimulus allotted to every living creature, 
is supposed to be, in the same stated quantity, reduced to a 
similar scale of the same number of degrees, and necessary to 
produce life by acting on the excitability. The end No. I of 
the exciting scale being brought on a level with No. 80 of the 
scale of excitability (as in plate 1, Jig . 1), is an exact representa- 
tion of the commencement of life. One degree of stimulus, 
which is the smallest proportion, is just acting on the whole 
mass of excitability, and producing life, which is the case with 
every recent living production. It is all irritability, while the 
pressure of the atmosphere, food, vision, &c. gently stimulate to 
action : for, as I before observed, when the irritability is great, a 
large quantity of stimulus would cause instant death ; and every 
one will allow that the common stimulus required for an adult 
would instantly destroy an infant. 
As you draw the excitement down its antagonal scale, the exci- 
tability is decreasing, and a stronger stimulus is required, which is 
produced in exact proportion by the growing passions, stronger 
diet, &c. By the time the scale is reduced to No. 40 (as in 
Jig. 2), it resembles life at its meridian, and acting in the zenith 
of all her powers ; for it is when the property and the power are 
equal that life is at its vigour. This state cannot, however, long 
continue, as every stimulus becomes w'eaker by habit, and as 
the excitability becomes exhausted, it requires, a still stronger 
stimulus ; hence it is, that aged people require a more nutritious 
diet and more support from cordials than young people. 
On declining the scale of excitement, we shall find a melan- 
choly reverse ; for it now acts on the opposite principle, and the 
property and power of life are now decreasing in the same pro- 
portion as they before increased. This must be the natural con- 
sequence, for the excitability, exhausting, requires a still stronger 
stimulus, which nature not affording, a general decay ensues. 
This defect still increasing, graduates the exciting scale down to 
No. 1 (as in Jig. 3). Life is here arrived at her fatal goal. The 
and stimulus are quite consumed, and the expiring 
i in this melancholy view of the progress of life we 
have considered it in its most favourable point, and in which it is 
scarcely possible ever to occur. The produce of such a life must 
have been from a healthy and well-formed source, free from acci- 
dents in rearing, and moderately indulging the passions which 
nature has bestowed. Such a fortunate combination of events 
must be the lot of few, and the very habits of life in which we 
are elevated, and the gratifying of any passion, even in modera- 
tion, all urge to the destruction of our living principle. What, 
then, must be the effects of excess ? It is an advance towards 
excitability 
object dies. 
But, evei 
