Scientific Reviews. 47 
In treating of the cause of animal heat, Dr. H. lays down the 
following principles, of which he offers proofs too much dependent 
upon detail to admit of analysis: 
«© 1, Animal heat is proportionate to the capacity and activity of the lungs, 
not understanding by activity the number of respirations, but the number and 
character of its compounded acts, inspiration and expiration. 
“ 2. This principle is proportionate to the chemical changes in the lungs, and 
the perfection of all other functions is also in the direct ratio to these. 
«¢ 3, The nervous system has no influence whatever upon the generation of ani- 
mal heat, except in diminishing or retarding these chemical changes on which it 
depends, by destroying the natural proportions of blood submitted to the action 
of the air.” —_P. 34. 
Nearly every physiologist seems to bow the knee to some exclu- 
sive idol, which shall, as a superior agent, preside over and regu- 
late all its fellow functions, and Dr. Holland is under the same 
influence. ‘“‘ And the Lord Ged formed man of the dust of the 
ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life ; and man 
became a living soul.” Our author, therefore, may certainly be 
excused for attributing such overruling power to the respiratory 
function. 
The chapter on the Passions will be particularly interesting to 
the general reader, providing him with plausible reasons for many 
phenomena which the body exhibits during passionate perturba- 
tions of the mind. 
The passions, from their action on the body, have been divided 
into those that excite, and those which depress. From the former, 
as an instance, we select the author’s explanation of anger, “ the 
most violent of all the mental stimuli.” 
<¢ Of what kind soever be the object that awakens our feelings, its primary ac- 
tion is upon the mind; and when an individual receives an insult, or is vehe- 
mently exasperated, we observe the fluency with which he pours forth his senti- 
ments, the huiried state ef his respiration, and the muscular exertions employed 
to enforce the character of his feelings. His volubility of tongue changes the re- 
gular order of respiration. Haxpirations are more numerous and complete than 
inspirations—the effect of which is, that the blood becomes better oxygenated, 
from the quantity within the chest being less than natural. The blood, having 
undergone more perfect chemical changes, becomes more stimulating to the heart ; 
the pulsations of this organ are more frequent and forcible ; the increase of con- 
traction, conjoined with augmented muscular exertion, explain the rapidity of the 
circulation and the highly florid colour which it gives to the face. At this stage 
of anger, it is not uncommon for the heart to palpitate ; and this irregularity arises 
from the more stimulating nature of the blood. The internal cavities of this or- 
gan, and the coronary arteries, receive a more than usual excitation, and therefore 
the function to which they contribute is influenced accordingly. 
“¢ Tf the violence of anger be long continued, we remark a different train of 
symptoms. The countenance is swollen, and of a livid aspect; the respiration 
becomes deep and laborious, and the individual often applies his hand to the 
precordial region, from the pain or oppression which he feels in this situation. 
Ex«pirations having exceeded inspirations to a painful extent, necessarily prevent 
the free return of bicod from the head and other parts of the body ; and this fluid, 
in a short.time, accumulates and occasions that bloated expression to which I 
have alluded. 
<< I have spoken only of one species of anger. ‘There is another, which is more 
