FEVER AND INFLAMMATION. 167 pole, and the repelling force is passing out at the positive pole. Hence, the negative is the mouth, the positive pole is the anus of the atom of the ultimate element, and are like a lady's open-topped thimble. About one-third of the atoms of the ultimate elements possess the proximate organic forms and forces of the first germs of life, the heart's receiving and repelling forces, the venal attractive negative pole, and the arterial repelling positive pole; and hence, it necessarily results that the negative poles of every two atoms will not cohere, the forces of each flowing in from the other—the suction forces being equal at the negative poles. Neither can the positive poles of two atoms unite, for each force of a positive pole of any one atom, can, by the law of physics approach the negative pole of another atom in the union of the cohesion and adhesion forming molecules. By these four forces, attraction, repulsion, cohesion and adhesion, like addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, in the science of pure mathematics, each and every change in matter and its forces in the universe within the purview of man is accomplished. It is but the varied chimes rung on matter by the above four forces, which fill the universe with its varied phenomena, and what we know respecting that intelligent force which we call God, is by that functional expression of force by and through matter, in that form which we call law. Previous to the year 1774 there was nothing accurately known of matter and its forces, when Dr. Priestley, of England, discovered the ultimate element, oxygen. Following that grand discovery, and at the beginning of the present century, there was another equally important discovery in chemistry, the atomic system by Dr. Dalton, of England, which he published about 1810. This system, conflicting with the old opinions and theories, was at first violently opposed, but Dr. Wallaston, Berzelius, Prof. Thomson, of Glasgow, and Henry, of Manchester, worked out and presented it in such a lucid manner that it was fully admitted and accredited to Dr. Dalton previous to his death. The atomic theory teaches first: That all matter in the universe is composed (at least in the solar system) of indivisible, and indestructible atoms. Second: That atoms of the same ultimate ele ment, have at all times the same weights aed measures, but that the atom in each different ultimate element have different weights and measures from others generally. Third: That the combining numbers, or chemical equivalents, represent these different weights and measures, and also their specific gravities. Fourth : that all chemical compounds are formed by the union of the atoms of different ultimate elements by cohesion. The result of the establishment of the above facts by innumerable experiments by men of the highest culture, and largest experience, and which may be verified at any time by any competent person, is that the formation of chemical compounds of like atoms in the inorganic and organic kingdoms are precisely alike, that is, that the carbonic acid gas that we respire at each breath is the same in weight, measure and composition as the carbonic acid gas produced in the laboratory, that is, sixteen parts of oxygen, by weight, and six of carbon. The same is true of every other chemical compound, whether found in the mineral, vegetable, or animal kingdoms. This last problem has been demonstrated repeatedly by competent chemists. To Lavoiser, of France, we owe much in perfecting weights and measures, by which the weight and measure and specific gravity of the atom in each and every alternate element has been determined. The atom in hydrogen in weight is one microcrith, and is the lightest atom of any one of the ultimate elements of matter, which caused that gas to be elected as the unit for the specific gravity of all gases for reference, as water was for liquids and solids. This specific gravity is based on the physical fact that the atoms of all the ultimate elements are surrounded by an atmosphere of their own of more or less elasticity, which prevents not only the atoms approaching, when combined in heterogeneous bodies by adhesion, but also prevents atoms of the same ultimate, when conjoined by cohesion into large bodies, from approaching each other so closely as to destroy porosity, this atmosphere being coupled with the more or less porosity of the atom. It has been shown that the atoms of different elements occupy different relations as to distances from each other, and that the different ultimate elements are pervaded by different amounts of heat and atomic and atmospheric repulsion, just in proportion to their solidity or porosity. Hence, the pores in homogeneous and heterogeneous bodies differ frem each other, as do those of homogeneous bodies composed of atoms of different ultimate elements. Thus, by this law we have solids, liquids and gases. It has also been shown and demonstrated that the inhering forces of attraction and repulsion of atoms of the ultimate elements keep their atoms in constant motion, a result of the elasticity of their own atmospheres resisting approach to each other-which their attractive forces are inclining them to do, and would accomplish, were it not for the elasticity of the atmosphere, excepting when the positive and negative poles of the atoms approach, drawn by the laws of cohesion and adhesion. To make a full and clear investigation of the cause or causes of the heat in the human system which produce fever and inflammation, it seems necessary to ascertain accurately and critically the cause or causes and amount of heat in the normal state of health of the adult. Here we would observe, and wish it particularly noted as we have indicated above, that the cause or causes, whatever they are, are the natural result, generally well understood, of material substances and their inherent forces, and are not the result of any vital or living force so called in any supernatural sense; for as we have before stated and shall critically demonstrate, that fever, inflammation and gangrene are either the remote or direct effect of heat generated by the friction of molecular motion, the heat exceeding 98° Fahrenheit. For by ascertaining the causes of heat in health and those of heat in fever, we can easily and clearly dif ferentiate the one from the other, showing the amount of each, and their range. Different writers on the problem of heat in the human system in the normal state of health, differ considerably from each other as to facts and causes, and often contradict well-known facts, and even contradict themselves, by making statements as facts, which are mere assertions. This mode of writing and contradiction arises in this case as in every other question, which has not been settled clearly by experience and observation, conducted and regulated by some fixed rules or measures. For unless each observer is guided by the same previously ascertained fixed rules, weights and measures, no open question can ever be determined or settled; it will be an open question still. Hence, as in Euclid, every proposition applied in the solution of a new and open problem must itself have been previously demonstrated to be a true rule or measure, equally applicable by any and all investigators under similar conditions and circumstances, so it must be in this problem, and is now unanimously admitted, that in every case of chemical analysis and synthesis the sense of heat becomes apparent as a result; also in every case of friction of two bodies in contact, heat appears; also, that any body in motion, when it comes in contact with another body, heat is the result of the impact; for it is now known and admitted that by these various modes of action of material substances and their inhering forces, heat is the result under all circumstances. It must be apparent that there is no means or mode of producing heat, but either by chemical analysis or synthesis, impact or friction of physical bodies and their inhering forces. The above four modes of generating heat, that is, by chemical analysis and synthesis, impact and friction are all the modes known to man by which heat can be generated. When we are covered with blankets in bed and seem to grow warmer after awhile, it is not because the blankets generate heat, but because they are non-conductors; they prevent the heat generated by us from escaping. The burning of bodies, fermentation, vegetation of all seeds or germs, the growth and increase of all bodies, whether mineral, vegetable or animal where heat is generated, the cause of the heat is resolvable into one or more of the above named four modes of generating heat. Whatever may be said as to the sun being the source of all heat, the forces of the sun acting on this earth, its fauna and flora, act chemically, so does electricity, galvanism and magnetism, so that, in fact, heat, from whatever source it may come, is the result of chemical action, friction or impact. Respiration is a cause of heat: oxygen and carbon uniting, forming carbonic acid gas, is a chemical process. If we know the amount of oxygen used we can tell the quantity of carbonic acid which will be formed; or if we know the amount of carbonic acid formed we can tell how much oxygen was used and the amount of heat generated. Young children form but little carbonic gas in respiration, therefore evolve but little heat; hence, persons that are healthy and of middle age endure cold better than young children, because they consume more oxygen and form more carbonic gas and evolve more heat thereby. Hence, a room full of middle-aged persons in a very cold country, the room being properly ventilated, would resist death by freezing much longer than children, though molecular action in the child one year old is more rapid than in the adult at thirty. No better proof than this is needed to show that they are kept alive by natural laws and forces and not by supernatural spirit-power. The It used to be supposed that the oxidation of the carbon took place mainly in the lungs. It is not entirely so, but it has been demonstrated that the blood is but little if any hotter in the left ventricle of the heart, than in the right, and animals of a lower will continue to form carbonic acid gas by respiration for hours when immersed in that gas and deprived of oxygen. oxygen that enters into the lungs at each inspiration does not immediately unite with the carbon in the lungs, but is carried on with the blood in the circulation, and slowly unites with the carbon, both of the blood and solid tissues, and acts upon the tissues by decarbonizing, and breaking down old tissues that their places may be supplied by new, nutritious matter, generating heat both by assimilation and absorption. The new molecules assimilated at the capillary extremities of the arteries, making new tissue and the old effete molecules absorbed into the yenal circulation at the capillary ends of the veins, hence, respiration becomes a source of general and nearly equal heat in every part of the body. We, therefore, recognize three sources of nearly equal heat in respiration; the decarbonization of the blood in the circulation, assimilation and absorption. Every act of assimilation or absorption produces heat; hence, the formation of every molecule, tissue and organ; the removal of every molecule, tissue and organ generate heat. This heat produces molecular action, and this molecular action produces more heat. The heat or temperature of the infant at birth is the same as that of the mother, 98° Fahrenheit, but in twentyfour hours after birth it rises to 101 or 102—about three or four degrees. This for the child is normal for one or two years, but it is not as safe as 98o in the adult. It is really the heat of fever, or is so considered in the adult, a low fever heat; hence, |