The American Woman's Home

never had any charge of the sick; who never took any care of an infant; who never obtained information on these subjects from books, or from the experience of others; in short, with li

y see some young and anxious novice first attempting to meet such responsibilities. To a woman of age and experience these duties often involve a

onstruction of the body and the laws of health which is the basis of the medical profession. Not that a woman should undertake the minute and extensive investigation

ans and functions of the human body have been presented, and others will

s having an important relation to every organ and function of the body, and as being one t

imals, in which we discover contrivances and operations, if not so sublime, yet more

ished by means of small cells or bags containing various kinds of liquids. These cells are so minute that, of the smallest, some hundred

ration:

a tough skin, to which is fastened the yelk, (which means the yellow,) by fibrous strings, as seen at a, a, in the diagram. In the yelk floats the germ-cell, b, which is the point where the formation of the f

bly forever. But the mode in which they multiply is as follows: The first change noticed in a cell, when warmed into vital activity, is the appearance of a second nucleus within it, while the cell gradually becomes oval in form, and then is drawn inward at the middle, like a

e yelk and white furnish nutriment. There is a small bag of air fastened to one end inside of the shell; and when the animal is complete, this air is taken into its lungs, life begins, and out walks little chick, all its powers prepared, and ready to run, eat, and enjoy existence. Then, as

ation: F

rmation; and then the red cells, which are completed by the addition of the oxygen received from air in the lungs. Fig. 49 represents part of a magnified blood-vessel, a, a, in which the roun

hers take up the tears, and still others take material for the brain, muscles, and all other organs. Cells also have a converting power, of taking one kind of matter from the

anized or simple, natural matter; whereas the animal cell only takes substances already organized into

tions to the general subject of the care of health, and also t

RVOUS

with every other that it is placed in this chapter as also having ref

the mind in securing various kinds of knowledge and enjoyment. The organs through which

ation: F

ine or backbone. From each side of the spine the large nerves run out into innumerable smaller branches to every portion of the body. The drawing shows only some of the larger b

ed to be the portion that originates and controls a nervous fluid which imparts power

example, one portion is employed by the mind in thinking, and in feeling pleasurable or painful mental emotions; another in moving the muscles; while the nerves

the whole body, but are largely developed in the network of nerves in the skin. The front portion of the spinal marrow and its branches are emplo

e is moved by nerves of motion; while alongside of this nerve, in the same sheath, is a nerve of sensation. All the nerves of motion and sensation are connected with those portions of the brain use

the mind, that the body is growing cold. The mind thus knows that more clothing is needed, and wills to have

with it. By these we continue to breathe when asleep, and whether we will to do so or not. There are also some of the nerves of voluntary motion that are mixed

s from the spinal marrow run into them, thus uniting the sympathetic system with the nerves of the spine. These ganglia are also distributed around in various parts of the interior of the body, especially in the intestines, and all the different ganglia are connected with each other by nerves, thus making o

etween the several parts of the body, and also to enable the mind to receive, through the brain, some general knowledge of the state of the whole system. It is owing to this that, when one po

ed in the gray portions of the brain and ganglia. Whenever a nerve is cut off from its connection with these n

n and nerves that the several portions he exercised sufficiently, and that no part be exhausted by over-action. For example, the nerves of sensation may be

uce any extreme susceptibility of the nerves of sensation. On the contrary, the neglect

it with increased nourishment, just as it flows to the muscles when they are exercised. Over-exercise of this portion of the brain causes engorgement of the blood-vessels. This is sometimes i

stimulates them to action. Some brains have a larger, and some a smaller fountain; so that a degree of m

ails by neglect. For example, a person may so exhaust the brain power in the excessive use of the nerves of motion by hard work, as to leave little for any other facu

in, and to the organs connected with it, and thus cause a constant and excessive excitement, which finally becomes a disease. Sometime

e nervous fluid from other portions, which become debilitated by the loss. And in

se of all the faculties of mind and body, and the influence of this upon happiness, is the mo