Physiology of bodily exercise / by Fernand Lagrange.

  • Lagrange, Fernand, 1846-1909.
Date:
1893
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Physiology of bodily exercise / by Fernand Lagrange. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    This explanation is confirmed by the indications of a manometer connected with an artery. The instrument shows a fall of pressure in the vessel at the moment of work.* The pressure would rise, on the other hand, if the acceleration were due to a driving back of blood by the muscles. Muscular contraction may, however, be called into play as a mechanical cause, capable of quickening the blood current in the veins and capillaries. The compression resulting from the swelling of muscles in action may thus become a factor in the acceleration of the blood current during work. In any case, however, this is merely an accessory factor. Whatever the cause, the quickening of the blood cur- rent during exercise is a constant phenomenon. Con- stantly, therefore, at this time, the organs are traversed by a greater quantity of blood. There is an active con- gestion of all the organs during violent exercise : hence more active performance of function. It will not be devoid of interest, after considering the phenomena, to study the consequences of the active con- gestion which accompanies every energetic movement. This active congestion is the really useful period of bodily exercises, that to which they owe their forti- fying power. A man during this period of hyper- activity of all his organs benefits from a consider- able increase of his nutritive forces. All the organs and all the tissues of the body are the seat of a more active circulation, and we know that the nutri- tion of an organ is in proportion to the quantity of blood which passes through it. Under the influence of the greater quantity of blood which traverses the lung, this organ, fellow-worker with the heart, becomes more active, and introduces into the system a greater quantity of air. The vital combus- tions, thanks to this freer supply of oxygen, are more energetic and more complete. If we may make a simple comparison, exercise increases the intensity of the vital • Chauveau, Comptes rendus de PAcademie des Sciences, 1857.