OFFICE OF THE BLOOD

19

traction of the muscles of the heart, it is thrown into tubes, called arteries, with sufficient force and rapidity to carry it to all parts of the body.

27. The blood contains the elements of all those substances which compose our body. It is the blood which makes our bones, our skin, our hair, and every limb; and it is the blood which makes us grow. So you see if we did not eat, we should not have any blood, and so of course we could not grow.

28. You may think it very strange that the red blood flowing like the water in a river, can make something as hard as a bone or flesh. But when you cut your finger, or break a bone, the reason why, after several days or weeks, it heals or becomes well, is, that the blood, in passing the place cut, leaves a little something there; the next time it leaves again a little substance; when, by and by, it becomes flesh and skin.

29. When a bone is broken, just the same process goes on, only the substance left is a little harder till a piece of bone is formed. Should you hurt your fingernail so that it peeled off, you would find that gradually a new nail would grow, but if you should eat very sparingly for two or three months, you would not see this growth.

30. Different kinds of food make different quantities of chyle and different kinds of blood. Animal substances make more chyle than vegetable; hence, if we lived altogether on meat and animal food, we should not require so much in quantity.

26. What is said of the blood after it flows back to the heart? 27. What does the blood contain? 28. Explain in what manner the finger heals when cut? 29. Explain in what manner the bone unites when it is broken? 30. On what does the quality of the blood depend?

31. Men, women, and children eat a great many kinds of food which are very injurious. Some people drink rum, wine, and other ardent spirits, although they are sensible that these only heat the body, do them great injury, and render them more stupid than the beasts who have no reason to guide them. They make no blood at all, but burn the stomach till it is all consumed. Tea and coffee make poor blood; so do all kinds of spices and rich gravies.

32. In the mill I spoke of, supposing those who had the care of it should throw in corn all day, without stopping to see whether the mill was full or not, do you not suppose they would soon get the mill out of order, so that they could not use it at all? But our stomachs are much more delicate, and more easily injured by our eating too fast, too much, and too often, than the mill.

33. When Nature does anything, she is governed by regular rules and fixed laws, and is systematic in all her arrangements. She does one thing at a time, and is only capable of doing a certain amount, and no more, without injuring some other part or function of the body.

34. Suppose I should listen to the talking of the stomach, what do you think it would tell me? I will imagine it to be William's stomach. As soon as he awoke in the morning, and was dressed, he teased his mother for something to eat, for he was very hungry; his mother, to get rid of his importunities, said, "Yes," and gave him a large slice of bread and butter. By and by, in the course of a few moments, the stomach heard

31. What are some of the things that make poor blood? 32 How could a mill be injured? How are our stomachs injured? 33. What are the operations of nature? 34. Explain what the stomach of William said?

HOW THE STOMACH IS INJURED.

21

the bread and butter knocking for entrance; so she took it and says, "This will make some nice blood, only it would have been better for my little master if there had not been quite so much butter."

35. So the stomach went on with her work to make it very fine, and get it ready to send to the heart; but before it could quite send it all out, William's mother had prepared his breakfast, and there was another tap at the door: "Let me come in," said some bread and butter;" and me too," says some coffee; "and me also,' said a large piece of mince-pie; all of which had been swallowed, half chewed, almost as quick as I can speak, or you can read or hear.

36. "

Well," said the accommodating stomach, “I will do all I can for you; but if you had waited an hour, or my master had ground you with his teeth, I could have done better;" but she went to work pushing, and tugging, and throwing her sides together, to get the contents all digested, as it is called, or thoroughly dissolved by that gastric juice which I told you was in the stomach.

37. She almost gave up the undertaking, but she tried again, and finally succeeded in making the chyme. "There," said the stomach," go; but I am afraid my little master's cheeks will not appear as rosy and bright; for that mince-pie will steal away some of the color from the blood which goes to his cheeks; I really hope that my poor sides will be able to take a little rest.

38. "Little Willy will have to go to school, and will not be able to get any more food till noon." If Mrs. Stomach could have looked into her master's pockets,

35. What did she do with his bread and butter? 36. How did the stomach succeed with her task? 37 How did the stomach console herself?

she would have groaned most pitifully, and have had just cause for complaint; for he did not wish to go to school that day, and his mother, to pacify him, and make him willing to go, gave him some candy, and some chestnuts, and that large red apple which he had wished for a long time.

39. As soon as the little fellow had wiped away his tears, he started off to school. Recess came. He then put his hand into his pocket for his apple, which he nibbled, and nibbled, till it was all gone; then came his candy, which he thought was very good. "Ah!" sighed his stomach, "what shall I do? I cannot possibly get rid of all this apple, and candy, and so I must let it remain here, till I take a nap to rest me;" but she could not sleep much, for the chestnuts came rattling down, one after another, and asked admittance.

40. Soon school was done, and William ran home; but for some cause he did not feel as happy and comfortable as he did in the morning. He said it was because he had been compelled to go to school, and could not play at home

In a short time dinner came on to the table, and William of course took his seat by the side of his father.

41. He must eat because he generally does: so away goes a slice of beef, then some potato, and a great many other things, into his stomach; but she had not sent away all his apples and nuts-so she could not help grumbling and getting cut of patience, and declared that she would not take anything else.

38. What would the stomach have seen could she have looked into Willy's pocket? 39. What did she do with his apples, etc.? 40. What were William's feelings, and to what did he attribute them? 41. What took place at the table?

IMPORTANT LESSONS.

23

42. This made William feel so uncomfor able that he could not hold his head up, but had to go and lie down on the bed. When his mother went to him he was so hot and feverish, that she sent for the doctor to come and see her poor boy, and said she was sorry that she urged him to go to school; for now he was sick. She did not once think that her sympathy should extend to his poor stomach, which she had assisted in so unmercifully stuffing, and which in return had caused her little William's sickness.

43. The doctor came, and at once told her what the matter was with the boy. He took pity on the stomach, and gave the boy some medicine, which caused him to throw up what was not needed, and what could not be properly digested; and said he must take only light nourishment for several days.

44. As I was talking thus, William, who sat by my side, blushed and seemed confused, as if he had done something wrong. Said he, "How did you hear my stomach speak the other day? It is very wonderful; but I will not make it feel so bad again."

45. Children, you know that the stomach cannot talk or think, although it can feel; but this is what it would say a great many times if it could; and I merely supposed this circumstance, to teach you the following important lessons, which you must not forget:

1. That you must not eat in haste.

2. That you must chew your food fine.

3. That you must not eat after your regular meals.

42. To whom did Willy's mother's sympathy extend? 43. What was the doctor's prescription? 44. What effect did this story have on William? 45. Can the stomach talk? What can it do? What five important les sons should be remembered?