Fowler's New illustrated self-instructor in phrenology and physiology : with over one hundred engravings, together with the chart and character of ... as marked by ... / by Lorenzo N. Fowler.

  • Fowler, L. N. (Lorenzo Niles), 1811-1896.
Date:
[1895]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Fowler's New illustrated self-instructor in phrenology and physiology : with over one hundred engravings, together with the chart and character of ... as marked by ... / by Lorenzo N. Fowler. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    2.—OEGANISM 18 A8 FUNCTION. Nature operates always and everywhere by means of organs, or Instru mentalities—never without them. What one function ever is, has been, or can be, carried forward without them ? None, ever, any- where. And what is more, the organism is in perfect correspondence with the function. Thus, whenever Nature would put forth power of function, she does so by means of iwwer in the organ which puts it forth. And 80 of quickness, and all other functional conditions. Thus the ofiSce of wood is to rear aloft that stupendous tree-top, and hold it there in spite of all the surgihgs of powerful winds upon its vast canvas of trunk, limbs, leaves,, and fruit. Now this requires an immense amount of povrer, especially considering the great mechanical disad- vantage involved. This power Nature supplies, not by bulk, because this, by consuming her material and space, would prevent her making many trees, whereas her entire policy is to form all the trees she can ; but by rendering the organic texture of wood as solid and powerful as its function is potential. And the more solid its structure, the more powerful its function, as seen in comparing oak with pine, and lignum vitas with poplar. But, letting this single example suffice to illustrate this law, which obtains throughout the entire vegetable kingdom, let us apply it to the animal. The elephant, one of the very strongest of beasts. Is so powerfully knitted together, in dermis, muscle, and bone, that bullet after bullet shot at him, flatten and fall harmless at his feet. The lion, too, is as strong in texture as in function. Only those who know from observa- tion can form any adequate idea of the wiry toughness of those mus- cles and tendons which bind his head to his body, or of the solidity of his bones—corresponding with the fact that, seizing bullock in his monster jaw, he dashes with him through jungle and over ravine, as a cat would handle a squirrel. And when he roars, a city trembles. The structures of the white and grizzly bear, of the tiger, hyena, and all powcrtiU animals, and, indeed, of all weak ones, in like manner correspond equally with their functions. All quickness of function is put forth by quick-acting organs, all slowness by the slow; and thus of all organs and functions throughout every phase and department of universal life and nature. Indeed, in and by the very nature of things this correspondence must exist. For how could weak organs possibly put forth powerful functions, or ilow organs quick functions? In short, this correspondence between organic conditions and functionf is fixed and absolute—is necessary, not incidental—is universal, no* partial—is a relation of cause and effect, and governs every organ and function thronghout universal life and nature.