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Aristotle - On The Parts Of Animals
Atec Февраль 16 2008 20:01:06
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The organ of respiration is the lung. This derives its motion from
the heart; but it is its own large size and spongy texture that
affords amplitude of space for entrance of the breath. For when the
lung rises up the breath streams in, and is again expelled when the
lung collapses. It has been said that the lung exists as a provision
to meet the jumping of the heart. But this is out of the question. For
man is practically the only animal whose heart presents this
phenomenon of jumping, inasmuch as he alone is influenced by hope
and anticipation of the future. Moreover, in most animals the lung
is separated from the heart by a considerable interval and lies
above it, so that it can contribute nothing to mitigate any jumping.
The lung differs much in different animals. For in some it is of
large size and contains blood; while in others it is smaller and of
spongy texture. In the vivipara it is large and rich in blood, because
of their natural heat; while in the ovipara it is small and dry but
capable of expanding to a vast extent when inflated. Among terrestrial
animals, the oviparous quadrupeds, such as lizards, tortoises, and the
like, have this kind of lung; and, among inhabitants of the air, the
animals known as birds. For in all these the lung is spongy, and
like foam. For it is membranous and collapses from a large bulk to a
small one, as does foam when it runs together
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