Thomas King Chambers

Corpulence, Or, Excess of Fat in the Human Body Thomas King Chambers

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1850 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VI. Application of observations on weight to life insurance. Light weights of phthisical patients. Average weights in health. Comparison of them with figures proportioned as well-known statues, and with the weights of obese persons. Variations in weight--sudden--progressive--in different seasons and in regular periods. The amount of fat required for the full and perfect resistance of the body, is different, as aforesaid, in ditferent individuals, and will also vary according to their mode of life. Thus a man of letters will require less than a soldier, a soldier less than a prize-fighter. It is impossible, therefore, to fix any absolute standard of weight, and it is incorrect to look upon the average weight of healthy individuals in proportion to their height, as necessarily the proper one for every person. Still there are certain limits on each side of the average, the transgression of which shows a predisposition to disease, or even itself constitutes infirmity. If a patient is below the boundaries of healthy thinness, there is a strong presumption in favour of some cause existing which may account for his emaciation, and will tend to shorten life; and if that cause exists, he is, from the deficiency of fat less able to resist its influence. If he is above the standard of healthy corpulence, the natural defence becomes a burthen; he loses the power of resistance which was derived from the normal proportion being kept between the various tissues; the balance in fact, of the system, is destroyed. Can we wonder at this, when we reflect on the vast aggregate amount of capillary vessels distributed through the adipose tissue, and think that these are doubled or trebled in quantity in obesity? Can we be surprised that the individual...