ANIMAL

ANIMAL, a Being, which, besides the Power of growing, increasing, and producing its like, which Vegetables likewise have, is further endowed with Sensation, and spontaneous Motion. See BEING, SENSATION, and MOTION.

The Word Animal is derived from the Latin Anima, Soul; and literally denotes something endued with a Soul. See ANIMA and SOUL.
An Animal, respect being only had to the Body, not the Soul, may be defined with Boerhaave to be an organical Body, consisting of Vessels and Juices; and taking in the Matter of its Nutriment, by a Part called a Mouth; whence it is conveyed into another called the Intestines, into which it has Roots implanted, whereby it draws in its Nourishment, after the manner of Plants. See MOUTH.
According to this Definition, an Animal is distinguished from a Fossil, in that it is an organical Body; and from a Vegetable by this, that it has its Roots within itself, and a Plant without itself. See FOSSIL and VEGETABLE.
In effect, the Intestines of an Animal are, in reality, no more than its Earth, or the Body it adheres to; into which it sends forth its Roots; that is, the lacteal Vessels, which thence draw the Matter of its Life and Increase. See INTESTINES.
An Animal is better defined from its Mouth than its Heart; since we don’t know whether the whole Tribe have such a Part; for as several have no Hearts, particularly the Silk-Worm, and some even none; so it's possible others may have none at all. See HEART.
Nor can any general Character of an Animal be taken from the Brain, the Lungs, or the like; since we know many quite destitute thereof. See BRAIN, LUNGS, etc.
The genuine Characteristic, then, of an Animal, is to be free and at large with respect to the Subject it derives its Nourishment from: for everything is taken in by the Mouth; and the Mouth does not adhere to anything; Whereas all Plants are connected, in some manner or other, to the Body which furnishes them Food.
Hence it follows, that a Foetus, while it remains in the Mother’s Womb, is a real Plant; as being connected by the Funiculus umbilicalis to the Placenta, and by the Placenta to the Uterus, from whence it receives its Nutriment—If it did not derive its Food by the said Funiculus, but by its Mouth, it were an Animal; and if it drew it by both, a Zoophyte or Plant-Animal. See FETUS, NUTRITION, etc.
Some have defined Animals from their Loco-Motion, as being capable of Shifting from place to place, and Plants from their sticking fast to the same Subject: but on this Principle, Oysters, Mussels, Cockles, etc., are excluded from the Class of Animals, in as much, as they adhere, or grow to Rocks, etc., yet it's certain, that those Creatures are real Animals, as they have Mouths and Stomachs to take in their Food, and Lacteals and Mesenteric Veins to receive it—Indeed, Mussels seem an Exception from the former Definition. That Anomalous Creature breathes, and receives its Nourishment, not at the Mouth, but by the Anus: The Part which we account its Head, though without either Eyes, Ears, or Tongue, or any other Apparatus, save a Hole, which we may call its Mouth, is an immovable Part; being fastened to one of the Shells, so, that it cannot seek for Food, but the Food must come to seek it. This Food is Water, which, as the Shells open, enters in at the Anus of the Mussel, which opens at the same time; and passing thence into certain Canals between the inner Surface of the Shell, and the outer Surface of the Animal, is conveyed thence into its Mouth, by a certain Motion, which the Animal can produce at pleasure. We choose therefore with Dr. Boer, to fix the Criterion of an Animal in a Ductus Alimentaris, i.e., a Gula, Stomach, and Intestines; all which make but one continued Canal. See DUCTUS ALIMENTARIS.



All Animals, according to the most probable and received Opinion, come from Eggs, and are there enclosed, as it were in Epitome, till the Seed of the Male penetrate their Covering, and stretch them, so as they become ready for hatching. See EGG, GENERATION, etc.
There enters into their Vessels a chylous Juice; which being pushed forwards by the Spirits, circulates through the whole Habit of the little Body, nourishes and dilates it by little and little, and thus produces what we call Growth. See CHYLE, CHYLIFICATION, and NUTRITION.

This Circulation repeated several times, refines and attenuates the Juices; till at length they become of a red Colour, and are converted into what we call Blood. This natural Operation bears a great resemblance to several chemical Operations, by which, in attenuating and dissolving oily or sulphurous Substances, they assume a red Colour. See CIRCULATION, BLOOD, and SANGUIFICATION.

The Philosophers comprehend Man under the Species of Animals and define him as a reasonable animal: though among Naturalists, etc., animals are usually restrained to Irrationals.

St. Augustine relates, that many scrupulous persons in his Time, extended that Prohibition of the Law, "Thou shalt not kill," to all Animals: They grounded their Opinion on some Passages of Scripture wherein God speaks of Animals as if they had some Principle of Reason; declaring that He will require the Blood of Man at the hand of Beasts, Gen. c. 9. Adding, in the same place, that He makes a Covenant not only with Man, but with every living Creature. See CARNIVOROUS.

ANIMAL