What does the word function mean?
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1. The special action or physiological property of an organ or other part of the body. 2. The general properties of any substance, depending upon its chemical character and relation to other substances, according to which it may be grouped among the acids, bases, alcohols, or esters, etc. 3. To perform its special work or office, said of an organ or other part of the body; to functionate.
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The action of an organ or system of organs. Any act, necessary for accomplishing a vital phenomenon. A function is a special office in the animal economy, which has, as its instrument, an organ or apparatus of organs. Thus respiration is a function. Its object is the conversion of venous into arterial blood, and its instrument is the lungs. The ancient physiologists divided the functions into vital, animal, and natural. They called vital functions those which are essential to life, as innervation, circulation, respiration; animal functions, those which belong to the encephalon; viz.: the functions of the intellect, the affections of the mind, and the voluntary motions; and natural functions, Faculta'tes seu Actio'nes natura'les, those relating to assimilation, such as the actions of the abdominal viscera, of the absorbent and exhalant vessels, &c. Bichat divided the functions into those which relate to the preservation of the individual, and those that relate to the preservation of the species. The former he subdivided into animal and organic. The animal functions or functions of relation are those of the intellect, sensation, locomotion, and voice. The organic functions include digestion, absorption, respiration, circulation, secretion, nutrition, and ealorification. The functions, whose object is the preservation of the species-the organic, nutritive, or vegetative functions- are all those that relate to generation ;-such as conception, gestation, accouchement, &c. Each of these admits of numerous subdivisions in a complete course of Physiology ;-for so the doctrine of the functions is called.
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[ Latin] Anything done; an act or action; particularly, an action which is regularly performed by a part, or one which constitutes the office of the latter.
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