Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1827-09-22
DIGESTION

From the London New Literary
The food being received the stomach is prapar
ed for assimilation with the body by digestion which
we shall now proceed to consider and explain This
process-to borrow the words of an acute modern
writer-takcn IN its most general and most proper
sense, may be defined the conversion of dead into
living matter; at all events, II is conversion of dead
animal and vegetable substances into an anrnalized
fluid qualified into the current of The circu
aiion and then 10 became part and parcel of the hy-
ing machine No other iuld not even milk from TIE
living udder be poured into the blood>yesees with
ont risk OF life; and therefore we authorised to
conclude that the chye, that is the deesied food \ is
yaiised Had, like the blood itself n This be cor
rect representation, all inquiry as 10 how the canne &c
effected, vii! be jus, successful to o.- man was
changed from lte'ess clog into living animal of his
first creation But the pying eye of the ptysoIogs
has penetrated into OF natures secret operatons
and there are several very curious and intercsting
phenomena attendant the process of digestion
we shall glance at in this essay.
There have been various opinions concerDine, tbe
manner In which the digestive process carried on
The ancients supposed that ii effected by heat:
and their opinion formed from consideration of ihe
situation Of the stomach which they thought was i'm te
hottest part of the body being placed in the CAVITY oi
The abdomen, and surrounded BY soft organs
That heat acts auxiliary Digestion is mt tn
he doubted; but IT can never be considered as prn-
cPal agent IN the process for cold booded auiInals
are known to digest their food sufficiently well to SIM
ply The wants of the machine although their tanner
tnre is but little higher than that of the atmosphere
Another theory was, that digestion was effected by
pnTedctlVc process: but by experiments made on some
animals which were Induced TO putrid meat and
afterwards killed, II appeared, upon examiuiDT tle
contents Of the stomach that the elor of the food
considerably dimnished-herc5y establishing the d.
rect c'"veTse OF tic position, aud proving that the
gastric juice possessed an an;i septic quality.
b5ain-Digesiion supposed to be accomplish-
Cd by trituration. This from a knowledge ct
the action of the gzzard in birds; sirllcr action
having been 2ratuitOusy imposed upon the stoachs Of
otheF animals That this opinion is founded upon
false analogy need not be insisted upon: becausa tho
muscular coat of the stomach, and quadr1peds
Is not OF sufficient strength 10 on the food in this
way.
The next idea was that of Ceyg,ralgfi2n but ,iis
Ike the other theories erroneous for the food doe,
NOT remain sufficient time in the stomach 10 I!o,y
oil Recommendations nay, If this process should take place
We shall Ind, IN the second division of Ibis gOiz tina
II may and does induce disease Sir John PriDrlc and
Dr. hiacbride made several experiments UPON This
subject By combining aIinenary matter With water
and saliva, and keeping 1t in a temperature equal TO
that of the animal heat thsy found, alter a time APP
pearanc95 slmldr 10 those produced in common cases
OF chemical fermentation, but it would H. foolish 10
aer from this that the change takes
acc IN the stomach, because Tie .4strfr jVice which
. the principal agent 10 tpc process Uf digestion does
not appear 20 have been eug0yed; besides hoyy coud
"e ascertain from dis whether this Preventative pro
cess were healthy DoH This theory has been ON
Tc!cly ncGatycd by experiments ;yhc!, have 5oo,,
made With ai:iaenaTy rnaitri, mScd with gastric liiro
instead %. wafer aud s1vr aud placed IN sitrato.
fay oTa6ie ferment1tic3 and II, which -,
did take place.
The best founded tuaory is that of solution ,lat T.:
~ solution through ii' means 81 very peculiar SOL
y"aLReaunur euC'J-rd al'7tnon,ary nat,er in tubes
which were pofyious al b9tp ends, aud introduced
them into the stomach o. ann3ls; when they were
discharged, he found that he substances which nc had
iacoscd IN llIc tubes acted upon by The gas
tic JUICE, 90 Become almost Dissolved. Sometime
part oil i've stomach itseH has been found dissolved
diges'ed after DEATH bot this phenomenon is rarely
DaGd 10 Uyse VINO have died of any !3-einG Ulaady;
IL usually in such die suddenly and are al
TIE same time Immediately previous 10 ibcc death IN
good health; Il Is observai also tbat N these cases
% IS always the upper portion Of the stomach which
tarTPsars. Tie fo!'.w'ng Interesting cz 7errara:s