The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1856-03-27


before it can be received by the stomach
and undergo in it the changes by which it
is to be fitted for nourishing all parts Of the
living body. OF the figure and appearance
of the stomach it is not necessary to speak
here Let it suffice to say, that the most
fastidious of even our female readers, can
obtain, in the discharge of their household
duties as occasional visiters in the kitchen,
all the knowledge necessary for understand
ing what we have TO say of the organ of di-
gestion, The internal lining of the mouth
will represent that of the stomach with toll
erable accuracy, since they are anatomical
ly classed under the same head. The mem
Drane common 10 them both is called nucus,
and except that it wants the hard horny Gov
ering of the skin does not differ very materi-
ally from this latter, ofwhich it would seem
to be continuation This inner membrane
is abundantly supplied with blood vessels,
which ramify through it so as to form net
work. and nerves, or small whitish filaments
are also distributed through its substance
These latter are the divisions of cord
which comes from the brain down along the
neck and through the chest, where it gives
off thread-like branches TO the heart, lungs,
and wind-pipe. Let US remember, that the
mouth is the common opening into two pas
sages, the one beginning directly at the root
of the tongue, and forming the beginning
of the wind-pipe, and terminating in the
lungs; the other farther back, and leading
into the stomach. Mouth, wind-pipe, throat
or gullet, lungs and stomach, are then lined
by the same kind of membrane. Through
this membrane in the wind pipe, lungs, and
stomach are distributed the numerous branch
es of the same nerve, twigs of which also
go to the heart. Here we see at once two
causes why the lungs, by which breathing
is performed should sympathise SO much
with the stomach, by which digestion is ac-
complshed. These parts are lined by a
membrane of the same nature, on which
their peculiar functions are mainly perform
ed; and they are supplied by the same
nerve coming from the brain, which is the
centre of so many nerves, and the seat Of
nervous power.
From the inner surface Of the stomach,
fluid are exhaled OF seclsted some what in
a similar manner to the discharge of perspi-
rable fluid from the skin. But, among the
former the chief and characteristic one is
what we call gastric Iuice, by intimate adj
fmixtufe with which the food that has been
swallowed, loses more speedily its peculiar
sensible properties and is more promptly
converted into homogeneous semifuid
mass, which serves the purpose designated
at the beginning of this article. 1t must be-
very obvious TO our readers, that for tho
stomach to form ON its inner OF digestive
surface this juice and othor fluids, blood
must be conveyed to it in sufficient quanti-
ty by appropriate vessels. Again we refer
to ne skin for illustration. If II be pale, and
shrunk, and bloodless, the surface is dry;
but let the blood circulate freely through it,
giving it warmthand coloration, aud it be-
comes soft and moist, and bedewed with
perspiration. Should the amount of blood,
however, be too great, as in fever, or from
much rubbing, or exposed to the sun, or to
fire, there will be no perspiration--no
moisture; the skin will be dry and parched.
Just thus it is with the stomach- If the cir
culation Of the blood be languid, the gastric
juice will not be formed in sufficient guam
tity; and if too impetuous, an entire stop
page will be the consequence. Hence VIC
can explain in part,-why, in feeble state Of
body, when the beats of the heart and this
pulse are small and futtering, the stomach
can i'll digest much or strong food; and also,
how it Isl that, in fever, or any other dis
eased acceleration Of the pulse and beating
of the heart the appetite should be wanting
and, at the same time, there is utter inabili-
ty in the stomach to manage any thing ex-
ceptng water or the most simple drinks.
Again-the commonest knowledge Of what
takes place in the human body, teaches Us
that, whatever affects a nerve going to any
part, whether by bruising or disease, will
produce notable change in its condition.
Let the nerve going from the brain 10 tho
globe of the eye, be pressed on, or altered
in its texture, and blindness is the conse-
quence. II the nerves passing to the fingers
be tied or cut, there is loss of motion, and
VI W uioiUSuioh ioUSci oD-i
jects by the sense of touch. The stomach
has, in this respect, the same relations with
the brain which these and all other impor-
tant bodies have. If the nerve which, as
above described, goes down on each side of
the neck from the lower part of the brain
and passes through the chest on to the s,oin-
ach, be cut, as has been done in animals,
without any other injury to them the power
of digestion is gone-the food which they
swallow remains in the stomach unchanged
Now, whatever cause impedes in man the
due supply ofnervous power from the brain
to the stomach, interferes with DIGESTION
Such cause may be excessive exertion Of
the brain in intense thought and study-in-
diligence in violent passions--injury done,
the part by blows, sun-strokes, &c. -,
five have made ourselves understood by
our readers, and we have taken some pains
to do so, we shall have less difficulty in
pointing out in a future number of the Re-
former, the relative digestibility of different
kinds of aliment-the reciprocal influence
exercised on each otherby the stomach and
brain---by the lungs and stomach, and by
the skin and stomach. These are all ques-,