OF THE BILE. 241 



In the first place, it gradually precipitates the faeces, 

 and separates the milky chyle from the mixed and 

 equable pultaceous chyme, while this is passing 

 through the tract of the small intestines, after being 

 propelled from the stomach into the duodenum and 

 diluted by the pancreatic juice.* 



It separates itself into two portions, the one serous, 

 the other resinous. The latter combines with the faeces, 

 tinges them, and is discharged with them ; the former 

 is probably mixed with the chyle and carried back to 

 the blood. (C) 



The bile seems to act as a stimulus to the peristaltic 

 motionf of the intestines. 



We shall omit other less probable uses assigned to 

 the bile, v. c. of exciting hunger by regurgitating into 

 the stomach, a circumstance which I think can hardly 

 happen during health. 



NOTES. 



(A) Two instances have occurred in London, of the vena 

 portae running, not to the liver, but immediately to the vena 

 cava inferior. The bile must have been secreted entirely from 

 the blood of the hepatic artery. One of these is described 

 by Mr. Abernethy, % and the other is mentioned by Mr. Law- 

 rence. 



* Chr. L. Werner, (Prses. Autenreith) Experimenta circa modum, quo 

 chymus in ckylum mutatur. Tubing. 1800. 8vo. 

 f- G. Fordyce, On the digestion of food. p. 70. 

 J Philos. Trans. Vol. Ixxxiii. 

 Medicn-Chirurgic. Trans. Vol. iv. p. 174. 



R 



