{ -^59 ) 



tions of the bowel where it lay, which in the courfe of nature are 

 performed many times in a minute, were the caufe of its being found 

 in that ftate. 



Seeing now, how powerfully coagulation is performed in animals, 

 we may conclude, that fomething of the fame kind muft take place 

 with the food in our own flomachs, in order to render the fame nu- 

 tritive to us. And who can tell, how far fuch coagulation ma}'^ take 

 place, not only witli milk, but alfo with wine, vinegar, fait, and 

 other parts of our food ? This, however, is certain, that if a fuckhig 

 child cafts up the milk, on account of having fwallowed more than its 

 llomach can contain, fuch milk, though juft before taken from the 

 breafi:, is in a curdled ftate ; confequently we mufl conclude, that 

 coagulation in our ftomachs is a neceflary part of the animal oeco- 

 nomy. 



If milk in the ftomachs of fmall animals was not curdled, it 

 would in a few hours pafs through their inteftines, and afford but 

 little nouriflimcnt to their bodies. And, in this opinion I have been 

 confirmed by the experience of the butchers, from whom I find, that 

 when the excrements of calves or fucking lambs are thin and fluid, 

 they thrive but little, and, that at thofe times, no curdled milk is 

 found in their ftomachs. 



I am aware, that thefe my obfervations, may difpleafe fome 

 perfons, as thinking that herein I am going out of ray province ; 

 but, thofe con fi derations weigh little with me, forafmuch as every 

 judicious perfon knows, that Phyficians themfelves, in many things 

 proceed merely by guefs, and therefore, I allume to mj'felf the liberty 

 of offering my conjectures on this fubje6l. 



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