EME. | 90 
ing in hernia humoralis, stated. Opinion of Dar- 
win respecting the cause of vomiting. Experiments 
and opinions of M. Maingault, Professor Portal, 
- M. Bourdon, on the same subject. In short, the 
physiology involved in this mysterious but natural, 
though not customary action of the stomach, must 
_ from the very occult nature of the process, be 
_ chiefly speculative. The phenomena are ‘visible 
enough; the cause or causes of them involved in 
much obscurity ; and, though well devised, and. 
judiciously conducted experiments have been in- 
stituted by ingenious and qualified physiologists, 
to elucidate this process, stil] its ultimate results 
are all that are indisputably known. A more 
useful subject of enquiry to the student, will be 
found in the study of the phenomena, effects, ir- 
regularities, and therapeutic application of the 
agents usually employed to effect the important 
susceptibility of the stomach to be evacuated of 
its contents ; and of the general system to be cura- 
tively or beneficially approached by thatevacuation, 
through effects produced by it. ‘Toadiscussion of 
these points I shall therefore pass on, after noticing 
some miscellancous facts embraced in the general 
WOWe2 0. oS 
The function of vomiting, is natural to man and 
various brute animals. Birds vomit, particalarly 
the carniverous birds of prey. Fishes vomit, and 
some amphibia: Of the mamalia, the horse cannot 
vomit or be artificially made to do so. The reasons 
for this deduced from his anatomical structure ; 
yomiting sometimes dangerous ; in what kind of 
systems and temperamients to be cautiously resort- 
ed to. {n what diseases dangerous. Rupture of the 
esophagus has been produced by it; instances 
given. Comparative ease of the operation to 
