PHYSICAL AND LITERARY. 499 



as not to be, in any degree, affeded by- 

 pricking or tearing their fibres *. 



Does not the flower digeflion of the 

 aliment in time of fleep proceed partly 

 from the periftaltic motion of the fto- 

 mach and guts being then repeated after 

 longer intervals ? In dogs who have got a 

 large dofe of opium, this motioa is very 

 much lefTened or totally fufpended, the 

 food lafl received into the ftomach re- 

 mains there indigefted, the guts are more 

 than ufually empty, and the lacteal vef- 

 fels invifible f. In fleep, therefore, not 

 only the heart, but the fl;omach and guts 

 alfo, become lefs feniible of the ftimulus 

 ufually afFeding them, and confequently 

 repeat their contradlions more flowly. 



De Gorter, differing from Boer- 

 haave and other authors, thinks, that the 

 pulfe mud be not fuller, but fofter in 

 time of fleep, becaufe the circulation of 

 the blood is allowed then to proceed more 



flowly 



* Eflay on the vital and involuntary motions, &c. 

 p. 372. 



t Kauu impet. faclens Hippqcrat. dl<5tum, No 434. 

 435. 



