Eighth Pair of Nerves. 51 



lacteals, and the gall-bladder is much distended. Of the ac- 

 curacy of the above statement, which is supported by the testi- 

 mony of other writers, I am assured, by repeated experiments 

 on dogs and rabbits. A few of these, in order that the healthy 

 appearances of the stomach may be more directly contrasted 

 with those presented after the division of the eighth pair of 

 nerves, shall be here related. 



Experiment 1. 



A rabbit was kept without food for several hours. It then 

 ate very heartily of cabbage leaves. For twelve hours after- 

 wards it was not allowed to take any food, and was then killed. 



The contents of the cardiac portion of the stomach were cjuite 

 pulpy, and contained many round balls. There was nothing at 

 all like cabbage, the whole appeared entirely digested. The 

 food in the pyloric portion was much drier. The duodenum was 

 nearly empty, but contained some little chyme and bile. The 

 gall-bladder was distended. There was no chyle in the lacteals. 



Experiment 2. 



, After a fast of eighteen hours a full grown rabbit was killed. 

 On opening the stomach, the contents of its cardiac portion were 

 found in a semi-fluid state. There were many round balls. The 

 food contained in the pyloric portion was much drier, and rather 

 more digested. There was no chyme in the duodenum. The 

 gall-bladder was distended. The lacteals were empty. 



Experiment 3. 



I gave a dog six ounces and a half of raw mutton, and in four 

 hours and a half afterwards had him killed. 



When the stomach was opened, three ounces and seven 

 drachms of a thick fluid, somewhat like strong broth, were 

 found in it. There was also some mucus, and a small quantity 

 of yellow matter resembling bile, adhering to the pylorus. The 

 thoracic duct, and the lacteal vessels, near the duodenum, were 

 distended with chyle. The gall-bladder was not distended. 



E2 



