324 Broughton on the Nerves. 



Thirdly, that the nerves may have re-united. I again answer 

 to this, that I found the divided ends of the nerves uniformly 

 separate and apart from each other. Nor can I credit the 

 possibility of so quick a re-union. From experiments per- 

 formed by Mr. Sewel at the Veterinary College, I believe it to 

 be impossible, and also that the re-union is slow and imperfect 

 in its sensibility. 



Fourthly, that the three horses cited, make against me 

 most fatally. To this last charge I answer that the first 

 died in an hour, so that no inspection was made of the 

 stomach. 



The objection to the second horse, which lived Jifty hours, 

 and was quite well twenty-four of them, is, that the food was 

 not weighed before eaten, and after death. It is true, it was 

 not, because, even Mr. Field's stable-boy could perceive, with- 

 out the aid of scales, that the quantity of hay found in the 

 stomach was so much less than that eaten, that (as a horse 

 can't vomit,) it was evident much had been digested, especially 

 a^ the colon was empty. As he was eating just before he died, 

 this accounts for the small portion of hay in the stomach. The 

 third horse, was a single instance (of fifteen experiments,) of 

 no digestion having gone on, after division of the nerves; thus 

 shewing the analogy between the experience of former, and 

 cotemporary writers on the subject, and myself, as to the 

 variability of the effects, always excepting the advocates of the 

 doctrine which ascribes digestion entirely to the agency of the 

 nerves of the eighth pair. 



In the present general eagerness for information and novelty, 

 some of other habits and callings take an interest in specula- 

 tive inquiries ; and among such, many may be seduced into a 

 belief of the most visionary theories. It is right, therefore, 

 that these should be put upon their guard, and assuredly just 

 and natural that I should not allow the force of my experi- 

 ments and remarks to hazard the danger attendant upon mis- 

 representations and idle quibbles, for the correction of which, 

 this letter is solely written. Having discharged this duty, I 

 beg leave to decline all further controversy, which might 



