290 “Magendie on Absorption. 
placed in contact; these operations are not performed with- 
out discernment; they are done with the nicest sense of 
discrimination ; those organs choose with great exactness 
what ought to be taken in and what rejected ; and it is not 
until after due roe that they determine to exercise 
their absorbing pow 
tis sufficient sicreiy to doubt of the truth of such expla- 
nations to become at once sensible of ~ Sine ; but 
they seldom produce this effect. Such is 
exercise over our eitinds that we are Seiliy led to be- 
2 them true ; and we afterwards repel with passion what- 
ever might tend to undeceive us.* It is, however, time 
Set such deceptions should disappear from the doctrine of 
sio 
I eri T donot exaggerate in asserting that hitherto, 
uothing positive has been advanced relative to the mechan- 
ism by which absorption is effected i in animals: of red _ 
warm blood. : 
Some ectypeitininigwbebeks T have sti this year seem to 
me to throw some light on this important subject; when I 
shall have related the circumstances, the judgment of the 
Academy will show me whether I am ee or whether 
T have hit upon the truth. 
In a public lecture on the mode of action, of medicines, ¥ 
was showing the effect of a certain y meena of water, at the 
temperature of 40° Centigrade, (104 Farenheit) introdu- 
ced into the veins; in making this experiment, the idea 
struck afi to observe the effect of the artificial plethora thus 
produced, on the absorbent faculties ; consequently, after 
pros injected nearly a litre almost'an English quart) of 
ater, into the veins of a dog of a middling size, 1 introdu- 
cal into the pleura a small dose of a substance, the effects 
of which were well known to me. It struck me as singular 
that those effects did not appear until several minutes after 
the time in which pee are ordinarily seen. I immediately 
—« the experiment ton another animal, and obtained a 
i L several other eeiie’ Flee effects were observable. at the 
wher they should manifest themselves, but ‘they were 
Sa tna ge rissa theo ptm of uct 
