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Anatomical Besearches on the Structure of the Gastric and 

 Intestinal Mucous Membranes.* By M. Flourens. 



" I have shewn, in a former memoir, that the mucous naem- 

 brane of the lips, the mouth, and cesophagus, is composed of 

 three distinct membranes, — ^the dermis, the mucous body, and 

 the epidermis. 



" Before me, none had studied the mucous body, except on 

 the tongue : I have traced it on the Hps, the cheeks, and in the 

 oesophagus. Besides, it was supposed, according to Malpighi, 

 that the mucous body of the tongue was arranged as a net- 

 work : but I have shewn, on the contrary, that it forms a 

 continuous membrane. t 



" With regard to the epidermis, it was early observed on the 

 lips, in the buccal cavity, and oesophagus ; and some anato- 

 mists even went farther, and believed they recognised it in the 

 stomach and the intestines. But the opinion of the existence 

 of the epidermis in the stomach and intestines has never yet 

 been generally admitted. 



" Thus, at the end of the 17th century, Glisson maintained 

 that the epidermis was wanting in the intestines, and that its 

 place was supplied by the lubricating mucus. + More than a 

 hundred years after Glisson, Bichat denied anew, and in a 

 manner almost as absolutely as Glisson, the existence of the 

 epidermis of the stomach and intestines. " In the stomach," 

 says he, " and the intestines, the most delicate instrument can- 

 not separate the epidermis : in the maceration and boiling of 

 these parts, I have never seen the epidermis raised on their sur- 

 face. I have extracted from the belly of a dog a portion of intes- 

 tine, and applied an epispastic to it, but no blister arose. From 

 these considerations," continues he, " it appears that the epi- 

 dermis does not exist on these mucous membranes. At least, 

 it cannot be admitted before a new examination, which, I be- 

 lieve, will prove rather against, than for, its existence."§ 



* Acad, des Sciences, 27tli May 1839. Pp. 833, &c. 

 t Voyez ComjiUs rendiit, anne'es 18;J7-38. 

 J Glisson De Vttitricvlo et Intettinh. 

 § Bichat, Anat. Gener, t. iv. p. 471. 



