Food. 295 



compositions as have been described, cannot but be attended with the 

 most deleterious consequences to the sick animal. And for this plain, 

 incontrovertible reason, namely, that the substances which tiiese 

 compositions consist of, cannot remain stationary in the temperature 

 of the stomach of a warm-blooded animal. 



They must either be converted into chyme or something else, and 

 if not into chyme, then they rapidly run into fermentation, a process 

 which (though it never goes on in healthy stomachs) frequently takes 

 place, as has been already shewn, in such as are diseased. If chyme, 

 therefore, be not formed in the stomach, vinegar frequently is, when 

 substances readily susceptible of fermentation are thrown into this 

 organ, whilst it is in a state of diminished energy. 



And, though 1 think it highly probable that the vinous fermenta- 

 tion first takes place, and passes rapidly on to the acetous, yet, as it 

 has never been proved, that wine is formed in the stomach of animals, 

 and as we know that there are many instances in which acetous acid, 

 that is vinegar, is produced from substances, which have not previously 

 undergone the vinous fermentation, it may happen, that this is the 

 case with such materials, as are converted into acetous acid in diseased 

 stomachs. And as to this latter acid being frequently formed in 

 the stomach of diseased Horses ; this is a fact which I have for many 

 years been perfectly convinced of. For, not only have I found it, 

 almost constantly, on dissection, in the stomachs of such Horses, as 

 iiave been drenched with fermentative materials, but I have now and 

 then, been struck with the smell of it, in some instances, when I 

 have inspected the stomach immediately/ after death, and where no 

 drenching had previously taken place. For, it happens now and then^ 

 though rarely, that one meets with an instance which is an exception 



