258 ANATOMY, PHYSIOLOGY, &C. 



a man, may be taken with impunity by a dog, which 

 is more affected by a dose of jalap or nux vomica. 

 Bitter almonds are poisonous to dogs and to various 

 birds, while mountain-parsley is fatal to parrots. 



Sympathy of the Brain and Stomach. 



In man the brain is more sensitive than in other 

 animals, and liable to be affected by various causes 

 mental and corporeal. The digestive organs are in 

 like manner deranged by stimulating and unnatural 

 diet, while sedentary habits and impure air co-ope- 

 rate to aggravate these disorders. The affections of 

 the brain and of the digestive organs mutually exas- 

 perate each other ; and thus a state of constitution 

 arises, productive of the most general and complex 

 diseases. The disorder of the sensorium, excited 

 and aggravated by the means described, frequently 

 affects the mind. The operations of the intellect be- 

 come enfeebled, perplexed, and perverted ; the tem- 

 per and disposition, irritable, unbenevolent, and de- 

 sponding ; and even the moral character and conduct 

 appear liable to be influenced by these circum- 

 stances.* 



Digestion. 



The phenomena of digestion, as far as they can be 

 traced, are as follow: 



The food is first conveyed to the stomach, where, 

 by means of the gastric juice, it is converted into 

 chyme. The chyme passes into the intestinal canal, 

 where it is subjected to a new process, being gradually 

 decomposed and converted into chyle and excremen- 

 titious matter, which by means of the bile are sepa- 

 rated from each other. The last is evacuated, but 



* Many cases of half insanity, now so common, are solely 

 attributable to this cause. 



