Chap. 39.] [ 373 ] 



CHAP. XXXIX. 



SMELLING, AND ITS ORGANS. 



Final Caufe of this Scnfe.Lefs acute in Man than in fame oiler Ani- 

 mals. Different aJ/o from theirs. ~Defcription cf the Organs of 

 Scent,~Comj>arifon between this Senfe and that of c fafte. 



AS one principal ufe of the organs of fmelling is 

 to aflift animals in obtaining proper food, and 

 to guard them againft what is improper, they are 

 univerfally placed near the mouth. The organs of 

 fmell differ, like thofe of the other fenfes, according 

 to the deftination of the animals to which they be- 

 long. This fenfe in man is far lefs acute than that 

 of many other animals j thus, the dog poflefles a power 

 of fmelling, of which we can fcarcely form a concep- 

 tion, and which we happily do not poflels. Birds 

 of prey, however, are faid to have the fenfe of fmel- 

 ling {till more acute than dogs. The fenfe of fmelling 

 in man is fuch as to fit him for deriving enjoyment 

 from a diverfity of fcents, particularly thofe of 

 flowers, to which dogs and other animals, which do 

 not feed on herbs, feem perfectly infenfible. 



The organ of fmell is a foft/vafcular, porous mem- 

 brane, furnifhed with papilke, which is fpread on the 

 internal furface of the noftrils. On this membrane 

 are diftributed a great number of nervous fibres, 

 which proceed chiefly from the firft pair of nerves, 

 and which pafs through the ethmoid bone. From 

 the extreme tenuity of the epidermis, which involves 

 the nerves and blood- vefiels in this membrane, he- 

 B b 3 morrhagc 



