CHYMIFICATION. 599 



death ; Z>, in the case of one who had eaten two hours previously ; and 

 c, in the case of one who had done so four hours previous to execution. 



100 volumes of the gas contained 



Oxygen. Azote. Carbonic Acid, Inflammable Gas, 



( From the stomach, 11-00 71-45 14-00 3'55 



* J small intestines, OO'OO 20-03 24-39 55-33 



( large do, 00-00 51-03 43-50 5'47 



( From the stomach, 00-00 00-00 00-00 00-00 



b,< small intestines, OO'OO 8-S5 40-00 51-15 



( large do. 00-00 18-40 70-00 11-60 



t From the stomach, OO'OO 00-00 OO'OO 00 00 



c? small intestines, 00-00 66'60 25-00 8-40 



( large do, OO'OO 45'96 42-86 IMS 1 



From these results it appears, that when the execution occurred not 

 longer than an hour after a meal, oxygen was found in the stomach ; and 

 when not until two hours, it had entirely disappeared, and a large quan- 

 tity of nitrogen was found in the intestines, with an entire absence of 

 oxygen ; whence it is inferred, that the oxygen of the air is separated 

 from the nitrogen in the stomach ; and the former is employed in diges- 

 tion. The view of Liebig is, that the oxygen occasions a molecular 

 action in the pepsin or animal matter in the stomach, and that this in- 

 testine motion is communicated to the molecules of the albumen or pro- 

 tein of the food, so that the latter is rendered soluble in the gastric 

 acid. 2 The oxygen he refers to atmospheric air enclosed in the saliva 

 during mastication, and in that way introduced into the stomach. 



Researches into the phenomena jof digestion, made some years ago 

 by MM. Bouchardat and Sandras, 3 led them to the following conclu- 

 sions. First. The functions of the stomach in digestion consist in dis- 

 solving, with the aid of chlorohydric acid, all albuminous matters, as 

 fibrin, albumen, casein, and gluten. Secondly. This acid, if diluted 

 with 5000 parts of water, dissolves the same matters out of the body, 

 provided they are not cooked ; but if boiled, the solution has no action 

 upon them. As they are found, however, dissolved in the stomach, it 

 is probable that some other agency is at work than simple solution by 

 means of chlorohydric acid; but the presence of that acid appears to 

 be indispensable. Thirdly. As far as albuminous matters are concerned, 

 digestion and absorption take place exclusively in the stomach through 

 the veins ; the intestines present scarcely any traces of those matters 

 although they exist in such abundance in the stomach. Fourthly. Solu- 

 tion of fecula occurs in the stomach. This principle does not appear 

 to pass into the state of sugar; and the experiments did not even war- 

 rant the statement, that it passes into that of soluble starch; but they 

 regard its transformation into lactic acid as proved. Fifthly. The 

 absorption of this form of aliment appears to take place less exclusively 

 from the stomach than that of albuminous matters, a circumstance 

 which accords with the special arrangement and length of the intestines 

 of animals not carnivorous. Sixthly. Fatty matters are not acted on 



1 Liebig, op. cit., p. 289. Ancell, Lond. Lancet, Dec. 16, 1842, p. 419. 



3 Annales des Sciences Naturelles, Oct., 1842, or Edinb. Med. and Surg. Journal., Jan., 

 1843. 



