330 OF DIGESTION AND NUTRITIVE ABSORPTION. 



saturated, it refuses to dissolve more ; and, if an excess of food has been taken, 

 the residue remains in the stomach, or passes into the bowels in a crude state, 

 and becomes a source of nervous irritation, pain and disease, for a long time." 

 The unfavourable effect of an undue burthen of food upon the stomach itself 

 interferes with its healthy action ; and thus the quantity really appropriate is 

 not dissolved. The febrile disturbance is thus increased ; and the mucous 

 membrane of the stomach exhibits evident indications of its morbid condition. 

 The description of these indications, given by Dr. Beaumont, is peculiarly 

 graphic, as well as Hygienically important. 



439. "In disease or partial derangement of the healthy function, the mucous 

 membrane presents various and essentially different appearances. In febrile 

 conditions of the system, occasioned by whatever cause, obstructed perspira- 

 tion, undue excitement by stimulating liquors, overloading the stomach with 

 food, fear, anger, or whatever depresses or disturbs the nervous system, the 

 villous coat becomes sometimes red and dry, at other times pale and moist, 

 and loses its smooth and healthy appearance ; the secretions become vitiated, 

 greatly diminished, or even suppressed ; the coat of mucus scarcely perceptible, 

 the follicles flat and flaccid, with secretions insufficient to prevent the papillae 

 from irritation. There are sometimes found on the internal coat of the stomach 

 eruptions of deep-red pimples, not numerous, but distributed here and there 

 upon the villous membrane, rising above the surface of the mucous coat. 

 These are at first sharp-pointed, and red, but frequently become filled with 

 white purulent matter. At other times, irregular, circumscribed red patches, 

 varying in size and extent from half an inch to an inch and a half in circum- 

 ference, are found on the internal coat. These appear to be the effects of 

 congestion in the minute blood-vessels of the stomach. There are also seen 

 at times small aphthous crusts, in connection with these red patches. Abra- 

 sion of the lining membrane, like the rolling up of the mucous coat into small 

 shreds or strings, leaving the papillae bare for an indefinite space, is not an 

 uncommon appearance. These diseased appearances, when very slight, do 

 not always affect essentially the gastric apparatus. When considerable, and 

 particularly when there are corresponding symptoms of disease, as dryness 

 of the mouth, thirst, accelerated pulse, &c. no gastric juice can be extracted 

 by the alimentary stimulus. Drinks are immediately absorbed or otherwise 

 disposed of; but food taken in this condition of the stomach remains undigested 

 for twenty-four or forty-eight hours, or more, increasing the derangement of 

 the alimentary canal, and aggravating the general symptoms of disease. After 

 excessive eating or drinking, chymification is retarded ; and, though the appe- 

 tite be not always impaired at first, the fluids become acrid and sharp, excori- 

 ating the edges of the aperture, and almost invariably producing aphthous 

 patches and the other indications of a diseased state of the internal membrane. 

 Vitiated bile is also found in the stomach under these circumstances, and floc- 

 culi of mucus are more abundant than in health. Whenever this morbid 

 condition of the stomach occurs, with the usual accompanying symptoms of 

 disease, there is generally a corresponding appearance of the tongue. When 

 a healthy state of the stomach is restored, the tongue invariably becomes 

 clean."* 



* Dr. A. Combe's commentary on the above passage is too apposite to be omitted. 

 "Many persons who obviously live too freely, protest against the fact, because they feel 

 no immediate inconvenience, either from the quantity of food, or the stimulants in which 

 they habitually indulge; or, in other words, because they experience no pain, sickness, 

 or headache, nothing, perhaps, except slight fulness and oppression, which soon go off. 

 Observation extended over a sufficient length of time, however, shows that the conclu- 

 sion drawn is entirely fallacious, and that the real amount of injury is not felt at the 

 moment, merely because, for a wise purpose, nature has deprived us of any conscious- 



