88 ABSORPTION AND EXHALATION. LiECT. IV. 



about two hours ago some water was introduced into the 

 stomach of the one, and some oil into that of the other. 

 In the stomach of the first there remains not a trace of the 

 water, but in that of the second we find all the oil; and it 

 would still have been found there had we delayed opening 

 the animal for several hours longer. If, instead of pure 

 water, we had used a mixture of water and alcohol, the 

 absorption would have been more rapid. An acid or saline 

 solution would also have been absorbed, but not so rapidly 

 as pure water. 



" 2d. The intensity of the absorbing power of different 

 organs is chiefly dependent on the number of their vessels, 

 the flaccidity of their tissue, and the conducting power of 

 the parts which cover them." 



I am repeating word for word what I find in works on 

 physiology. It is evident that the terms flaccidity of tissue, 

 and the conducting power of the parts which cover them, 

 mean nothing more than that the texture of organic solids 

 is more or less favourable to imbibition. The greatest 

 number of vessels merely signifies the largest number of 

 points of contact between the body to be absorbed, and the 

 liquids with which it is to be mixed and carried away. 

 This is the reason why the lungs, as we have seen, are the 

 best fitted for absorption, and why they are the first to 

 manifest the presence of the absorbed body. In fact, ana- 

 tomy teaches us that the lungs, more than any other part of 

 the animal economy, possess a structure fitted for imbibition, 

 and a highly developed vascular system. The cellular tissue, 

 likewise, is very permeable to liquids, but not being so well 

 supplied with blood-vessels as the lungs are, absorption is 

 there effected more slowly. The skin, on the contrary, 

 being covered by epidermis, which is of a very compact 

 texture, and devoid of blood-vessels, performs with diffi- 



