334 POISONS, CONTAGIONS, MIASMS. 



dissolved the salt in immediate contact with it, and 

 thereby lost the power of penetrating animal sub- 

 stances, it has on this account separated from the 

 flesh. The water still retained by the flesh con- 

 tains a proportionally small quantity of salt, having 

 that degree of dilution at which a saline fluid is 

 capable of penetrating animal substances. 



This property of animal tissues is taken advan- 

 tage of in domestic economy for the purpose of re- 

 moving so much water from meat that a sufficient 

 quantity is not left to enable it to enter into pu- 

 trefaction. 



In respect of this physical property of animal 

 tissues, alcohol resembles the inorganic salts. It 

 is incapable of moistening, that is, of penetrating 

 animal substances, and possesses such an affinity 

 for water as to extract it from moist substances. 



When a solution of a salt, in a certain degree of 

 dilution, is introduced into the stomach, it is ab- 

 sorbed ; but a concentrated saline solution, in place 

 of being itself absorbed, extracts water from the 

 organ, and a violent thirst ensues. Some inter- 

 change of water and salt takes place in the stomach ; 

 the coats of this viscus yield water to the solution, a 

 part of which having previously become sufficiently 

 diluted, is, on the other hand, absorbed. But the 

 greater part of the concentrated solution of salt 

 remains unabsorbed, and is not removed by the 

 urinary passages ; it consequently enters the intes- 



