160 DIGESTION. [CHAP. xxn. 



secretion of gas into the stomach, and sometimes actual pain, ac- 

 company this state. 



When these sensations are not relieved by their appropriate 

 stimulus food, the effects of fasting begin to shew themselves. 

 The body now feeds upon itself in other words, the process of de- 

 structive assimilation is the only source from whence the blood 

 derives its materials of supply. All the tissues shew the effects of 

 impaired nutrition in the deficient manifestation of their vital 

 powers the animal loses weight, and, according to Chossat, this 

 loss is most rapid the few days immediately preceding death. The 

 tissue which wastes most is fat, and those which lose least are the 

 osseous tissue and the nervous. There is also great loss of heat : 

 Chossat states that the daily fall was half a degree of Fahrenheit; 

 but on the last day it fell much more rapidly, reducing the temper- 

 ature to 77. The stomach is much contracted, and its mucous 

 membrane thrown into thick folds or rugse. The gall-bladder is 

 generally full to distention. the intestines are contracted like the 

 stomach; according to Collard de Martigny, the lymphatics become 

 full in the first ten days of fasting, but afterwards their contents 

 decrease considerably. The respiratory movements become slow, 

 and the pulse falls considerably in frequency. The urine becomes 

 scanty, and all the parenchymatous organs are remarkable for their 

 paleness. Furious delirium frequently manifests itself, when the 

 loss of strength becomes considerable. A similar delirium some- 

 times ensues, where too rigid an abstinence has been observed in 

 the treatment of disease. 



The period at which death occurs from protracted abstinence 

 varies greatly ; young animals die sooner than old ones. Dogs live 

 from twenty-five to thirty- six days. In man, total privation is not 

 borne above a week. By the aid of a little drink, given now and 

 then, life may be prolonged considerably, and instances are recorded 

 where it continued for eighteen or nineteen days, or even for thirty 

 days. Dr. Willan saw a gentleman who voluntarily abstained from 

 everything but water, flavoured with orange juice, for sixty days, 

 and then died. Medical men, however, should exercise much cir- 

 cumspection in cases of professed abstinence, numerous impostures 

 having been practised on this subject. 



Thirst results from a peculiar state of the mucous membrane of 

 the digestive tube, but more especially of the mucous membrane of 

 the mouth and fauces, caused by the imperfect supply of liquid. A 

 sense of clamminess in the mouth, pharynx, and even down the oeso- 

 phagus, accompanies extreme thirst. The thirst in fevers is probably 



