302 DIGESTION. 



size . may be produced, and the contents of the stomach 

 may in part escape into the cavity of the abdomen. 

 This phenomenon is not unfrequently observed in post- 

 mortem examinations of the human body ; but, as 

 Dr. Pavy observes, the effect may be rendered, by 

 experiment, more strikingly manifest. "If, for instance," 

 he remarks, " an animal, as a rabbit, be killed at a 

 period of digestion, and afterwards exposed to artificial 

 warmth to prevent its temperature from falling, not 

 only the stomach, but many of the surrounding parts 

 will be found to have ]been dissolved. With a rabbit 

 killed in the evening, and placed in a warm situation to 

 prevent its temperature from falling, not only the stomach 

 but many of the surrounding parts will be found to have 

 been dissolved. With a rabbit killed in the evening, and 

 placed in a warm situation (100 to 110 Fahr.) during 

 the night, I have seen in the morning, the stomach, dia- 

 phragm, part of the liver and lungs, and the intercostal 

 muscles of the side upon which the animal was laid all 

 digested away, with the muscles and skin of the neck and 

 upper extremity on the same side also in a semi-digested 

 state." 



From these facts, it becomes an interesting question why, 

 during life, the stomach is free from liability to injury 

 from a secretion, which, after death, is capable of such 

 destructive effects ? John Hunter, who particularly drew 

 attention to the phenomena of post-mortem digestion, ex- 

 plained the immunity from injury of the living stomach, 

 by referring it to the protective influence of the "vital 

 principle." But this dictum has been called in question 

 by subsequent observers. It is, indeed, rather a statement 

 of a fact, than an explanation of its cause. It must 

 be confessed, however, that no entirely satisfactory theory 

 has been yet stated as a substitute. 



It is only necessary to refer to the idea of Bernard, that 

 the living stomach finds protection from its secretion in the 



