DIGESTION.— THE STOMACH. 43 



45. The Prockss of Digestion, whereby the food is prcpand to be con- 

 verted into blood, is no less curious than "the circulation" itself, is equally 

 conducive to the support of life, and being obstructed, is also the harbinger of 

 disease. If, on the two other great functions of animal life, depend hisinime 

 diate existence, no less does the horse's capabilities, his present health, and 

 the engendering of future obstinate, incurable, and often mortal diseases reach 

 his vitals by way of his stomach and intestines, that comprise the organs of 

 digestion. 



Every one knows that oats and hay are the chief sustenance of the horse iii 

 a domesticated state, and these, together with one or two other similar i^roduc- 

 tions, and water, are given to him for nutriment alone ; it therefore follows, 

 that whatever substances are taken into his stomach, which act not to the same 

 end, must operate injuriously, even though containing nothing hurtful in them- 

 selves : these must obstruct, if they do no more. But. when matters obnoxious 

 in their nature, and possessing strong powers and effects, are being adminis- 

 tered to the horse, it seems but fair to examine whether such things are likely 

 to agree with his common nutriment, with the blood that is made from it, or 

 with his constitution, his habits, or the tasks he has to perform. Or whether, 

 on the other hand, they do not prove destructive of the food itself, of the ves- 

 sels that contain it, and of those which draw up its liner particles that are to 

 be converted into blood. 



Let him who practises by violent means consider a moment the natural 

 structure, formation, and functions of the organs on which his medicines are 

 destined to act, and compare their altered state, that has been brought about 

 by reason of the treatment the animal has received at his hands. Some pro- 

 tection, doubtless, is afforded by nature in the secretion of the fluid so often 

 mentioned, which defends the several organs against ordinary injuries; but 

 these are often found insufficient in quantity (notwithstanding the supply 

 which nmy be drawn by effusion from other parts of the body), and the fre- 

 quent repetition of the monstrous mixture of the doctor's skil-less art, ulti- 

 mately effects its purpose in destroying the tone of the fine vessels just alluded 

 to (the lacteals), and then the symptomatic disease of the skin, called hidc- 

 Dound, follows, as a natural consequence. 



46. The Stomach is a bag, or pouch, with two holes in it; the one receiv- 

 'ng the end of the gullet, the other opening into the small gut. See it ; plate 

 I — L, 26 — 29. It lies behind the midriff, inclining a little to the left, having 

 the lungs contiguous on the other side that membrane, and the liver next be- 

 aind or under it. This main organ of digestion is but small in the horse, as 

 •-ompared to that of any other animal, being so designed to assist his fleetness, 

 out which would be impeded by his receiving large quantities of food at a tinifc, 

 and points out the reason why he requires to be feci and watered frequently ; 



he larger and more distended the stomach of any animal may be, the raori. 

 sluggish and vicious he is. As one proof of this position, I formerly obtaineci 

 the stomach of a man which was larger than that of any other subject I ever 

 saw or read of, and its possessor in life had a heavy, slow and sordid manner, 

 together with one or two other bad qualities which brought him prematurely 

 to his end. 



At the upper orifice of the stomach, a membrane, nearly insensible, comnig 

 from the gullet, enters it loosely, and sprca-Jing along its lower part, lines about 

 one half of it, thus defending it from acrimo/iiousor poisonous substances, whilst 

 the coat of the other parts thereof consists of striated muscular fibres, very 

 sensible and given to contraction, and ruAning transversely to thoseof the in- 

 sensible coat, a circumstance which has ^iven rise to the fanciful notion, tha^ 

 digestion proceeds in the horse's stomach by what is termed "trituration," oi 

 pounding; but, upon reference to the figure which illustrates another organ. 



