442 DISEASES CLASS IV. 3. 3. 1 1 



ORDO III. 



Retrograde Associate Motions. 



GENUS III. 



Catenated with Voluntary Motions. 

 SPECIES. 



1. Ruminatio. In the rumination of horned cattle the food is 

 brought up from the first stomach by the retrograde motions of 

 the stomach and oesophagus, which are catenated with the volun- 

 tary motions of the abdominal muscles. 



2. Vomitio voluntaria. Voluntary vomiting. Some human 

 subjects have been said to have obtained this power of voluntary 

 action over the retrograde motions of the stomach and oesophagus, 

 and thus to have been able to empty their stomach at pleasure. See 

 Sect. XXV. 6. This voluntary act of emptying the stomach is 

 possessed by some birds, as the pigeon; who has an organ for se- 

 creting milk in its stomach, as Mr. Hunter observed; and softens 

 the food for its young by previously swallowing it; and after- 

 wards putting its bill into theirs, returns it into their mouths. See 

 Sect. XXXIX. 4. 8. The pelicans use a stomach, or throat-bag, 

 for the purpose of bringing the fish, which they catch in the sea, 

 to shore, and then eject them, and eat them at their leisure. See 

 Sect. XVI. 11. And I am well informed of a bitch, who having 

 puppies in a stable at a distance from the house, swallowed the 

 flesh-meat, which was given her, in large pieces, and carrying it 

 immediately to her whelps, brought it up out of her stomach, and 

 laid it down before them. 



3. Eructatio voluntaria. Voluntary eructation. Some, who 

 have weak digestions, and thence have frequently been induced 

 to eruct the quantity of air discharged from the fermenting ali- 

 ment in their stomachs, have gradually obtained a power of volun- 

 tary eructation, and have been able thus to bring up hogsheads of 

 air from their stomachs whenever they pleased. This great 

 quantity of air is to be ascribed to the increase of the fermenta- 

 tion of the aliment by drawing off the gas as soon as it is produced. 

 See Sect. XXIII. 4. 



