Cbap. VI.] DIGESTION. 107 



The secretion, as we have seen, completely dissolves 

 albumen, muscle, fibrin, areolar tissue, cartilage, the fibrous 

 basis of bone, gelatine, chondrin, casein in the state in which 

 it exists in milk, and gluten which has been subjected to 

 weak hydrochloric gcid, Syntonin and legumin excite the 

 leaves so powerfully and quickly that there can hardly be a 

 doubt that both would be dissolved by the secretion. The 

 secretion failed to digest fresh gluten, apparently from its 

 injuring the glands, though some was absorbed. Raw meat, 

 unless in very small bits, and large pieces of albumen, &c., 

 likewise injure the leaves, which seem to suffer, like animals, 

 from a surfeit. I know not whether the analogy is a real 

 one, but it is worth notice that a decoction of cabbage leaves 

 is far more exciting and probably nutritious to Drosera than 

 an infusion made with tepid water; and boiled cabbages are 

 far more nutritious, at least to man, than the uncooked 

 leaves. The most striking of all the cases, though not really 

 more remarkable than many others, is the digestion of so 

 hard and tough a substance as cartilage. The dissolution of 

 pure phosphate of lime, of bone, dentine, and especially en- 

 amel, seems wonderful; but it depends merely on the long- 

 continued secretion of an acid; and this is secreted for a 

 longer time under these circumstances than under any other. 

 It was interesting to observe that as long as the acid was 

 consumed in dissolving the phosphate of lime, no true di- 

 gestion occurred ; but that as soon as the bone was complete- 

 ly decalcified, the fibrous basis was attacked and liquefied 

 with the greatest ease. The twelve substances above enu- 

 merated, which are completely dissolved by the secretion, are 

 likewise dissolved by the gastric juice of the higher animals; 

 and they are acted on in the same manner, as shown by the 

 rounding of the angles of albumen, and more especially by 

 the manner in which the transverse striaj of the fibres of 

 muscle disappear. 



The secretion of Drosera and gastric juice were both able 

 to dissolve some element or impurity out of the globulin and 

 hcematin employed by me. The secretion also dissolved 

 something out of chemically prepared casein which is said to 



the observntlonn on which this a fault in the method employed, 

 theory is foiindwl nre to some F. D,] 

 extent untrustworthy, owiug to 



