150 - ANALYTIC SECT. XVIII, 
cccLxx. M. Magendie recently endeavouréd to 
prove, that vomiting is not owing to contraction 
of the stomach, but of the diaphragm and abdo- 
minal muscles; if this conclusion were established, 
it would place the action of the stomach quite at 
variance with the motion of all the other soft 
fibres; but Maingault has shown it to be a~ 
mistake. After removing the diaphragm and 
abdominal muscles, he made the stomach eject its 
contents, by injecting a solution of the 'Tartrate 
of Antimony and Petass into the veins. In the 
action of vomiting, however, the abdominal mus- 
cles and diaphragm are commonly conyulsed at 
the same time with the stomach. 
cccLxx1. The contractile vital foree seems to be 
the same, whether it be communicated to the 
muscular fibres by the blood, volition, or imor- 
ganized substances; whenever they come under 
its influence, their expansive vital force is not 
only neutralized, but they are instantly corrugated, 
and continue so till the contractile vital force is 
in its turn neutralized, when they again expand. 
cccLxxil. In this inflamed state of the stomach, 
stimulating substances are extremely injurious ; it 
ought not, therefore, to be confounded with 
the convulsions of this organ, proceeding from 
diminished vitality, which are frequently distant 
indications of death, and urgently require stimu- 
