152 -ANALYTIC SECT. XVIII. 
pable inconsistency, and the inaccuracy of sepa- 
rating irritability from the nervous power. 
cccLtxxvi. In violent deaths, when the ali- 
mentary canal is full, some feces are generally 
expelled either immediately before or after the 
last moments of vitality. The sudden reduction 
of the expansive vital force, readily accounts for 
this circumstance, which is common to the human 
species and the lower animals. 
cccLxxvu. The intestinal canal, while alive, is 
always moderately expanded, and does not reach its 
maximum of contraction till a long time after death. 
The stomach of a dog, even when cut from all 
connexion with the body, immediately after stran- 
gulation, continues contracting more and more for 
a full half hour. Is contraction, in such cireum- 
stances, the mere gradual extinction of the ex- 
pansive vital force? This protracted contraction 
of the alimentary tube, accounts for the evacua- 
tion of feces, which sometimes occurs. many 
hours after death. 
cccLxxviul. Bichat supposed the great sympa- 
thetic nerve, and its ganglions, to be a distinct 
nervous system; and partly on this hypothesis he 
divided the Animal Economy into Organic and 
Animal Life. It is, indeed, astonishing to observe 
how well the pectoral and abdominal viscera ex- 
ecute their functions in apoplexy, notwithstanding 
the,serious injury sustained by the brain. That the 
