206 NATURAL THEOLOGY. 



how a danger so serious, and yet so natural to the 

 length, narrowness, and tubular form of the part, 

 is provided against. The expedient is admirable, 

 and it is this. The intestinal canal, throughout its 

 whole process, is knit to the edge of a broad fat 

 membrane called the mesentery. It forms the 

 margin of this mesentery, being stitched and fas- 

 tened to it like the edging of a ruffle ; being four 

 times as long as the mesentery itself, it is what a 

 seamstress would call " puckered or gathered on " 

 to it. This is the nature of the connexion of the 

 gut with the mesentery; and being thus joined to, 

 or rather made a part of, the mesentery, it is 

 folded and wrapped up together with it. Now 

 the mesentery, having a considerable dimension in 

 breadth, being in its substance withal both thick 

 and suety, is capable of a close and safe folding, in 

 comparison of what the intestinal tube would ad- 

 mit of, if it had remained loose. The mesentery 

 likewise not only keeps the intestinal canal in its 

 proper place and position under all the turns and 

 windings of its course, but sustains the number- 

 less small vessels, the arteries, the veins, the lym- 

 pheducts, and, above all, the lacteals, which lead 

 from or to almost every point of its coats and 

 cavity. This membrane, which appears to be 

 the great support and security of the alimentary 

 r.pparatus, is itself strongly tied to the first three 

 \ v:rtebra3 of the loins.* 



* Keill's Anat. p. 45. 



