34 



V 



sloths. We find, however, that sphincter 

 muscles in general have the power of 

 continuing their contraction, though no pe- 

 culiar distribution of vessels is discover- 

 able in them. In the gall bladder, the func- 

 tion of which requires this slow but perma- 

 nently acting irritability, in order to express 

 its con tents in small and equal quantities into 

 the bowels, as the digested aliment passes 

 into them, we discover no peculiar ar- 

 rangement of arteries. Though we cannot 

 excite any sudden contraction of that bag, 

 yet we know that it can gradually re- 

 duce itself into a very small compass. 

 The skin has every where this slow but 

 permanently acting, and gradually relaxing 

 irritability, the effects of which are most 

 evident in lax and pendulous portions 

 of it. Accordingly we sometimes ob- 

 serve the scrotum and prepuce condensed 

 into a surprizingly small and very com- 

 pact mass. 



