74 THE LAWS OF ORGANIC 



whose nerves were divided, was to be attributed 

 to the quantity of food which the animal de- 

 voured after the operation ; and to prove this 

 point, the rabbit was not allowed to eat after the 

 division of the nerves. The stomach was still 

 distended. 



JLXVI. In these two experiments he does not 

 particularize the symptoms ; but he observes, 

 " These experiments seem to leave no room to 

 doubt, that the office of the stomach is suspended 

 by dividing the eighth pair of nerves. A similar 

 observation applies to the lungs. In all the in- 

 stances in which these nerves were divided, great 

 dyspnoea we have seen come on, and the air cells 

 and tubes were found clogged with frothy mucus"* 

 If an individual suffered from tic doloureux, 

 and allowed the surgeon to divide the nerve of 

 sensation belonging to the face, he would after- 

 wards find that the sensibility of the part was 

 destroyed ; and from this operation he would be 

 permitted to conclude that this nerve gave feel- 

 ing to the face ; but WILSON PHILIP, in draw- 

 ing a similar deduction from direct experiment, 

 has apparently forgot two important considera- 

 tions : First, he ought to have ascertained that di- 

 gestion depends on nervous influence ; Secondly, to 

 have explained the nature of the relation existing 

 between the lungs and stomach in regard to their 

 functions. 



* Dr WILSON PHILIP on the Vital Functions, p. 125. 



