VOL. XLI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 4gg 



narrower, running into wrinkles, and forming waves the whole lengtli of the 

 gut, where these two motions happen alternately. The straitening is per- 

 formed behind, and on the excrements, to drive them down ; the dilatation 

 happens before these faeces, in order to open them a passage : for example, 

 when the faeces were at the orifice, through which we saw them issue, this ori- 

 fice was spread open. 



The 2d sort of motion observed in the guts, generally preceded the one 

 above described. In this motion the surface of the gut, being swelled and 

 smooth, was rendered uneven by many small impressions, or hollows, distributed 

 here and there, and which seemed to be formed by little local convulsions, cir- 

 cumscribed by the intestinal fibres. These convulsive impressions resembled, 

 in little, those that are made in the abdomen, on contracting some one of its 

 muscles. They made the surface of the intestine a little pale, and so formed a 

 sort of undulation on its surface. It was chiefly in this sort of motion, that 

 there was squeezed out of the villous coat of the intestines, a mucilage and 

 serosity, which flowed from it in abundance. Both these seem to serve for 

 diluting the faeces, and preparing them an easier passage. The cold air did not 

 fail to excite these motions, and the woman felt some touches of the colic 



After having made these observations on the natural functions of the in- 

 testines, it occurred to him to observe the efi^ect of cathartics in them. We 

 do not often see the inside of the guts of a living person in good health, and 

 freely performing its functions : he was therefore willing to make use of so 

 uncommon an occasion. 



First, he put a little pulp of cassia on several places of these 2 portions of 

 gut. This medicine made very little impression on those parts ; they stirred 

 very little, especially the upper gut. Next, he laid on manna. This, when 

 somewhat dissolved ; formed a sort of froth, and then the gut was agitated by 

 vermicular motions, and by small convulsive contractions, much more distinct 

 than in the conditions he had examined it before. He took off the manna, and 

 strewed powder of jalap on the gut. At first it had no effect ; but, when it 

 was moistened, the gut was violently agitated, discharged much serosity, and 

 the patient complained of gripings. He removed the powder, and under it he 

 found a great quantity of mucilage, already gathered there. 



He thought it needless to harass the woman by further trials, which would 

 prove much the same with the foregoing ; and therefore turned his whole at- 

 tention on the means of curing her of this accident, and so rewarding her for 

 the services she had rendered us. 



At first sight of this disease, he was as far as the other surgeons from com- 

 prehending the aenigma of the figure of the 2 ends of the gut continuous, or 



3 s 2 



