of the Stomach, 225 



that defends the inner coat of the stomach, and those 

 which secrete the gastric liquor, together with the mem- 

 branous and villous coats, ail come in for their share. 



That the nerves in this disease have experienced a 

 loss of tone, is evident from many considerations, par- 

 ticularly from the many remarkable morbid sympathetic 

 actions, to which it frequently gives rise, in many other 

 parts of the body. On the existence and variety of these 

 morbid sympathies, I shiill have occasion to enlarge here- 

 after. Admitting their reality for the present, I observe, 

 that the nerves appear to be necessary to -the existence 

 of sympathetic action. Destroy one of the large nerves, 

 and that part of the body which receives its nervous in- 

 fluence from it, will immediately become destitute of 

 sense and motion. Facts in support of this assertion, 

 have been often stated by others. It may not be amiss, 

 however, to state the following case. 



In the summer of the year 1804, I was called from a 

 distance to visit a lad, aged about 14 years, who had fal- 

 len a few weeks before from a tree, thirty-six feet, upon 

 a pile of stones. On my arrival I found him lying in a 

 bed, and unable to move his legs or his body. A more 

 minute examination exhibited a very large wound, direct- 

 ly over the spine, a little below the lower part of the neck. 

 The precise state of the injury, owing to the tumefaction, 

 and soreness, and the extreme pain which a change of 

 posture occasioned, it Vv'as difficult to ascertain. I be- 

 came however soon convinced of what I before could 

 hardly doubt, that irreparable injury had been done to 

 the Medulla Spinalis. After making such an examina- 

 tion of his state and circumstances as seemed necessary, 

 a pin was repeatedly thrust about a quarter of an inch in- 

 to various parts of his legs, without his making the least 

 complaint, or even suspecting what had been done. A 

 lighted candle was also held to his feet a sufficient length 

 of time to have occasioned, in a healthy person, severe 

 pain. Of this, too, he took no notice ; yet the wound was 

 exquisitely sensible. His mind, also, was active ; he was 

 able to converse without difficulty, and to eat his food 

 with tolerable ease. He had no command over the 



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