of the Stomach. 237 



moderate distance in snow, partially melted, till his boots 

 became thoroughly water soaked, much larger evacua- 

 tions have been produced, than would have resulted from 

 a heavy dose of calomel and jalap. It does not howev- 

 er usually occasion an equal degree of debility, with 

 that which he customarily suffers from a cathartic ; and 

 almost immediately after the evacuation has ceased, his 

 stomach and intestines will, by heating his feet, become 

 tolerably composed. Another gentleman, whenever he 

 undresses to bathe in river or sea water, experiences in 

 consequence of the exposure of his naked body to the 

 cool air, a free and almost immediate evacuation from his 

 bowels. 



A sympathy equally remarkable exists between the 

 mind and stomach. This truth I will briefly illustrate. 



1. Hard study or intense application of the mind pro- 

 duces wind, and acidity in the stomach, and costiveness, 

 and general debility. Fools are observed to be proverb- 

 ial for eating excessive quantities of food with sound di- 

 gestion, while students are apt to suffer from loss of ap- 

 petite and indigestion. 



2. The indulgence of certain passions and emotions 

 produce similar effects. A paroxysm of anger has oc- 

 casioned, by its sedative effects on the stomach, sudden 

 death. 



3. Persons laboring under severe disease are some- 

 times completely and instantaneously cured by intelli- 

 gence, which calls forth very sudden and strong emotions 

 of the mind.* 



Should the cause of this wonderful sympathy between 

 the stomach and other parts of the body and the mind 

 be asked, no hesitation can exist in attributing it to the 

 distribution of the ParVagum, or second branch of the 

 eighth pair of nerves, and to its wonderful connexion 

 with other nerves, particularly the great sympathetic. 

 The Par Vagum, besides supplying the stomach, sends 

 branches to the larynx, pharynx, trachea, oesophagus, 

 vessels of the neck and heart, to the lungs, &c. ; and by 

 its connexion with the great sympathetic, a sympathy is 

 established between the stomach aiid all the abdominal 

 * See Note B. 



