of the Stomach. 251 



ble, to be produced by decomposition, without the aid of 

 chemical aarents. 



2. The nature of the gastric licjuor is such, as to ren- 

 der it highly improbable, that it should undergo such a 

 change, unless it was first secreted in a morbid state. — 

 Though I have not been able to obtain any chemical 

 analysis of it, on which much reliance can be placed, I 

 can state the following interesting fact, ^vhich proves 

 what is generally admitted, but by some respectable 

 v/riters denied, that this iluid possesses singular antisep- 

 tic powers.'**^ Some years ago, iEneas Monson, M. D. 

 late President of the Medical Society of Connecticut, ob- 

 tained about a quart of gastric liquor, from the stomach 

 of an ox. The animal, previous to its being killed, had 

 been fasting an unusual length of time. Notwithstand- 

 ing this advantage, the butcher who collected it, did not 

 obtain it so" pure and free from admixture Vv'ith other sub- 

 stances, as was expected. In consequence of this fact it was 

 put into a junk bottle, tightly corked, and placed by a ser- 

 vant in the cellar, on the top of the wall, by the v/indow,with 

 an intention of letting it stand a few days, to settle. When 

 it was called for, the servant was unable to find it. It re- 

 mained in this situation between one and two years, be- 

 fore it was discovered. On opening it, it was found to 

 be perfectly sweet, and to sm.ell very exactly like the 

 breath of a healthy co\v. This occurred during the hot- 

 test M'eather of the summer. The liquor was carefully 

 poured off" into another bottle, which was well corkecf, 

 and set aside in a proper place, where it remained a year 

 longer. It was then opened, and the liquor had appar- 

 ently undergone no changes, but vv'as perfectly sweet.— ^ 

 Nov/ when it is remembered that this liquor was obtain- 

 ed, not from the stomach of an omnivorous animal, as 

 m.an, but from that of a herbivorous one, and that the 

 gastric liquor of the former, as is admitted by various 

 physiologists, is less dis]30sed to ferm.ent, than that of the 

 latter ; that it rem.ained for such a length of time, expos- 

 ed to great alterations of heat and cold, and to the influ- 

 ence of light; it may with the utmost propriety be asked, 

 is it credible that a liquor possessing such pToperties^ should 



