J 378 STRUCTURE AVD USES OF THE SPLEEV. 



by weighing half an inch in length of each in a very nice 

 balance ; the disproportion between them is greater, than 

 between corresponding veins and arteries, in other parts of 

 the body. 

 Ejiperiment Having acquired this knowledge of the internal structure 



v:t ma er. ^^ ^j^^ spleen, I made the following experiment with a de^ 

 coction of madder. This substance was employed, from the 

 animals who feed on it having their bones tinged red, so that 

 there can be no doubt of its colouring matter being carried 

 into the circulation of the blood. I was much disappointed 

 on seeing the colour of the decoction, which, instead of 

 being a bright red (the tinge communicated to the bones), 

 was of a dirty brown. The same gentlemen assisted me, as 

 in the former experiment. 

 Decoction in- Nov. 8, 1807, seven ©unces of a strong decoction of 

 stomacl"oVa^ madder were injected into the stomach of a dog, immedi- 

 dog, wiih the ately after the pylorus had been secured. At this time the 

 l)yIorus tiedup. j^g voided some urine, which was limpid and colourless, 

 ^n 42 minutes, two ounces of a yellowish fluid were brought, 

 up by vomiting. In 18 minutes more the dog vomited 

 again ; what came up proved to consist of 3| ounces of 

 solid matter, and 3 ounces of liquid. In 15 minutes after- 

 wards, 5 ounces of the decoction were injected, Avhich re- 

 mained quietly on the stomach for two hours and a quarter, 

 After ]|:hour at the end of which period the dog v/as killed. In the act 

 fluid in the sto- ^^ ^J^^g ^6 made water, in the quantity of two ounces, of 

 rnach. a dark muddy colour. This was saved, and afterwards 



compared with" the remaining liquid in the stomach, which 

 State of the in- it exactly resembled. On examining the connections be- 

 ternal parts. tween the stomach and spleen, none of the absorbent ves^ 

 sels were apparent, more than in the former experiments. 

 The pyloric portion of the stomach contained about two 

 ounces of half digested food, but no liquid. The cardiac 

 portion contained four ounces of liquid, and half an ounce 

 of solid food, so that the act of vomiting, which appeared, 

 at the time, a sufficient exertion to have completely emptied 

 the stomach, had brought up no part of the contents of the 

 pyloric portion, and had not even completely emptied the 

 -Jthof the liquid cardiac portion. In this experiment, without making al. 

 had escaped, lowance far any liquid in fhe storaach, prior to the decocv 



tion 



