[ 449 3 



act on this fame matter, when deprived of the liv- 

 ing principle, and entirely to decompofe it. The 

 number of powers, which thus act differently on 

 the living and dead animal fubftance, is not ascer- 

 tained: we (hall take notice of two, which can 

 only affect this fubftance when deprived of the 

 living principle; which are, putrefaction and di- 

 geltion. Putrefaction is an effect which ariies 

 fpontaneoufly ; digeftion is an effect of another 

 principle acting upon it, and lhall here be confi- 

 dered a little more particularly. 



Animals, or parts of animals, poffeffed of the 

 living principle, when taken into the ftomach, 

 are not the leaft affected by the powers of that 

 vifcus, fo long as the animal principle remains ; 

 thence it is that we find animals of various kinds 

 living in the ftomach, or even hatched and bred 

 there : but the moment that any of thofe lofe the 

 living principle, they become fubject to the di- 

 geftive powers of the ftomach. If it were poffible 

 for a man's hand, for example, to be introduced 

 into the ftomach of a living animal, and kept there 

 for fome considerable time, it would be found, 

 that the diflblvent powers of the ftomach could 

 have no effect upon it ; but if the fame hand were 

 feparated from the body, and introduced into the 

 fame ftomach, we mould then find that the fto- 

 mach would immediately act upon it. 



Indeed, if this were not the cafe, we mould 

 find that the ftomach itfelf ought to have been 

 made of indigeftible materials ; for, if the living 

 principle was not capable of preferving animal 



Vol. LXIL M m m ftibftances 



